Coaching Basketball versus Baseball

[Jake Patterson]

I am a head coach of a girl's basketball team (Jr. High) and have attended as many basketball clinics over the past 8-10 years as I have baseball clinics. My assistant coach is a former college coach (Mother of one of the players) and a great teacher of the game. I have been exposed to other great teachers of the game both College coaches and pro coaches. During my tenure as a basketball coach I find that the basic techniques of the game are, for the most part, taught the same way. Most experts seem to agree as to how to teach the game and what basic parts of the game should look like.

After our last hitting thread, and attending the World Baseball Convention this past weekend, I am left to wonder why one sport that's been around for 100 years seems to have stabalized in it's opinion as to what is most effecient and technically proper while another, baseball, a game that's been around for 150 years, remains so opinionated and varied in it's teaching methods and basic concepts.

As an example... If we show a clip demonstrating a good jump shot. Most coaches would say that's a good jump shot. In baseball if we put a clip up of a good hitter, well.... we see what happens.

After listening to a variety of pro hitting coaches at the WBC I left as much confused as I did enlightened.

Before we discuss... I, along with most basketball coaches acknowledge there are more skills to be taught in baseball than there are in basketball.

Comments?

[Ohfor]

Although there is disgreement regarding throwing I don't think there is as much there as with hitting.

And, with hitting it's the only "skill" that is reactionary. It happens in .4 seconds or less in reaction to a thrown ball. Most all other skills are not in reaction to something else.

Even with video, frame by frame, you still can't see which muscles are working and which aren't.

[Jake Patterson]

And, with hitting it's the only "skill" that is reactionary. It happens in .4 seconds or less in reaction to a thrown ball. Most all other skills are not in reaction to something else.

This would certainly be a key aspect when analyzing and comparing the two different sports. While there are skills that require reaction in basketball i.e. blocking a shot, posting up, etc.. I do not see these requiring the same reactionary speed as with hitting, or reponding to a line drive hit at a pitcher.

We also tend (at least I do) to look for what's different between coaching styles in baseball versus what's similar. I think basketball coaches tend to concentrate on what's similar.

[Ohfor]

This would certainly be a key aspect when analyzing and comparing the two different sports. While there are skills that require reaction in basketball i.e. blocking a shot, posting up, etc.. I do not see these requiring the same reactionary speed as with hitting, or reponding to a line drive hit at a pitcher.

We also tend (at least I do) to look for what's different between coaching styles in baseball versus what's similar. I think basketball coaches tend to concentrate on what's similar.

I generally agree with what you say. But, I don't classify shot blocking and blocking out as skills. The skills of basketball are dribbling and shooting. Shot blocking, blocking out and such are things that take athletic "ability" and determination and hustle, etc, but I wouldn't call them skills.

[Jake Patterson]

I generally agree with what you say. But, I don't classify shot blocking and blocking out as skills. The skills of basketball are dribbling and shooting. Shot blocking, blocking out and such are things that take athletic "ability" and determination and hustle, etc, but I wouldn't call them skills.

According to Webster, a skill is "the ability to do something well arising from talent, training or practice. 2. Special competence in performance."

We practice boxing out and rebounding as much as we do dribbling. The ability to create space and pull down a rebound is as important as dribbling, especially for the bigs.

.... but I understand your point

[Ohfor]

Not to argue but to add to the topic.

To me "skills" take time to learn. Not just time but extreme repetition. I can teach a kid to rebound in about 3 practices. Whether he does it or not is another issue. I can teach a kid to deny the ball, defend the ball, deny lane flashes, and ball/you/man in about 2 weeks. Again, whether he does it or not is another issue.

However, I can't teach a kid to dribble or shoot in 3 practices.

Same with the baseball skills of swinging and throwing.

[Jake Patterson]

To me "skills" take time to learn. Not just time but extreme repetition. I can teach a kid to rebound in about 3 practices. However, I can't teach a kid to dribble or shoot in 3 practices. Same with the baseball skills of swinging and throwing.

Agree...
I wonder if the difference lays in the complexity of the skill. If we assume that athletic skills can vary in their level of difficulty then maybe the difference between the two sports is that the easier the skill the easier it is to gain common ground.

I agree boxing out is easier to teach than shooting. I also believe that shooting a basketball is easier to teach than pitching or hitting.

[XFactor]

Well you know, as quite a few people say, baseball is chalk full of belief based coaches. (This is just an example: Well since I threw 94 MPH just throwing blind folded on the mound, if you do it you'll be able to throw 94 MPH too, trust me, I've been in the minors/majors, and maybe even successful.)

[Jake Patterson]

Well you know, as quite a few people say, baseball is chalk full of belief based coaches. (This is just an example: Well since I threw 94 MPH just throwing blind folded on the mound, if you do it you'll be able to throw 94 MPH too, trust me, I've been in the minors/majors, and maybe even successful.)

X, are you saying the above or is this something you heard or saw?

[XFactor]

I was using it as an example (which I've never heard someone to throw blindfolded and it will make you throw harder, I'm just using it as an example of belief based coaching)

I'm saying that the reason why there are a lot of different opinions in baseball is because there is a lot of belief based coaching going on. No not all, but a lot... a lot more then other sports