Hardwood Hustle

How do you know your team is ready for the postseason? Whether you’re the underdog or the favorite, in this episode, Sam and TJ discuss 4 mistakes to avoid making to ensure your team is prepared and confident going into tournament play. Show Notes: The Goldilocks Mistake - Adding too much or not doing enough - Having something in your back pocket - What can you double down on and emphasize? The Hu...

This week we're joined by Greg Tonagel, head men's basketball coach at Indiana Wesleyan University.  With over 500 wins and 3 national championships, we discuss how he's created a winning culture and his journey as a coach and transformational leader. He shares his early learning moments and the mistakes he made as a young coach. Coach Tonagel highlights the root of their team cultu...

This week we dive into current events with Sam and TJ’s teams to see if you can relate as a leader and coach as we discuss a variety of topics including creating player-led teams, and fighting complacency. It's also important to be able to pinpoint why your team is struggling. Do you have a basketball, head, or heart problem? We typically like to solve our team's problems with better dri...

Managing your player’s expectations as well as your own can be one of the toughest tasks as a coach.  From social media influences, the role of parents, the overvaluing of the stat sheet, and dealing with disappointment all of these factors can create a frustrating situation for coaches. This week we discuss underlying factors, opportunities, and solutions to help you turn the corner in this area....

Talent is overrated… A statement that TJ and Sam explore in this episode how in a given coaching career you can experience the highest levels of success along with the lowest of lows in losing and frustrating seasons. When we face these challenges how do we figure out what’s hurting our team the most and help our team reach their potential? Accountability, consistency, building culture and more ar...

In this episode, TJ and Sam discuss winning offensive habits as they each draft their top five habits, including valuing the ball, playing with pace, decision-making, spacing the floor, and more. Wherever you’re at in your season, you can see how your team’s habits stack up with Sam and TJ’s picks. Show Notes: Valuing the ball Choosing great shots Passing Good spacing Decision-Making Playing with...

There's power in being able to say, "I don't know." This week Sam and Lisa dive into the topic of leadership and the importance of being able to admit we don’t have all of the answers, and what we can do about it. It’s facing the ever-present challenge to stay humble and live what we preach by being honest, prepared, and committed to growth. Leaders have to evolve and adapt, by...

This week, Sam and TJ discuss frustrations and questions coaches face during seasons as we try to problem solve strategy and scouting decisions as well as common mistakes we’ll want to avoid making. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the variability of opponents and the need for players to adapt to different game situations. Good offensive coaches are characterized by thei...

This week, JP Nerbun is back to help us discuss the important topic of working with and ultimately building partnerships with parents. If we can get this right in our programs, we have the opportunity to create an even better experience for our athletes and make an even greater impact in our communities. If you listen to this episode and  want to go deeper, check out his new book, The Sports Paren...

This week TJ and Sam discuss style of play and the advantages and disadvantages of varying styles as well reasons for adjusting, changing, or doubling down on the style you choose for your team.  Show Notes: Does your offensive and defensive systems fit each other. Year to year changes Grinding styles: Layups & Threes What's your style of coaching? Getting your opponent to play your style...

This episode is part 2 of the Read & React offense with Rick Torbett, celebrating 20 years since its creation and impact on the basketball community. In this episode we dive into teaching, implementing, and gamifying the Read & React where you can get ideas and strategies for coaching any offense. To go deeper on the Read & React offense, sign up for Rick Torbett's free Read &...

This week we’re joined by the creator of the Read & React Offense and founder of Better Basketball, Rick Torbett. Over 20 years ago Coach Rick asked some hard questions about how he could create a flow to his offense, play his 5 best players regardless of position, and truly help his players learn the game. In Part 1 Coach Rick shares the stories behind how he developed it and why so many coac...

Every season has its own challenges and as we know, adversity is coming for us and our players. This week TJ and Sam discuss how to navigate and mentor players face the challenges of earning playing time, receiving tough coaching, or being disappointed in their role. Helping players understand that adversity is meant to make us better if we learn how to face it head on is a great opportunity as a...

This week TJ and Sam discuss In-Game coaching strategies including making strategic adjustments, how and when to use timeouts, managing our emotions and our team’s energy, using stats during games, and ensuring your team is prepared. Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball hav...

Show Notes: • Intro Topic • Injured player example • Michigan football stealing signs • Justifying breaking rules • Rick Majerus example • Reading opponent's scout • Winning the right way • Celebrating the right way • Getting a technical on purpose Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at...

This week we’re joined by Coach Jonas Allen. With years of high school and college coaching experience, Coach Allen was in his second year as a head coach, when he was ready to quit. In this episode he shares how he transformed his coaching and quickly turned around his program to win a state championship. Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing...

This week TJ and Sam dive into the details of what will make your offense work this season. They discuss spacing, screening angles, timing, assessing different offensive strategies for your team, and much more.  Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formul...

With all the 'Me First' influences we have in our culture, it can be even more challenging to develop great teams and great teammates in our programs. This week TJ’s associate head coach, Graham Maxwell joins us to discuss how to take our programs to the next level by ensuring we help our players zoom out and develop the tools and skills to be a great teammate in basketball and in life....

This week’s episode is about offensive and defensive rebounding strategies and tactics including things you can try with your team and lessons learned from TJ and Sam. Show Notes: • Offensive rebounding percentage • How many to send to the glass? • Creating clarity • Tagging • By area on the court • Do what you do best • What your players do naturally • Emphasis and accountability • Statistical ex...

This we discuss staff dynamics and how both assistants and head coaches can lead well and bring the best out in each other even when it comes to disagreements and giving feedback. Show Notes: • Importance of alignment • Giving assistants ownership  • Loyalty to the head coach • Finding the best solutions for the team • Can you agree to disagree? • Being all in • Importance of trust • We're in...

This week we’re joined by Todd Gongwer, a best-selling author, speaker and teacher on leadership and cultural development. He wrote one of our favorite books, Lead… for God’s Sake, and in this episode they discuss leading well in a competitive environment amidst the pressures of winning. Show Notes: • Responsibility crisis • Finding blind spots • The emphasis on results • Winning the right ways •...

This week TJ and Sam zoom out on offense and discuss different approaches coaches take in choosing their offensive strategy. They discuss what works and what doesn’t, and how to get your team to buy-in. Show Notes: • Getting players into roles • Style of coaching • The good and bad of freedom on offense • Understanding what wins • Having to breakdown bad habits • Scoring v. winning • Cultivating d...

This week we discuss the importance of how a coach evaluates their team throughout the season. Specifically we dive into evaluating games, practices, players, and staff. Show Notes: • Games – Are we overcomplicating it? – Focusing feedback on what you value – Age & Stage – Picking 3 Things • Players – Trying to do too much – Narrow the focus and name the win – The role of joy in development –...

This week TJ and Sam discuss whether individual stats or team success get you in the hall of fame, what it means to impact winning, and how to get our players to value more than just scoring.  Show Notes: • Recent comments from Gilbert Arenas • How you measure stats • Impacting winning • What we value in our culture •  Winning matters • Accounting for all factors • NBA player examples • Who makes...

This week we kick off the episode discussing a recent event in coaching where a professional football player went to the head coach to complain about the offensive coordinator. From there we touch on a variety of topics including coaches making adjustments, navigating relationship dynamics, and the challenge of leading today. Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact i...