Interested in taking your basketball program’s offseason workouts to the next level? Want to become an even better teacher of the game and improve players’ learning and skill acquisition?
SAVI Coaching’s Mark Cascio shares insights for better player development, including a scaffolding technique for improved training, drills for better skill development and decision-making, and plans for scheduling the offseason.
Major takeaways from the episode:
- Holistic Player Development. Player development extends beyond technical skills to encompass the mental, physical, and tactical aspects of the game.
- Coaching Through Values. When coaches lead with clear values and uphold standards, player development becomes an almost inevitable outcome.
- Creating a Growth Environment. The goal is to establish a program atmosphere where players naturally improve due to the consistent processes and systems in place.
- Addressing Player Needs. Players constantly evaluate if they feel safe and if they are improving within the program. Meeting these needs is crucial, especially in the transfer portal era, to encourage players to stay and develop.
- Defining Player Development. Coach Cascio defines player development as the combination of skill AND decision-making.
- CUFF Framework. A 4-step framework (Create, Use, Find, Finish) guides their player development approach, working backward from the desired finish
- Environment as Feedback. In the initial stages of skill development, the training environment itself should provide the primary feedback to encourage implicit learning and problem-solving.
- Scaffolding Skill Development. A “teach it, script it, read it, play it” approach, along with the “power of +1” concept, allows for a gradual and progressive development of skills.
Watch the Full Episode
Additional Resources from Coach Cascio
- Games-Based Coaching with Small-Sided Games
- Building .5 Decision-Making
- Improving Players’ Basketball IQ through Practice Planning
- Implementing an Uptempo, Drive and Space Attack
- Motion Offense
Listen to the full podcast episode now…
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