with Jim Calhoun,
3x NCAA Championship Coach (UConn; 1999, 2004, 2011);
2006 College Basketball Hall of Fame;
2005 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame;
2019 ESPY Best Coach Award;
2005 John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award;
Career college coaching record of 920-397 (.699);
University of Saint Joseph (CT) Head Coach from 2018 to 2021;
UConn Head Coach from 1986 to 2012;
10x Big East Regular Season Champions;
7x Big East Tournament Champions;
4x Big East Coach of the Year;
1990 AP, UPI, CBS & Sporting News Coach of the Year;
1988 NIT Champions;
Northeastern University Head Coach from 1972 to 1986;
6x ECAC Regular Season Champions;
5x ECAC Tournament Champions;
1986 America East Coach of the Year;
Dedham High School (MA) Head Coach from 1970 to 1972;
2023 Dedham HS Athletic Hall of Fame;
Lyme-Old Lyme High School (CT) Head Coach from 1968 to 1969;
played college basketball at American International College
Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun has developed many NBA and All American players in his long career. By winning the 2011 National Championship, he cemented his legacy as one of the best to ever coach at the college level with his third NCAA Championship at UConn. His teams were fundamentally sound on both the offensive and defensive sides of the game.
In this video, Coach Calhoun shares some of his coaching philosophy foundations and nuggets that helped him build great teams and shares his transition drill package to help you build a team that rebounds, runs, and plays together.
Coaching Philosophy
Coach Calhoun has lots of information to share that will help coaches at any level become a better teacher. Understanding what you can do well and how you can do that every night is something your teams can control and focus on doing well everyday in practice. This is something Coach Calhoun has built his career around. He describes how to do the the common things well and adapt to the talent you have year after year. This will help you build a successful program.
Understanding what is important to your players will help you better understand how to coach and teach them on the court. This will help you learn who your players are and show that you care about your players. Your actions as a coach will go further than what you say. How you treat your players will create a lasting impact and a successful season. With an emphasis on ‘Win the Day', you can make your teams as self-sufficient as possible and create leaders, closers, and role players.
Fast Break Drill Package
Playing fast is fun for everyone. Players love to play an up tempo style of play and it allows you to play more players. Coach Calhoun’s legendary teams loved to get out and run. As he notes, yes, he had an amazing roster of players, but, this up tempo style of play was learned and perfected in practice from day one! You have to teach your players how to play this way in practice.
Beginning with a tight 3 man weave, players learn to quickly catch, pass, and move their feet to get up and down the floor . In 3v2 and 2v1, players are learning to make quick decisions and attack the defense in order to hunt a great shot and layup. In ‘layup drill’, Coach Calhoun takes a simple 3 person passing drill and turns it into a 2v1 drill by having a coach tell players when to switch and attack the basket. Players are only allowed to get a layup and not settle for an outside shot.
In 5v0, players are learning to stay wide, get the ball ahead as quickly as possible, and look to hit a layup for every player in transition in 1 minute or less. This helps train players to play fast and finish at the rim. Building to 5v5 transition, players use Transition Buildup to go back and forth playing advantage basketball.
The drill package Coach Calhoun has put together will improve your players decision-making skills, help them finish at the rim, and make them feel confident playing at a fast pace. Players will love to rebound, run, and play together in your program. Coach Calhoun has won many games by focusing on the little things within these drills. With an emphasis on getting the ball out and getting up the floor your teams will have fun playing this uptempo style of play!
Customer Review: 5 Out 5 Stars!
“Coach Calhoun shares a lot of coaching nuggets that you can put into your philosophy and will help you build a fun style of play by getting the ball out and going!”
58 minutes. 2024.