The Transforming Basketball Podcast

Alex Sarama interviews Adam De Groot, a PE teacher and basketball coach, about applying an ecological approach to coaching. Adam discusses creating environments for athletes to self-organize, matching offenses to players, and structuring variability in training. He also shares how he explores this approach with his own children and offers training tips through Train Your Brain.

Discussing TWIT coaching method, improving youth coaching in the US, advocating for multi-sport participation, highlighting Kobe Bryant and Hakeem Olajuwon as examples, and promoting player-centered coaching style.

In this very special episode, Alex announces the release date of his book "Transforming Basketball: Changing How We Think About Basketball Performance." Alongside Transforming Contributors Gray Thomas and Adam Omiecinski, Alex, Adam and Gray take you behind the scenes of how the book came to be. From the initial writings in Italy in the spring of 2023 to its release this April, the book has had a tremendous impact on Alex and he hopes it will have an equal impact on the basketball world at large. In this episode, the three reflect on the first few drafts to what the final product became, favorite chapters and how the book can help change the way the game is coached and played going forward.   Key Takeaways: 01:05 - Book announcement and reflections 10:46 - How the writing process changed Alex 12:40 - How important is to understand the why behind each activity   PRE-ORDER HERE:https://education.transformingbball.com/book-landing-page   Links: Website: http://transformingbball.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/transformbball Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transformingbasketball/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@transformingbasketball Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transformingbasketball/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transforming.basketball

Tony Holler, creator of 'Feed the Cats', challenges traditional conditioning methods in sports, emphasizing rest and athleticism in training. He advocates for a smarter approach to practice, promoting a 4-day work week and prioritizing sleep. Discusses the need for coaches to embrace player-centered coaching and efficiency in training methods.

Exploring the flaws in traditional basketball fundamentals teaching, emphasizing the need for adaptable and functional skill development. Alex Sarama discusses the importance of ecological perspectives on skill acquisition and the drawbacks of rigid coaching methods. The podcast advocates for a shift towards game-based training and individualized player development, challenging linear pedagogy in favor of dynamic and versatile skill enhancement techniques.

Exploring the limitations of traditional point systems in basketball training, Alex and Adam suggest alternative methods like using turnover consequences and specific shot selection criteria. They emphasize shaping game boundaries for effective learning, rather than changing player mindsets. The podcast provides practical examples and insights on enhancing player performance through constraint manipulation.

Marius Huth shares insights on using small-sided games and an ecological dynamics framework to develop basketball skills. Emphasis on starting with games rather than technique, club-wide framework, incorporating SSGs with the National Team, and future plans for girls' development.

Tom Parry, a professor at Indiana University, Kokomo, discusses applying ecological dynamics in sports coaching, challenges in transitioning coaching methods, importance of decision-making in practice, and valuing expertise of researchers and practitioners.

Andrew Pleick and Rikard Aspegren from the Swedish Basketball Federation discuss the player development framework introduced by the federation and its impact on basketball in Sweden. They share challenges faced in implementing the framework, how it differs from others, and offer advice for other federations. Constraints-based coaching, success of traditional methods in other countries, and benefits of the framework are also discussed.

Anton Kalen discusses the integration of research and evidence-based practices in coaching. They explore skill acquisition, differences between the classroom and the court, evolution of the Swedish Basketball Federation, talent identification, cognitive function in sport performance, and limitations of reaction time training in basketball. Anton emphasizes the importance of research and provides recommendations for accessing research articles.