Confessions of a System Newbie, Entry #1

My hope is that this post and the ones to follow will provide a sort of window into the mind of a coach implementing THE SYSTEM for the first time. Allow me to provide a little information about my situation and program. I am the varsity girls head coach at Rim of the World High School in Lake Arrowhead, California. I have recently completed my first season as head coach and eagerly await the start of my second. Our program has been down for some time. We were 0-8 in league play before I took the reins. We managed a humble 4-4 mark in league play this season, mostly thanks to solid 3-point shooting. Our overall record was 11-15. Heading into next season, we are incredibly undersized, our tallest returning girl is 5'8", the next tallest is 5'7". After that, the dropoff is disturbing. However, what we lack in size, we makeup in speed. I offer this information as a context for other coaches who may be in a similar situation.

THE SYSTEM has intrigued me since I first discovered it only a few months ago. As I neared the end of my first season as head coach, I had learned that we were a decent 3-point shooting team and had good speed with a solid bench providing quality depth. I knew that we were losing all of our size as our post players were seniors. It was at that moment I deciced that we would pursue becoming a run & gun team at season's end in preparation for 2007-08. I googled "run & gun" and discovered an article at D3 Hoops mentioning Coach David Arsenault, Coach Bob Belf and Coach Gary Smith at the Univesity of Redlands. Being that Redlands is a mere half hour from me, I promptly sent him an email and took a few road trips down the mountain to see extreme fast break b-ball at its best.

I took my team on a field trip to watch the Redlands boys play so that the girls could have a framework with which they could better understand my vision under THE SYSTEM. Coach Smith put me in contact with Coach Belf which was a much needed interaction and reality check. I say this b/c the prospect of implementing the system is risky for coaches. It's radical, extreme and unconventional. Coach Belf bluntly informed me that I needed the support of my players and athletic director for implementation of THE SYSTEM to be successul. People are easily frsutrated with break away layups, not to mention the seemingly chaotic substitution pattern and reliance on 3-point shooting. Basketball purists balk at the notion of dishing the ball back out to the arc on an offensive rebound. They also ask, "How can giving up layups be good for the team?" Well, if you're visiting this blog, you know the answers and reasons for these issues. But, the basketball lay person does not.

I promptly began conducting positive public relations with all of the folks that I value that are involved with my program--my assistants, volunteers, parents, the principal and athletic director. The players, however, were my most targeted. I figured that if the players were positive and understood the strategy, positive repurcussions would stem from that. So far, so good.

We have been hitting THE SYSTEM hard the last couple of months with support from Coach Smith but also Coach Holmes and Coach McCanna. I would be lying if I didn't say that I was anxious about our prospects as we prepare for the summer. Do I worry a tad that people may think I'm an idiot? Of course, I do. And yes, I probably am. That doesn't diminish the value of THE SYSTEM, however. I believe in THE SYSTEM, and mostly everyone around me knows what we're trying to do and support it. I've made sure of that. I've put them in contact with folks and articles that provide THE SYSTEM with credibility. Nonetheless, I'm a little nervous. We've introduced and utilized much of THE SYSTEM in spring play, but it remains largely unpolished. We'll get it looking shiny and new very quickly. I believe our family and friends support what we're trying to accomplish. This summer will be a challenging learning experience for us and I'm eager to get it underway.

However, when presented with the slight fear that I mentioned earlier, I must provide the following context: Would our team be successful playing more conventional half-court basketball? I am certain that I know the answer which gives me great faith in THE SYSTEM and my players. They are loving what we are doing. No one is complaining about playing time. Everyone is involved. And every player is believing in what we're doing.

I believe the before-mentioned steps and actions have been an essential and necessary process in our on-going transition to THE SYSTEM.

With these issues behind us, we can now better focus on the nuts & bolts of THE SYSTEM. My nerves are still troubling me a bit. I'd be lying if I didn't admit it. Until those first few games are behind us in the next few weeks, I suppose that I'll still be anxious.

- Zack Delmont, Head Coach of the Rim of the World Fighting Lady Scots of Lake Arrowhead, California