Winning on the Perimeter

It was a fall afternoon, as I arrived to town for my very first coaching interview. I was three years removed from high school, had spent endless hours dissecting offensive and defensive strategy involved in the game, and had worked a few summers for a popular northwest basketball camp. In my narrow mind, I was basketball to take on a head coaching position. I walked into the school dressed basketball confidence but nervous for the unknown to be met by the school secretary. I told her I was there for a mid-afternoon meeting with Mr. Dixon the school's principal an avid basketball fan. I was familiar with Mr. Dixon for earlier that summer I had been approached by members of the community to put on a mini-basketball camp for the towns kids.

The interview was not like I had rehearsed in my mind. I didn't field any questions regarding my offensive and defensive strategy, failed to hear any inquiry regarding past coaching experience, but was simply asked if I was serious about the position? Would I be willing to move to the area? What would I do with a group of young men who had very little talent, but a lot of heart and only 4 years to find success?

It was November before my travels brought me to town again, this time as the head varsity boys basketball coach for a little Oregon 1A team who was picked at the bottom of the High Desert League. The scramble to find an offense that fit a team made up of 4 local boys (only one over 6 feet tall) and 3 foreign exchange students covering the globe from the equator to the south pole, had begun. It was clear from the cast we were going to have to win the perimeter in order to have a chance against the league elite. Thus, I sat out to modify and develop a 4 out motion set, guided by the underpinnings of a 5 out motion alignment. What evolved out of such an eclectic mixture would later be known as my 'Sting Attack'; a 5 out motion game influenced by Duke's 4 man game blended with the legendary Bobby Knight's fundamental approach to basketball.

It wasn't long before the 'Sting Attack' was helping an undermanned, under sized, and under talented group of boys win the perimeter. Using sound principals and skillful fundamental development, a series of screening actions and rapid meaningful cuts where blazing holes through our opponents defense. I had introduced my 'Sting Attack' four and five man motion offenses the first week of practice and we were winning games by Christmas break-taking two of three from the league's top tier. Two years later my group of undermanned, undersized, heard working boys found themselves winning on the perimeter and battling for a district playoff birth.

That summer I received a phone call from a local administrator who was looking for a basketball coach. This time I would be asked about my offensive philosophy for winning was a tradition at this school; I presented my fundamentally charged hybrid 'Sting Attack' and promised the hiring committee this four out motion would be the backbone of success if they hired me. Later that week I received a phone call with a job offer and eventually went on to win the perimeter battle with the 'sting attack' and for months in the '04 season had the number one 2A men's team in the state. Not bad for a little coach who wished only to develop a system that would give any team with any talent an opportunity to win.

To purchase a copy of Coach Mac's 'Sting Attack' offense visit http://www.coachmac-basketball.com

For more from Coach McKinnis on the game of basketball http://www.squidoo.com/High-School-Basketball-Offenses