TOUGHNESS
Toughness is a mental and physical skill that is developed through hard work which results in the proper execution of offensive and defensive fundamentals throughout the course of the game.
How is toughness developed in a program?
1. Leadership
A. It starts at the top.
1. You must display an attitude of toughness everyday of practice.
2. It must be the same on practice number 100 as it is on the first day of practice.
3. Players reflect the demeanor of the head coach. Make it your goal to have your team reflect your character, toughness, commitment, and trust.
4. Build relationship with each player. They will fight harder for you when they know you care for them
B. You must be demanding without being demeaning.
1. Be tough on your stars
2. Reward your toughest players.
3. Accountability: Consequences in practice for demonstrating a lack of toughness.
4. Must not lead with fear as motivator. Fear breeds lack of loyalty
C. Set the standard for hard work in your program
1. Hard workers are tough people
2. The harder you work the more difficult it is to accept a lack of toughness.
3. Players respond to a coach that demands toughness through hard work, accountability, and disciplined all wrapped in love.
2. Communicate Toughness Everyday
A. Talk about toughness everyday
1. Team Meetings
2. Individual Meetings
3. Throughout Practice/ Praise It
4. Share Stories/ History
B. Signs and Posters
1. Locker Room/ Home and Away
2. Weight Room
3. T-Shirts
4. Develop a toughness stat chart and display it in locker room
C. Video
1. Breakdown after game
2. Toughness Highlight Video
3. WNBA/NBA Toughness video
3. Practice
A. Competition- Every segment of practice must be competitive.
1. Put best players on opposing team until two days before actual game.
2. Put players or teams in drills that toughness must be displayed in order to win.
3. There must be adversity in every practice by putting players in tougher situations than they will experience in games. The games are there reward.
4. Breakdown 2on2, 3on3, and 4on4 so players can’t hide
B. Contact
1. Develop drills that involved physical contact.
2. Have managers us pads to pound players as they make offensive moves
3. Have a 2 second rule: You have 2 seconds to get up or your running
C. Conditioning
1. Conditioning and toughness are linked together. Highly condition players are tough players. Those who are not in excellent condition give in when the game gets tough.
2. Strength is a major indicator of toughness. Toughness is not only developed on the court, its developed in the weight room.
3. Have competitive drills that demand conditioning to win not just talent.
4. If available have a treadmill at practice. Allows you to determine how fast a player runs. Doesn’t slow practice down for disciplinary reasons.
I hope that this will stimulate your thinking on how to develop toughness in your program. We all know all championship teams demonstrate an elite level of toughness.
