SECOND CHANCE POINTS

Nice story on a former player of mine at Jackson Community College.

FOX Detroit with a piece on Nick Minnerath, power forward at the University of Detroit.

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

THE CHANGE

Michigan State university men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo had an interesting quote in the Lansing State Journal after his team bowed out Thursday night to UCLA in the first round of the 2011 Men’s NCAA basketball tournament.

“Like in a divorce, you know, there’s always two sides. So I don’t think we did as good a job, we’re gonna look in the mirror, too, and say, ‘OK, what do we have to do a better job in coaching this team?’ … That’s what all these companies did, they downsized, they re-evaluated, they looked at it. Good time for re-evaluation for us a little bit, because we’re in pretty good shape, 14 straight (NCAA) appearances, we’ve got some consistency. And we’ll be back. We’ll be back, that’s a promise.”

Change is difficult for people; it can also be necessary for improvement.  When I was hired as boys basketball coach at East Lansing High School in August of 2010, I was reading Pete Carroll’s book, ‘Win Forever’. The former USC Trojan football coach talks about how he changed his philosophy before he got to SC.  One day after being fired by the New England Patriots in 2000, Carroll was reading a book on John Wooden. From that day on, he created his ‘new’ philosophy.  Carroll changed his approach.

This was a golden opportunity for me to change my approach to coaching.

At Jackson Community College the three years prior to my arrival in East Lansing, I didn’t like how I coached. I re-examined my approach to the craft. We were making progress as a program but there was something that was missing; enjoying the moment.  I did some soul-searching on everything about myself; recruiting, coaching, workouts, my approach to coaching and most of al the way I talked to players.

I needed to change.

In 2009-2010 the boys basketball team at East Lansing High School went 6-15 on the season. At the conclusion of the season, the coach was fired. I applied for the job and was hired in August; I had a great opportunity to put my plan into place.

During the period when they were sorting out the candidates and lining up interviews, I was watching the East Lansing basketball team play in a Lansing summer league. I did my homework on the team; I studied the current players and came to this conclusion; I can do a great job with this group.

The first thing I did as the head coach was contact all the returning varsity players and their parents. We set up individual meetings around town and I used this time to get to know them.  I explained who I was and how we were going to play. I had a need enthusiasm for the game, for the players and most of all, for myself.

When the school semester started we began our 4 player workouts. Shooting drills was the hot topic during workouts; we shot hundreds. We made it exciting and fun. Competition between the players became visible. Building relationships during these workouts were also important. Many people fail to realize it’s not about the x’s and o’s, it’s about the Jimmy’s and Joe’s. In other words, it’s not all about strategy, it’s about the relationships you have with your players. When you get out on the court and show the players you want to help them get better, you earn their trust.

The only downfall was that our players who played football during this time did not participate in the workouts; I feel you should leave those guys alone in the Fall and let them concentrate on their in-season sport. Plus the football head coach is a great guy, I wouldn’t want the kids to get distracted.

Our players who were not playing a Fall sport entered a Fall basketball league here in town so I had another chance to watch them play. Some of our principles we instilled in workouts were carried over to the fall league games.

We felt good about our team.

Next Up: The New Season

hoops135@hotmail.com

DEAL BREAKER

Boston Celtics take a 3-2 lead in the NBA finals with a 92-86 win in Game 5 last night in Boston as the series shifts back to LA.

I hope you had a chance to see Kobe Bryant’s explosion in the third quarter last night where he scored 19 points (finished with 39) The guy was unreal, scoring from everywhere.  But that wasn’t enough as the Celtics didn’t let anyone else on the Lakers get off. I was so proud of Kobe and Paul Pierce stepping in and drawing charges at different points in the game. I wish more players would have the courage to do this more often.

Pierce chipped in with 27 points last night.

I love Derel Fisher, Lakers guard.  He plays hard, he defends and seems like a good guy. But how come when he attempts a jump-shot and a defender closes out, he jumps around like a fish out of water? Enough of all this flopping please. On the subject of flopping, did you see Ron Artest flop when featherweight Rajon Rondo pushed him. After the play ABC’s Jeff Van Gundy shouted, “QUEENSBRIDGE, RON, QUEENSBRIDGE!”

