For the last few months, I've been thinking of ways to expand the "APAAN" universe, and the result of that is "A Pen And A Napkin University", a program to help coaches in a more direct fashion to hone their craft. It's an affordable program that is flexible and can fit both your schedule and your wishes as to what you would like to sign up for, all done in the off-season! Make yourself a better coach by enrolling into "A Pen And A Napkin" University!!

Longtime Howells-Dodge (NE) GBB HC Scott Polacek comes on the pod this week for a lively discussion. We jump into building a summer schedule and what to look for in a summer camp, bringing football and mock trial experiences into coaching basketball, reaching 400 wins, "Becker Time" and the importance of press breaks. Alot of really good information tossed back and forth . . . Enjoy!

In the first of three in a series, we talk about the mental game and how much it plays into our programs. We often talk about the importance of the mental approach of our players, but what about leadership and the coaching staff; how you do you mentally prepare before each practice and competition? Here are some thoughts and ideas on what you can do to improve the mental approach of both yourself and your players.

New Oklahoma MBB HC Porter Moser goes through a detailed description of his background and coaching philosophy in his new book "All In". In this short, compact read, Moser talks about his failures and how he confronted them, how he bounced back from getting fired at Illinois State, the values he leans on and instills into his program, and much more. Great read for anyone interested in leadership!

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith MBB HC Jim Boone comes on the podcast this week to discuss a multitude of topics, including the benefits and drawbacks of multiple stops in a career, pushing players beyond their comfort zone, the packline defense (just a quick hitter), closeouts and motion offense. We also delve into really important stuff like late 70's Baltimore Orioles baseball, and perhaps Coach Boone's toughest question he's ever had to answer . . . desert island grilling choices . . . Enjoy the pod!!

As Coach Meyer used to say "You'll never end a season saying that we were just too tough." But how do you establish standards within your program to create toughness and a commitment to the team first? Here are some thoughts on how to build toughness up and down your program, but build toughness the right way.

Yep, you read the title right . . . Robert Sutton gives you guidance on how to identify people in your life (including evaluating yourself and how you treat others) and how to deal with "jerks" in your life. Any organization needs to make sure that they have everyone rowing in the same direction, and if anyone is disrupting that flow, they need to be dealt with. Sutton gives us all tips on how to organize our programs to get everyone on the same page. Enjoy!!

The next couple of months are a great time to take a look at your practice plans and analyze how you spent your time; did you spend too much time on defense but not enough time on shooting? Too much time on special situations that your team was never in position for anyway, and not enough time on free throws? How about shaking up the order of your practice? Here's some thoughts on looking backwards so you can look forwards!

Great discussion with 4x state champion Humphery St. Francis (NE) GBB HC Bryan Reichmuth. In this pod, we talk about building a strong culture at a small school, bouncing back from a state championship game loss to set up the 2020-21 season, being part of the recruitment of a Power 5 player, defensive pressure, offensive transition and practice set up. Great information from one of the best small school programs in the state!

Legendary Georgetown Coach John Thompson's autobiography "I Came As A Shadow" is a tremendous summation of one of basketball's legendary figures. As one of the most influential and controversial coaches in college basketball history, Thompson casts a long shadow, both literally and figuratively, and after reading his life's story, you have a greater understanding of Thompson's life and why he was the master of "Hoya Paranoia". A great read with numerous lessons to learn!

Hastings Adams Central (NE) Boys HC Zac Foster comes on the pod to discuss the development of his program and how he has built a perenial power in central Nebraska. We discuss the influence of Paul Beranek, developing championship habits, developing a quality youth program, shooting and we wrap it up with a discussion on the merits of a shot clock in high school basketball. Great information for all coaches!

We're all going to spend alot of time this off-season breaking down film, possessions, drill work, practice plans and everything in-between, but how much time are you going to spend breaking down yourself? What are your greatest strengths? What are your greatest weaknesses? What are you going to do to emphasize your strengths and what are you going to do to shore up your weaknesses? Taking the lead from Coach Wooden, here's an honest discussion about looking inwardly at making yourself the best coach you can be, and it has nothing to do with X's and O's.

"It's the most . . . wonderful time . . . of the year!" Casey Hall and I get back together to talk about the 2021 NCAA tournament bracket, from our favorite first round games to our analysis of the regions into our picks, which we take all the way through to the national champion. Enjoy!!

Great new podcast with up and coming coach Jeff Janssen, the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Indianola (IA). In this pod, we talk about lessons learned as a new HC, crossing over basketball and cross country, transition offense, practice organization, delegating authority and much more! Alot of great information!!

In this Foundation Friday, we take a look at some real-life scenarios that have played out at various state tournaments the past 10 days or so. Some of these are traditional situational examples, while others are based on the mentality that you try to build up within your program even before you get to the state tournament. Alot of different scenarios to think about on this one!

