Podcasts by A Pen And A Napkin
A weekly basketball coaches clinic that you can have in your pocket
Further podcasts by Martin Plum
Podcast on the topic Kunst
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #202 Brandon Schwab from 2023-12-11T14:11:29
Brandon Schwab, the GBB HC at Algona Biship Garrigan (IA) comes on the podcast to discuss a wide variety of topics on the pod this week. We discuss being a farmer while being a basketball coach,...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #67 Developing A Next Play Mentality from 2023-12-08T13:53:18
Basketball is a game dominated by mistakes; whether it's missed shots, a blown defensive assignment or a turnover, mistakes happen all the time. How do you get your players to move on from their...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #201 Ken Kulus from 2023-12-04T14:16:20
On this week's episode, we're excited to have Omaha Concordia Boys HC Ken Kulus. Coach has build a terrific program at Concordia, and he goes into detail about how he did this, both through succ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #66 Player Absences from 2023-12-01T14:01:40
One of the things that is more and more common with our high school programs is players missing practices and games for other activities, especially club sports. This week on the "The Coaching S...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #65 Developing Toughness from 2023-11-24T14:03:31
As Don Meyer always said "No one will ever say that we were just too tough this season,", so how do you develop toughness, both mental and physical? Tony and I dive into this and many other thin...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #200 Bob Hurley Sr. from 2023-11-20T13:51:22
Episode #200; hard to believe that we've gotten to this milestone number! In celebration of that, I was fortunate enough to connect with the Naismith Hall of Famer Bob Hurley Sr. and have a grea...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #64 Charting Effort from 2023-11-17T14:10:52
We all want our teams to play as hard as they can at all times, but how do you get them to play at that intensity level? This week, Tony and I break down the areas that you can track when it com...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #199 "The Two Princes" from 2023-11-13T14:01:17
In a first for "A Pen And A Napkin", we sit down with a current high school player and her coach . . . who just happens to be her mother. Britt Prince has been a dominant player since day one of...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #63 Avoiding Upsets from 2023-11-10T14:26:53
College basketball started off with a bang with two major upsets, one in each gender, with Michigan State dropping their home opener to James Madison and defending women's champion getting blown...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #198 Craig Wortmann from 2023-11-06T13:49:18
This week we're really excited to have Craig Wortmann, GBB HC at Hartington Cedar Catholic (NE) to talk hoops. Coach Wortmann and I discuss being a former Division I walk-on who A) actually started...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #62 Shell Drill from 2023-11-03T13:13:24
Your shell drill principles and practices are some of the most important things that you are going to do on a consistent basis for both your defensive AND offensive development. This week, Tony and...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #197 Rashon Burno and Bart Lundy from 2023-10-30T13:28:21
This week, we have a great two part episode with two up and coming mid major coaches in Northern Illinois MBB HC Rashon Burno and Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Bart Lundy. Coach Burno discusses his backgro...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #61 Developing and Executing a Great Practice from 2023-10-27T13:21:51
The number one thing (in my opinion) that we can control as a coach is our practices; what we teach, how we teach, the habits we create and the culture we cultivate. This week, Tony and I break dow...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #60 What Should You Be Working On? from 2023-10-20T17:23:12
As we close in on the start of most of the high school seasons, alot of times we get confused or distracted on what we should or should not be working on. Tony and I decided to take the week and wr...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #196 Marlon Stewart from 2023-10-17T13:18:37
Excited to have Oregon State MBB AC Marlon Stewart on the podcast this week! Coach Stewart comes from the Bennett/ Montana coaching tree, and he shares with us alot of his philosophy. We discuss ha...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #59 Coaching Myths from 2023-10-13T14:17:52
People have certain stereotypes when it comes to coaching; inspired by a tweet by Greg Berge, Tony and I break down six major coaching myths into either truths or myths and discuss why. We also hav...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #195 Jason Kern from 2023-10-10T14:45:08
Jason Kern, boys basketball HC at West Branch (IA) comes on the podcast this week for a great conversation! Coach Kern and I discuss a variety of topics, including growing up in a basketball family...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #58 Tracking Stats in Practice from 2023-10-09T12:47:17
A bad case of the flu pushed back the podcast to today, but Tony and I are back, just a little delayed!!Our decisions are usually difficult enough during our seasons, especially when it comes to pl...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #194 Mo Boykins from 2023-10-02T12:50:56
Penn Wood (PA) GBB HC and well traveled camp coach Mo Boykins jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of different topics, including S.U.C.C.E.S.S., microbiology (???), team defense, be...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #57 Balancing Individual Wants with Team Needs from 2023-09-29T12:51:23
One of the toughest jobs that we have as coaches is getting our individual players to play very well as individuals while also keeping the goals of the team at the forefront. it is a formula that i...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #193 Dave Schlabaugh from 2023-09-25T13:58:44
Really excited to have Dave Schlabaugh, the head men's basketball coach at Cornell College (IA) on the podcast this week. Coach Schlabaugh has had a great career at both the high school and college...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #56 Communicating Expectations from 2023-09-22T12:50:41
As we start our seasons here in a few weeks, it's very important that we make sure that our expectations for both players and parents are very clear in all areas. This week, Tony and I discuss what...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #192 Paul Biancardi --> ESPN Recruiting Expert from 2023-09-18T12:52:32
Treading off the beaten path a little bit this week with a pod with ESPN's Paul Biancardi, who has spent the better part of the last two decades examining recruiting at the grass roots level. We go...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #55 What Makes Tough Coaches? Part II from 2023-09-15T13:14:13
This week, Tony and I breakdown the second half of Coach Neighbors article on "What Makes Tough Coaches"? We chat about visibility, knowing their team, your coaching staff, principles and much more...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #191 Kevin Janata from 2023-09-11T12:44:19
This week's podcast features Kevin Janata, the head boys basketball coach at Howells-Dodge (NE). Coach Janata has built a consistent winner at Howells-Dodge, and we discuss his half-court offensive...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #54 "What Makes Tough Coaches" Part I from 2023-09-08T12:47:14
Coaching is very hard, very difficult to do, and you have to have a certain degree of toughness to make it in your career. Coach Mike Neighbors from the University of Arkansas came out with a great...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #53 Building a Winning Program from 2023-09-01T12:50:22
One of the greatest compliments that someone can get is that they are consistent, and the goal of every program is to be consistently good. Tony and I discuss the things that you should be doing to...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #190 The Class Reunion from 2023-08-28T13:00:01
It's about that time of year when Dick Jungers, my childhood friend and classmate, comes on the pod for his annual appearance, but then Dick had a great idea; why not invite on a couple of classmat...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #52 Fixing Youth Basketball from 2023-08-25T12:21:43
It's Tony and I's anniversary, so we interrupted our dinner at Arby's to put together this pod for everyone. Since it's our anniversary, we thought we'd bite off the big one this week and discuss ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #189 Jason Dasinger from 2023-08-21T13:23:19
We're really excited to have Jason Dasinger, the boys HC at Etowah (GA) high school on the pod this week. Despite the host mispronouncing "Etowah" around 35-40 times throughout the pod, we have a g...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #51 Role Definition from 2023-08-18T12:44:21
For any team to be successful, it is vitally important that everyone know what is expected of them and how they fit into the team structure. It's hard to be good if roles are not clearly defined, s...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #188 Quick Hitters Volume XI from 2023-08-14T13:11:20
We haven't used this format for a while, but this week we're back with our "Quick Hitter" format! We're excited to have the following folks on this week discussing the following topics:John Carrier...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #50 Leadership Styles from 2023-08-11T13:22:13
WE'RE 50!!!!!!! Hard to believe that Tony and I started this pod almost a year ago, but here we are; thank you so much for all of your support! This week, we are talking about leadership styles a.k...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #187 Rusty Elmore from 2023-08-07T14:00:11
This week's guest is Rusty Elmore, the Men's Head Coach at Garden City Community College (KS) of the famed JayHawk Conference. Coach Elmore discusses his unique journey as a coach who started in bu...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #186 Rex Walters from 2023-08-04T15:58:37
Really excited to have Rex Walters, the former 1st round NBA draft pick and member of the 1993 Kansas Final Four team, on the podcast this week! Rex is now an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hor...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #49 Coaching "Uncoachable" Players from 2023-07-31T16:08:43
If you do this job long enough, you're going to have a player or two along your journey that, for whatever reason, you have trouble fitting into your team dynamic. This week, Tony and I break down ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #185 Snow Valley Roundtable #2 from 2023-07-28T16:19:54
We had time to sneak in one more roundtable at Snow Valley this week, so I'm really happy to have Liz Kay from "The Commonwealth of Massachusetts", Ryan McAdams from Arkansas-Fort Smith and Tim Leu...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #184 Snow Valley Roundtable #1 from 2023-07-25T21:59:52
It's always great to be at Snow Valley, and it's always great to have the opportunity to have a roundtable, so let's do both! Jeff Steines (Ames, IA), Austin Godfrey (St. Louis, MO) and the always ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #48 Measuring Your Summer Success from 2023-07-17T20:42:16
We all want our players to get better in the summer, but how do you measure whether or not your summer was a success after it's all done? Tony and I break down a bunch of different ways to evaluate...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #183 Traci Berg from 2023-07-17T13:55:41
This week we have one of Nebraska's best small school coaches in Traci Berg, the GBB HC at O"Neill St. Mary's. We discuss coaching at a small school with limited numbers, how to run practices with ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #182 Travis Steele from 2023-07-13T13:03:15
Former Xavier and current Miami (OH) Men's HC Travis Steele comes on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of different topics. Some of the things that Coach Steele discusses includes his prog...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #47 Recruiting from 2023-07-10T14:55:14
As we get into the thick of AAU season, we have our players, especially our seniors, really starting to think ahead for their college of choice and where they want to play. As a high school coach, ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #181 "Northwest Iowa Roundtable" from 2023-07-07T16:03:12
Back home visiting my dad and step-mom, so I thought we'd have a road show podcast while I was back home! Really excited to have on Heather Graffing from Central Lyon, Ryan Brasser from West Lyon a...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #46 What Do Parent's Want? from 2023-07-03T15:36:04
As coaches, we often receive mixed signals from our parents about what their priorities are when it comes to what they want for their child's experience. According to Greg Berge (@gb1121), things l...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #45 Analytics vs. The Eye Test from 2023-06-30T15:59:21
As we have more data available to our coaching tool box, sometimes we forget that we also have to trust our instincts and our own core beliefs. This week, Tony and I discuss how to navigate this ne...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #180 Ryan Moore from 2023-06-26T13:48:38
I'm really excited to have on Ryan Moore, the Boys HC at Santa Clara (CA)! We discuss alot of different things in this episode including assisting at the Division I level, coaching two NFL players ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #44 Sets vs. Continuity vs. Motion from 2023-06-23T13:46:59
One of the most important decisions that you will make as a coaching staff is your offensive philosophy. Teams have been successful with every offensive concept that the game has, but to create a c...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #179 Dave Hubert from 2023-06-19T16:05:17
Dave Hubert from Ashland-Greenwood (NE) discusses many different things in this podcast. Included are how to get more young people into coaching, communication with parents, the differences between...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #43 Lessons Learned From NBA Finals from 2023-06-17T16:44:50
BONUS EPISODE!!! Sorry this is 24 hours late, but Tony and I wanted to share with you our observations about the NBA Finals and what we learned as we watched everything break down both positively a...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #42 Coaching Summer Games from 2023-06-16T13:18:04
Tony and I celebrate the "Jackie Robinson" episode of "The Coaching Staff" discussing how to coach summer league and team camp games. You're not going to substitute or coach the game the same, but ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #178 Dave Cresap from 2023-06-12T13:38:16
We're really excited to have on Dave Cresap, the legendary boys basketball coach at Perham (MN) who recently took over the men's program at Minnesota-Fergus Falls. We talk adjusting to a new level,...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #41 "Taking Care of Yourself" from 2023-06-09T15:27:20
As coaches, we are sometimes so concerned about taking care of everyone else that we forget to take care of ourselves. In this pod, Tony and I discuss all the different ways that coaches can and ne...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #177 Scholastic Viewing Period from 2023-06-05T13:54:50
During the summer, much of the recruiting emphasis the last couple of decades has been on player's AAU teams, but the NCAA has recently made changes to allow for a "Scholastic Viewing Period". Ther...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #40 Coaching Against Rivals from 2023-06-02T13:05:03
