Winning tournaments feels exciting, but it doesn’t always mean players are developing. In fact, chasing wins at the youth level can sometimes get in the way of long-term growth.

Here are some thoughts from two years of observing the youth space.

A thread. 🧵 1/ Players can develop, or not, regardless of whether they win the tournament. It's about the habits and lessons from competing. Focus on struggle, challenge, and growth, & not sacrificing that for winning alone.

How Can You Teach Defensive Rebounding Better?

Boxing out is one of the most poorly transferred skills in basketball.

This is how we teach it using the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA)—through context, not choreography.

A thread. 🧵 1/ If your players rebound in practice drills but not in representative practice games…

Your drills probably isolate the skill without matching the chaos.
We don’t teach rebounding with scripted form—we create environments where rebounding has to happen.

Elevate Your Coaching Game with Dennis Gates

Over 200 coaches at EYBL Peach Jam gathered to learn from the Missouri head coach's expertise.

Here are some key takeaways from his clinic presentation that resonated with all of us.

A thread.🧵
1/  Redefining Drills

Eliminate the word "drills"—use "activities" to emphasize dynamic, game-like learning.
Language shapes mindset. This shift redefines development.

Why Teaching Basketball in Opposites Makes Everything Simpler

The last 2 years coaching many players in the youth space has shown me that...

Your players learn faster, deeper, and with less confusion by seeing both sides—together.

A thread 🧵 1/ Every goal on offense is met with an opposing goal on defense.
Create space ↔ Take it away
Create advantage ↔ Stay neutral
Take great shots ↔ Force bad ones

Understanding this duality helps players read and react with purpose.

Want better spacing, more layups, and smarter threes?

Start with one principle: Teach better cutting.
Here’s an 8-part breakdown on how Boston University assistant coach @MikeQuinn010 thinks about cutting.

A thread 🧵Let’s dive in ⬇️ 1/ Why Cutting Wins

Cutting creates rim pressure, opens up inside-out threes, and simplifies decisions for non-shooters.
Uncontested layups > contested anything.

👉 Smart movement = high-efficiency offense.

Coaching my daughter's 13U AAU team for 5 games over a weekend brought some thoughts. 

Here's what stood out (besides the fun):

A thread. 🧵 1/ Psychological safety matters. Mini conversations and individual feedback helped players feel that they belonged and were contributing. Coaching decisions prioritizing development over outcomes further reinforced this, emphasizing progress over perfection.

Top 5 Takeaways from #thebasketballpodcast via
@debpeterson12

The Basketball Podcast: EP249 with Ben Taylor
@ElGee35 applies many of his Thinking Basketball concepts basketballimmersion.com/the-basketball…

#basketballimmersion newsletter...sign up here basketballimmersion.com/newsletter/ 1. Cognitive load matters. Communicate what truly matters. Information overload is a very real thing. Doug Lemov talks about rehearsing what you’re going to say in a given situation. Figure out what information is actually relevant and communicate only that.

Happy 2023!

To kick off the New Year and to look forward to another amazing year of #sharethegame
Here are the Top 5 Plays of 2022 that we posted. #Thread

#1 Ball Screen Follow Ghost
Great play design from U of Miami head coach Katie Meier. #2 Stack Out Give Go
Want a layup?
Stack out to a give and go action.

Top 5 Takeaways from #thebasketballpodcast EP230 Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Max Lefevre shares insights on NBA core defensive concepts.
basketballimmersion.com/the-basketball… via
@debpeterson12 and #basketballimmersion newsletter...sign up here basketballimmersion.com/newsletter/ 1. Defense doesn’t matter if you don’t get the rebound. The best schemes are wasted if you can’t end the possession. Loved the “sandwich method”. Would be interesting to hear from coaches who have used it, especially against teams who tag up for offensive rebounding.

How do I know that "learning by doing" improves a player?

When we moved to California, my daughters took tennis lessons at a world-class facility.

Sadly, but not to my surprise, the lessons & transfer to improve their ability to actually play tennis were lacking.

A thread. 1/ Time-on-Task (TOT) & Active Learning Time(TOT) matter more than teaching through lecturing.
Waiting in line, long lectures on technical details were a part of every lesson & not only did my daughters not improve, but they started disliking lessons (& thus learning tennis).

Indiana Pacer assistant Mike Weinar kicks off 3 weeks of NBA coaches on #thebasketballpodcast + NCAA coach Graham Bousley shares defensive insights in the #masterclass & watch full game offensive possessions of the 2 Side Fast Break/BDT Offense on #YouTube ICYMI The Utah Jazz and head coach Quin Snyder had the highest offensive rating by a team in 2021-22, with a 116.7 rating, and here are our favorite plays that worked.

Watch here

Some Thoughts From Being in
Process of Raising Two Girls with @lovefitmama
(and everything applies to coaching).
#InternationalWomensDay #iwd2021 #girldad

1. Remove "Be Careful" from our Vocabulary
Give them confidence to explore freely and to challenge their limits. 2. And I Am Smart Too
Anytime someone tells them they are cute, welcome the compliment but also add to the conversation "and I am smart too." We want them to feel and know their value beyond superficial things...substance that has been developed through effort.

This week a #masterclass with USA Basketball's Don Showalter, a #YouTube explanation and demonstration of Zero Second Concepts, and an awesome actionable #thebasketballpodcast with Washington Wizards coach Ryan Richman. ICYMI learn more about perception and so much more from @Doug_Lemov who joined #thebasketballpodcast to discuss The Coach's Guide to Teaching. Lemov shared how the science of classroom teaching applies to the sports coaching world.
Listen here link.chtbl.com/douglemov