It's important that you communicate to your players both about the season that you just completed, but also the future and how they fit into your program. You also have to have a plan as you go into these conversations, and you want to make sure that you communicate what you want exactly how you want. Here are some tips to help with these vital conversations!

We are excited to announce our 1st Annual "A Pen And A Napkin" Coaches Clinic! Mark it on your calendars; Saturday, May 1st at Fort Calhoun High School. We are planning on having six speakers to speak about how to make your program better! Along with our speakers, we plan on having small group break out sessions over lunch to where coaches can bounce ideas off of one another; you get the chance to get better and also help others in multiple ways! Details in the podcast, and speakers will officially be announced when all speakers are confirmed!

Ballard of Huxley (IA) Boys HBB Coach Jeff Schertz comes on the podcast this week to discuss his journey to Iowa from the deep south, including a stop as the oldest men's basketball manager in the country. We also discuss different regions of the country, along with transition offense, flowing into motion offense and scouting. Alot of great information!!

Another great "Quick Hitters" cast with Jodi Steier, Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Iowa State University (Player Development), Josh Luedtke, Boys Basketball Coach at Omaha Creighton Prep High School (Developing a Defensive System), APAAN "Triple Threat" Tyler Shaw, Girls Basketball Coach at Sidney (NE) High School (Special Situations), veteran Omaha official Chris Peterson on the game from an official's perspective, and Mike Power, Activities Director at Carroll Kuemper (IA) HS on seeing things differently from an administrative position rather than a coaching perspective. Alot of great information; enjoy!!!

Welcome back to the pod!! As we wrap up our seasons over the next few days and weeks, there are many things that we need to take care of, including ourselves. Here are some things to think about that you need to do for the good of the program, the good of your players and for your own good.

In our latest episode, legendary Ankeny Centennial (IA) GBB HC Scott DeJong comes on the podcast this week! The 7-time state champion HC discusses coaching 6 on 6, developing a championship culture, building a great defensive scheme, changes in how high school programs function, the value of staff stability, and much more!

Excited to have Shawn Gilbert, the WBB HC at Midland (NE) University, on the podcast this week. In this week's discussion, we discuss hiring a assistant coaches, the role of assistant coaches, developing a great basketball camp, the analytics of the game, ball handling development and many other topics. Great discussion!

Head Boys Basketball Coach at Mount Vernon (IA) Ed Timm comes on the pod this week to discuss his long career as a coach, including the transition from college ball to high school, winning a state title in 2012, setting up an efficient practice, creating an environment where your players are supportive of one another, defensive transition and much more! An entertaining podcast with a newcomer to podcasting!

Welcome to Quick Hitters, Volume I! In our first edition of this podcast, we dive in with five coaches on five topics; Jeff Steines (Ames, IA) on in-game defensive efficiency, Josh Siske (Papillion-LaVista, NE) gives us some good shooting drills, TJ O'Connor (Fort Calhoun, NE) discusses zone pressure schemes, Greg Mays (Hastings, NE) chats about growing as a coach and John Carrier (St. Paul, MN) discusses his efforts to refine his coaching philosophy. Enjoy; hope you like it!!!

We're all taking a break the next few days, so it's a great time to not only rest and relax, but to also examine your season, where you're program is at right now and, perhaps most importantly, where you are at as a coach. It's a great time to reflect, to make adjustments and to realize how lucky we all are to be in this profession! Have a great and blessed holiday season!!

In our latest interview episode, Beatrice (NE) GBB HC Jalen Weeks comes on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics, including growing up in a coaching family, his development as a head coach, his half court offensive and defensive philosophy that he teaches and how to build a youth development program in your community. A great listen with alot of good information!

My good friend Casey Hall and I get together to talk about the upcoming NBA season. We talk about the top story lines, break down teams that we think are going to be alot of better and alot worse, then make our picks for conference and NBA finalists, along with our picks for the 2020-21 NBA Championship.

Coaching is a fulfilling but stressful occupation, and sometimes your priorities and your organizational thoughts can get lost in the shuffle. It takes time and effort to stay on top of your program, but what are the important things that you should be looking at? Borrowing from Mike Neighbors, the WBB HC at the University of Arkansas, here is a list of things that should be your priorities and helpful tips for organizing yourself and your program at all times.

One of the most basic drills in the game of basketball is the Shell Drill, and we all run it in some way, shape or form. Although it's important to just have those days when you need to grind it out, you also need to have different options to do the same drills multiple ways. Here are over 15 different ways you can do shell drill in your practices and get positive results, both offensively and defensively.

As your season progresses, you are re-evaluating what your theories were before you started practice and how those theories are now playing out in practices and games. Here are some thoughts about the things that you should be looking at and what your priorities should be as you make those necessary adjustments early in the season.

2x state champion Jay Schuiteman, the long time GBB HC at Unity Christian (IA), comes on the podcast to relive a few glory days of the high school years, along with the importance of communication, building a program from scratch, simplicity, "The Process", how to improve as the season moves forward and many other things to build a successful program!