Speaking of ABC, why is Michael Wilbon doing the pre-game and half-time analysis with Magic Johnson and John Barry.  It reminds me of that old school kids game, “one of these things, don’t belong here“.  Wilbon brings nothing to the table. I would much rather see a coach in his place.  Someone who knows the game; Wilbon doesn’t have a clue…

Much talk about LeBron James and where he will end up. I’m going to predict he stays in Cleveland.

As for his new coach, I thought Michigan State’s head coach Tom Izzo was going to stay in East Lansing but if James stays in Cleveland, oh baby! How do you pass up coaching one of the best teams in the NBA who happens to have one of the best player’s in the league? But like I said before, whatever Coach Izzo decides on, it’s a win-win for him because he has a very good team coming back in 2010-11

Our high school basketball all-star games went very well.  The 1st Annual 127 North-South Classic was a smash hit at Jackson Community College.  Both girls and boys from Jackson and Lansing, Michigan came out and played their best. We had a nice crowd and the most important aspect was no one was injured. It was a joy watching players share the ball and playing hard; that’s another area you worry about when putting on an event like an all-star game. Will there be a bunch of ball-hogs or will guys pass the ball to the open man? With the success of the event we look to build on it for next season.

My 11-year-old daughter enrolled in her first basketball camp this morning in East Lansing.  The David Thomas Camp is very popular around these parts; ‘DT’ played at Michigan State back in 2000 when the Spartans won the national championship. The camp was packed with eager young kids.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

BASKETBALL COACH

I began my coaching career when I was 16 years old. The local parish in Brooklyn, New York where I was born and raised put me in charge of the 7th grade boys basketball team. I had a blast. A couple of years later I became the head coach of the boys freshmen basketball team at Bishop Ford High School. Again, I had a blast. Our first year we didn’t win a single game.

While coaching high school basketball I was working full-time as an Ironworker making decent money. During basketball season I’d knock off work, hop on the train to school and change into my sweats.  I was single, had my own place and didn’t have a care in the world.

It all changed on a cold, damp morning in January. I was sipping a cup of hot coffee right before 8AM; about to start another day of work when I realized I didn’t want to walk across steel beams 25 stories high any longer.  I didn’t want to work outdoors when the temps were in the high teens. (A Jamaican Welder, Gerry Darlington, who happened to be a great guy  asked me if I wanted to do this for 40 more winters) It was right there I was looking for a new career.

A decision was made.  I fell in love with a wonderful woman who later became my wife and we moved to Michigan in 1996; I discovered my life’s calling…coaching basketball at the collegiate level.

Following the move from New York to Michigan, while attending Michigan State University as a non-traditional student, I was introduced to Tom Crean who at the time was an assistant coach under Tom Izzo.  Crean and Izzo allowed me to observe practice that first year. The following year I signed on as a student-assistant coach.

I had a great time while learning so much about the craft. (My original goal was to get my degree and go back to coaching high school basketball) I thought I knew everything about basketball until I met the Michigan State coaching staff which included Brian Gregory (Dayton), Stan Heath (USF) and Mike Garland. I never imagined in my wildest dreams what hard work was until I saw these guys in action every single day. And I thought Ironworkers put in a hard day on the high iron!

After some academic and financial difficulties, I transferred to Central Michigan University. The work ethic I learned from MSU’s coaching staff helped me through the next two years of school which saw me travel 120 miles a day, three times per week for 5 straight semesters.  In 2003, upon graduation from Central Michigan University with a B.A. in Sports Studies I began to apply for college assistant coaching positions.  It was a tough stretch. I was turned down many times. My confidence was shaken. I had doubts whether I had made the right move, leaving New York for Michigan. Leaving a good paying job for this…

