Good day. I've been to your forums in the past getting various tips and advice then I kind of took a break from coaching and now I'm looking to get back into coaching youth (likely 12-14). I previously was attempting to use and teach a motion offense because I believe it actually teaches kids how to play the game the right way better (ie. cutting, passing and playing unselfishly) and these attributes to me leads to high basketball IQ's. Anyway I had difficulty teaching it and am looking for advice on perhaps how to simplify the process (will likely not have as much practice time as I'd like) and also promote understanding (hope this makes sense). There's a place for more structure but I believe in free-flowing and freedom and want to express that in my style of coaching and in doing so become a better coach for myself. I appreciate any and all advice and recommendation. Thanks, Michael

I explain our motion offense to players in one sentence...

"We want spacing and ball movement until we get a good shot."

That is repeated over and over and everything we teach is based on that sentence.

Everyone says spacing it the most important thing but few understand how to really teach it.

If you want ball movement, players need to get open and move at least a little bit.

So basically all you emphasize is spacing, ball movement, and taking good shots.

If you turn the ball over, well that's not a good shot because you didn't get one. If the ball is not moving, it's probably because players aren't getting open. If good shots are hard to come by, it's because spacing and/or ball movement is not good.

For great spacing, I think you...
- emphasize and teach it constantly in games, scrimmages, etc. you have to freeze players often and just say "how's our spacing". they look around, realize it's bad, and fix it.
- use no dribble drills (http://jeffhaefner.com/coach/trying-new-drills-no-dribble-is-still-one-of-the-best/)
- use string spacing drills like this (I have others I'll write up soon):
https://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/play.asp?id=7699

For ball movement, I think you...
- use no dribble drills
- teach players how to cut... simple basket cuts are effective. just take pieces of your offense (cuts and screens) and turn them into skill building drills.
- teach players to read the defense when one pass away... if you'r covered you either need to pop out, basket cut, or screen away
- optionally you can teach players how to screen properly if you have time
- spacing... players need to have good spacing and give the ballhandler several passing options at all times... if you're not open, get open.

This works for us and is really simple.

Wow, that's just the kind of input I was looking for thanks Coach Jeff! What you're saying really makes sense and is exactly to the point of not just the motion offense but basketball itself.... spacing is literally everything. I appreciate the prompt response, thanks again!

Michael

I like Jeff's explanation: "We want spacing and ball movement until we get a good shot." That's a great way to explain the motion offense.

In terms of not having a lot of practice time and trying to teach the concepts of a basic motion, I think you can do it by using a few simple rules. If I'm working with a new team, I like to teach pass, cut, and fill. Nothing fancy. If you pass, you cut hard all the way to the basket (opposite of the ball) and fill the open spot above you. If the person with the ball can see the numbers on your jersey as you cut, they should pass it to you. Everyone else should be filling the open spot above them.

Rules:

-Set up receiving the pass from your teammate by performing a V-cut towards the basket. This allows you to shake your defender a bit and get open to receive the pass. It also comes in handy down the road when your defender doesn't bite on the V-cut and you end up with a back cut to the basket.

-Once the ball is passed, the cutter should set up their cut by using a jab step opposite of ball-side and then sprint all the way to the basket.

-If the passer can see the cutter's jersey numbers, they should pass it to the cutter for a lay-up. This takes the guesswork out of when to pass. If you can see the numbers it means the defender is behind the cutter.

-Non ball players should always fill the open spot above them.

This sounds simplistic, but a motion offense if only as good as the individual parts. I see kids get sloppy on not getting open which forces a bad pass. I see kids pass and not really set up their cuts so the defender easily keeps them from having an open cut to the basket. Same with sprinting, I watch kids go half-speed on their cuts. Those simple tweaks can make a big difference.

Once they perform that well, I add more flexibility to the offense. I add ability for the passer to make off-ball screens vs. cutting. Or add on-ball screens. Then add some pick and rolls.

I've found it's not so much which offense you run as much as it's how the pieces of that offense are being performed.

Thanks Coach Rob! If you don't mind I have a a silly question: the number you speak of for the cutter I'm assuming is referring to the number on the front of the jersey? I'm asking this because many of the youth leagues around here have t-shirt type jerseys with numbers only on the back... it makes sense to me that you'd be talking about the front.

Can't thank you guys enough. I'm going to jot down some notes in my notebook to take along with me.

Coach Jeff. I used to use "no-passing" offensive drills however it seems I didn't stick to them long enough. I would use them as just a break in routine and now I can see the immense value that actually playing extended games in practice using that philosophy! I followed your link - excellent write-up!

Your input has cleared a lot up in my own head and has me really looking forward to starting... thanks so very much Coaches!!

Yep, so in your case, if they can see the front of the jersey.

Got it, thanks!

As I have previously stated, my team in China, is a no talent, non athletic bunch of real good kids. I tried the motion I used as a pro coach and that was a disaster. Therefore, I put in three rules, 1. Always pass and screen away, 2. Closest to the ball screens away, in the post, post up for 1000 and 1 count and screen across. Always keep your spacing as this is important. One thing about Chinese kids, once you teach it, they get it and put it into practice. They may not do it well and they may never score, but they look real pretty attempting it.
On a lighter note, I did a clinic at a really poor mountain school about two hours straight up, they had three kids that I would love to have and I tried to recruit them to my school in the city. But they are so poor they simply cant afford our school....wow too bad...Coach Mac

Awesome stuff Coach Mac thanks! Curious... what was the motion offense you taught as a pro? Was that in the US? Why do you think the results were what they were?

If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up coaching in China? Very interesting hearing that perspective and I'm very interested in other cultures.

Thanks!

Actually coach, I am originally from Canada, where I helped implement the coaching certification system there. I then decided to do my MA and PhD in the US and I coached Freshman and Varsity basketball in Ohio where I was going to school... I was 43 at the time. A coaching friend of mine was the head coach of the Hong Kong Men's National Team and asked me to come as his assistant. That's how it got started. He got a position in the CBA and I took over for him with Hong Kong. I developed a company for basketball training in Hong Kong actually did some training with Jacki Chan's kid JC lol. I am now almost retired in Mainland China married to a beautiful Asian lady and the rest is history.
The motion I used as a pro, was more of a free lance act and react take what the defense gives you motion. Once you passed you could do several things, i.e. go to the basket on a cut, screen for a player, screen the ball for pick n roll, leave a spot fill a spot always keep spacing and have floor balance. We also had many time and score situations and set plays depending on what the other team was doing defensively. Let me say this, I had no difficulty coaching International and Pro players....I find this level of coaching, with middle school kids, much more demanding and challenging and I have great respect for all coaches at that level. Hope this helps Coach Mac.