Rivalries are the best things about sports, but sometimes as a coach they can also work against you. In this podcast, Tony and I discuss coaching against not only a rival school but also a rival co...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #176 Jamie Smith from 2023-06-01T20:13:10
This week we're excited to have on Jamie Smith, the GBB HC at Solon (IA). Coach Smith has had a long and winding basketball journey over the last 25 years, and he touches on alot of different topic...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #39 The Transfer Portal from 2023-05-22T13:38:08
The concept of transfers coming in and out of programs has trickled down to the high school level, and depending on your geographic location, it can be a major issue. This week, Tony and I discuss ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #38 Planning a Good Youth Camp from 2023-05-19T13:37:30
Summer is fast approaching, and one of the things that almost all of the coaching world will be doing is putting together a youth camp. This week, Tony and I discuss multiple aspects of can help yo...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #175 Jennifer Goetz from 2023-05-15T13:28:28
In our latest episode, we have a great conversation with Jennifer Goetz, the GBB HC at Pleasant Valley (IA) coming off the heels of a state championship in Iowa's biggest school class. In this pod,...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #37 Dealing With Difficult Players from 2023-05-12T13:14:21
If you do this job long enough, you're going to coach some players that are not a walk in the park to work with. This week, Tony and I take an extended amount of time to discuss difficult players, ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #174 Scott Guzinski from 2023-05-08T14:19:20
Scott Guzinski, GBB HC at Oakland-Craig (NE) jumps on the podcast this week for a great conversation! We discuss building a philosophy based on aggressive offense and defense, along with how his ph...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #173 DeLisha Milton-Jones from 2023-05-05T14:05:09
DeLisha Milton-Jones, the head women's basketball coach at Old Dominion University and two time Olympic gold medalist, joins us on the podcast this week! Coach and I go through alot of different di...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #36 Watching Film in the Off-Season from 2023-05-01T14:27:22
There are numerous reasons why you not only should be watching film in the off-season, but why watching film in your off-season needs to be done. In this episode, Tony and I go through numerous thi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #35 Working with Other Head Coaches from 2023-04-28T13:52:18
Coaching is about relationships and personal dynamics, and often times we associate that with our players, our parents and our administrators. An often forgotten group of people that you need to co...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #172 Matt Kramer Part II from 2023-04-25T13:41:21
Part II of our two-part podcast with Matt Kramer drops this week! This week, we jump more into Coach Kramer's philosophy as a coach, including taking care of the classroom, what you should be looki...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #34 Working with AAU Programs from 2023-04-24T14:42:31
Most quality programs in today's modern basketball environment have players playing for AAU programs, but it is part of our job, as high school coaches, to help our players with this process. This ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #171 Matt Kramer Part I from 2023-04-17T15:39:08
In the first half of my conversation with Matt Kramer, we discuss both of the books that he has written; "The Best Laid Plans of a High School Basketball CEO" and "A Coaching Life". In our conversa...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #33 Exit Interviews from 2023-04-14T13:17:30
Formal discussions and sit downs with your players are necessary to run an efficient program, to build trust and to show transparency within your program. This week, Tony and I discuss things that ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #170 Eddie Andrist from 2023-04-10T13:50:01
Pleased to have on retired basketball coach and Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Eddie Andrist on the podcast this week! Coach and I discuss alot of different topics, includin...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #32 Coaching Your Summer Team from 2023-04-07T14:02:45
Many times we focus on honing our coaching skills during the season and in-season games, but we also need to think about how we are going to coach our teams during the summer. You're going to have ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #169 "The Birth of an Icon" from 2023-04-06T13:28:10
Alot has been said about basketball in the last few weeks, but instead of it being centered on the men's game, it's been about the women's game, and the major reason for that is one player; Caitlin...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #168 Tony Siske from 2023-04-03T15:04:56
Really excited to have Tony Siske, the head boys basketball coach at Crete (NE), on the podcast this week! Tony comes from a family of coaches and has experienced a wealth of success at multiple st...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #31-Building a Quality Summer Schedule from 2023-03-27T14:25:19
One of the great challenges of the spring is to put together a quality summer schedule for your program. You want to play alot, but you don't want to play too much. You want your kids to commit to ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #30 Individual Post-Season Meetings from 2023-03-24T14:22:06
Being clear, transparent and honest in your post-season evaluation and communications is really important to getting your "Improvement Season" off to a great start. In this episode, Tony and I brea...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #167 Aaron Dose from 2023-03-20T13:42:26
In our latest episode, North Polk (IA) Boys HC Aaron Dose comes on the podcast! In a great conversation, we discuss a variety of topics, including trying to get over the hump against an opponent, y...
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A Pen And A Napkin-The Coaching Staff Episode #29 Decompressing After the Season from 2023-03-17T13:11:29
The season is long, full of emotions, ups and downs and then, for most of us, it comes to a crashing halt. What are some things that you can do and should do after your season is over? Tony and I d...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #166 Jon Palicki from 2023-03-13T14:14:56
Jon Palicki, the GBB HC at Resurrection College Prep (IL) jumps on the podcast this week to chat about a variety of different topics. We discuss offensive and defensive philosophies, while we al...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #165 2023 State Tournament Roundtable #3 from 2023-03-06T16:16:05
In our last roundtable discussion of the 2023 state tournament, I sit down with Tom Tvrdy of Omaha Marian (NE), Kelly Cooksley of Broken Bow (NE) and Nate Pribnow of Fremont Bergan (NE) to discu...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #164 State Tournament Roundtable #2 from 2023-03-03T15:42:09
Our second state tournament roundtable features Kirk Walker of The College of St. Mary (NE), Steve Selk of South Sioux City and my main man Casey Hall of Millard West. We discuss a variety of to...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #163 2023 State Tournament Roundtable #1 from 2023-03-02T16:34:33
In the first of three roundtables from the Nebraska Girls State Tournament, Nate Wall, Dexter Goodner, Tom Krehbiel and I sit down to go through a variety of topics. We chat about holding kids a...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #28 Starting Your Off-Season from 2023-02-27T14:42:22
Many times people believe that once the last buzzer goes off, your season is over. In actuality, you still have numerous things left to do at the end of the season before you move forward. This ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #162 Kristin Meyer from 2023-02-23T14:06:37
Kristin Meyer, the head girls basketball coach at West Des Moines Dowling (IA) jumps on the podcast this week for a great conversation! We talk about a variety of topics, including leaving one h...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #27 Post Season Pointers from 2023-02-20T14:52:17
The game becomes different in the post-season, and you have to do some things differently while also maintaining your routine. This week, Tony and I break down some things that you need to consi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #26 Working with Officials from 2023-02-17T15:11:52
There are four major roles in every competition; players, coaches, spectators and officials. In this episode, Tony and I discuss various things to think about when working with officials; how to...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #161 Jake Nannen from 2023-02-14T14:55:53
Jake Nannen is one of Nebraska's up and coming basketball coaches, and we're really excited to have him on for episode #161. In this episode, we discuss a variety of different topics, from his b...
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A Pen And A Napkin-"The Coaching Staff" Episode #25 Narrowing Your Rotations from 2023-02-10T14:52:34
Some of the toughest decisions that you have to make as a coach is who you are going to play at the end of the season. This week, Tony and I go through the different scenarios and thoughts that ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #160 Jenna Bolstad from 2023-02-09T14:28:29
Jenna Bolstad, the head Women's Basketball Coach at Miles Community College (MT) is our guest this week! Jenna is a real up and comer in the coaching profession, and she shares with us alot of h...
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A Pen And A Napkin-The Coaching Staff Episode #24 Keeping Players Involved from 2023-02-03T14:15:33
One of the challenges of any head coach, especially as the season moves forward, is making sure that all of your players feel valued and part of the program. Many times you get focused on your V...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #159 BJ Blase from 2023-01-30T14:38:27
Episode #159 features BJ Blase, the boys basketball coach at Central City (NE). In this episode, we discuss a variety of topics, including the importance of facilities, teaching kids how to win,...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #158 Andy Gillen from 2023-01-27T14:16:35
Andy Gillen, the highly successful boys HC at Ogallala (NE) comes on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of topics, including his influences like Phil Jackson and Bill Belichick. We also ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #157 Dane Bacon from 2023-01-19T14:16:13
Terrific conversation with Dane Bacon, GBB HC at Bellevue West (NE) High School. Coach Bacon and I go through a variety of topics, from rebuilding the culture of the T-Bird program to the keys t...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #156 Jason Dolliver from 2023-01-13T14:38:30
We're back on the interview trail with Jason Dolliver, the head girls coach at Pender (NE) High School. Coach Dolliver and I touch on a variety of topics, including being a leader in the communi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #155 DeMarcus James from 2022-12-19T14:28:21
DeMarcus James, the highly successful boys HC at Fort Worth OD Wyatt HS (TX) comes on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics, from marketing your program to the growth in Texas basketball to...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #154 Tim Sandquist Kirkwood CC (IA) from 2022-12-13T14:13:33
This week we are excited to talk to Tim Sandquist, the highly successful Men's HC at Kirkwood CC (IA)! Coach Sandquist touches on a wide variety of topics, including his basketball journey, hiri...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #153 Justin Bowen from 2022-12-05T14:26:57
Our newest episode features Justin Bowen, a terrific up and coming coach from Southside (AL). Coach Bowen has coached numerous sports and has already made a big difference in his first season as...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #152 Ras Vanderloo from 2022-11-21T14:49:20
Ras Vanderloo, the highly successful boys head coach at Sioux City East (IA) comes on this week and we have a great conversation! We talk about coming from a coaching family, being involved with...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #151 Katie Smith from 2022-11-14T15:20:45
The GBB HC at Mustang (OK), Katie Smith has built one of the best programs in the Sooner State. On this week's pod, Coach Smith discusses playing for her father, how to build a great culture, ho...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #150 Roy Williams Kansas/ UNC from 2022-11-07T14:13:59
Today, we're celebrating the 150th interview podcast of "A Pen And A Napkin" with former University of Kansas and University of North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams! Coach was very gracious wi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #149 Roundtable #11 from 2022-11-02T14:28:54
We had a great night last night at Wine 121 in Omaha as myself, Sarah Goodwin from Bennington (NE) High School, Kirk Walker of the College of St. Mary's and Shawn Gilbert, the Head WBB Coach at ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #148 Dylan Seikel from 2022-10-24T13:33:13
Dylan Seikel, the new men's HC at SUNY-Canton, comes on the podcast this week. Voted a "30 under 30" by the NBCA last year, Coach Seikel is stepping into his new job as a late hire, so we chat a...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #147 Josh Luedtke from 2022-10-17T13:21:21
We're really excited to have Josh Luedtke, the head boys basketball coach at Creighton Prep (NE) this week! Coach Luedtke talks about his background as a Prep graduate, being a "football guy" co...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #146 Quick Hitters Volume X from 2022-10-10T13:37:05
We've got. a great week of "Quick Hitters" lined up this week, starting off with Josh Pastner, the Men's Basketball Head Coach at Georgia Tech, discussing early season practices and how to const...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #145 Dick Jungers Volume IV from 2022-10-03T13:14:59
My old high school friend and Iowa Hall of Fame Coach Dick Jungers of Newell-Fonda (IA) comes back on for his 4th solo podcast. In our annual discussion, Coach Jungers and I discuss preparing fo...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #144 Kyle Cooper from 2022-09-26T14:28:44
Excited to get back to dropping podcasts! This week we have Kyle Cooper, the head men's basketball coach at Howard College (TX). In this pod, we discuss "the grind" that it takes to achieve succ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #143 Roundtable #10 with Andy King, Tom Krehbiel and G from 2022-09-12T12:56:09
We're back at Wine 121 in Omaha with another "Roundtable" format with Andy King, boys basketball coach at Elkhorn North, Tom Krehbiel, boys basketball coach at Boys Town, and the legend simply k...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #142 Aaron Thomas from 2022-09-06T12:47:51
This week, we are really excited to host Aaron Thomas, the head boys basketball coach at Aplington-Parkersburg (IA)! We have a great discussion on a variety of topics, including the influence of...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #141 Quick Hitters Volume IX The Snow Valley Crew from 2022-08-29T13:57:43
Back from the ashes is the "Quick Hitter" format! This week we talk with three coaches that I worked the Snow Valley Basketball School with earlier this summer; Ryan McAdams, the WBB HC at Arkan...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #140 Jeremy Rickertsen from 2022-08-22T12:51:25
