The dates and times for our open house in Sioux Falls at the Avera Sports Institute are as follows:
Tuesday, May 5 (5:00 - 7:00 pm)
Wednesday, May 6 (4:00 - 6:00 pm)
Thursday, May 7 (5:00 - 7:00 pm)
We will be available to discuss our program, talk scheduling, and register new players. Our workouts will start the following week with after school and evening times available. Our official summer hours (9:00 am - late afternoon) will start on May 18th, but we will be offering after school and evening hours to accommodate the SFCSS students due to their later release date this year.
If you have any questions, please contact us at tibbsbasketball@yahoo.com. We are anxious to get going again this summer and are looking forward to another productive off-season!!
Matt Wilber
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Confidence & Aggressiveness
We are in the middle of the basketball season where tournaments and games are plentiful. One concern from parents that we hear consistently is the issue of confidence. "We know he/she is capable of doing more, but he/she just isn't aggressive." This is common for players of all ages, but we see it most often with 6th-9th grade ages. Unfortunately for many, the most visible players have this confidence and aggressiveness because they are active and always making plays or mistakes, so it is easy/frustrating to compare performances to players that struggle with confidence.
While each situation can be different, our stance or opinion tends to be this: Be patient and evaluate what your child is doing away from the games. If little individual practice is happening, it would be irrational for parents to push their sons/daughters to be aggressive in the games. The most aggressive players typically put in the most time practicing on their own. This is where their confidence comes from. It is difficult to be aggressive without confidence. A confident player is more willing to take chances and make an aggressive play with the basketball whether or not they are successful in doing so. Players that lack this confidence tend to avoid taking chances and will stay within their comfort zone (which usually means deferring to another player to be aggressive). Confident players are less concerned with the results of failure.
"How do you develop confidence?" Confidence on the court does not translate in the same manner as we see it in every day life. Walking tall and acting confident can be faked off the court. On the court, confidence is revealed through how the game is played. Simply saying "I can do this" is not sufficient in athletics especially basketball. There has to be some background or previous evidence that will give the player that "push" to take a chance and make an aggressive play. This is where practice and repetition come in. John Wooden has often stated that confidence is attained simply doing something over and over again the right way and seeing positive results. If a player is to be confident in making an aggressive basketball play, there must have first been practice of that skill away from competition. Competition will give the player the experience to demonstrate that skill after they practice, but we cannot expect a player to be aggressive in a game unless there has been significant quality practice.
At TIBBS, our instruction cannot start with "Be confident because you can do it"...We put players in positions in a non-intrusive practice session in which they can practice their skills at game speeds with successes and mistakes happening often. (Mistakes are necessary for improvement!!) They receive instant feedback because there are only 2-3 players working with one coach. This type of practice will lead to improvement. Obviously, the more practice...the more improvement. That improvement and success in practice will then lead to developing confidence which will carry over to the games. Even as I write this, it seems like a simple concept and formula, but the individual practice aspect is not as evident in players with the abundance of games that are being played. (I won't go back into that as I already discussed that topic in a previous post!!)
Matt Wilber
While each situation can be different, our stance or opinion tends to be this: Be patient and evaluate what your child is doing away from the games. If little individual practice is happening, it would be irrational for parents to push their sons/daughters to be aggressive in the games. The most aggressive players typically put in the most time practicing on their own. This is where their confidence comes from. It is difficult to be aggressive without confidence. A confident player is more willing to take chances and make an aggressive play with the basketball whether or not they are successful in doing so. Players that lack this confidence tend to avoid taking chances and will stay within their comfort zone (which usually means deferring to another player to be aggressive). Confident players are less concerned with the results of failure.
"How do you develop confidence?" Confidence on the court does not translate in the same manner as we see it in every day life. Walking tall and acting confident can be faked off the court. On the court, confidence is revealed through how the game is played. Simply saying "I can do this" is not sufficient in athletics especially basketball. There has to be some background or previous evidence that will give the player that "push" to take a chance and make an aggressive play. This is where practice and repetition come in. John Wooden has often stated that confidence is attained simply doing something over and over again the right way and seeing positive results. If a player is to be confident in making an aggressive basketball play, there must have first been practice of that skill away from competition. Competition will give the player the experience to demonstrate that skill after they practice, but we cannot expect a player to be aggressive in a game unless there has been significant quality practice.
At TIBBS, our instruction cannot start with "Be confident because you can do it"...We put players in positions in a non-intrusive practice session in which they can practice their skills at game speeds with successes and mistakes happening often. (Mistakes are necessary for improvement!!) They receive instant feedback because there are only 2-3 players working with one coach. This type of practice will lead to improvement. Obviously, the more practice...the more improvement. That improvement and success in practice will then lead to developing confidence which will carry over to the games. Even as I write this, it seems like a simple concept and formula, but the individual practice aspect is not as evident in players with the abundance of games that are being played. (I won't go back into that as I already discussed that topic in a previous post!!)
