Basketball is a fast-paced and exciting sport that requires skill, strategy, and teamwork. A creative youth basketball coach can make a significant impact on young players, helping them to develop their skills, build their confidence, and instill a lifelong love of the game. At Club Estudiantes, my mind was blown by the creativity of the […]
Planning a basketball season at Club Estudiantes required careful consideration of both macro and micro cycles. This was an alien concept to me so I took a huge interest upon arriving in Madrid, getting my hands on as many season plans as possible. The macro cycle is the overall structure of the season, including the […]
Teaching spacing is an essential component of youth basketball as it can have a significant impact on a player’s ability to score, pass, and ultimately, win games. At Club Estudiantes where I spent two season I saw that the coaches taught spacing almost daily one way or another. I will explain the importance of teaching […]
At Club Estudiantes, the club prioritised teaching youth players about spacing in basketball. Here are some ways they approached teaching spacing to young players: Emphasising the importance of spacing: Coaches explained to players that proper spacing is crucial to creating scoring opportunities and making the offense work effectively. They may demonstrate how crowded areas […]
Teaching the Euro Step using a games approach is an effective method for developing players’ skills in a dynamic, realistic and engaging way. A games approach has been the bread and butter approach for teaching basketball for decades in Spain.  The games approach involves creating game-like scenarios that replicate the specific skills and movements […]
At Club Estudiantes, coaches placed a strong emphasis on building trust with their players and within their teams. This is because trust is a vital component in the success of any team, and it is especially important in the high-pressure environment of competitive sports. I saw coaches use a variety of strategies to build an […]
At Club Estudiantes, Madrid, I received a fantastic education in establishing clear expectations for players through a combination of open communication, mutual respect, and a focus on team goals. Here are a few key approaches that I observed the Spanish basketball coaches using:  Clear communication: The coaches I worked with believed that open communication […]
Developing team spirit and culture is a critical aspect of basketball coaching, particularly for Spanish basketball coaches. I had a great time both on and off court at Club Estudiantes with both coaches and players and I put this down to the spirit and culture which made me feel like I belonged to the club. […]
Spanish youth basketball coaches put a lot of effort into planning a basketball season fortheir teams. At Club Estudiantes, the process involved a number of steps, from selectingplayers and developing team strategies to creating a practice schedule and organisinggames. Here is a brief overview of how Spanish youth basketball coaches plan a basketballseason. First, the […]
The word ‘planning’ may conjure up all sorts of images for you. For me, it means sitting in the pub with salt shakers on offense, pint glasses on defense, and notes written on napkins! Let’s face it, we have all spent hours with our basketball buddies drawing up plans to dominate the league next season […]