Episode #140 features Jeremy Rickertsen, the Head Boys Basketball Coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie (IA)! Coach Rickertsen talks about his evolution as a coach, including coaching on the same sideli...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #138 Nichole Dixon from 2022-08-15T12:48:35
GBB HC of Holy Innocents (GA) and my Snow Valley Basketball School camp friend Nichole Dixon jumps on the podcast with me this week! On this week's pod, we chat about coaching multiple sports, e...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #125 "The Book Shelf" + An Announcement from 2022-08-12T12:49:49
Reading is the lifeblood to the brain, and we, as coaches, must have a solid foundation of reading to keep ourselves sharp and also have the ability to share the most pertinent information to ou...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #124 BLOB and SLOB Philosophy from 2022-08-05T16:17:26
One of the major aspects of "special teams" in basketball is baseline and sideline out of bounds execution on both sides of the ball. On this week's "Foundation Friday" we discuss the importance...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #139 Brett Watson from 2022-08-01T14:52:50
Boys Basketball Head Coach of Waukee Northwest (IA), Brett Watson has done a great job of taking a first year school and got them to the state tournament. In this podcast, we talk about "The Pro...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #123 Testing Day! from 2022-07-29T14:02:23
Usually we have a pretty good idea of how our teams work behind the scenes, but sometimes you need to drill down a little deeper with your teams. Here are three "team tests" that we have used in...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #137 Mike Hilmer from 2022-07-25T15:57:36
Mike Hilmer, Head Boys Basketball Coach at North Linn High School (IA), jumps on the podcast this week to talk about coaching his kids, hosting the team hangout, getting your team ready to play ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #122 Can We Fix AAU? from 2022-07-22T13:35:03
98-99% of our AAU programs do things the right way, both on and off the court. However, the incidents that happen at AAU and youth events continue to escalate in intensity and violence from all ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #136 Doug Billman from 2022-07-18T12:04:51
Doug Billman, Boys Basketball HC at Antwerp (OH) comes on the podcast this week to chat about a variety of topics, including half court offense and defense, coaching at his alma mater, taking a ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #121 The Wall of Honor from 2022-07-15T13:03:48
Many of us, in some way, shape or form, track our players progress in the summer. It is also important to reward our players and recognize the efforts that they put in, so we came up with a syst...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #135 Brendan Dittmer from 2022-07-11T14:31:55
Really excited to have Brendan Dittmer, GBB HC at Elkhorn Valley (NE) High School, on the podcast this week! In this episode, Coach Dittmer and I chat about building a great culture in a small c...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #120-Evaluating Your Program's Summer Improvement from 2022-07-08T13:19:10
Most of our programs are going to be active in the summer, but what is the purpose of our summer activities? Along with that, how do we evaluate and measure our summer activities, both in our in...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #134 Shana Gerberding from 2022-07-05T13:04:56
Happy 4th of July everyone, and welcome to this week's episode! This week, we chat with Shana Gerberding, who is the GBB HC at Bruning-Davenport-Shickley (NE) High School. Coach Gerberding discu...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #119 Working With A Difficult Co-Worker from 2022-07-01T14:00:12
As coaches, we're all competitive, and we're all coaching our teams for a reason; to win. However, there are people that we sometimes work with that make either your job or everyone else's job v...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #133 Lisa Bluder from 2022-06-28T12:28:23
The "Dean of the Big Ten", one of four active coaches with over 800 wins (joining Tara Vandeveer, Geno Auriemma and Gary Blair) and the 2019 National Coach of the Year are all ways you can descr...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #118 Practice Plan Cultural Reminders from 2022-06-26T14:31:05
A couple of days late on this, but hey, it's been busy!! When we put together our practice plan on a daily basis, we focus on drills, X's and O's and other entities, but we also should be remind...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #117 "The Importance of Mentors" from 2022-06-21T15:51:54
We all have mentors in our life, but when's the last time you really thought about the influence of mentors and what they've exactly done for you and your development in your life and your coach...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #132 Mark Downey from 2022-06-20T13:32:45
Really excited to have Mark Downey, the head men's basketball coach at Arkansas Tech University, on the podcast! Coach Downey has had a wide variety of experiences in his career, which he shares...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #131 Kassie Schuett from 2022-06-13T14:39:05
Kassie Schuett, girls basketball head coach at Gothenburg (NE) is our guest this week! Coach Schuett discusses a variety of topics, including building trust and loyalty with her players, prepari...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #116 Coaching Your Team in the Summer from 2022-06-10T14:26:58
Summer basketball is a great way to develop your program and your individual players. It's an exciting time with a feeling of new growth and opportunity, but you also have alot of different vari...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #130 Nate Loenser from 2022-06-06T13:36:21
University of Nebraska Men's Assistant Coach Nate Loenser comes on the pod this week to discuss a variety of different topics. Coach Loenser talks about his basketball journey from high school t...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #115 Learning From The NBA Finals from 2022-06-03T13:11:27
Many of us will be watching the NBA Finals over the next couple of weeks to satisfy our "basketball junkie" needs, but what can be learned from watching these games? How can we make ourselves be...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #129 Roundtable #9 from 2022-05-30T14:12:35
We had a blast taping a "Roundtable" pod in my hometown of Sheldon, Iowa last week with Kiley Yates, Boys HC at South O'Brien (IA), Boys HC Eric Maasen of Sheldon (IA) and GBB HC Jay Schuiteman ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #114 Taking A Stand from 2022-05-27T15:29:02
If you do this job long enough (and often times you don't have to do this job very long before you are in this situation), you're going to find yourself in a situation where you have to make a c...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #128 Bob Hayes from 2022-05-24T13:15:18
Ponca (NE) GBB HC Bob Hayes comes on the podcast this week to chat about a variety of topics. Coach Hayes, like myself, is a Briar Cliff (IA) graduate, so we discuss the influence of Ray Nacke,...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #113 The Importance of Streaks from 2022-05-20T13:43
Basketball is a game of momentum and runs, but how do you emphasize and build the concepts of "streaks" into your program? How do you educate your players and staff about what you're looking for...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #127 Garrett Hickey from 2022-05-18T12:57:07
You're really going to enjoy this podcast with Garrett Hickey, the head boys basketball coach at Norwalk (CT) HS and creator of the #sharethegame Twitter feed. In this pod, we go through a bunch...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #112 Special Situations Chart Part II from 2022-05-13T13:09:43
In the second half of our two-part pod on preparing for special situations, this week we talk about two special situations that we're all going to be in at some point; the comeback game and the ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #126 Eric Henderson from 2022-05-10T13:22:25
South Dakota State University MBB HC Eric Henderson comes on the podcast this week to talk about a variety of different topics. Amongst many things, Coach Henderson talks about his background as...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #111 Special Situations Chart Part I from 2022-05-06T14:43:10
We all know that we're going to be in pressure situations when we get into our season, so why not use this time to start thinking about what you're going to do next season? In this week's "Found...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #125 Ed Schilling from 2022-05-04T13:20:52
For episode #125, Ed Schilling, the men's assistant coach at Grand Canyon University, comes on the pod! Coach Schilling has one of the more unique resumes that we've ever had on "APAAN"; one of ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #110 Off-Season Reset and Realignment Priorities from 2022-04-29T12:57:40
There's four major pillars to "Improvement Season" that could/should be addressed; your schemes, your analytics, your skill development and your culture. What are the keys to taking all of thes...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #124 Heather Grafing from 2022-04-25T13:32:37
Heather Grafing, the GBB HC at Central Lyon (IA), comes on the podcast this week! Coach Grafing, who has built an impressive program, including a 2022 state runner-up, discusses important influe...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #109 "Planning Your Teams Summer" from 2022-04-22T13:32:43
Welcome to Episode #300 of "A Pen And A Napkin"! Last week, we discussed individual player improvement during "Improvement Season", but it is also important that we take this time to improve the...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #124 Joe Hesse from 2022-04-19T12:56:08
Joe Hesse, the 3x state champion head coach at Humphery/ Lindsay-Holy Family (NE) comes on the podcast this week to chat about a variety of topics! We talk about his influences, the strength of ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #108 Individual Off-Season Buy In from 2022-04-15T15:37:29
As we all start to dive in to the off-season, it's important that we have a system in place to tangible measure our players accomplishments and improvement in order to get the buy in we need. In...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #122 Vincent Macaulay from 2022-04-12T13:30:30
British Basketball League (BBL) pioneer and legend Vincent Macaulay comes on our podcast this week! In this great conversation, we chat about building and growing the game in a country where bas...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #107 Reinvesting Into Your Program from 2022-04-08T12:56:25
Fundraising is one of the most important things that our programs can do to help build up your program; however, sometimes you're not sure as to what to spend those funds on or how to properly a...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #121 Rechelle Turner from 2022-04-05T13:12:30
Rechelle Turner, the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Murray State University, comes on the podcast this week. Coach Turner chats about a variety of topics, including her jump from the high scho...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #106 Hustle Board from 2022-04-01T12:54:54
Coaches are always emphasizing the details of the game, but how can you communicate and emphasize these intangibles that are necessary for success in a tangible way? One of the ways that you can...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #120 Josh Thompson from 2022-03-29T12:52:13
Josh Thompson, Boys HC at Bishop McGuinness (NC), jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of topics, including the UNC-Duke Final 4 matchup, a unique school nickname, making that fir...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #105 Summer Alignment with Other Programs from 2022-03-25T12:53:17
We're all, to a degree, selfish and want what's best for our programs; however, we DO have to think about alot of factors as we put together our summer programs. In this "Foundation Friday", we...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #119 Quick Hitters Volume VIII-2022 State Champions Edition from 2022-03-21T13:19:50
Ever wonder what it's like to win a state championship? Ever wondered what needs to be done to win a state title, or wonder what were the intangibles that led to that championship? We have that ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #104 State Tournament Special Situations 2022 Edition from 2022-03-18T12:49:54
The state tournament is a tremendous opportunity to network, to watch high level basketball and to learn from various situations that present themselves. In this pod, I've taken a look at some o...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #118 2022 State Tournament Roundtable #4 from 2022-03-11T15:47:37
In the last of our four state tourney roundtables, Jerome Skrdla of Gretna (NE), Nate Wall of David City Aquinas (NE) and Jimmy Motz of Norris (NE) come on the pod to chat it up at the N-Zone in...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #117 2022 State Tournament Roundtable #3 from 2022-03-10T17:16:34
Another day, another roundtable!! Millard West's finest, Marc Kruger and Casey Hall, along with Paul Markley, jump on the pod at the N-Zone in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska. In this pod, we chat a...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #116 2022 State Tournament Roundtable II from 2022-03-09T15:36:38
Another day, another roundtable! Tom Tvrdy returns to this roundtable, along with Sarah Goodwin, GBB AC at Bennington (NE) and Paul Markley, GBB HC at Ralston (NE). We chat about our own self im...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #115 2022 State Tournament Roundtable #1 from 2022-03-08T14:25:18
Dexter Goodner of Ord (NE), Tom Tvrdy of Omaha Marian and I sit together, eat some Mellow Mushroom pizza, and discuss a wide variety of topics, including lessons learned from this season, off se...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #114 Grant Cole from 2022-03-04T14:18:46
Grant Cole, GBB HC at Auburn (NE), jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of different topics. On the pod, we chat about returning home to coach, working with numerous family member...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #103 Evaluating Your Season from 2022-02-28T14:53:56
As we wrap up our seasons, it's easy to look back at the tangible entities, like wins and losses, as a way to evaluate our season. But what are some other things that you should be looking at o...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #102 Taking Care of Yourself Mentally from 2022-02-28T14:15:10
At the end of our seasons, we have given all that we have to give, but there should be a time of recovery, both mentally and physically. Some of this stress is self-induced, while much of it com...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #101 Evaluating Your Youth Program from 2022-02-25T13:57:59
Almost every program is dependent on a strong youth program. The focus is, of course, on the development of skills, but what are the other things that you should worry about and consider as you...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #113 Jacob Mohs from 2022-02-21T13:59:24
Jacob Mohs, the boys basketball coach at Ashland-Greenwood (NE) HS, comes on the podcast this week to talk about a variety of different topics. We chat about his coaching influences, coaching d...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #100 End of the Season Interviews from 2022-02-18T14:40:48
100 Foundation Fridays!!!! Hard to believe that this is #100, but here we are! This week, we're going to talk about the do's and don'ts of discussing with your players about their season and the...
