Special Situation Preparation

Close games become a way of life for coaches and teams of every level. Successful teams are prepared for end-of-the-game situations. It is often the five or ten minutes a day spent on end-of-the-game situations that makes the difference between a district title, a berth in the state tournament, or a disappointing trip home. It's very important not to assume that your players know what to do. Try to work on special situations every day. Then, when those "special situations" come up in a game, they won't be so special, but will feel more routine. Here are some questions that all coaches should ask themselves. The answers will vary according to personal philosophy and your team’s strengths. Players need to know what the coach wants in each situation (and if they do, then you may not need to use one of those precious time-outs to get it done).

• Do you push the ball and play, or call a timeout to set up the last shot?
• Do you have a hurry-up offense designed to get you quality shots in less time?
• Do you save your timeouts or do you use them early to keep your kids in the game?
• How do you intentionally miss a free throw?
• With a three-point lead, do you want to foul before a three-point shot is taken?
• Do your players know when to foul?
• Do you have a sign or call so that your players know to foul without alerting the other team?
• When do you start taking 3’s in order to catch up?
• Do you have your list of special situation plays on the bench with you so you can refer to them in high-pressure situations?
• Do you have last-second plays for each time and score?
• Do players know all positions in case they need to play another position because of foul trouble?