How to Be A Head Coach

SAVI Basketball Membership 7-day free trial: https://www.skool.com/savi-coachWhoever has the highest standards in your program should be leading it. If that's not you, that's a problem—and your biggest opportunity for growth.In this episode, Mark and Tyler break down why standards matter more than schemes at the end of the season, how to identify who's really holding the line on your team, and why you should focus on the middle 80% instead of the bottom 10%. Plus: the Water Test, a story that will change how you think about commitment.This isn't about being tougher. It's about being clearer.🏀 Try SAVI Basketball Free (7-Day Trial): https://www.skool.com/savi-coach📧 Get Weekly Coaching Notes in Your Inbox: https://savi.beehiiv.com/ 📚 Dick DiVenzio's Books:Stuff Good Players Should Know https://a.co/d/0i7H7UNa Smart Moves https://a.co/d/0ec1lijq Runnin the Show https://a.co/d/08y9Y7Jz 📱 Follow us on Instagram: @SAVI_coachingCHAPTERS:0:00 – Intro: What's Your Highest Leverage Thing Right Now?0:54 – Standards at the End of the Season3:08 – Who Has the Highest Standards in Your Program?5:30 – The 10/80/10 Rule: Where to Focus Your Energy7:47 – Cut Bad Teammates, Not Bad Players11:27 – The Pain of Not Changing Has to Be Greater13:00 – The Water Test: Do You Want It as Much as You Want to Breathe?17:25 – The Water Glass Effect: Stop Holding Dead Weight18:01 – Spacing Is the Highest Leverage Move You Can Make19:17 – Share This Episode, Grow the GameStay SAVI! Subscribe for more weekly coaching insights, practical tools, and drills that translate to wins. https://savi.beehiiv.com/#BasketballCoaching #PracticePlanning #BasketballDrills #YouthBasketball #HighSchoolBasketball #CoachingTips #BasketballTraining

Stop overcomplicating your practices. In this episode, we break down a "Four Quarter" basketball practice plan designed to eliminate distractions and build game-ready toughness, pressure defense, and high-volume shooting.Ready to simplify your coaching? Get instant access to our SAVI Basketball Membership with a 7-day free trial. Unlock our full classroom of courses, weekly live coaching calls, and exclusive community support here: https://www.skool.com/savi-coachMost coaches try to fix too many things at once and leave the gym wondering if they actually got better. We discuss how to use "the process of elimination" to prioritize what your team needs right now, whether it’s disruptive full-court pressure or hitting a 200-shot daily goal.In this video, you’ll learn:How to structure a 4-Quarter Practice Plan to maximize game-like transfer.The difference between Pre-Practice (building habits) and Prime (high-level teaching).Specific small-sided games like 3-on-4 Keep Away and Streak Shooting to build mental toughness.Why a "neat and tidy" practice plan is often less effective than one that addresses immediate team needs.Chapters: 0:00 - The secret to a good practice plan 1:09 - Improving practice through the process of elimination 2:01 - Challenge: Practice WITHOUT offense, rebounding, or layups 3:42 - How to get every player 200 shots per practice 5:52 - Elements of the 4-Quarter Practice Plan 8:06 - Pre-Practice: Tune shooting and defensive stance vitamins 10:05 - Prime: Teaching the trap and recovery 13:00 - Priming toughness: The Tough One-on-One drill 14:32 - Quarter 1: 3-on-4 Keep Away game 15:39 - Quarter 2: 4-on-4 Passing out of a trap 16:50 - Quarter 3: 5-on-5 "And One" (Press & Press Break) 17:31 - Quarter 4: Streak Shooting and Crack Back/Skip Backs 19:57 - Final thoughts: Coach the team you have, not the one you saw at a clinicStay SAVI! Subscribe for more weekly coaching insights, practical tools, and drills that translate to wins. https://savi.beehiiv.com/SAVI Shooting Tune Up Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTqP8AYSjLg&list=PLzZDMmtdN3QO2_JQLRHcXtUUu2dsBxdVl Youth Shooting: https://youtu.be/8R219feDhGk?si=EE-sAe_KKHt0W1kw #BasketballCoaching #PracticePlanning #BasketballDrills #YouthBasketball #HighSchoolBasketball #CoachingTips #BasketballTraining