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A Pen And A Napkin-District Updates from 2022-02-14T14:18:03
Just a quick hitter pod on updates, apologies and future plans for "A Pen And A Napkin" . . .
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #112 Nate Pribnow from 2022-02-07T14:21:32
Nate Pribnow has rebuilt Fremont (NE) Bergan into a perennial state tournament contender, and in this week's podcast, he shares a bunch of great information about his program. We discuss playing...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #99 Finishing the Regular Season Strong from 2022-02-04T14:13:30
It's early February, so we're all looking for an edge heading into. post season play. What are the things that we should be focused on as we head into the final stretch of the regular season? F...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #98 Surprise Day! from 2022-01-28T13:47:09
Every team needs days off; that's obvious. But sometimes, especially this time of year, it's great to take a day off WITH your team and do something that will boost morale and energy for the s...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #111 Larry McKenzie from 2022-01-24T14:33:09
Legendary Minnesota coach Larry McKenzie comes on the podcast this week. A 6-time state champion, Coach McKenzie talks about building up programs in two different schools, finding his calling as...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #110 Don Martindale from 2022-01-17T14:08:20
Newly minted IGCA Basketball Hall of Famer (Class of 2022) Don Martindale comes on the podcast this week! The GBB HC at Estherville-Lincoln Central, Martindale has 12 Regional Final and 5 State...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #97 Evaluating Game Film from 2022-01-14T15:15:35
The best way to evaluate our teams and make them better is by meticulously watching our own game footage. There are good ways and bad ways to use game footage to your advantage, so this week we...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #109 Greg Berdnt from 2022-01-10T13:51:20
This week's episode features Greg Berdnt, GBB HC at Hastings St. Cecilia's (NE) HS. With a career record of 126-17, Coach Berdnt has built a juggernaut at St. Cecilia's, and he details his "Comp...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #96 Mid-Season Reminders from 2022-01-07T13:55:08
Many times, we get caught up in the day to day grind of the middle of the season, but we need to keep our big picture goals and purpose in mind. From practice length to quotes, here's some quic...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #108 Todd Wolfson from 2022-01-03T15:05:46
We open up 2022 with Todd Wolfson, the Boys HC at St. Francis (Pasadena, CA) High School. As I record in a blizzard and he records a stone throw from the Rose Bowl, we discuss leaving one succe...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #95 Travel Itinerary from 2021-12-24T15:16:52
Alot of teams will be traveling over the break and spending the night with their teams. Although it's a great opportunity to bond as a team, it is also your responsibility to make sure that ever...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #107 Chris Strathman from 2021-12-20T14:24:05
In our latest (both figuratively and literally) episode of "A Pen And A Napkin", Chris Strathman, the highly successful GBB HC at McPherson (KS) comes on the pod! In this pod, we discuss the val...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #94 In-Season Adjustments from 2021-12-17T14:34:20
At this point of the season, we're all looking at our teams and what we can or need to do to improve our teams. Some of us might be considering radical adjustments to our teams and lineups, whi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #106 Carl J. Pierson "The Other Side of Glory" from 2021-12-13T14:31:55
In part two of our podcast, Carl Pierson goes through the writing of "The Other Side of Glory". The book details the journey of the Waconia Wildcats' 2019-20 season and their pursuit of a state ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #105 Carl J. Pierson Part I "The Politics of Coaching" from 2021-12-13T13:57:50
In this special two-part podcast, we talk to Carl J. Pierson, the author of "The Politics of Coaching". We talk about how the book came about and then dive into some of the major political pitfa...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #93 Implementing the Scouting Report from 2021-12-10T14:27:05
Some of us are big scouters, spending alot of our practice time and time with the team, while other coaches don't spend nearly as much time on our opponents. Both methods have produced successf...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #104 Mitch Osborn from 2021-12-06T14:14:04
Legendary Harlan (IA) boys basketball coach Mitch Osborn, owner of over 700 wins, jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a wide variety of topics. We chat about the overall success of Harlan...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #92 First Game Preparations from 2021-12-03T14:34:28
In the hustle and the bustle of the early season, we sometimes forget the details of what we could or should be doing on game days to get prepared for the game, then we're left scrambling at the...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #103 Lisa Steele from 2021-11-29T13:42:19
Lisa Steele, the former GBB HC at Paul VI (New Jersey) comes on the podcast this week! In this terrific conversation, we talk about the adjustments that great players have to make to be a coach...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Updates for the Week from 2021-11-22T14:46:07
Here are a few quick updates about this season and things to expect for the upcoming 3-4 months!
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #91 Organizing a Youth Tournament from 2021-11-19T13:58:34
We organized our first youth tournament last weekend, and it was a great success, but it didn't come without some lessons along the way. We had a great group of people that helped organize the ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #102 Clark Ribble from 2021-11-15T13:53:54
Clark Ribble, the head boys basketball coach at Beatrice (NE) high school, comes on the podcast to discuss a wide variety of topics, including coaching in California, his progression as a head c...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #90 Moving a Player Up from 2021-11-12T13:47:23
We're all going to be in a situation where we are going to move a player up a level. As coaches, we look at it as a talent issue, but there are alot of variables that we should consider before ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #101 Linn Dunn from 2021-11-08T14:17:21
Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and WNBA champion Lin Dunn comes on the podcast this week to discuss a wide variety of topics. We chat about the beginnings of Title IX, coaching in the 1992 Ol...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #89 "Early Season Parent Meeting" from 2021-11-05T13:19:09
Establishing clear boundaries, clear lines of communication and other important variables to your program while also creating an environment of fellowship and trust is a daunting task for most o...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #100 w/ the Original 3! from 2021-11-01T12:40:01
Wow, 100 interview episodes!!! That is just crazy to believe!!! In celebration of hitting triple digits, we're bringing back the three that got things going; Kelly Flynn from Fremont (NE) High S...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #88 "Mastery of Skills" Checklist from 2021-10-29T13:01:03
We know what we want our players to look like at their optimum level, but have we really taken the time to really map out our players journey and find the checkpoints along the way? In this "Fou...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #99 Jordan Arensdorf from 2021-10-25T13:27:09
I'm excited to have Jordan Arensdorf, the GBB HC at Pleasanton (NE) High School. We chat about a variety of topics, including the pressure of winning when you're expected to win, handling a loc...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #87 Ending Practice Strong from 2021-10-22T13:47:29
There are a million different ways to end practice, but we often forget how important it is to end practice on a high note. It's important that before you get to the end of practice, you have a...
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A Pen And A Napkin- "Headlines!" Volume IX-NBA Awards and Playoff Predictions from 2021-10-21T13:17:32
Casey Hall and I come back to discuss who we think is going to win the major awards this season, and then we break down the playoffs round by round to try to predict who is going to be hoisting ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Headlines! Volume VIII 2021-22 Western Conference Preview from 2021-10-20T12:47:24
Casey Hall and I get together to discuss and preview the Western Conference for the upcoming NBA season, highlighting the teams that we like, some teams that we don't like, and we both identify ...
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A Pen And A Napkin "Headlines!" Volume VII 2021-22 NBA Eastern Conference Preview from 2021-10-19T13:20:05
Casey Hall and I take some time to preview the 2021-22 NBA season this week, starting with the Eastern Conference. We go through the three tiers; the 5 teams that we don't believe will make the ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Quick Hitters Volume VII from 2021-10-18T12:47:22
In our latest episode of "Quick Hitters", we bring on a variety of coaches. Jamie Smith, the GBB HC at Solon (IA) comes on to discuss program building, while University of Nebraska Men's Assist...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #97 Andy King from 2021-10-11T12:53:32
Andy King, former Creighton Prep AC and current Boys HC at Elkhorn North (NE), jumps on the podcast to talk about a variety of topics, including his playing career, building a program literally ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #86 3 Year Plan from 2021-10-08T13:35:50
Most of us have some sort of vision for our programs, but have you taken the time to specifically think ahead one, two or even three years into the future? In this "Foundation Friday" we take a...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #96 Todd Eisner from 2021-10-04T13:01:09
Winona State (MN) MBB HC Todd Eisner jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a wide variety of topics, including his own playing career and the influence of Creighton University on his life, b...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #85 Desert Island Drills from 2021-10-01T12:56:03
How many times do we think it or we say it; "That's a great drill, and we need to do that one more often." Too often we allow what we believe to be our best drills to NOT be part of our practice...
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A Pen And A Napkin-2 Year Anniversary Sale from 2021-09-30T12:48:57
As one of my childhood heroes, Harry Caray, would say . . . "Holy Cow!!!" It's been two years since "A Pen And A Napkin" has launched as of today, and I am so humbled by those that have supporte...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #95 Dick Jungers Volume III from 2021-09-27T12:51:58
The 2021 Iowa Coach of the Year, Dick Jungers, is back for his annual appearance as we celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of "A Pen And A Napkin" this week! In this episode, we discuss adjustments ma...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #84 Promises vs. Negotiations from 2021-09-24T13:16:05
In today's game, it is important that you have an open and sincere dialogue with your teams, but what is the line between what is good for your program and when you are giving up too much contro...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #94 Brett Coultier from 2021-09-20T12:54:54
We're really excited to have Brett Coultier, the Head Boys Basketball Coach at Princeton (MN) HS! In this pod, we dive deep into breaking an 87 year state tournament drought, using social media ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #83 Preaseason Questionnaire from 2021-09-17T12:47:14
As coaches, it is important to have clear lines of communication with your players, but where does that communication start? In this episode of "Foundation Friday", we talk about our preseason q...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #93 Liz Kay from 2021-09-13T12:49:50
Really excited to have Liz Kay, the GBB HC at Wahconah Regional HS (Mass.) to chat hoops! In our conversation, we theorize about the smaller number of female coaches in relation to male coaches ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #82 When Players Clash from 2021-09-10T13:08:51
As much as we would like to have ALL of our players get along and love each other ALL of the time, that is simply impossible. Conflict is inevitable, even in the best of times, so what are some ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #92 Roundtable #7 Casey Hall, Tom Tvrdy and Josh Luedtke from 2021-09-06T13:56:57
We're back with another great roundtable discussion with Millard West GBB AC Casey Hall, Creighton Prep HC Josh Luedtke and Omaha Marian HC Tom Tvrdy. In this episode, we discuss the 2021 state ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #91 Derrik Spooner from 2021-08-30T12:50:27
Elkhorn Mount Michael (NE) HC Derrik Spooner is our guest this week! Coach Spooner talks about a variety of topics, including the uniqueness of Mt. Michael, wearing dual hats as an administrator...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #81 Keys to Pressure Defense from 2021-08-27T12:49:36
Although there are many coaches who run some sort of pressure defense, there are alot of different things and philosophies when it comes to pressure. In this pod, we discuss different thoughts ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #90 Tony Chapman from 2021-08-23T15:04:09
Tony Chapman of Striv Sports and Nebraska Preps comes on the podcast as a pinch hitter this week to discuss a bunch of great topics, including being a coaches kid, covering the historically grea...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #80 Enjoy the Ride from 2021-08-21T13:34:30
Our time as coaches is limited; probably for most of us, AT THE MOST we'll have 35-40 years to do this job, which is not that long in the big picture. Are you enjoying what you're doing? Are y...
