By: Victoria Lux
Every coach has their own, unique, coaching mentality and style. There are so many well-known coaching methods and strategies that are out there.
Here are some of the big names that are in the coaching world that have made their “style” a success: Pat Summit at the University of Tennessee, Geno Auriemma at the University of Connecticut, Muffet McGraw at Notre Dame, and Kim Mulkey at Baylor University.
What has helped to make into some of the greatest collegiate head coaches?
The answer to that question is experience, knowledge and the love of the game. For some coaches, their style revolves around the players they recruit.
Notre Dame’s Women’s Head Basketball Coach, Muffet McGraw’s offensive system is based on the “Princeton” style. The “Princeton” style is a five out offense. It is intended to leave the paint clear for open lanes to drive.
If you are a player of the game, a coach, or even a fan, you should check out her book Muffet McGraw: Notre Dame’s Offensive System. In this book you’ll be introduced in great detail to the Princeton Style offense and its inner workings.
You will be introduced to the Princeton style and how it works. Coach McGraw has proven, again and again, that this system works. According to her book, the Princeton offensive style is manufactured to have players score by “quick cutting and screening actions”.
On the other hand, Coach Geno Auriemma, head coach for the University of Connecticut’s Women’s Basketball team, runs a “one-four-high” offense. A “one-four-high” is a different way to set up your motion offense. It has all five players above the free throw line and extended out.
As a player, I molded my play into the offensive and defensive style my coach taught. And now, as a coach, I understand why a coach sticks with their style and recruits players that we identify as “good fits” for our style of play.
It all comes down to this: there are a plethora of basketball coaching styles. There’s not one that works better than another. It’s not the style that creates success, it’s the coaching staff and the players. There are various defensive techniques, tons of offensive strategies, and different approaches to the game. What really creates coaching styles, are their players recruited for the system they run, culture, and ultimately the athletic program. That’s the difference.
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Twitter: @CoachVLux
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