(This four-part article describes the legacy of the Snow Valley Basketball School on coach development and the game of basketball)

————

Herb Livsey has a lot to be proud of when it comes to Snow Valley.  Herb was responsible for establishing a tradition of teaching excellence at the basketball school: A way of teaching that would forever change the way basketball is taught. “We would not go against the basic fundamentals.  You would never hear that at Snow Valley we taught something outlandish or different,” said Livsey. “We would teach fundamental basketball.  The skills have never changed. To this day, you still have to be able to pass, dribble, shoot, defend, understand team defense and rebound the ball.”

Herb Livsey (yellow shirt).  Photo credit: Steve Middleton

(This four-part article describes the legacy of the Snow Valley Basketball School on coach development and the game of basketball)

————

In a hurry, Herb Livsey drove towards Rancho Santa Fe, California. The opportunity to secure a well-known teacher of basketball within his grasp. Pete Newell’s grandson had just enrolled in the Snow Valley Basketball School.  Enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Coach Newell is one of only three coaches to win the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), a NCAA championship, and an Olympic Gold Medal (The Naismith Memorial…, 2018).  In 1987, The Atlanta Tip Off club awarded him the Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Men’s Basketball Award (Citizen Naismith Trophy, 2018).

Livsey had known Coach Newell for a number of years. “One of my goals was to get Pete Newell to come and teach defense at Snow Valley,” recalls Livsey,  “… because he (Newell) is a defensive guru.” Livsey seized the moment. He arrived at Pete Newell’s house and recalls the following exchange.

(This four-part article describes the legacy of the Snow Valley Basketball School on coach development and the game of basketball)

————

If the Coach is Learning the Athletes are Improving
Charlie Sands fled to a corner of the gym, trapped as the pressure of over 300 young athletes pushed against him.  The hall of fame coach from West Los Angeles College had ignited the group during a final warm-up session.  His spirited approach was creating a frenzied atmosphere.  A fitness fanatic, Coach Sands became a legend at Snow Valley for his ability to motivate and inspire young people to come together as a group. This particular warm-up session was an accumulation of all the activities he’d led during the past week.

(This four-part article describes the legacy of the Snow Valley Basketball School on coach development and the game of basketball)

————

A Passion for Teaching Fundamentals
Herb Livsey still operates in the shadows of basketball legends, canvassing the globe for basketball talent.  For 21 years, Livsey has served as a scout in the National Basketball Association (NBA), a role often filled by the keenest of basketball lifers and hidden from the fast-paced, social media driven limelight of NBA culture.  But, out of the public eye the 83-year old basketball savant has been shining a fatherly glow on the game of basketball and basketball coaches for more than 60 years.

As director of the famed Snow Valley Basketball School in California from 1961 to 2001, Coach Livsey advanced the basketball skills of thousands of young people in the United States and overseas.  He connected with and nurtured the talents of hundreds of basketball coaches.  Livsey’s contributions changed how the game of basketball is taught, perhaps making him the greatest developer of coaches in the history of the sport.

Introduction
A sport practice is confined to a specific moment, shared by a particular group of people, all pursuing a common goal.  The types of drills (i.e. skill development), strategy (i.e. competition preparation), and conditioning (i.e. physical and mental training) are determined by the type of sport and the level of competition.  Coaches are the orchestrators and key ingredients to an effective practice.  They plan the activities, serve as the lead teachers, and motivate athletes to come together as a team.

The basic elements for effective practices can be developed and nurtured by coaches of all levels (i.e. youth, high school, college, professional).  In this article, four key elements for developing an effective practice are discussed: 1) establishing standards of performance, 2) designing activities with a purpose, 3) creating a safe learning environment, and 4) communicating clearly.  An example of all (4) elements in action is also provided.

 

Establishing Standards of Performance
An effective practice session is built on a culture of high expectations, centered around standards of performance.  A standard is a measurable objective that pushes athletes to rise to a higher level of performance.  If a tennis coach requires an athlete to demonstrate competence in where they place a specific number of serves, they have established a standard of performance in executing a particular skill. When a volleyball coach demands that all players wear team assigned practice gear each day, a standard of performance aligned around team unity is created.  The performance standards a coach establishes are based on the coach’s values.  The values of the coach originate from their personal background, previous athletic experience, and development as coach.

Introduction
Coaches are responsible for creating environments that are safe, challenging, and provide rewarding experiences for all of their athletes. These environments are often referred to as team culture. Developing a successful team culture is a key characteristic of an effective coach and essential for long-term athletic achievement.  Three-time national championship and current Ohio State University football coach, Urban Meyer emphasized the importance of the coach in creating a team culture that leads to desired results: “…leaders create culture, culture drives behavior, and behavior produces results” (Meyer, 2015, p. 65).

There are many techniques coaches can use to build team culture.  A quick Google search of, “building team culture in sport,” reveals over 88 million results.  If you narrow it down by sport, for example, “building team culture in basketball,” over 33 million options appear.  While latching on to an idea following a random internet search may yield results, it’s more effective to examine what master coaches do.  Mastery in coaching occurs when a coach exhibits effectiveness and expertise in teaching sport (Gilbert & Trudel, 2012). In other words, a master coach demonstrates the ability to improve athlete performance while also finding success on the scoreboard.

Don Showalter, Head Coach and Director of Coach Development for USA Basketball’s Youth Division exemplifies what a master coach looks like.  Throughout his 42-year hall of fame high school coaching career and his work with USA basketball, Don has demonstrated effectiveness and expertise in teaching sport.  As a high school coach, Coach Showalter won over 600 games and in 2009, was named the National High School Athletic Coaches Association National Coach of the Year.  During his tenure as the head coach of USA Men’s Basketball U16 and U17 National Teams, he amassed a 55-0 record and won nine-straight gold medals (USA Basketball, 2017).