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A Pen And A Napkin U-Personal Growth and Development Video Offer! from 2021-08-18T12:47:12
As part of the "University" program, I've put together a series of videos on each one of these topics. Now, I've made them available for ANYONE to purchase; listen to this pod to get all of the...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #83 Dell Leonard from 2021-08-16T12:43:50
Excited to have Dell Leonard, the GBB HC of Mountain Home (AR), whom I met while at Snow Valley! Dell and I have a great conversation, including the importance of mentors, getting your team to ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #79 Team Building Activities from 2021-08-13T12:40:58
We all want our teams and our programs to have a great, tight-knit bond. Although we'd like to have that environment come about in an organic way, it is part of your staff's job to create opport...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Quick Hitters Volume #6 from 2021-08-09T12:48:31
Excited for "Quick Hitters" Volume #6!! In this episode, we have USA Basketball's Don Showalter talking about a "Coaches DNA" and what makes a great coach, along with Dick Lien, legendary coach...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #78 "Win Forever" from 2021-08-06T13:56:23
All of us have an idea as to what we want our teams and our programs to look like, but sometimes we need a little help in laying out the road map to get there. Directly borrowing and inspired b...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Roundtable #5 with Tom Krehbiel, Doug Woodard and Marc Kruger from 2021-08-02T14:16:40
Myself, Tom Krehbiel, Doug Woodard and Marc Kruger sit down at Wine 121 in Omaha to chat about a bunch of different basketball subjects, including playing an underclassman above an upperclassman...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #77 Lessons Learned from NCA Clinic from 2021-07-30T13:56:50
After a couple of days at the Nebraska Coaches Association Clinic, there were quite a few things that I took from the discussions. Here's some things that I learned from Tim Cannon, Kelly Flynn...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #76 Lessons Learned from Snow Valley from 2021-07-26T14:15:35
Last week, I FINALLY took the time to head out to Snow Valley Basketball School in Waverly, Iowa, and it did not disappoint!!! Dropping a "Foundation Friday" on a Monday, here are some things th...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #81 Dave Bollish from 2021-07-20T18:51:56
In our latest episode, Dave Bollish, the girls basketball coach at Scottsbluff (NE), dives into his coaching career and philosophy. We discuss jumping from being an assistant to being a head co...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #75 33 Shot Warmup from 2021-07-16T13:00:59
You can run all the plays you want, but if you don't finish the shot at the end of it, it doesn't matter. In order to become a great shooter, you have to have a routine that is practical and we...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #80 Luke Yaklich from 2021-07-12T14:08:27
University of Illinois-Chicago MBB HC Luke Yaklich comes on the pod to discuss his career, starting as a high school coach before moving on to college ball. We also discuss the influence of Dan ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #74 Using Analytics to Anticipate Your Team's Success from 2021-07-09T16:19:46
Every coach, every off-season, looks at their schedule and their team, and it's human nature to try to anticipate what your record is going to be the next season. However, we often look at thin...
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A Pen And A Napkin U-First Week Free! from 2021-07-06T13:07:21
Here's our first week of APAAN "University"; let's get the party started!! As a bonus to everyone who has followed "A Pen And A Napkin", we're going to open up our first week, "Communication wit...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #79 Brent Tipton from 2021-07-05T13:15:58
We're excited to have on our first international coach, Brent Tipton, the U17 Men's BBall Coach from Guam! In this episode, Coach tells us about his journey, international coaches we should be s...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #73-Identifying Chemistry Killers from 2021-07-02T17:53:16
We're not coaching an Xbox game, we're coaching human beings, and sometimes the hardest part of coaching is the personalities that you have on your team. You're going to have players that are n...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Updates And "University" Talk from 2021-06-28T15:20:24
A quick three minute pod on updates for this week, plus discussing updates to our "A Pen And A Napkin" University program!
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #72 Recovering from a Bad Practice from 2021-06-25T15:09:06
We, as coaches, want to run great practices and workouts at all times. However, it is inevitable that we're going to have a bad practice at multiple points throughout our season. The key to th...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #39. Don Yaeger's "Great Teams" Pillar IV from 2021-06-24T13:13:40
In our last pod on Don Yaeger's "Great Teams", we take a look at the last pillar of what makes a "Great Team"; Mutual Direction. Getting your teams to move in the same direction is the greatest...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Quick Hitters Volume #5 from 2021-06-21T11:58:28
This week's pod is a "Quick Hitter" with three terrific guests! Chris Fore, the President of the California Coaches Association, comes on the pod to discuss the rights of coaches and what coache...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #71 Attacking Zone Defenses from 2021-06-18T15:02:39
Cracking zone defenses can sometimes be easier said than done. In this week's "Foundation Friday", we talk about attacking zone defenses, concepts and ideas for getting open shots, fundamentals...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #38 "Great Teams" by Don Yaeger Pillar III from 2021-06-16T13:10:08
In our third part of our four part series on Don Yaeger's "Great Teams", we dive into "Activating Efficiency". In this pillar, Yaeger addresses conflict resolution and how to work through frict...
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apenandanapkin.com and "University" Launch! from 2021-06-15T16:34:23
Holy crap . . . I designed a website! Today we're launching apenandanapkin.com, which opens up access to sign up for "A Pen And A Napkin University", your online coaching course where you can "...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #78. Dexter Goodner from 2021-06-14T11:50:48
In this week's podcast, we dive in with Dexter Goodner, the GBB HC from Ord (NE). In our outside discussion, we go through his career, bouncing back from a heart-breaking loss, the influence of...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #70 Summer Team Camps and Leagues from 2021-06-11T13:20:25
We're kicking into high gear with our summer camps and leagues, and it's easy to get sucked into things like focusing on winning and losing. Although you never turn down a win, you need to focu...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #37 "Great Teams" by Don Yaeger Pillar II from 2021-06-09T12:12:58
In Part II of this 4-part Book Club series, we take a look at Pillar II of Don Yaeger's "Great Teams", which is Effective Management. When we look at our teams, we have to look at them from the...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #77 Nate Sanderson from 2021-06-07T15:44:40
A terrific episode on our latest podcast with Nate Sanderson, the new GBB HC at Mount Vernon (IA). In this episode, we discuss rebuilding programs, winning state championships, bouncing back fr...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #69 Organizing an Elementary Level Camp from 2021-06-04T11:26:32
One of the key components of a high school program is running an effective elementary level camp in the summer to spark interest in your program. In this "Foundation Friday" podcast, we talk ab...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #36 "Great Teams" By Don Yaeger Pillar I from 2021-06-02T17:22:28
In Don Yaeger's "Great Teams", we break down the essential qualities that a "Great Team" should possess to be considered great. These 16 qualities, broken down into four pillars, will help you f...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #68 Leaving a Job from 2021-05-28T17:11:21
Most of our coaching careers are focused on the next job, but we often forget about what we should and should not be doing leaving our last job. Although I"m sure that I've made my fair share o...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #76 Jason Isaacson from 2021-05-24T13:49
This week's interview pod features Jason Isaacson, the head boys basketball coach at Council Bluffs (IA) Abraham Lincoln. In this pod, we discuss the keys to turning around his alma mater, deve...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #75 Former Player's Roundtable from 2021-05-17T13:15:12
Have you ever wondered what your impact on your former players was? Have you ever gotten a chance to sit down and ask about your players experience with them after there's been some time to ref...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #67 Timeout Philosophy and Organization from 2021-05-14T12:53:51
As coaches, we're always trying to "win on the margins", and here's another area in which you can help your team win; the timeout game. In this pod, we discuss timeout philosophy, organization,...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Coaches Clinic Videos from 2021-05-10T14:06:01
If you couldn't make it to our coaches clinic on May 1st . . . no problem!! We taped every on court presentation, and they are now available to you at the VERY affordable price of $10 per video...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #74 Bob Starkey and Babe Kwasniak from 2021-05-10T13:09:30
In a two-part interview, we have nationally renowed Bob Starkey, the new associate head coach at Auburn University, one of the preeminent assistant coaches in the country. We chat about his exp...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #66 The Comeback Game from 2021-05-07T13:11:37
Execution at the moments of highest pressure is what separates many teams, and the comeback game is no different. Inevitably, your team is going to fall behind at various points of the game, so...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Quick Hitters Volume IV from 2021-05-03T12:52:18
In an abbreviated but terrific version of "Quick Hitters", we have Kelly Kielsmeier, the Associate Head Coach at Quincy University (IL) coming on the pod to talk offensive actions and movement. ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #65 Practical Applications to the Mental Game from 2021-04-30T13:16:35
In part three of our three part series on the mental game, we explore practical applications to the mental game, both for you and your players. Things like breathing, "Think Time" (borrowing fr...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Quick Hitters Volume III from 2021-04-26T14:10:52
It's another "Quick Hitter" pod, with Nate Wall of David City Aquinas coming on to talk about building a youth program. Dave Runchey, the longtime assistant to Scott DeJong at Ankeny Centennial,...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #64 The Mental Game for Practices and Competitions from 2021-04-23T12:49:11
Just like any skill(s) in sport, you have to practice the mental game and prepare for certain scenarios just like we would offense and/or defense. In this Foundation Friday, we take a look at s...
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Announcing "A Pen And A Napkin University" from 2021-04-21T13:14:04
For the last few months, I've been thinking of ways to expand the "APAAN" universe, and the result of that is "A Pen And A Napkin University", a program to help coaches in a more direct fashion ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #73 Scott Polacek from 2021-04-19T12:50:03
Longtime Howells-Dodge (NE) GBB HC Scott Polacek comes on the pod this week for a lively discussion. We jump into building a summer schedule and what to look for in a summer camp, bringing foot...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #63 Overall Mental Game from 2021-04-16T13:04:26
In the first of three in a series, we talk about the mental game and how much it plays into our programs. We often talk about the importance of the mental approach of our players, but what abou...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #35 "All In" by Porter Moser from 2021-04-14T13:05:35
New Oklahoma MBB HC Porter Moser goes through a detailed description of his background and coaching philosophy in his new book "All In". In this short, compact read, Moser talks about his failur...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #72 Jim Boone from 2021-04-12T13:28:12
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith MBB HC Jim Boone comes on the podcast this week to discuss a multitude of topics, including the benefits and drawbacks of multiple stops in a career, pushing pl...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #62-Establishing Program Toughness from 2021-04-09T13:21:05
As Coach Meyer used to say "You'll never end a season saying that we were just too tough." But how do you establish standards within your program to create toughness and a commitment to the team...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #34 "The No Asshole Rule" by Robert I. Sutton from 2021-04-05T14:50:21
Yep, you read the title right . . . Robert Sutton gives you guidance on how to identify people in your life (including evaluating yourself and how you treat others) and how to deal with "jerks" ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #61 Practice Analysis and Evaluation from 2021-04-02T13:15:20
The next couple of months are a great time to take a look at your practice plans and analyze how you spent your time; did you spend too much time on defense but not enough time on shooting? Too ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #71 Bryan Reichmuth from 2021-04-01T16:44:14
Great discussion with 4x state champion Humphery St. Francis (NE) GBB HC Bryan Reichmuth. In this pod, we talk about building a strong culture at a small school, bouncing back from a state champ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #33 "I Came As A Shadow" by John Thompson from 2021-03-30T12:58:36
Legendary Georgetown Coach John Thompson's autobiography "I Came As A Shadow" is a tremendous summation of one of basketball's legendary figures. As one of the most influential and controversia...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #70 Zac Foster from 2021-03-22T13:53:42
Hastings Adams Central (NE) Boys HC Zac Foster comes on the pod to discuss the development of his program and how he has built a perenial power in central Nebraska. We discuss the influence of P...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #60 Personal Post Season Assessment from 2021-03-19T13:53:58
We're all going to spend alot of time this off-season breaking down film, possessions, drill work, practice plans and everything in-between, but how much time are you going to spend breaking dow...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Headlines! Volume #6 March Madness Preview and Predictions from 2021-03-18T14:22:59
"It's the most . . . wonderful time . . . of the year!" Casey Hall and I get back together to talk about the 2021 NCAA tournament bracket, from our favorite first round games to our analysis of...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #69 Jeff Janssen from 2021-03-15T12:57:37
Great new podcast with up and coming coach Jeff Janssen, the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Indianola (IA). In this pod, we talk about lessons learned as a new HC, crossing over basketball and ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #59 State Tournament Special Situations from 2021-03-12T14:25:43
In this Foundation Friday, we take a look at some real-life scenarios that have played out at various state tournaments the past 10 days or so. Some of these are traditional situational example...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #58 Individual Post-Season Meetings from 2021-03-05T00:10
It's important that you communicate to your players both about the season that you just completed, but also the future and how they fit into your program. You also have to have a plan as you go...
