What do you tell them??
All of us go into coaching with our own idea of how to approach it. If we do not know exactly how we want to proceed with the time-out, we will inevitably fall back on what our coaches did, or we will go to clinics, read books, and watch videos to learn from the experts.
They will tell us how to prepare our offenses, defenses, and practices down to the last detail. However, they rarely mention how to deal with the crucial time-out in the last moments of a game.
Until you have had that disaster strike, you will never be truly aware of how crucial those 60 seconds can be: how to make the big decision(s) with the clock ticking down and the gym in an uproar.
Time-outs are generally called in two basic situations:
1) When things are not going very well for your team (your time-out).
2) When things are not going very well for the other team (their time-out).
If you base your time-out philosophy on those two simple suppositions, you should always follow the same procedure.
First, your players should hustle to the bench and sit down, while the substitutes gather behind them. The reasoning for this is simple: The team is tired; they need a rest, and we want to see their faces and the players see ours.
Since their minds and bodies need a break from the action, we don't say anything until they are all seated and looking at us. We demand all of their attention. If only one player misses the instruction, it may cost the ballgame.
They should know what to expect. Prior to the season, you need to sit down with them and explain all their game responsibilities -- including time-outs. Make sure the managers are aware of the necessity of having water, towels, tape, etc., readily available. The players should not have to waste time searching for towels and water bottles.
Never abuse a player for a mistake just made. At that moment (the time-out), your previous successes and failures are unimportant. You have to be totally concerned with what you are going to do in the next minute or two.
When things are not going well, you may want to start the time-out with a basic question: "OK, what's happening out there?" In short, ask for their input before offering your own. They will often know what they are doing wrong. But by telling you themselves, this will make them more attentive and coachable.
Compliment them for spotting an important detail or a weakness in the opponents. Also, let them talk to one another while you listen. Coaches must be willing to accept the fact that they won't always have the solution to a problem.
When it comes time to make adjustments, speak slowly and calmly. Realize that they have just come from the 'battlefield' and that they need a rest.
Attempt to find just one key idea or adjustment to get across to them. Only one, no more. I don't believe that their minds are capable of digesting more than one important idea in a single minute. Use the time wisely.
If a particular player needs extensive instruction, tell your assistant (beforehand) whom to talk to and what to say. Have that player sit on the end of the bench and converse with the assistant.
If you feel that something has to be said to an official, have an assistant do it. As the head coach, you must be focusing on the team.
How many times have you seen a coach try to instruct an entire squad while an assistant stands off to the side like one of the substitutes? Remember, your assistants can only be as valuable as you make them.
Before ending the time-out, make sure that every player understands his/her
responsibilities. Never assume that they are on the same wavelength. Constantly remind them of how many time-outs they have left and the free-throw situation for both teams.
Regardless of how things are going, send them back onto the floor with a specific offensive play or some small adjustment on defense.
If things are going well, do this just to maintain their concentration. If things are going poorly, do this in order to pull the team together achieve some small gain.
The ability to deal with pressure situations usually is the hallmark of the consistent winner.
All coaches feel pressure, but some deal with it better than others. Think of the teams that have a history of folding in the fourth quarter. Wouldn't you say that some coaches also appear to fold in the late-going?
No matter what is happening, stress the positive. Make the players believe that you love the pressure and that they should love it too.
In the huddle, say things such as: "Aren't you guys having fun! This is what its all about!"
They know what they have to do to win. There is no need to tell them. The words 'must win' should never be said to a high school athlete.
Tell a joke in the huddle. Do anything to relieve the pressure of the moment.
Make eye contact with every player. If they believe in your sincerity, they will be motivated.
Remember, too, that there is no magic way to deal with pressure situations. The solution lies in experience, common sense, and confidence.
The time-out is an essential element of the game. As with offense and defense, it must be prepared in advance. As the saying goes: "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail."
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You have two minutes left to play in the 'all-important' game against your archrival. You are playing in their gym. Your team, leading by 10 at the half, has squandered all but one of those points. The crowd is roaring and your momentum has dissipated. You can just feel the game slipping away. You must do something right now. You hear Dicky V. yelling, "Get a TO, Baby!!". So you do the logical thing and call a time-out. Your players sprint to the bench, hoping for a magic word. You have 60 seconds to come up with it.
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