New Milwaukee Bucks AC Mike Dunlap is our guest this week, and he definitely delivers great information on topics such as growing as a HC, important books for coaches to read, how to have "simplicity with detail", coaching Giannis Antetokounmpo, a great discussion on ATO execution, and how to help your players grow mentally. A terrific podcast with one of America's great coaches!

As competitions begin for teams around the country, it is important that you use every minute of game day to your advantage. It is also important that rehearse what you're going to do before games, during game and after games, and to simulate those concepts to the best of your abilities. Here are some thoughts and ideas on how to use and organize these segments of your game days!

Andy Gerlecz, the girls basketball coach at Papillion-LaVista South (NE), comes on the pod to chat about his coaching journey, the influence of Scott Hawk on his career, developing roles, communication, "Bright Spot" coaching, "Daily Vitamins" and how his coaching philosophy has evolved over the years. Great last 45 minutes of just us discussing alot of different things about coaching and how to coach your teams!

We are all in the part of the season where we are trying to put together a roster, finding roles for our players, having to consider whether or not to keep some players and eventually determining playing time for our players. This are all difficult decisions, but they are ones we must make. Here are some tips on some things to consider and some advice on how to handle those situations when they arise.

7-time state champion Eric Behrens of Omaha Central comes on our podcast this week to discuss his journey as a coach, from playing for his father to replacing him, making the jump to the collegiate level, working with the South Sudanese community in Omaha and much more. We also talk about the challenges of coaching in the age of Covid-19, along with transition defense, transition offense and out of bounds plays.

As we start our seasons, it is really important for you to have energy as a coach and to create practice plans that are going to bring the necessary energy to your practices. Gone are the days of 20-25 minute drills; you need to break things down and create an energetic, chaotic practice that will get your players active and ready to work; here's some tips that I have based off of our first practice next week!

Just wanted to drop a quick pod to explain how some things could/will go as we all head into our seasons and the immediate future of "A Pen And A Napkin"

Sometimes it's just nice to read a book about basketball without feeling like you need to highlight all the passages in the book that you think are important; "The Book of Basketball" is all of that and more! My favorite book of all time, writer and podcaster Bill Simmons discusses the history of the NBA, his "Pyramid" of the league's greatest players, a chapter on the greatest teams in the game and, most importantly for us as basketball coaches, discusses "The Secret" about basketball.

Preseason conditioning and preparation can be a grind. You need to build toughness, camaraderie and skill, but you're going to need different methods to do it. Here are some of the ideas that I've used and heard of to help change up your preseason workouts to get your team ready for the upcoming season.

2019 NAIA National Champion Drew Olson, the Head WBB Coach at Concordia University (NE), comes on the pod for a great discussion. We chat about his family coaching tree, his professional influences, pressure defense, analytics and recruiting players to a national championship program. Great information!

One of the most underestimated and undertaught skills of the game is screening; we all talk about it, but how miuch do we break down screening and making cuts off of screens? Here is a discussion starter on screening, philosophy on screening and cutters, and some drills that you can integrate into your practice to help your players screen, read screens and defending screens.

Nick Nurse is one of the best coaches in the world, and he shares his coaching journey in "Rapture", detailing everything from his childhood in Iowa to coaching in England, Belgium, the D-League and eventually the NBA. He discusses his coaching philosophy, how he learned from his mistakes, communication with players, building a strong work ethic and much more. A great read that would make a great Christmas present!

One of the newest members of the 500 win club in Nebraska, Kearney Catholic GBB HC Rick Petri comes on the podcast to discuss his dual role as AD and coach, coaching with his daughter, getting kicked out of a conference, rebounding, the importance of passing, teaching motion development and growing as a coach. Great information!

In this "Foundation Friday" on a Monday, we'll dive in on two things; first, I'm asking for my listeners help for something near and dear to my heart, a big ask, if you will. In the second half, we focus on why we do what we do and why it is important to focus on the big picture in coaching and our coaching relationships.

Longtime MOC/Floyd Valley Boys HC Loren DeJong comes on the latest edition of the podcast to discuss his evolution as a coach, building a program in a small town, the influential coaches in his life, building a defensive mindset and developing players within your program. Terrific information from one of Iowa's best!!!

As you examine your team for the upcoming season, what is the best way to put together the pieces of your program and how do you truly evaluate your players? Along with that, how do you decide your rotation and how deep would you ideally go into your bench? Here are some thoughts on roster construction and evaluating your team going into the upcoming season.

In celebrating our 1 year anniversary, APAAN welcomes back Dick Jungers, GBB HC at Newell-Fonda (IA). We go through last year's epic comeback in the state championship game, along with building your program and getting positive involvememnt with the community. We also discuss disrupting the opposition's offenses in various ways, among other topics. Great to have a life-long friend back on for our first 2x interviewee!!