You Cannot Win Without Leaders – One Leader Is Not Enough:

Chuck Daly – Head Coach

The 1992 United States Men’s Olympic Basketball Team, coined the “Dream Team”, was the first American Olympic team to feature active NBA players. The Dream Team defeated its opponents by an average of almost 44 points en route to the gold medal against Croatia at the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona.  The team was coached by Chuck Daly, assisted by Lenny Wilkens, P. J. Carlesimo, and Mike Krzyzewski.

The below excerpt is from “Dream Team” by Jack McCallum.

The following comes from Chuck Daly’s first team meeting with the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team.

Finally, Daly approached the most delicate subject, one even  more frightening than terrorism since it was well within the realm of possibility.

“Look, there are twelve of you, and you’re all All-Stars and future Hall of Famers,” said Daly. “and there is no way I can get all of the minutes you’re use to having on —-“

Magic and Jordan interrupted him.

“That isn’t going to be a problem,” said Jordan.

Michael Jordan

“We’re here to win, and nobody is going to care about playing time, Chuck,” Magic said.

Magic Johnson

Such problems, particularly the knotty one of minutes, are rarely solved that easily. This one was.  Magic and Jordan said there would not be a problem, and that was that.

The two best investments a coach can make:

• Improve your leadership skills
• Invest in the development of your players leadership skills

Surround yourself with other good leaders:

 Mike Krzyzewski

 Lenny Wilkens

 P. J. Carlesimo

Larry Bird

Surround yourself with talent:

The Dream Team roster: Charles Barkely, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Christian Laettner, Karl Malone, Chris Mullen, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, and John Stockon.

The best teams do not always win!  When  the best teams fail to win, it is usually because of leadership.

Power Thoughts:

“It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.” – John Wooden

“Leaders aren’t born; they are made.  And they are made just like anything else, through hard work.  And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.”                                                 -Vince Lombardi

Mark Messier Leads The Way:

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

Everything is Possible With The Right Plan, Team – Keith McAdams …

Learning From Coach Mike Krzyzewski – Keith McAdams Coaching …

Book Recommendation:

Learning From Coach Mike Krzyzewski – Part 1 2008 Olympics

. (AP Photo)

1. First thing Coach K did was create a 30-man roster create competition.


2. All the players were required to make three-year commitment to the team.


3. Players had to give up three summers to be a member of team.


4. The first year Coach K  said it was about “establishing culture and values.”


5. International Tournaments were scheduled to bring team together.


6. In Vegas, Coach K asked the players to create a list of  goals and the values to live by. 


7. Coach K said “This exercise was designed to create an identity, and sense of purpose for the club”




8. In a team meeting the players established what is now called “The Gold Standards.”

• Never make excuses
• Always play great defense
• Make the effort to play great defense is the key to winning the gold medal
• Do what hard to win
• Always look each other eye when communicating
• Always be truthful with each other
• We have to trust each other 
• We are committed to each other and winning
• Care and serve one another
• Respect each other and our opponents
• Always do what right, be on time
• Make the time to prepare to win
• Play smart, take good shot
• Stay out of foul problems
• Study the scouting reports for our opponents
• Be flexible
• No one complains
• Share the ball
• Make the extra pass
•  Care about one another
•  Poise
• Our value is not measure in playing time
• Team is what is important
• We will always play aggressive 
• Everyone practices good 
• We are the best team in the world and we represent our country at all times

9. Coach K plan was to create environment to bring players together.


10. Coach K said, “It takes time, it does not just happen to build the right culture.”


11. Coach K said, “Players have to be shown and feel, that how  brotherhood is developed.”

12. In 2006 the team visited members of US Armed Forces

• Soldiers in Las Vegas

• Troops stationed at Korea’s Yongsan 

• Army Base 

  Camp Casey

13. The team listen to motivational speeches from:

• Magic Johnson
• Doug Collins
• Col. Bob Brown injured U.S. war veterans

14.  Off the court, Coach K wanted the players to take in the entire Olympic experience.

• Players attend many other sporting events
• Cheering for fellow American athletes
• Made themselves available to Chinese fans
• Were out and about in the Olympic village

15.  Coach K. stressed over a three year period leading up to the  Olympic, “It was not so much about X’s and O’s but about core values. Coach K team showed these values to world winning the Gold Medal in 2008.

