Planning a Productive Practice

These coaching tips will help you maximize the effectiveness of your valuable team practice time.

The key to player/team improvement is the number of times they contact the ball in a game-related fashion:

• Make sure practice is planned to maximize ball contacts
  
• Keep the practice up-tempo. However, remember the John Wooden saying, "be quick but don't hurry".
  
• Avoid long delays in practice explaining drills or providing feedback. Players will lose focus and not get the contacts to improve
  
• Have points of emphasis for individual practices and also within a weekly practice plan. The weekly points of emphasis will assist you in planning daily practices
  
• Make sure your practice expectations are clear and communicated early in the season. Players will adjust to your expectations if you are consistent.