Why do players struggle to execute in games what they can do in practice? The answer isn't more reps, it's understanding the difference between recognition, decision-making, and execution.📧 Get weekly coaching insights in our newsletter:: https://savi.beehiiv.com/Tyler sits down with Kyle Koszuta, a former Division I basketball player turned professional pickleball athlete, to break down what he's learned about skill development by going from never playing pickleball to pro in 15 months. Kyle shares the three-step framework (recognize, decide, execute) that's transforming how he trains, and how it applies directly to basketball coaching. You'll learn why most players think their problem is execution when it's actually recognition, how to coach aggressive mistakes vs. bad mistakes, and why your press break fails even though you've practiced it 100 times.Try SAVI Basketball Membership (7-Day Free Trial): https://www.skool.com/savi-coach/aboutWatch WNBA legend Debbie Black Breakdown How to be a Lockdown Defender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CQE3Wb930c Kyle's YouTube Channel (That Pickleball Guy): https://youtube.com/@thatpickleballguySLAM IT Hydration (Use Code: KYLE10): https://slamit.com/ CHAPTERS:0:00 - Introduction: From Basketball to Pro Pickleball2:34 - Getting on the Right Bus: Coach K's Story7:10 - Why Kyle Left Basketball Coaching11:02 - The Decision to Go Pro in Pickleball18:14 - What Pickleball Taught Me About Coaching23:27 - Coach Players Into Aggressive Mistakes25:17 - The Timeout Trap: Adjustments Players Can't Execute29:01 - The Three-Step Framework: Recognize, Decide, Execute36:00 - "Don't Gamble" vs. "Make Better Decisions"42:11 - Why Pressure Compounds Over Time45:48 - Closing Thoughts#basketballcoaching #coachingbasketball #basketballpractice #playerdevelopment #pickleballtraining #youthbasketball #highschoolbasketball

In this episode of The Hours, Tyler and Mark break down one of the most powerful yet underutilized coaching tools. The best coaches don't just demonstrate perfect execution—they show corrections in real-time, create contrast between wrong and right, and let their athletes see the learning process unfold. This builds buy-in, accelerates learning, and creates a culture where mistakes become opportunities.Chapters0:00 - Introduction & The Trap Young Coaches Fall Into 0:53 - Welcome to The Hours 2:14 - Show Improvement, Not Perfection 3:53 - Check for Understanding & Give Redos 4:54 - Staff Development Through Showing 9:32 - Show Don't Tell in Film Sessions 11:33 - Applying Show Don't Tell to Scouting 13:04 - Teaching Culture: The 1-2-3 Game 14:16 - Modeling vs. Telling 16:48 - The Scorebook Story 17:29 - Action Challenge: Plan Your DemosReady to level up your coaching? Join the SAVI Basketball Membership for weekly live coaching calls, exclusive courses, and a community of coaches committed to getting better. Try it free for 7 days: https://www.skool.com/savi-coach/about📧 Get weekly coaching insights in our newsletter: https://savi.beehiiv.com/🎙️ This is The Hours - deep conversations on the things that actually matter in coaching.