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A Pen And A Napkin-1st Annual APAAN Coaches Clinic from 2021-03-04T23:50:53
We are excited to announce our 1st Annual "A Pen And A Napkin" Coaches Clinic! Mark it on your calendars; Saturday, May 1st at Fort Calhoun High School. We are planning on having six speakers ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #68 Jeff Schertz from 2021-03-01T13:59:34
Ballard of Huxley (IA) Boys HBB Coach Jeff Schertz comes on the podcast this week to discuss his journey to Iowa from the deep south, including a stop as the oldest men's basketball manager in t...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Quick Hitters Volume II from 2021-02-22T13:57:46
Another great "Quick Hitters" cast with Jodi Steier, Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Iowa State University (Player Development), Josh Luedtke, Boys Basketball Coach at Omaha Creighton Prep...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #57 Post-Season Responsibilities from 2021-02-19T14:52:48
Welcome back to the pod!! As we wrap up our seasons over the next few days and weeks, there are many things that we need to take care of, including ourselves. Here are some things to think abo...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #67 Scott DeJong from 2021-01-25T14:39:44
In our latest episode, legendary Ankeny Centennial (IA) GBB HC Scott DeJong comes on the podcast this week! The 7-time state champion HC discusses coaching 6 on 6, developing a championship cult...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #66 Shawn Gilbert from 2021-01-18T14:53:18
Excited to have Shawn Gilbert, the WBB HC at Midland (NE) University, on the podcast this week. In this week's discussion, we discuss hiring a assistant coaches, the role of assistant coaches, ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #65 Ed Timm from 2021-01-11T13:53:35
Head Boys Basketball Coach at Mount Vernon (IA) Ed Timm comes on the pod this week to discuss his long career as a coach, including the transition from college ball to high school, winning a sta...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Quick Hitters Volume I from 2021-01-04T14:44:52
Welcome to Quick Hitters, Volume I! In our first edition of this podcast, we dive in with five coaches on five topics; Jeff Steines (Ames, IA) on in-game defensive efficiency, Josh Siske (Papill...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #56 Christmas Break Reset from 2020-12-24T22:55:22
We're all taking a break the next few days, so it's a great time to not only rest and relax, but to also examine your season, where you're program is at right now and, perhaps most importantly, ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #64 Jalen Weeks from 2020-12-21T16:25:43
In our latest interview episode, Beatrice (NE) GBB HC Jalen Weeks comes on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics, including growing up in a coaching family, his development as a head coach,...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Headlines! Volume #5 NBA Preview from 2020-12-18T14:39:39
My good friend Casey Hall and I get together to talk about the upcoming NBA season. We talk about the top story lines, break down teams that we think are going to be alot of better and alot wor...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #55 Program Checklist from 2020-12-14T14:50:22
Coaching is a fulfilling but stressful occupation, and sometimes your priorities and your organizational thoughts can get lost in the shuffle. It takes time and effort to stay on top of your pr...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #54 Shell Drill Options from 2020-12-14T14:13:53
One of the most basic drills in the game of basketball is the Shell Drill, and we all run it in some way, shape or form. Although it's important to just have those days when you need to grind i...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #53 Building Your Defense from 2020-12-14T13:51:58
As your season progresses, you are re-evaluating what your theories were before you started practice and how those theories are now playing out in practices and games. Here are some thoughts ab...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #63 Jay Schuiteman from 2020-12-07T16:12:25
2x state champion Jay Schuiteman, the long time GBB HC at Unity Christian (IA), comes on the podcast to relive a few glory days of the high school years, along with the importance of communicati...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #62 Mike Dunlap from 2020-11-30T13:49:45
New Milwaukee Bucks AC Mike Dunlap is our guest this week, and he definitely delivers great information on topics such as growing as a HC, important books for coaches to read, how to have "simpl...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #52 Pregame, Halftime and Postgame from 2020-11-27T14:06:52
As competitions begin for teams around the country, it is important that you use every minute of game day to your advantage. It is also important that rehearse what you're going to do before ga...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #61 Andy Gerlecz from 2020-11-23T13:58:01
Andy Gerlecz, the girls basketball coach at Papillion-LaVista South (NE), comes on the pod to chat about his coaching journey, the influence of Scott Hawk on his career, developing roles, commun...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #51 Tryouts, Cuts and Playing Time from 2020-11-20T14:18:51
We are all in the part of the season where we are trying to put together a roster, finding roles for our players, having to consider whether or not to keep some players and eventually determinin...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #60 Eric Behrens from 2020-11-16T13:56:10
7-time state champion Eric Behrens of Omaha Central comes on our podcast this week to discuss his journey as a coach, from playing for his father to replacing him, making the jump to the colleg...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #50 An Active Practice Plan from 2020-11-13T16:18:20
As we start our seasons, it is really important for you to have energy as a coach and to create practice plans that are going to bring the necessary energy to your practices. Gone are the days ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Season Preview from 2020-11-12T14:47:24
Just wanted to drop a quick pod to explain how some things could/will go as we all head into our seasons and the immediate future of "A Pen And A Napkin"
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #32 "The Book of Basketball" from 2020-11-11T13:56:04
Sometimes it's just nice to read a book about basketball without feeling like you need to highlight all the passages in the book that you think are important; "The Book of Basketball" is all of ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #49 Preseason Conditioning from 2020-11-06T13:59:42
Preseason conditioning and preparation can be a grind. You need to build toughness, camaraderie and skill, but you're going to need different methods to do it. Here are some of the ideas that ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #59 Drew Olson from 2020-11-02T13:36:43
2019 NAIA National Champion Drew Olson, the Head WBB Coach at Concordia University (NE), comes on the pod for a great discussion. We chat about his family coaching tree, his professional influe...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #48 Screening from 2020-10-30T12:55:28
One of the most underestimated and undertaught skills of the game is screening; we all talk about it, but how miuch do we break down screening and making cuts off of screens? Here is a discussi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #31 "Rapture" by Nick Nurse from 2020-10-29T13:13:54
Nick Nurse is one of the best coaches in the world, and he shares his coaching journey in "Rapture", detailing everything from his childhood in Iowa to coaching in England, Belgium, the D-League...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #58 Rick Petri from 2020-10-26T12:54:25
One of the newest members of the 500 win club in Nebraska, Kearney Catholic GBB HC Rick Petri comes on the podcast to discuss his dual role as AD and coach, coaching with his daughter, getting k...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #47 Coaching Camaraderie from 2020-10-19T13:05:51
In this "Foundation Friday" on a Monday, we'll dive in on two things; first, I'm asking for my listeners help for something near and dear to my heart, a big ask, if you will. In the second half...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #57 Loren DeJong from 2020-10-12T12:48:47
Longtime MOC/Floyd Valley Boys HC Loren DeJong comes on the latest edition of the podcast to discuss his evolution as a coach, building a program in a small town, the influential coaches in his ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #46 Building Your Roster from 2020-10-09T12:43:12
As you examine your team for the upcoming season, what is the best way to put together the pieces of your program and how do you truly evaluate your players? Along with that, how do you decide ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #56 Dick Jungers Volume II from 2020-10-05T12:52:20
In celebrating our 1 year anniversary, APAAN welcomes back Dick Jungers, GBB HC at Newell-Fonda (IA). We go through last year's epic comeback in the state championship game, along with building...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #44 Practice Planning and Implementation from 2020-10-02T12:59:45
As we creep closer and closer to the start of the season, what is your plan as far as what you are going to do for your practices? What is your strategic view point for implementation? How are...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #55 Tim Kassmeier from 2020-09-28T12:49:45
Long time Norfolk Catholic (NE) GBB HC Tim Kassmeier hops on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of topics, including being at the same school for almost 3 decades, getting your players i...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #43 Practice Execution and Emphasis from 2020-09-25T12:41:10
Practice is going to be starting for most high school coaches in the next few weeks, and many of us are already working on practice plans. What do you want your practice to look like? What, o...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #54 Vance Downs from 2020-09-22T12:45:15
In a quick hitter interview this week, Ames (IA) Boys HC Vance Downs jumps on the podcast for a variety of topics, including discussing the strength of Iowa as a "basketball state", out of bound...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Headlines! Volume #5 NBA Western Conference Finals Preview from 2020-09-17T12:34:44
The Denver Nuggets shook up the basketball world this week with their epic 3-1 comeback against the heavily favored Los Angeles Clippers. With the other LA team waiting for them, my Headlines! ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Headlines! Volume #4 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Preview from 2020-09-15T12:54:27
Casey Hall joins me once again, this time to discuss the NBA Eastern Conference finals. We go through the match-ups, discuss which team have the edge in what spot, point out where both teams mig...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #52 Steve Collins from 2020-09-14T12:33:59
Madison Memorial (WI) Boys HC Steve Collins, the owner of teachhoops.com comes on the podcast. We have a great, free flowing conversation about the use of social media, building relationships w...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #42 Shooting with NBA Shooting Coach Dave Love from 2020-09-11T12:54:48
For the first time, we're going to combine an interview podcast with a Foundation Friday podcast! NBA shooting coach Dave Love, who has worked with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Phoenix Suns and...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #30 The Carpenter Part II from 2020-09-09T13:07:08
In the second half of Jon Gordon's book "The Carpenter", we discuss important topics that are relevant to coaching, like serving with love to your team, how success often takes a long time, deal...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #51 John O'Connor from 2020-09-07T13:56:33
Bennington (NE) GBB HC John O'Connor comes on the pod to discuss a variety of topics, including lessons learned after being a first time state tournament HC, involving players in social media, b...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #41 Developing Post Players from 2020-09-04T12:54:50
Although the traditional back to the basket post player is not as prevalent as it once was, at some point it is going to come back. As a high school coach, if you have a back to the basket post...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #29 The Carpenter Part I from 2020-09-02T12:48:35
The famed author Jon Gordon is famous for his stories of everyday people who are lost and need direction, someone who has encountered a situation where they are not really sure what the next ste...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #50 Tim Cannon from 2020-08-31T12:35:59
I can't believe we're at 50! Tim Cannon, the Boys HC at Millard North (NE), jumps on the podcast to discuss his four decades of coaching in the Omaha metro, building a juggernaut at Millard Nort...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #40 Developing Point Guards from 2020-08-28T13:14:19
No matter how talented your team may be, if you don't have a great point guard (or we may want to start referring to this position as "decision maker"), your team is probably not going to reach ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #28 "Rules For A Knight" by Ethan Hawke from 2020-08-26T13:22:13
Our most important job as basketball coaches is to use basketball to help shape our players for the rest of their lives. "Rules For A Knight" by Ethan Hawke gives a "code of ethics" that can he...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #49 Matt Kern from 2020-08-24T12:48:55
York (NE) GBB HC Matt Kern comes on the pod to chat about a lot of free flowing topics, including being influenced by Marty Gilson, coaching with his childhood best friend, the importance of bei...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Headlines! Volume #3 NBA Playoff Predictions from 2020-08-18T13:24:47
In our latest version of Headlines!, Casey Hall and I get together to predict the eight first round playoff series, including key players and injuries as the NBA kicks off the bubble with first ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #39 Developing Ball Handlers from 2020-08-14T13:40:25
Having great ball handlers and decision makers are important to the success of your team. As you develop your ball handlers, what is your philosophy and what are the things that you want to emp...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #48 Kelly Cooksley from 2020-08-10T13:20:05
On this episode of the pod, Broken Bow (NE) and Nebraska Pride GBB HC Kelly Cooksley comes onto the pod to discuss a variety of topics, including being a "Keyboard Warrior" in the time of Covid-...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #38 Organizing Youth Tryouts from 2020-08-07T14:09:11
Your youth program is the lifeline to most high school basketball programs, but there are a myriad of pitfalls that come along with organizing your system. Here are some things to consider as y...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #47 Steve Merfeld Creighton MBB from 2020-08-03T14:23:45
Steve Merfeld, the Associate Head Coach at Creighton, comes on the podcast to discuss his career, including his time with Jim Larranaga, growing as a coach, the importance of having great chemis...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #37 Rebounding from 2020-07-31T14:49:47
"Rebounding wins Rings" is a popular saying, but what is your rebounding philosophy on the offensive glass, and how are you going to progressively teach rebounding to reach a crescendo and creat...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #46 Carli (Tritz) Berger-Creighton WBB from 2020-07-27T16:28:19
Creighton Assistant Women's Basketball Coach Carli (Tritz) Berger jumps on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics, including how being a great player has affected her coaching career, women ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #45 Ryan Reeder from 2020-07-24T16:52:43
Ryan Reeder, the Boys HC at Waverly High School and co-director of the Lincoln Supreme Court AAU program, jumps on the pod to discuss executing a wedding in the time of Covid-19, organizing his ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #27 "The 7 Principles of Transformational Leadership" Part II from 2020-07-23T16:14:01
In the second half of our look at Hugh Blane's "The Seven Principles of Transformational Leadership", we look at the highlights of the last four priniciples, the key components to them, and how ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #26 "The 7 Principles of Transformational Leadership" Pt. I from 2020-07-22T14:49:30
One of the reasons the vast majority of high school coaches get into the profession to help young people grow and flourish in whatever it is they do, using sports as a way to teach life lessons....
