One of my focuses for this summer and next year with my club, elite development and school teams is going to be the idea of "bringing the noise". We know as coaches that talking on the floor/ communication makes players more confident, execution and speed of execution increase all while building team chemistry. Science is teaching us that noise does all sorts of things from focusing our attention, to giving us adrenaline and even causing us dissonance and forcing a fight or flight state. Noise can control everything from our productivity to our sense of security. If noise can have this dramatic an impact on the quality of play and the upon individuals in the game, then it only makes sense to create a soundscape for positive play.
How do we go about creating a soundscape for positive play. I'm not a big fan of the Tarkanian theory of basketball "You need 8 kids who can play and 4 who a great at waving towels and cheering." I don't find that sort of noise or rah-rah cheering particularly meaningful and effective. Besides of you are on my bench you are there because you are going to be useful to us in the game not as moral support. So instead we need to create a soundscape that: 1) brings and maintains energy in the group; 2) increases efficiency and anticipations; 3) disrupts/dissects what other teams are trying to do; 4) allows us to maintain and regain focus on key elements.
So lets look at the role sound plays from the three key times players have control over the soundscape.
Noise on Offense
Noise on offense primarily increases our focus, helps simplify things and maintains positive energy. Their is an adage in sports about teams who communicate being faster. They are not in fact physically faster but the communication allows them to anticipate and mentally "chunk" the next series of actions easier. Their pathways move to familiar reads and more confidently and quickly process the options in front of them. Noise on offense should communicate options, opportunities, and instill confidence. If you can communicate what you are or will be doing you must be in control of the situation. Positive communication eliminates fear, feelings of isolation and improves decision making.
What are some things we can do to control the offensive soundscape:
- Have calls. Every action has a trigger or call that informs the passer or ball carrier what their reads are going to be. If you want to catch and shoot/attack call "ball". We just need to get them the ball in position to attack. If they read curl/cut call "curl" so the passer knows you are going to be a target in the paint and where support will come from to replace you. They only need to focus on those two areas. We also call "twist" for a back screen or "exit" on a post screen for similar reasons. When we run lanes and you are open call for the sort of pass you need to complete the play "flip" the ball up the sideline, "diagonal"ly cut the pass across court, or throw it to the "rim" if we are open and running there.
- No negative response. Eliminate panic or frustration language. No yelling for "help" or calling "someone". We communicate directly to people and what we need them to do. "Bobby - Ball Cut!"
- Eliminate sorry. We didn't make a mistake, we made a decision. Be accountable to yourself and move on to the next play. If during the next dead ball your teammates or coaches need to hold you accountable agree and move on.
Noise on Defense
Defensive communication needs to do multiple things. It must increase our awareness, anticipation and energy. It must also disrupt and dissect the offensive confidence and execution. Our communication must trigger reactions in both us and opponent.
How we control the soundscape on defense:
-Communicate your action. As the ball moves everyone is shifting defensively. Communicate your shifts so your teammates can know you are doing your job. If you are moving into a passing lane or shooting a drive gap "deny" / "gap". If you are protecting the paint or getting ready to rotate from the help line call "wall". This lets your teammate locked into the ball carrier know exactly where you are without checking.
- Reminders. Remind teammates about what you see as threats. As you rotate you leave a post and must communicate to your teammate that you are coming and leaving a threat. "Jump" and "Drop". If you see a shooter or screening action taking place remind the appropriate teammates. "Switching", "Corner Shooter". Teammates want to do the right thing reminding keeps them focused on their next job and reduces confusion and indecision.
- Boss the ball. People want to avoid being threatened, confronted and uncomfortable. People also inherently want to follow directions because it negates responsibility. Be the boss on defense. If you want the ball to dribble, get up in a tight stance reducing options and start screaming "dribble, dribble, dribble". To avoid the uncomfortable noise and because of a lack of options the ball with sooner, rather then later take off dribbling. This also has the benefit of informing the whole gym what action will be coming next and being able to defend it.
- Take away senses. We make the best decision possible when we are comfortable, contact and have time to process context. Take away time, space, and ability to process information and we are in a panic. We then have too much blood rushing to the wrong parts of our brains to make reasonable decisions. As a defender you must take away senses: the ability to move, the ability to see and even the ability to communicate to teammates. Be louder, more active and make them unable to communicate. Turn them into an island with limited options.
Noise from the Bench
Bench noise must promote execution, increase player awareness and confidence and must always focus us on the next best action. Bench noise comes in two forms coach noise and player noise is serves the common purpose but in drastically different ways.
- Coaches coaching. Coaches noise must be focused on bringing/maintaining needed energies to the group (excitement, calm, short memory, etc). They must constantly be communicating to players on the floor with short cues and triggers that keep the movement, energy and action moving in the direction we want. Short phrases and key terms only, for players on the floor during action. During dead balls or free time you can communicate longer or complicated concepts to key players on the floor who can then accept or pass on the message as required. Coaches coaching bench players must be focusing them on their next task required and making sure they understand the purpose and execution points of that action.
- Players remind. Players on the bench not being coached must be engaged. We know teammates need reminders and that communication improves results. Just like off ball defenders on the floor players on the bench need to be reminding teammates of what the reads and actions are they need to worry about: shooters, screens, shot clocks, tactics, etc.
- Communicating Tactical Changes. There are lots of ways to do this, but the import issue is that two things take place. Everyone on the floor be informed of a tactical change. Everyone on the floor understand what changes to their role or reads happen with the tactical change. My personal preference is to make a tactical change at a substitution. Send in multiple players who are already aware of the tactical change and their roles. Who inform the players remaining on the floor as they come in about the change, meanwhile coaches focus on making sure the remaining players on the floor are aware of the tactical change and their roles.
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