Dick Bennett Thoughts

These notes are from a clinic at UW-Green Bay that I was at.  Listening to Coach Bennett is always a learning experience!

 

DICK BENNETT

• Learned everything through trial and error. Early on most of it failed.  You learn the most out of failure, if you can persist through it.
• "Men who achieve greatness do not work more complexly than the average man, but more simply In dealing with complex problems, with the simplicity that is natural to him he goes directly to the point, unaffected by the confusion of details in which another man would have lost himself."
• Recommended “War” by Sebastian Junger
• Collective defense can be so compelling-so addictive, in fact- that eventually it becomes the rationale for why the group exists in the first place. I think almost every man at Restrepo secretly hoped he enemy would make a seriously try at overrunning the place before the deployment came to an end. It was everyone’s worst nightmare but also the thing they hoped for most, some ultimate demonstration of the bond and fighting ability of the men”  From WAR by Junger
• Used this quote to talk about a defensive identity of a team
• If you can have a defensive identity then you will enjoy more success then you ever have before.
• Game Coaching-He was always up when they were on defense because he felt his players needed great motivation from the coaches.  Especially on the road
• Stay on top of the defense and let the offense take care of itself. (Cant be in their ear offensively)
• Wanted to make teams play offense for as long as possible, because offense wants to score as quickly as possible.

10 CONCEPTS

1. Eliminate Losing—What causes you to lose games?  Offensive rebounds, fouls, turnovers, lack of hustle…
2. Choose Personnel wisely—It’s a team game and everyone must put the team 1^st.  More enjoyable to coach & in the long run will make you more successful.  Can’t rehabilitate players at the college level. 
3. Importance of emphasis—Emphasize what matters most to you.  What is important to you?  It’s not what you know, its what THEY (your players) know
4. Players must understand

      -Anticipation is to defense as reaction is to offense

      -Getting Back is to defense as taking care of the all is to Offense

      -Protecting the lane is to defense as Penetration is to offense

5.   Rebounding, loose balls, and turnovers are the X factors—IF you chart 1 thing       it should be these things.  Difference between winning and losing.

6.   Need Non-Negotiatbles—Getting Back on Defense & Sureness with the ball.

7.   Offense must offer sound ball handling potential and an inside/outside     scoring potential.   BALANCE

8.   Quality is the standard of measurement… Evaluate Accordingly—“Don’t       accept in victory, what you wouldn’t in defeat.”  Have a standard

9.   Have an identity.

10. Which Character traits are important to you and your team?

  

• Everything you do and say has to be teachable
• Recruit/develop people of character
• Core Values: Servanthood, passion factor, humility, Unity (the ultimate test of how we play)
• Unity isn’t during team activities its evident on roadtrips when playing time is handed out.  Talk about unity and insist on it!
• “Are you gonna get up” talking about after a loss or a setback.
• Be thankful for defeats because you can learn more from them.

Following is from his last year at Washington State

Defense

• Get back
• Set our D
• Pressure the ball
• Pack off the ball (1 +4) 1 on ball, plus 4 their to help
• Block out and rebound
• Change the game on Defense

       Offense

• Catch & Pass with Sureness
• Run hard when we run
• Break the defense down (Screens, Cuts, Pass, Dribble)
• Take good shots
• Get back or get an offensive rebound

        Characteristics

• We will be humble
• We will be passionate
• We will be unified
• We will be servants
• We will be thankful