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #25 "Basketball Analytics: Spatial Tracking" from 2020-07-20T21:24:16
Basketball has changed rapidly in the last decade, and analytics have much to do with that. "Basketball Analytics: Spatial Tracking" was one of the first books to look at NBA data to make analy...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #36 Club Sports & Absence Policy from 2020-07-17T17:13:28
Coaches and players are going to get sick and miss practices and competitions, but what are some things that we can do to protect our programs from the growing trend of players missing time beca...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Roundtable #4 in Des Moines, Iowa from 2020-07-13T13:40:43
OSA Director Connor O'Neill, Millard West HC Marc Kruger and Papillion-LaVista HC Josh Siske hang out in my hotel room for an hour and we discuss four big topics; defensive transition, offensive...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #35 Daily Practice Evaluation from 2020-07-10T13:49:24
During the grind of the season, we sometimes forget that EVERY practice should contain certain elements of growth by both the players and the coaching stafff. Here is a simple way where you can...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Headlines! Volume #2 from 2020-07-07T13:27:07
In our latest edition of Headlines!, Casey Hall and I break down the biggest headlines in hoops, including the return of high school basketball, the effect of Covid-19 both in the present and wh...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #44 Bruce Chubick from 2020-07-06T13:51:53
Long time HS HC Bruce Chubick of Omaha South High School comes on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics, including his unique journey, health scares, an important discussion on the civil un...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #24 "The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central" from 2020-07-01T14:07:55
2020 has been a crazy year, and many historians have compared it to the seminal year of 1968. A little known basketball story of this time period is the narrative of the 1968 Omaha Central High...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #43 Jason Ryan from 2020-06-29T13:11:17
Papillion-LaVista Activities Director Jason Ryan comes on the pod to discuss something we haven't talked about on this pod; how to get a job! He includes what he's looking for in a candidate, w...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #23 "Game the Culture, Change the Game" from 2020-06-25T17:51:13
We all talk about changing or evolving our culture, but what are the concrete steps and potential pitfalls that go into the process of creating or refining your culture? "Change the Culture, Ch...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #34 Defensive Keys from 2020-06-19T15:21:12
As we come back to action, it's a great time to reset your team and your philosophy. Building your defense step by step is important, but what are the steps that need to be implemented? Here a...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #22 "Gridiron Genius" by Mike Lombardi from 2020-06-17T18:41:43
Coaches are coaches, no matter what sport they coach. Former NFL GM and 3x Super Bowl Champion Michael Lombardi takes us into the minds of three of the greatest NFL coaches (Al Davis, Bill Wals...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #33 Swinging Back Into Action from 2020-06-12T17:03:26
With our society slowly but surely moving back to a state of normalcy, organized basketball is springing back into action. Most everyone is anxious to get started again, but what are some thing...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #42 Connor O'Neill of Omaha Sports Academy from 2020-06-11T18:45:03
The Director of the Girls Basketball Program at the Omaha Sports Academy, Connor O'Neill, comes on the pod to discuss the process of reopening summer basketball, steps that have been taken by AA...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #21 "The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge" from 2020-06-10T14:56:10
One of the most respected coaches and speakers in the nation today, Super Bowl champion HC Tony Dungy has helped tens of thousands of people find direction while also holding people accountable ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #32 Hiring of Assistant Coaches from 2020-06-05T14:53:49
We all want to have a great staff, but what should we look for and how should we structure it? In this podcast, we discuss the qualities that we should look for in assistant coaches, how we com...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #41 Dan Hughes of WNBA Seattle Storm from 2020-06-01T16:58:12
Dan Hughes, the 2x WNBA Coach of the Year and the head coach of the 2018 WNBA champion Seattle Storm, comes on the pod to discuss challenges of the Covid-19 crisis on the sport, building a great...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #31 Game Sheet from 2020-05-28T20:01:42
It is important to be organized going into a competition. We've all scouted and prepped our teams, but have we prepped ourselves for any situation? Having a game sheet with the important infor...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #40 Steve Selk from 2020-05-26T14:39:28
Steve Selk, the GBB HC of perhaps the premier program historically in the state of Nebraska, South Sioux City, is our guest for today's pod. In this pod, we discuss stepping into such an establ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #30 Building Mental Toughness from 2020-05-22T14:16:29
"Mental is to physical as 4 is to 1," legendary coach Bobby Knight once said. So how do we get our athletes to become mentally tougher? Here are some tips that may help out at least some of yo...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Headlines! Volume 1 "The Last Dance" from 2020-05-19T12:54:12
I team up with good friend Casey Hall to discuss "The Last Dance". We discuss points and ideas that coaches can take away from "The Last Dance" to help themselves this next season, including te...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #39 Jimmy Motz from 2020-05-18T13:45:20
Former Creighton Bluejay and the new Norris (NE) HBB coach, Jimmy Motz, comes on the pod to discuss a variety of topics, from winning a state title at a very young age to influences in his coach...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #29 Practice Culture Part II from 2020-05-15T15:15:15
In part II, we discuss how to use practice to make your teams more aggressive, communication with your players and your parents, infusing your team with passion and excitement, and the things th...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #38 Joe Anderson from 2020-05-11T13:20:38
The Head Girls Basketball Coach from Oakland-Craig (NE), Joe Anderson, comes on the pod to discuss building a consistent winner in a small community, balancing being a head coach in two differen...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #28 Practice Culture from 2020-05-08T15:13:58
Practices need to be efficient and they need to be highly organized, but you also need to make sure that your players are having fun and having a great experience; we want to leave them excited ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #27 Interviewing for a Job from 2020-05-05T16:50:09
We all visualize ourselves being in the room, sitting across from folks discussing what your program will be like, but what needs to be done before you get there? In this episode, we discuss tip...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #37 Kevin Eastman from 2020-04-30T15:33:43
Bonus Pod! NBA Champion and accomplished author Kevin Eastman comes on the pod to discuss his unique communication style, the qualities of a great assistant coach, what makes Doc Rivers a great...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #20 "Sacred Hoops" by Phil Jackson from 2020-04-29T20:16:07
In honor of "The Last Dance", we dive into Phil Jackson's first coaching book, "Sacred Hoops", where he mixes stories from his playing days, his growth as a coach and how he worked to develop a ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #36 Jon McKowen from 2020-04-27T13:32:54
Our latest episode features Jon McKowen, the highly successful boys basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Kennedy. We discuss helping his dad win a state title, coaching a future NBA player, switchi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #26 "Special Situations Verbage" from 2020-04-24T15:23:16
We all practice special situations, but have you thought about how you can shape your verbage to help your special situations (and your program at large) more efficient? Here are some ideas to ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #19 "The Cubs Way" Part III from 2020-04-22T13:28:48
In the last of our trilogy on "The Cubs Way", we dive into the leadership style of Joe Maddon; how to build trust, on playing hard, getting your players to play with energy, meetings policy, how...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episide #35 Marc Kruger from 2020-04-20T13:33:40
Long time Millard West (NE) GBB HC Marc Kruger jumps on the pod to discuss his coaching journey, how he prepared himself to be a head coach, game organization with both players and assistant coa...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #25 "Creating Great Off-Season Buy In" from 2020-04-17T14:13:33
How do you get your kids motivated to come in and work on their game in the off-season? How do you track what they are doing? What incentives can you give players that are going to be producti...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #34 Mike Neighbors from 2020-04-16T12:57:19
University of Arkansas WBB HC Mike Neighbors jumps on the pod to talk about his lessons learned in his journey to becoming a Division I Head Coach, multiple job transitions, getting your players...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #33 JJ Stoffel from 2020-04-13T13:18:21
In our latest episode, Omaha Roncalli boys coach JJ Stoffel comes on A Pen And A Napkin to talk about moving over from an assistant to the head job, two state title game runs and the experiences...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #24-Staff Delegation from 2020-04-10T13:44:21
As a head coach, it is a fine balance between being a micro-manager and not being involved enough. It is easy to get caught up in the minutia of the job, but how do you separate what is importa...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #18 "The Cubs Way" Part II from 2020-04-08T15:16:36
Taking the plan and then putting into action is the focus of this podcast. Communication, evaluating strengths and weaknesses, player development, execution of fundamentals and developing as a ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #32 Jamie Sale from 2020-04-06T13:08:36
4x National Championship coach Jamie Sale of Morningside (IA) College comes on the pod to discuss rebuilding the Morningside program, jumping from one rival to another, keeping the edge, persona...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #23 Individual Player Matrix from 2020-04-03T13:47:55
Building your program takes patience, but it also takes organization. Where do you want your players to be at when they reach a certain level? Here is an explination of the individual player m...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #17 ""The Cubs Way" Part I from 2020-04-01T13:07:57
The turnaround of the Chicago Cubs from "lovable losers' to breaking the greatest championship drought in North American professional sports was not an accident; it was the result of a precise p...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #31 Doug Woodard from 2020-03-30T12:50:50
Six-time state champion HC Doug Woodard comes on the pod to discuss a variety of topics, including coaching his grandson, the epic 4th quarter comeback to win the 2020 state title, pressure defe...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #30 Fran Fraschilla from 2020-03-27T12:50:13
International basketball afficianado and ESPN college hoops analyst Fran Fraschilla comes on the pod to discuss his growth in the game, the growing international game, practice organization and ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #16 "The Man Watching" from 2020-03-25T15:23:49
Tim Crothers' great work "The Man Watching" is an excellent guide for male coaches who are coaching female athletes while examining the successful model of North Carolina's legendary women's soc...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #29 Jerome Skrdla from 2020-03-23T13:13:35
One of Nebraska's legends, Gretna GBB HC Jerome Skrdla comes on the podcast to discuss his long career, how the game has changed, moving his program up to Class A (NE's highest class), how to co...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #22 Brad Stevens Possession Chart from 2020-03-20T12:52:04
Analytics are all the rage in basketball, but we as high school coaches don't have the resources to calculate our analytics as much as we would like. Inspired by Boston Celtics HC Brad Stevens, ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #15 "The Five Point Play" from 2020-03-18T13:14:13
Book Club is back! Today we break down Coach K's "The Five Point Play", a book on leadership based on "The Fist": Communication, Trust, Collective Responsibility, Caring and Pride. There are a...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #28 Tom Krehbiel from 2020-03-16T12:52:10
Boys Town (NE) Boys HC Tom Krehbiel comes on the podcast to discuss the Boys Town structure, putting together a team on the fly every season, the Metro Basketball Coaches Association, "RAP", an...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #21-Immediate Post-Season Responsibilities from 2020-03-14T14:17:16
After your season ends, you enter the last phase of your responsibilities for your season; organizing your post-season. Here are some personal and professional tips to help you end your season ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #27 State Tournament Roundtable #2 from 2020-03-09T14:44:34
We sit down with 11x state champion Russ Ninemire, 4x state champion Tom Tvrdy, Papillion LaVista South Head Coach Andy Gerlecz, David City Aquinas HC Nate Wall and Sidney HC Tyler Shaw to discu...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #26 State Tournament Roundtable #1 from 2020-03-06T14:21:37
What a terrific episode with Matt Kern (York, NE), Jennifer Wragge of Elkhorn (NE) and the former HC at Millard North, Dave Diehl. We discuss team chemistry, building towards a productive off-s...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #25 Andy Foster from 2020-03-02T13:49:57
Bishop Heelan's Head Boys Basketball Coach Andy Foster comes on the pod to discuss his journey to the head coaching position, skill development, summer work, organizing his summer workouts and s...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #20 State Tournament Preparation from 2020-02-27T23:55:11
Making the state tournament is the goal to almost every high school team; qualifying puts you in elite company! With this comes a rush of responsibilities that sometimes overcomes the competiti...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #24 Judd Kopperrund from 2020-02-24T14:11:55
In a great episode, LeMars (IA) Head GBB Coach Judd Kopperrund the passion of high school basketball in Northwest Iowa, building a consistent winner at LeMars, influences on his career, attackin...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #19 "Working With Administration" from 2020-02-21T15:32:49
Having a solid relationship with your administration can help you work through alot of things, but it is important that you, as a coach, build those relationships with your administration. Here...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #23 Larry Luitjens from 2020-02-17T14:32:11
If you win 748 games, you're doing something right. Legendary South Dakota boys coach Larry Luitjens discusses losing a job, his relationship with the Lakota Nation, working through tragedy, pra...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #18 "Working With Parents" from 2020-02-14T16:57:36