Your filter into practice might be killing your gym before you even blow the whistle.Most coaches walk in scanning for mistakes. That means your players feel like they're failing before they even start. In this episode, we break down the 6-to-1 encouragement ratio—why it matters, how to implement it, and what changes when you commit to looking for the good first.This isn't about being soft. It's about being smart with how you coach.Join the Art of Coaching Challenge (Free): https://www.skool.com/toccoach/aboutSAVI Basketball Newsletter: https://savi.beehiiv.com/Try SAVI Basketball Membership (7-Day Free Trial): https://www.skool.com/savi-coach/aboutABOUT THE HOURS:The Hours is a podcast for basketball coaches at all levels. Each week, Mark Cascio and Tyler Coston sit down for real conversations about how to be a better coach, teacher, and leader.If you're a youth coach just starting out or a pro coach looking to win at the margins, this is where we spend more time on what actually matters.CONNECT WITH US:Newsletter: https://savi.beehiiv.com/Instagram: @SAVI_coachingMembership: 7-day free trial available: https://www.skool.com/savi-coach/about#basketballcoaching #coachingbasketball #basketballpractice #youthbasketball #coachingphilosophy

Coaches talk too much. Players learn too little. This episode fixes that.In this episode of The Hours, Mark Cassio and Tyler Coston break down one of the most powerful (and misunderstood) teaching tools in coaching: The Plus One Principle.If you’ve ever:Overloaded your players with feedbackWatched practice look good but games fall apartFelt like you’re “teaching” but players aren’t improvingThis conversation is for you.The Plus One Principle is simple: 👉 Teach one thing 👉 Let players apply it 👉 Then — and only then — plus oneWe unpack:Why most coaches try to build the entire house at onceThe three most common teaching mistakes coaches makeHow simplicity actually speeds up learningHow to use Plus One in practice, player development, film, and shootingWhy “intangibles” are not soft — they’re trainable skillsThis isn’t about running better drills. It’s about becoming a better teacher of the game.Our mission is clear: We’re here to push back against traditional, toxic coaching and help coaches create environments where players actually learn.If you’re a youth coach, high school coach, college coach, or pro — this applies to you.🔗 Want more support?Join our SAVI Basketball Membership (7-day free trial)Subscribe for weekly conversations that make you a better coach. Stay curious. Stay simple. Stay SAVI.

Welcome to The Hours podcast by SAVI Basketball! In this episode, Tyler and Mark dive deep into the 10 Levels of Coaching, a framework designed to help you identify exactly where you are in your career and what you need to do to reach the next stage. Whether you are just starting out or leading a championship program, understanding these levels will help you decide where you can become the best coach possible. If you’ve ever felt like you were just "reacting" to problems rather than building a program with intent, this episode is your roadmap to leveling up. 🏆 Join TOC Coach for FREE: https://www.skool.com/toccoach/about 🏀 Join SAVI Basketball with a 7-Day Free Trial: https://www.skool.com/savi-coach/aboutKey Points & Timestamps[0:00] Intro & Backgrounds: Meet Tyler and Mark, the consultants behind Savvy Basketball.[1:13] The Assistant vs. Head Coach Debate: Why humbling yourself to be an assistant early in your career can lead to reaching higher peaks later.[7:10] Stage 0: The Grasping Coach: Characterized by lack of systems and reacting to problems as they break.[9:00] Stage 1: The Searching Coach: Knowing there is a better way and intentionally seeking out mentors and systems.[10:50] Stage 2: The Defining Coach: Identifying what truly matters and establishing a clear program identity.[12:00] Stage 3: The Stabilized Coach: Implementing systems that automate processes and make the program feel "easier" to run.[15:11] Stage 4: The Prioritized Coach: Learning the power of "No" and focusing on the 3 things that have the greatest impact.[17:24] Stage 5: The Systematized Coach: Creating through-lines where culture and X’s & O’s are perfectly aligned.[18:22] Stage 6: The Simple Coach: The ability to verbalize deep understanding in seconds rather than minutes.[21:12] Stage 7: The Adversity Coach: Intentionally producing challenges and training players to thrive in "messiness".[24:23] Stage 8: The Victory Coach: Systems are so dialed in they operate independently of the head coach.[27:00] Stage 9: The Identity (Transformational) Coach: Impact that outlives your presence and a purpose higher than winning.[28:47] Recap & The "Leap": Why the jump from Grasping to Searching is the hardest and most important step.Action Items for CoachesSelf-Audit: Review the 10 stages and honestly identify which stage you are currently in. Remember, you can be at different levels for different areas of your program (e.g., Stage 5 in culture, but Stage 1 in X's & O's).Practice the Power of "No": To move toward the "Simplify" stage, look at your current drills or plays. If they don't fall into your core principles, have the courage to remove them.Train for Messiness: If your team freezes without complete instructions, start giving limited information and letting them "figure it out" to build adversity-tested "Jungle Tigers".Seek a Mentor: If you are in the Searching stage, find a coach or a system (like Savvy Basketball) to help you define your path.

