As the Idaho Select teams start their summer tour in Seattle this weekend, we prepare for the tournaments as we have for the last decade. We’ve tweaked some things over the years, of course, and added a few bits and pieces here and there. But as practice moved on the last couple of days, it occurred that some things never change.
It seems like basketball clubs are like people. People, at some point, are who they are. If you are compassionate, a thinker, impulsive, a screamer or some other dominant characteristic then that is who you are going to be the majority of the time.
Same with club teams. If your coaches are teachers first then that is how your practices go. If your coaches just want to roll the balls out in practice and let the players play then the team will reflect that. You may try to change it, or put on a different show every now and then. But ultimately your club is who your coaches are. And your coaches aren’t likely to change.
Idaho Select, at least from our perspective, is run by coaches that want to teach. They want to roll up their sleeves and do some of the dirty work. They believe in the way they coach, set goals and create a plan to achieve those goals. But they are open minded enough to listen to others to get better. And will bend over backwards to help out a colleague or player. Even players that don’t play for them. Even coaches they compete against.
This is why I believe that we are able to set ourselves apart from others. The players that start playing for us in middle school may not start out as the best players in their class. But the ones that buy in to our coaches certainly finish near the top. They learn the fundamentals (probably more than they ever wanted). They learn how to work hard, or harder than they ever have. They increase their basketball IQ. They know how to act as young men off the floor. And ultimately, though none of them may play in the NBA (though some have had nice overseas careers) they are prepared to be better husbands, fathers and leaders in their communities. Some of these kids were on the right path already. Some need a little steering.
But Idaho Select wouldn’t be anywhere with great coaches…and the personalities that shape them and Idaho Select.