Updates

Oct 12th-19th 2007 - Study trip to Davidson College, North Carolina, USA

Ever since I started on my coaching journey I have always wanted to experience the action of NCAA Division 1 College Basketball.

It is where the true heart of basketball in America lies and it is also where the Coaches really do make a difference!

As a system of sport and marketing it is probably one of the greatest in the world and the attention it attracts for non-professional, and unpaid young men and women is astounding!

Statistically over a billion people watched last seasons National Championship game and over half of those from outside of the USA!

With that type of stage it is no wonder the coaches have to be of the highest calibre.

Two years ago Joe Forber (Manchesters guru of basketball development) was kind enough to put me in Contact with Coach Bob Mckillop at Davidson College (University to you English people!)

It was this relationship that has helped me to experience a week in a real Division 1 College Basketball programme under one of the best teachers of the sport;

On my arrival I was greeted by Coach Mckillop and his 4 (!) assistant coaches, I was handed a couple of pieces of paper with the up-coming practice written on it and assigned 2 assistants to ‘de-code’ its content!

The practice started with a few words from the Coach and then, as if a firework had exploded we were off and running!

The energy in the hall, and the detail to which all the coaches were working was a sign of how much preparation had actually gone into the session-it was like sitting in a very organised and well structured tornado!

In every corner of the hall was activity and teaching-each coach pouncing on the smallest missed detail or lack of excellence. The strangest thing of all was that even though the Coaches were pushing every athlete for higher levels and greater detail they were never bullying or aggressive, the atmosphere was more like a Coach in a boxers corner- giving firm instruction but never berating or under-mining… A real pleasure to witness.

After practice finished the players were off to the locker room and I was invited to join in with the staff in their post-practice briefings and breakdown

Coach Mckillop invited me out to lunch on the second day and allowed me to pester him and his assistants with question after question!

With much generosity they answered all my thoughts and gave me a lot to think about too.

It is most definitely when you least expect it that you learn the most, and this is so true for my trip away also: over lunch, on a car journey, an off the cuff remark, a reaction, a teaching point, all of these things are so valuable and yet so unthought-of!

After 5 days of sitting in every meeting, practice session, player room, team lunch and anywhere else they would allow me I felt like I had taken in so much information I was fit to burst!

The time came for me to venture back home to England and start to filter some of what I learned into my own programme in Reading and also to start the process of sharing knowledge to all our Coaches too.

I still do not know exactly how much of an effect the trip to Davidson and Coach Mckillop has really had, but I do know that it has been measureable!

I am now looking forward to the rest of my Coaching journey safe in the knowledge that I truly have a friend and a mentor that is only too happy to share his wisdom from possibly one of the best teachers of our sport around today.

I can only say thank you to the Nancy Ovens Trust and to Davidson College, North Carolina (specifically Coach Mckillop) for truly helping me to take another small step on my path.

Matt Johnson

July 10th 2007:

It is now July 10th and I have just booked my flights to Charlotte, North Carolina.

I am in contact with the Head Coach, Bob Mckillop, and he is already putting things in place for my visit so I get the absolute best from my short time at his University.

Davidson University will be my home for a very intense week of study and research in October. Davidson is a Division 1 University not unlike their more well known neighbours Duke and North Carolina.

Coach Mckillop is a highly respected college coach who has been at the top of his profession for 25 years. He is widely respected across the nation and has produced some outstanding teams and players over his time. I am very privileged to be spending so much time with him.

My days will consist of early morning meetings and sessions followed by team practices, reviews, video sessions, scouting sessions and late night practices also. It will be a thrilling opportunity and I intend to get the absolute most out of my time there.

It is tough to say exactly what I am going to get out of this trip yet but I do know that I will be in a fantastic environment and will make a number of new friends who will be willing to help me on my own coaching journey…

I cant wait......