My son is in 9th grade. He is on the JV team. I am concerned because his coach (he’s very young graduated HS in 2020) uses running as a disciplinary action EVERY DAY, EVERY PRACTICE! If they don’t run a play correct -5 down and backs. -Lack of effort -5 down and backs -one teammate has an attitude -5down and backs etc. and it’s not just the one person being disciplined it’s the whole team EVERYTIME! The coach does this ALL practice! With every mistake he stops practice and they run! They run more than they practice because the whole team is punished for one person one mistake. He assistant coach is also young (he graduated HS in 2017) is in the military and was their 8th grade coach. He runs the practice like a military base. I’ve watched these boys play ball together since 3rd grade. They all act work down and defeated! No smiles. No loving the game. They look like human chess pieces out there on the court only moving to where they’re told. They boys used to play with heart and grit. They now don’t even play free motion offense. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to be the loud mouth mother but I relate to their faces and behavior so much. I was raised in a horrible toxic environment and it took me years to realize I can live my own life freely and love doing it and I still struggle. I see the weight in the boys eyes. I don’t know what to do. I want to have a heart to heart with the coaches as human to human but I don’t want to over step but we’re talking about still developing teens here! They got in trouble for losing a game and the coach was pissed at them and shaming them that they don’t play with heart. How can they? What do I do?

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Bob thank you for your input I coach fundamentals and I agree with you 100% I try I make it fun for my kids however some of them need more discipline when running they get too lazy and complacent. Thank you very much for your input. God Bless You

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I do not like the term "suicides". When creating teams individual efforts must always be the best. I always practice with speed and conditioning as a base. Sometimes it is hidden, but if is always there. Example of this is I have players do shooting in groups of three. They get 100 shot each in ten minutes. Reporting their results in 10 shot segments. Yes ythis is faster than in most game, but it gets them to shoot when winded. O the rebounders must get ball before it hit the floor. So all three are moving. Each shot must be 15 ft from last shot. This is done with all drills and it works. Our suicide run is called a "homerun", and last thing done every practice. ( 28 secound time for entire team)

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Insane says: 8/21/2017 at 10:01:51 AM Coach Boge, I like your style. Keep them moving, keep them running and keep them competing. How about fun run for the conditioning. A well conditioned athlete is always an asset. Like     login   register

If the kids are actually requesting more running, then that tells you something. I think a well conditioned player can remain on the floor and produce positive results while a equally talented less conditioned player will need longer recovery time.(on the bench ) A well conditioned player with excellent speed can be trained to be disruptive defensively which is always a positive. Running at practice displays a level of skill which is essential to positive athletic outcomes. Just use your time wisely, and keep running.

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I like this idea about not running "suicides" for the sake of just conditioning. And I hat the word "suicide". I used to call it running lines. You never know who's loved one actually committed suicide and it probably brings up memories for her. From now on, we will not run lines, we will run while dribbling, just like Bob Bigelow suggested. Great idea. Thank you!

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Bob is the best. i wish he had this change of heart back when he was coaching us... i totally agree with this for middle school kids but i do see a benefit to "just" running at the high school level because: 1. most kids can not sprint at full speed & control a dribble. they slow down their running speed in order to control the ball. by slowing down to control the ball they are actually training themselves to run slower 2. how many times are kids told to sprint back on defense or sprint ahead on offense? most of the time kids are sprinting, it's without the ball 3. there is a mental component to being able to sprint when tired. 4. running against the clock is a good measuring barometer to see if a kid is in game shape..running just to punish players is outdated.

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I agree with this 100 percent.

A middle school program is more hard pressed for time than higher levels.

When my teams ask why we don't run more, I explain it the same way.

Twenty minutes a day, doing nothing but running, eats up too much time.

For us, at that rate, we lose the equivalent of a practice every 6 days.

We do a lot of 4 On 4 Change, 1 v 1 Attack With Narrow Cones, etc.

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