LITTLE THINGS TO SUCCESS ON AND 
OFF THE COURT AND TO BE “NOTICED”
BY COACH JOE DESANTIS (QUINNIPIAC COLLEGE)

PRE-GAME:
• WARM UP PROPERLY… SPRINT TO BACK OF LAYUP LINES
• HIGH FIVE & ENCOURAGE TEAMMATES DURING WARM UPS
• IN WARM UP LINES TAKE GAME SITUATION SHOTS
• TUCK SHIRT IN, “LOOK GOOD”
• REMEMBER: ENTHUSIASM MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
• KNOW THE SCOUTING REPORT – KNOW TWH TEAM YOU ARE PLAYING… HOW THEY PLAY… WHO IS THE TOP SHOOTER… WHO IS THE WORST FREE THROW SHOOTER, ETC.
• KNOW THE REFEREES… HOW DO THEY LIKE TO CALL THE GAME

DURING THE GAME:
• SIT NEXT TO THE COACHES… LISTEN TO THEIR COMMENTS… KNOW WHAT THEY “WANT”
• EXECUTE THE TAP PLAY
• COMMUNICATE ON YOUR MATCHUPS DURING THE INITIAL JUMP BALL… KNOW WHO YOU ARE GUARDING
• GET LOOSE BALLS
• GET CHARGES
• EXECUTE FREE THROW BLOCKOUTS
• END OF GAME… IF YOU NEED TO MISS A FREE THROW HAVE A SET PLAY
• CONTEST SHOTS
• GET DEFENSIVE DEFLECTIONS
• COMMUNICATE… ESPECIALLY ON SUBSTITUTIONS
• CALL OUT TEAMMATES NAME WHEN YOU PASS TO THEM
• EXECUTE SPECIAL SITUATIONS… KNOW YOUR TIMEOUTS… POSSESION ARROW
• KNOW WHO TO FOUL AT THE END OF A GAME
• MAKE FREE TROWS
• CUT DOWN ON TURNOVERS, ILLEGAL SCREENS, ETC.
• REMEMBER ENTHUSIASM MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
• NEVER ARGUE WITH THE REF
• RUN OFF THE COURT AT HALF TIME
• RUN TO FREE THROW LINE… HUDDLE & COMMUNICATE
• HUDDLE ATTENTIVELY DURRING TIMEOUT
• GIVE TOWEL TO TEAMMATE DURRING TIMEOUT
• LIVE BENCH… ALWAYS INTO GAME
• DO NOT SLOUCH ON BENCH… LOOK LIKE A PLAYER
• KNOW THE SCORE AND SITUATION EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN THE GAME
• LISTEN ATTENTIVELY… ASK QUESTIONS
“COACH, WHAT DEFENSE ARE WE IN?”
“COACH, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO RUN?”
• ACKNOWLEDGE GOOD PLAY… POINT TO PASSER… 
“GREAT REBOUND” “GREAT SCREEN” “GOOD CALL REF”

OFF THE COURT
• GET TO BED EARLY
• GET TO CLASS ON TIME (5 MINUTES EARLY IS ON TIME)
• SIT IN THE FRONT OF THE CLASS
• TAKE OFF HATS, HEADBANDS, ETC.
• INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE TEACHER
• RESPECT TEACHERS ADMINISTARTORS, AND OTHERS
• ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT CLASS MATERIAL, ASSIGNMENTS, ETC. … SHOW YOUR INTEREST
• ASK TEACHER FOR EXTRA HELP
• ALWAYS BE PREPARED
• CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO CONTRIBUTE THE MOST TO CLASS
• BE A GOOD CLASS MATE… WORK WITH OTHERS… IT MAY HELP YOU
• REMEMBER… ENTHUSIASM MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
• BE RESPECTFUL IN DORMATORIES…HELP OTHERS OUT… BE A GOOD CITIZEN
• BE A GOOD SON/DAUGHTER… HELP WITH HOUSEHOLD ERRANDS

MISCELLANEOUS:
• DURRING AAU GAMES / CAMP GAMES… LOOK GOOD, PLAY HARD… ENCOURAGE ALWAYS
• WARM UP PROPERLY ESPECIALLY DURRING HALFTIME
• IN BETWEEN AAU GAMES ACT RESPONSIBLE…COACHES ARE WATCHING

REMEMBER – ACT RESPONSIBLY: “A GOOD NAME IS WON BY MANY 
ACTIONS AND LOST BY ONE”

REMEMBER – GOOD PLAYERS MAKE THEMSELVES BETTER
… GREAT PLAYERS MAKE OTHERS BETTER…
BE A GOOD TEAMMATE

REMEMBER – BE THE ABSOLUTE BEST YOU CAN BE

REMEMBER – “IF IT AIN’T RIGHT, THEN YOU FIX IT”

GOOD LUCK