Most of you are probably getting ready or have already started your practices/tryouts for the upcoming season like we are here as well.
It's one of those things that no matter how well you seem to plan your practices, there are always times where practice seems to get bogged down, or the the tempo grinds to a halt. Players are doggin' it, and it just isn't moving as quickly and smoothly as it should.
I was re-watching a Don Meyer DVD yesterday on practice planning and he had 3 great ideas to help speed up practices:
1. Countdown
2. Change ends
3. Echo yells
Players respond to a clock. If you just tell them to get to the baseline, they always seem to take their sweet ass time doing it, even if you yell at them. Give them a countdown, 5-4-3-2-1. If they don't get there before 1, then they all run. Stimulus-response.
If you're doing a shooting drill and the players are just going through the motions, make them change ends and give them a countdown. By forcing players to switch and hustle to the other side of the floor, it makes them refocus their attention.
Finally, instead of you yelling at the players, have a policy of echo yells. You tell 1 player, 'free-throws'. That player yells 'free-throws', everyone yells 'free-throws', and you're off to doing free-throws.