Unfortunately, the pace at which confidence is gained is immeasurable and varies from player to player. One certainty remains: practice is necessary for improvement in skills and confidence, and confidence is necessary for performance. As always, we appreciate all who have allowed us the opportunity to work with your sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters. We are very lucky to be able to work with great kids and parents!!
Matt Wilber
Matt Wilber
Thursday, December 18, 2008
TIBBS Opening in Sioux City
TIBBS Basketball will be offered in Sioux City at the Four Seasons Health Club starting in January. An open house is scheduled for Tuesday, January 6 and Saturday, January 10. The open house will be an informal opportunity for people to talk with us about our program and our methods. Scheduling and registration are common issues that we will be prepared to discuss as well as any other questions or concerns.
We are going to combine our workouts with St. Luke's Acceleration. The Acceleration portion will be 30 minutes of speed and agility training focusing on basketball specific movements. The TIBBS Basketball portion will last one hour.
After the open house, schedules will be formed and workouts will start immediately. We are planning on Tuesdays and Thursdays for workout possibilities starting around 4:30 pm and running into the evening as needed.
We are excited about the possibility of working with the Jesse Wavrunek at St. Luke's Acceleration and the Four Seasons Health Club. Our program has some obvious connections to the area as Nate grew up in Jefferson and played his first two high school seasons at the previous Jefferson High School prior to moving to Sioux Falls. As many are aware, Nate's father, Fred Tibbetts, coached at Jefferson High School for 18 years and won 5 state girls' basketball titles. The Siouxland area has a great reputation for basketball, and we are excited to be invited down to offer our program in Sioux City.
Please contact us by phone (605-271-5789) or through email (tibbsbasketball@yahoo.com) as we are available to answer any questions.
Matt Wilber
We are going to combine our workouts with St. Luke's Acceleration. The Acceleration portion will be 30 minutes of speed and agility training focusing on basketball specific movements. The TIBBS Basketball portion will last one hour.
After the open house, schedules will be formed and workouts will start immediately. We are planning on Tuesdays and Thursdays for workout possibilities starting around 4:30 pm and running into the evening as needed.
We are excited about the possibility of working with the Jesse Wavrunek at St. Luke's Acceleration and the Four Seasons Health Club. Our program has some obvious connections to the area as Nate grew up in Jefferson and played his first two high school seasons at the previous Jefferson High School prior to moving to Sioux Falls. As many are aware, Nate's father, Fred Tibbetts, coached at Jefferson High School for 18 years and won 5 state girls' basketball titles. The Siouxland area has a great reputation for basketball, and we are excited to be invited down to offer our program in Sioux City.
Please contact us by phone (605-271-5789) or through email (tibbsbasketball@yahoo.com) as we are available to answer any questions.
Matt Wilber
Monday, December 15, 2008
No Workouts Over Christmas Break
During the Christmas break, we will not be conducting workouts from Thursday, December 18 through Sunday, January 4th. Scheduling in the dome was hectic due to baseball clinics and the holidays, which made it difficult for us to nail down any consistent times. We will be resuming workouts after the New Year on Monday, January 5th.
Matt
Matt
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Schedule Update - Thanksgiving Week
We will have our usual workout times on Monday, November 24th starting at 4:00 pm /5:15 pm / 6:30 pm / 7:45 pm.
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (11/26), we are going to run 3 workouts starting at 12:30 pm/ 1:45 pm / 3:00 pm. Public schools are off in Sioux Falls and the private schools are running a half day, so we moved up the workouts to accommodate travel schedules.
Send me an email if you would like to sign up for one of the Wednesday times. I will also make an announcement at the workouts this Wednesday and have a sign-up sheet available.
Matt
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (11/26), we are going to run 3 workouts starting at 12:30 pm/ 1:45 pm / 3:00 pm. Public schools are off in Sioux Falls and the private schools are running a half day, so we moved up the workouts to accommodate travel schedules.
Send me an email if you would like to sign up for one of the Wednesday times. I will also make an announcement at the workouts this Wednesday and have a sign-up sheet available.
Matt
Monday, November 17, 2008
Online Registration & Student of the Week
You can now submit a registration form through our website. Follow the links as it is an easy process. If you would like to pay online as well, that is a separate step that you can also do from our website. It does not matter what order you register and pay online.
Also, we accept payment at our facility in the form of cash and checks. If you wish to mail in payment, please only mail checks.
We are adding a new feature to our program in the form of "Students of the Week". Our staff will be choosing one guy and one girl that have demonstrated the traits that we and most coaches value...Great Effort and Attitude while showing marked improvements. We will be highlighting these players on our website as well.
