Team Brotherhood
From Maxpreps - December 2007 

THANK THE MAN

As a veteran coach, I have obviously devised several concepts to develop "Teamwork" on my basketball teams; but my favorite is something I originally took long ago from Dean Smith and the University of North Carolina - "acknowledge the passer." Since I am a coach that favors the fast break and feeding the post man, it was imperative that I find a way to encourage players to "give up the ball." Acknowledging an assist by having the scorer point to the teammate who made the pass, is a method that has worked well on my teams. Our term for this is: Thanking the man, which obviously means we are thanking the teammate for the pass. We do this in every practice, every scrimmage, and every game that we play. In the games, our entire bench (including coaches) is up and pointing for exceptional passes that lead to scores.

This is a great way to let everyone, including the crowd, know the importance of an assist. Too often in a regular basketball game, all the credit goes to the player who makes a shot. But a good team realizes the importance of team play and "sharing the rock." Thank the man has served my players and teams well throughout the years. I have seen former players still acknowledging the passer many years after having finishing their playing days with me. Of course, that brings a smile to my face.

Links

Fastbreak

5 Ps

The Perfect Game

Goal Setting

Team Brotherhood

Player Development

Weight Training