Both coaches and parents have a vested interest in the players that are associated with your program. Sometimes those views don't align with one another, so what are some ways that you can work...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #22 Tony Vis from 2020-02-10T13:56:48
Long time Iowa girls head coach Tony Vis joins the pod this week to talk about his career, the advantages and disadvantages of coaching at multiple schools, being an assistant now and the adjust...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #17-"Simple Basketball Analytics" from 2020-02-07T13:51:15
We all know about the analytics revolution, but as high school coaches, we don't have the time and resources to use analytics the way alot of us would like. Here are some simple analytical idea...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #21-Steve Lutz from 2020-02-03T13:52:09
Steve Lutz, assistant men's basketball coach at Purdue University, joins the pod this week to discuss recruiting and team building, player development concepts and drills, what separates pros li...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #16-"Keeping Things Fresh" from 2020-01-31T13:42:18
The dog days of the season are upon us, and everyone is tired. How do you keep everyone fresh, both mentally and physically? Here are some ideas for your team and your program to move your squa...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Roundtable #1 with Kelly Flynn, John O'Connor and Jerome Skrdla from 2020-01-27T05:03:14
Our first group taping in a live setting was a great success, as we sit down with three highly successful coaches in Kelly Flynn of Fremont (NE), John O'Connor of Bennington (NE) and Jerome Skrd...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #15-"Teaching" from 2020-01-24T13:51:13
As the season moves along, it is easy to get sucked into the latest crisis or to feel TOO good about your team. You need to remind yourself to come to practice and competitions every day ready ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #14-"The 90 Minute Manager" from 2020-01-22T14:52:36
We step outside the realm of basketball and crossover to soccer in this week's Book Club. Chris Brady and David Bolchover wrote "The 90 Minute Manager", analyzing the qualities of a soccer mana...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #19 Tyler Struck from 2020-01-20T15:30:02
This episode features Tyler Struck, the head boys basketball coach at Nevada (IA). Struck discusses the influence of Greg McDermott on his career, and also the pros and cons of taking over a hi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #14-Scouting and Preparation from 2020-01-17T14:43:30
As we move into mid-January, teams are starting to hit their stride with their own schemes, so you should be able to move into a more detailed scouting report and prepping your team. What to lo...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #13-"Attitude" by Jay Wright from 2020-01-15T13:45:15
Jay Wright's "Attitiude" is a great read for any aspiriing coach or leader. Coach Wright details how he has built a top-notch culture, the challenges he faced as his program came down from great he...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #18 Matt Fritsche from 2020-01-13T03:54
Hillsdale (MI) Head WBB Coach Matt Fritsche goes into detail about all he's learned at every stop, how to build a program, keeping a positive spin on things when things aren't going your way, shoot...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #13 "Winning Special Teams" from 2020-01-10T13:42:34
It's early January, and your base system is in; it's time to work on situations that could make or break your season. End of quarter, end of game, negotiating foul trouble, BLOB's, SLOB's, free thr...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #12-"Success Is A Choice"" from 2020-01-08T14:02:18
Rick Pitino is one of the most successful coaches in the modern era of basketball, and he explains the thought process that has made him so successful in this book. Pitino outlines 10 steps that wi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #17 Drake Beranek from 2020-01-06T04:34:20
Coach Drake Beranek from Kearney (NE) High School is our guest this week. Beranek discusses his coaching influences, including his father, being a young head coach, skill development, his offensive...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #12 "Roles of an Assistant Coach" from 2020-01-03T14:24:04
This episode covers the various roles that an assistant coach should or could take, from how they communicate to the attitude they should have to how they work with their head coach. There are also...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #11-"Getting To Us" Pt. II from 2020-01-02T22:14:42
The return of "Book Club" is the second half of Seth Davis' "Getting To Us", covering the philosphies of Auriemma, Doc Rivers, Brad Stevens and Dabo Swiney. Self-doubt, organization, enjoying winni...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #16 Kirk Walker from 2019-12-30T05:14:01
This episode features Kirk Walker, who coached for over two decades at the high school level before jumping to the college hoops. We talk about ball movement, rebounding, team communication, rebuil...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #11-"Lessons Learned About Coaching From a Farmer" from 2019-12-27T15:18
In this episode, host Marty Plum discusses how lessons learned from his father-in-law and how he lived his life, as a hard working farmer, can be applied to coaching your teams. The simplest lesson...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #10 "Gameday Execution" from 2019-12-13T13:53:57
As competitions begin, how do you attack that process? Here are our tips for the day of your competitions, from your mental state to gameday procedures to handling post game discussions and how to ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #10 "Getting To Us" Part I from 2019-12-11T13:53:57
The first half of this two parter detail's "Getting To Us", detailing the PEAK performance attitude of great coaches; this week we feature Urban Meyer, Tom Izzo, Coach K, Jim Harbaugh and Jim Boehe...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #15 Tyler Shaw from 2019-12-10T04:22:03
In our latest episode, Coach Tyler Shaw of Sidney (NE) talks about coaching both boys and girls, rebounding from state tournament frustrations, attacking defense, 5 out offense, sharing athletes, w...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #9-Tangible Rewards for Intangibles from 2019-12-06T13:41:17
We all know how important intangible plays are to winning; how to we convince our players their importance? By grading and rewarding them on it, just like you would other stats. This week, we discu...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #14 Don Showalter from 2019-12-03T05:54:38
Don Showalter, who has 42 years and over 600 wins as a high school coach, chats about his USA Basketball evolution, rebuilding USA hoops, USA team building, Coach K and Coach Pop, practice planning...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #9-"You Win The Locker Room First" Part III from 2019-12-02T14:09:26
The end of our trilogy of Jon Gordon and Mike Smith's "You Win The Locker Room First" details the final third of the book, including the last two C's; Coaching and Character. The book wraps up with...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #8-Player Driven Energy Creators from 2019-11-30T17:16:53
In this pod we discuss ways that you can have your players actively participate in team building exercises; most start with the coaching staff, but your players must be active and make each experie...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #8-"You Win The Locker Room First" Part II" from 2019-11-27T16:07:39
In the sequel to last week's "Book Club", we discuss the other four C's and strategies to implement them; Communicate, Connect, Commitment and Care. So many good things in this book (BUY IT & A...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #13 Dave Diehl from 2019-11-25T04:33:55
Dave Diehl, the head girls coach at Millard North (NE), discusses many topics, including coaching a 3 OT state semifinal, "3's & Frees", taking over in the middle of a season, multiple pop cult...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #7-Coach Driven Energy Creators from 2019-11-22T13:44:49
Foundation Friday #7 discusses how coaches can create energy and culture within their own program. All of these are quick hitters, including Game Day Attire, Quizzes, Fox Hole Test, Role Call, Sign...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #7-"You Win the Locker Room First" Pt. I from 2019-11-20T14:02:33
In the first of a two part Book Club series, host Marty Plum dives into Mike Smith's and Jon Gordon's "You Win the Locker Room First", covering the first 3 C's; Culture, Contagious and Consistent, ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #12 Terry Comstock from 2019-11-18T04:45:19
Terry Comstock, the former boys basketball coach at South Sioux City (NE) and current director at United Sports Academy discusses going from a head coach to an assistant, feeder programs, doing thi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #6-"Building a Great Team Culture" from 2019-11-15T13:36:06
"Culture" is a great buzzword that we hear, and we know it when we see it, but how do we build it? In this episode, we discuss thoughts and ideas on building culture, how to create it, the importan...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #6-"Generation iY"" from 2019-11-13T13:50:04
Book Club #6, "Generation iY" discusses how to relate, communicate and understand the perspectives of the players we are coaching today. Tips on how to communicate and relate, along with learning s...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #11 Mike Power from 2019-11-11T03:51:29
Long time Briar Cliff University Head Coach Mike Power discussess lessons learned over 30 years of coaching, the best team never to win a championship, BLOB'S, attacking defense, transition offense...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #5-"Parent Social" from 2019-11-08T13:55:36
As coaches, we often say we have to deal with parents; instead, let's try to work with parents. "Parent Social" gives some tips on how to work with parents and create positive relationships before ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #5-"Beyond Basketball" from 2019-11-06T13:43:25
To celebrate collebe hoops tip-off, we spotlight "Beyond Basketball". Coach K delves into 40 words that he believes are important to running a program. Words matter, and this book helps any coach b...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #10 from 2019-11-04T02:44:45
In our latest episode, Bentonville West (AR) head coach Greg White discusses the influences on his career, working his way up the coaching ladder, the "Gamble Road" monicker and a shared love of a ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #4-Class Meetings from 2019-11-01T14:47:23
This episode discusses the major topics coaches should discuss with their individual classes (at the very least, your senior class), including standards, the team's "North Star", off-season develop...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #4- "Toughness" from 2019-10-29T13:04:09
In our latest edition of "Book Club", we break down Jay Bilas' "Toughness". Included in the pod is details of the "Bilas Program", which we used to help convey the message of the book to our player...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #9 Aaron Losing from 2019-10-28T02:05:34
In this episode, host Marty Plum talks with 8 time state champion Aaron Losing on building his summer program, attacking the basketball on defense, playing attacking offense and why he's never sati...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #3 Individual Meetings from 2019-10-25T12:49:01
In the third edition of "Foundation Friday", host Marty Plum discusses the all important individual meeting, what to address, how to handle tough subjects and how to build relationships with your p...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #3-"The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team" from 2019-10-23T12:52:26
In our latest episode of "Book Club", host Marty Plum discusses "The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team", a fable of how teams need to work together. It's a book that is applicable in all walks of life; fami...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #8 Babe Kwasniak from 2019-10-22T03:50:02
In this bonus episode, host Marty Plum talks to Babe Kwasniak of Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland, OH) about culture, leadership, how his miiitary service has shaped his coaching and how a play o...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #7 Bill Fennelly-Iowa State University from 2019-10-21T12:50:16
Giving us a new perspective from the college coaching ranks, Iowa State Women's Head Coach Bill Fennelly discusses "The Iowa State Way", the three point shot, moving up in the coaching ranks and ma...
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Foundation Friday #2-Coaches Meeting from 2019-10-18T01:08:15
On Foundation Friday Episode #2, host Marty Plum talks about important things that need to be discussed with your new staff as you continue to shape your program to move it in the direction you wan...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #2 "Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations from 2019-10-16T14:18:39
In this episode of "Book Club", we honor one of the greatest of all time, John Wooden, with his work "Wooden: A LIfetime of Observations On and Off the Court". A must read for any coach or educator!
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #6 Tom Tvrdy from 2019-10-14T05:30
In this episode, Coach Tvrdy of Seward High School talks about the evolution of his coaching career, winning 104 games in a row, creating a competitve culture while having fun, creating a "master p...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Foundation Friday #1 "First Team Meeting" from 2019-10-11T07:00
In our premier episode of "Foundation Friday", host Marty Plum discusses the key points that all coaches should address in your first team meeting of the year, which usually takes place in March or...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Book Club #1-"Practice Perfect" from 2019-10-08T22:02:27
In the first edition of "Book Club", "A Pen And A Napkin" host Marty Plum breaks down "Practice Perfect", a great guide to communicating and making your educational practices more efficient and mor...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #5 Joel Hueser from 2019-10-06T23:37
In Episode #5, host Marty Plum discusses a variety of topics with Papio South boys coach Joel Hueser, including playing for his father, the 5 pillars of "Building a Culture of Greatness", shot mech...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #4 Dick Jungers from 2019-09-30T23:29:23
In our newest episode, Coach Dick Jungers and I adress numerous coaching topics, including taking over a successful program, interviewing for a job, scouting tendencies, game day procedures, practi...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #3 Kevin Scheef from 2019-09-30T23:24:17
In our newest episode, Marty Plum chats with Kevin Scheef, a multi-state championship coach at Wahoo (NE) High School. We discuss feeder programs, communicating with parents and administration, and...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #2 Jennifer Wragge from 2019-09-30T23:19:44
In this episode, Marty Plum chats with Jennfer Wragge, the high successful girls basketball coach at Elkhorn (NE) High School. We cover topics like culture, coaching influences, practice structure ...
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A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #1 Kelly Flynn from 2019-09-30T22:50:03
In our debut episode, Nebraska legend Coach Kelly Flynn and I talk about a variety of topics to establish a program, including feeder programs, practice organization, player development and handlin...
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