Matt
Also, we accept payment at our facility in the form of cash and checks. If you wish to mail in payment, please only mail checks.
We are adding a new feature to our program in the form of "Students of the Week". Our staff will be choosing one guy and one girl that have demonstrated the traits that we and most coaches value...Great Effort and Attitude while showing marked improvements. We will be highlighting these players on our website as well.
Matt
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Games...Games...Games
We constantly field questions regarding different aspects about basketball training for players from parents. Our opinions to those answers are shaped from our experience as players and the coaches we worked and played for. From time to time, we will discuss different topics on this blog based on the questions we receive. Feel free to post your comments, perspective, and opinions.
Now that the basketball season is upon us, I have heard this question a number of times, "How many games is the right amount?" This is a difficult question to answer and can be argued in a number of directions. Much of it is based on what you want to get out of the season. Playing experience is needed. Skill development is needed. Practice is needed. What is the right combination? If you want players to improve their skills, more balance is needed with more practice during the season. Here are my thoughts:
Today, you could sign your team up for a tournament every weekend from mid-October to mid-April. The opportunity to play in an organized tournament is available at a level that we have never before seen. I can understand one side of the agrument that the competition is needed for players to gain experience in a game situation, but when youth teams are running a season longer than any college or high school team and playing three times the amount of games, it is easy to see why players are easily frustrated and dragging at the end of the season.
"Games are simply a test of what the players have learned and developed through practice" I apologize that I cannot remember the coach who said that, but it is constantly echoed across the coaching community. Unfortunately, the trend and belief that is evident in youth basketball is that the players are learning during the games and because of this trend ... they are praciticing less and less. If players improved and developed during a game, quality college and high school coaches would run uncontrolled scrimmages every day in practice. If you could watch any of these practices, you will know this is not the case. The game is broken down and worked on through repetition. While experience is gained during competition, skills are gained through quality repetition during practice.
Players improve by practicing, and the greatest improvement will come when the player takes the initiative to do so. My question is, "Why would you want to practice on your own when there will be another tournament to play in a couple of days?" The number of games that teams are playing and the length of the season can hinder a player's development. If there are bad habits (ex. poor shooting form), playing 60-70 games simply reinforces that habit over and over because shooting form does not improve during a game. Shooting form much like all other offensive skills improves with practice. If you want your players to "test" or perform better in a game, they need to practice or "study" away from the competition. With so many games, it is easy to understand why players would not want to practice on their own. They have had their fill of basketball.
This was long-winded and could have been much longer, but we feel strongly about this topic as we see the trend continuing. Games are important and enjoyable, but balance is needed. Whether they are learning and practicing the skills in our facility or somewhere else, it is important for players to spend more time practicing than playing if continued improvement and development are going to occur.
Matt
Now that the basketball season is upon us, I have heard this question a number of times, "How many games is the right amount?" This is a difficult question to answer and can be argued in a number of directions. Much of it is based on what you want to get out of the season. Playing experience is needed. Skill development is needed. Practice is needed. What is the right combination? If you want players to improve their skills, more balance is needed with more practice during the season. Here are my thoughts:
Today, you could sign your team up for a tournament every weekend from mid-October to mid-April. The opportunity to play in an organized tournament is available at a level that we have never before seen. I can understand one side of the agrument that the competition is needed for players to gain experience in a game situation, but when youth teams are running a season longer than any college or high school team and playing three times the amount of games, it is easy to see why players are easily frustrated and dragging at the end of the season.
"Games are simply a test of what the players have learned and developed through practice" I apologize that I cannot remember the coach who said that, but it is constantly echoed across the coaching community. Unfortunately, the trend and belief that is evident in youth basketball is that the players are learning during the games and because of this trend ... they are praciticing less and less. If players improved and developed during a game, quality college and high school coaches would run uncontrolled scrimmages every day in practice. If you could watch any of these practices, you will know this is not the case. The game is broken down and worked on through repetition. While experience is gained during competition, skills are gained through quality repetition during practice.
Players improve by practicing, and the greatest improvement will come when the player takes the initiative to do so. My question is, "Why would you want to practice on your own when there will be another tournament to play in a couple of days?" The number of games that teams are playing and the length of the season can hinder a player's development. If there are bad habits (ex. poor shooting form), playing 60-70 games simply reinforces that habit over and over because shooting form does not improve during a game. Shooting form much like all other offensive skills improves with practice. If you want your players to "test" or perform better in a game, they need to practice or "study" away from the competition. With so many games, it is easy to understand why players would not want to practice on their own. They have had their fill of basketball.
This was long-winded and could have been much longer, but we feel strongly about this topic as we see the trend continuing. Games are important and enjoyable, but balance is needed. Whether they are learning and practicing the skills in our facility or somewhere else, it is important for players to spend more time practicing than playing if continued improvement and development are going to occur.
Matt
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