  “We can’t blame the refs, the crowd, anybody.” – LeBron James

 “It is a tough commitment giving up three summers.” – LeBron James

“He wanted me to be who I am — be a scorer,  shoot it, shoot it, and shoot it. We want you to be who you are.” – Kobe Bryant speaking about Mike Krzyzewski.

 Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Here’s the Team USA schedule for the preliminary rounds – all games will be available on NBC as well as streaming at NBCOlympics.com. All times are Eastern.

July 29: USA-France, 9:30 a.m.

July 31: USA-Tunisia, 5:15 p.m.

Aug. 2: USA-Nigeria, 5:15 p.m.

Aug. 4: USA-Lithuania, 9:30 a.m

Aug. 6: USA-Argentina, 5:15 p.m.

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Learning From Spain’s 4-0 Victory In …

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/07/25/3405753/decock-pressure-still-on-krzyzewski.html#storylink=cpy

Coaching Ice Hockey Using Digital Video Technology

Digital video technology allows the coach to breakdown and analyzes the team & player’s performance. Digital technology can revolutionize the way every youth coaches can prepare their teams and players. Digital Cameras and application are affordable for most coaches. Video allows you to analyze performance and let you see things you couldn’t see during the games & practices. Videos can be used to teach skills, systems, tactics and breakdown the game. Every coach should video games and some practices. We video tape all the practice during training camp. We then video practices two times a month for each age group. We use videos to evaluate individuals and teams performance. We use the videos to teach skills and take work segments. These work segments do not lie! Videos shows us where we are improving. Videos allow us to fine tune our focus and improve our weaknesses in future practices.

• What you see is what you get
• You improve on what you focus on

Video Technology allows you to provide accurate feedback to your players. We use Facebook to give players instant feedback on their performance. We post videos daily to aid in the teaching process. We use videos to highlight good plays and motivate the players. If used right, video technology can be used to facilitate mental training and psychological skills necessary to win. Equipment Needed:

• Editing software 
• Quality digital camera 
• Good laptop or desktop computer

The simplest way to breakdown game videos is a followed: 





Offensive Rush: Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Slovakia Tomas Tatar Goal – Rush …

• 1 v 1, 2 v 1, 2 v 2, 3 v 2, 3 v 3, 2 v 1 + 1, 3 v 2 +1
• Overload
• Cross
• Overlap
• Regroup

Offensive Control: Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Invert Offense Causes Confusion …

• Cycling
• Crossing
• Boards
• Give & Go

Forechecking: Team USA Failed to Capitalize on Good Forechecking vs. Finland

• Soft Dump
• Cross Corner Dump
• Hard Around Boards

Defensive Read Rush: New York Ranger Michael Del Zotto Defends Perfect 2 v 1

• 1 v 1,  2 v 2, 3 v 3,
• 2 v 1, 3 v 2,  4 v 3, 5 v 4
• 2 v 1 + 1, 3 v 2 +1, 4 v 3 +1

Power Play: Chris Kreider Goal – Hard Rims Can Be Effective Play On Regroups

• Rush
• Offensive Control
• Forecheck
• Transition from Defense to Offense
• Face Offs

Penalty Killing: Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Little Things: Patrick Dwyer Penalty …

• Rush
• Offensive Control
• Forecheck
• Transition from Defense to Offense
• Face Offs

Face Offs: New York Rangers Quick Transition On Defensive Zone Face Off

• Offensive Zone
• Center Ice
• Defensive Zone
• Special Plays

Scoring Chance Form: 


Period: Time Stamp: Team: Type: Description 
1 1.23.01 ERZ OC 1st line cross, cycle shot & rebound 
1 1.40.23 ERZ R Fatih driving wide, pulled down, leads to PP 
1 2.10.06 ERZ PP FO/OC/Goal, Point shot, screen tip & rebound 


You should record scoring chances from both teams. Keeping track of scoring chances, provides an accurate view of your teams strengths and weaknesses.




Power Thoughts: 


“I believe God gave us crises for some reason—and it certainly wasn’t for us to say that everything about them is bad. A crisis can be a momentous time for a team to grow—if a leader handles it properly.” -Mike Krzyzewski