The following year I applied for a coaching position at Portland High School in Portland, Michigan. I was nervous going in, I promised myself I wasn’t going back to college high school. A week after the interview I was hired by a great athletic director Kevin Veale (he gave me an awesome opportunity) to coach the boys varsity basketball  team.  All the while I was conducting a lot of one-on-one and small group basketball training with boys and girls of all ages.  During the summer I would travel around the country and work summer basketball camps. I loved the game…

One full season at Portland and then a move back to the East Coast alone (wife and daughter stayed in Michigan) at Saint Peter’s College in Jersey City, New Jersey as an assistant coach under Bob Leckie (Leckie gave me my first opportunity at the D-1 level) and for the past four seasons head coach at Jackson Community College.  It’s been a great ride. The one thing I am thankful for is the men who gave me my chance at each stop. (You need someone to take a chance on you)

Each morning I wake up I wonder where this profession will take me? I ask myself  ”where do I want to be in five years” ?  Oftentimes I’m asked about the coaching profession from younger guys.  I’m asked how to get in, how to move up and of course, why do I coach?  The answers are not as simple as you think. There’s no secret to moving up the ladder.  Sure we all aspire to be a head coach, some want to go to the highest level, some are content at the high school level.  I will tell you this, there is a HUGE difference in being the guy in charge and the assistant coach.

Here are 5 areas necessary to coach at the collegiate level: (This is just 5, not the complete list)

Have a passion for teaching and recruiting: If you don’t like teaching, you will not be any good.  No make that, if you don’t love teaching, you will not make it. You need to know how to teach a skill. If you don’t like hoping in your car, driving two hours, watching a kid play then driving back, this job is not for you.

Strong Work Ethic: You need to do everything that needs to be done for the program from A to Z.  Working players out, recruiting, practice/game preparation, etc.  There’s more to coaching than drawing up plays. Being organized each day helps. Do what others will not do.  Look for things to do.  Always be busy when you are at work.

Self-Esteem: You will not get many pats on the back.  You will not be told how good of a job you are doing as much as you’d like.  Learn to feel good about yourself throughout the journey.

Loyalty: Whomever you work for, be loyal. Never bad mouth them, no matter how much you disagree with them.  Never be jealous nor be envious of others.  Help staff members get things done.  Don’t care who gets credit.

Build Relationships: 50% of coaching at the college level is relationships. It’s the most important way to have a chance of getting hired. It’s the way you get players when you recruit. It’s the way you get along with others within the program/school. Managers, office personnel, and of course school administration.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

CHAMPIONSHIP CLOSE OUT

The Jackson Community College Jets men’s basketball team ended their season in the quarterfinals of the conference with a tough road loss 86-79 at Grand Rapids CC.  With 5:10 remaining in the game we led 75-69.  The Raiders played tough and made the plays at the end, outscoring us 17-4.

I often wonder what the great teams do to finish out games to secure the victory.

You see it often; teams lose a lead towards the end, the team trailing in the game turns it on in the closing minutes to pull out the win.

The Cit-Pat in Jackson, Michigan on the Detroit Pistons failure to close out games.

“We have to become better as the season winds down not only at finishing plays but finishing games,” Pistons coach John Kuester said. “The last four games, we had a great chance.”

Ain’t that the truth!

In order to do that you need to make plays.  Take care of the ball, defend and make shots.  Here’s more…

“It’s real frustrating,” said Ben Gordon, who scored eight points off the bench. “I thought we had our chance tonight. (Against) a team like the Celtics, you’ve got to capitalize on every opportunity, because that’s what they do. We had a small window of opportunity where we could have changed things around, but they played well.

“We competed, but we just didn’t make the plays we needed to down the stretch.”

Again, well said.  It does get frustrating when you can’t win games you should close out.   With a lead you still have to be aggressive but be smart. I had an opposing coach approach me after our loss and say, “man, it looked like you guys had that one.” He was right, it did look like we were going home with the win but…

“Every now and then, somewhere, some place, sometime, you are going to have to plant your feet, stand firm and make a point about who you are and what you believe in.  When that time comes, you simply have to do it.”

-Lee Riley, father of Pat Riley

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com