In this episode of The Hours, host Mark Cascio sits down with longtime friend and high school coach Travis Uzee (St. Amant High School, Louisiana) to discuss the evolution of his program. Coach Uzee shares his "coaching superpower"—accountability—and how it serves as the bridge to success on both ends of the floor.The conversation dives deep into Uzee’s transition from traditional set plays to SAVI’s conceptual offense and the Lock Left defensive system. Discover how shifting focus from "developing plays" to "developing players" has dramatically increased his team’s skill level and shooting confidence. Whether you are a veteran coach or just starting your conceptual journey, this episode is packed with "in-the-trenches" advice on practice planning, defensive rotations, and building a culture of toughness.🕒 Key Points & Timestamps[0:00] Introduction: Coaching superpowers and the value of in-game feel.[9:15] Shifting to Conceptual Offense: Why Coach Uzee moved away from the Flex and Brad Underwood systems.[12:30] Developing Players vs. Plays: How conceptual basketball has "dramatically" improved team skill and shooting.[16:45] Practice Planning Secrets: Using a "game sandwich" and leaving 15 minutes of space for what the team needs most.[22:10] The Lock Left Journey: Successes and struggles in Year 1 of the Lock Left defense.[25:30] Matching Up in Transition: Advice for coaches implementing Lock Left for the first time.[29:45] Going "Full Psycho": Using disruptive inbound defense to create easy turnovers.📝 Action Items for CoachesLeave Space in Practice Plans: Intentionally leave 15–20 minutes of unplanned space in your schedule. Use this time to address immediate needs (e.g., rebounding or shooting) or end early to leave players with "juice" for the next day.Focus on Accountability: Use campus and program accountability as a direct bridge to on-court discipline.Teach "Matching Up" First: When installing Lock Left, ensure your back-end defenders (Nail and Goalie) understand they must match up with specific threats before finding their zone spots.Implement "Psycho" Inbounds: Increase defensive disruption by having the defender on the inbounder prioritize deflections and physical pressure to force turnovers.

🏆 Join TOC Coach for FREE: https://www.skool.com/toccoach/about 🏀 Join SAVI Basketball with a 7-Day Free Trial: https://www.skool.com/savi-coach/aboutWelcome back to The Hours Podcast, presented by SAVI Basketball! In this special mailbag episode, Mark and Clare dive into the SAVI member community to answer burning questions about team transformations, defensive troubleshooting, and building program culture on the road.Whether you're struggling to move from a 4-out to a 5-out offense, or you're wondering how to apply "Lock Left" principles to your existing defensive scheme, this episode is packed with "information plus transformation." Mark also shares personal insights from his current season, including how he defines victory beyond the scoreboard and how he manages travel standards for his team.

🏆 Join TOC Coach for FREE: https://www.skool.com/toccoach/about 🏀 Join SAVI Basketball with a 7-Day Free Trial: https://www.skool.com/savi-coach/aboutWelcome to an experimental episode of The Hours, where Mark and Tyler try out a "simulcast" live film session, breaking down a recent Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors game. Join them as they watch the action, discussing high-level conceptual basketball offense, defense, and the nuances of decision-making on the court. Beyond the ball, the duo dives into tangential—and sometimes essential—topics like leadership, aliens, and crypto. Get ready for in-depth analysis of sets like "Horns," "Split Action," and "Blast Series," all while keeping track of a spontaneous $10 prop bet!This episode is highly recommended for YouTube viewers to follow along with the visual breakdowns.