How long should a practice session last? This is a question every basketball coach must answer. Your answer will directly effect failure or success of the coming basketball season. Other than your ability to lead, no other stage of basketball coaching is as important as well planned and conducted practice session.

The ideal practice is short and most successful basketball coaches lean in that direction. Some circumstances determine the length of practice:

1. The time available.
2. The coach's disposition.
3. Type of material available
4. The following reasons call for short practice sessions:
   1. Basketball is a energetic sport.
   2. The season is long and played at a time when the body is subject to all types of colds and viral ailments and resistance is lowered..
   3. Long practices do not achieve the physical and mental edge required of basketball players..
   4. Physical and mental powers must reach their peak at tourney time.
   5. Enthusiasm and response to drills are greater in short practices.
   6. Lessens the chance of injuries.

Few teams suffer from lack of instruction when subjected to a well planned one-hour practice; however, most teams benefit from a two-hour practice sessions during the first half of a normal basketball season. Still, less time should be devoted to practice as the season progresses.

Some coaches excuse their starting players twice a week after mid-season to keep them fresh and eager to play. Some of you may be surprised at the results this little trick achieves. This provides the coach more time to develop the reserve players. On these two days, the reserves come in for intense work on their fundamentals. On the other days, they come for about as much work as the starting five; however, Tuesdays and Wednesdays should be hard days for the Varsity.

The coach should know the length of the daily practice before the season starts. The next step is to apportion so much time to offensive fundamentals, defensive fundamentals, offensive team organization, and defensive team organization.

Plan early-season fundamentals a week in advance; however, once the season opens revert to daily planning. This is needed to teach the type of fundamental most needed. Every player is not weak in the same fundamental. Become a good systems administrator, recognize the problems, divide the squad, and work on the deficient fundamentals of each member.

Here is an idea concerning the amount of time spent on daily practices:

• Monday - 105 minutes
• Tuesday - 100 minutes
• Wednesday - 105 minutes
• Thursday - 105 minutes
• Friday - 105 minutes
• Saturday - 90 minutes

If you expect to succeed as a basketball coach, you must learn to plan each phase of the basketball year. For purposes of this study the season is divided into three parts.

1. Pre-season practice - the period from the opening of the school year until the first day formal practice is permitted State Basketball Associations.
2. Early season practice - the period from the first day of permissible practice and first officially scheduled game.
3. Season practice - the period from the first scheduled game to the last scheduled game prior to tournament play.

Pre-season practice

This is the time for a good conditioning program. This is the foundation on which to build a winning basketball team.

Outdoor practices are advisable because a basketball season is long. Delay going inside as long as possible. Four to six weeks of outdoor work does wonders in developing good physical condition. Outdoor conditioning will give your team a quick and safer indoors start, with fewer chances of early injuries. The outdoor work gives the players added confidence in themselves and their teammates because they will, most generally be better conditioned than their opponents.

Explain the program in detail at the first meeting. Discuss other points such as maintaining their studies, training, schedules, etc.

Complete physical examinations are given the squad and practice uniforms issued. The players report to the athletic field three or four times a week at 3:30 P.M., and leisurely take six to eight laps around the field.

The first week:

After the laps, the squad reports to outdoor volleyball courts. The skills of volleyball are closely related to those of basketball, such as jumping, timing, ball handling, use of fingertips, balance and team play. These skills provide a stepping stone to basketball.

The second week:

This second week takes on a change which provides more running of the basketball type. Basketball running is described as dashes, spurts, or short sprints, and change of direction.

Starting the second week of outdoor practice, the players take three warm-up laps and then take two laps of short sprints, Good running form should be stressed in order to improve speed. The players sprint for five to ten yards and coast to a walk. Repeat this until two laps are completed.

The last lap, or two, is a change-in-direction style of running. Stress and perfect good form in this basketball fundamental. After the running, players report to the volleyball courts.

The third week:

The third week consists of the same type of running, with two laps of change of direction added. Bring basketballs out this week and cover many of the basketball fundamentals after the running program.

Use only the fundamentals that can be as effectively outside as inside, such as body balance, ball handling, and peripheral vision drills. Do not cover any shooting drills, outside. Games stressing offensive and defensive rebounding might be played.

The fourth week:

The fourth week is a continuation of the third week, except during the last week, hold elimination races to determine the fastest guard, forward, center and the speed player on the squad.

The forwards run in a 50 yard dash to determine the fastest forwards. The guards run next and the centers run last. The players to finish first and second in each race, line up for the final race. Using this method allows the coach to actually know who are the fastest and slowest runners. besides giving fun and competition to the program.

You can sometimes overcome weaknesses in some players by giving them special assignments to meet during this early fall session. Big players are encouraged to skip rope and do rope climbing. The latter exercise will improve the use of their arms overhead.

When indoor work starts, your players will be eager to get started. Such eagerness is necessary to a winning team and should be nurtured and cultivated.

This period of basketball practice session covers the days between the first day your state association allows basketball practice to start and your first scheduled game of the season. After the outdoor pre-season work as described in the previous article, your players will be eager to get started. Such eagerness is necessary to a winning team and should be nurtured and cultivated. You will need this at the tail-end of the season. There is no doubt in my mind, the outdoor program is an aid in maintaining that desirable quality.