A convergence of experiences occurred last week for an “Aha! moment.” The Muse more recently participates in fitness classes at the local senior center by Zoom. The in-person class is full. There are 15+ online participants. The senior center fitness instructor, Linda, is terrific. She is the same age as the participants and is beloved. Even by the Muse. She must not have arthritic knees or knee problems.
There are a range of senior ages, e.g. 50s to 80s, sizes, genders, abilities and capabilities in these classes. They run non-stop for 60 to 70-minutes. Linda is kind, patient, and humble. She is friendly, encouraging, and speaks in normal tones. As instructor, she introduces and demonstrates the exercise movements. Linda counts down, “9, 8,” and encourages “very nice,” “6, 5, good, 2, 1, awesome!” Music plays in the background. She incorporates the right pace for the group.
After several months of three classes per week, it strikes me that Linda, the senior center fitness instructor, has all of the attributes of the perfect girls high school basketball coach. Really.
The Muse attended a local girls high school basketball game recently. The records of both teams were about .500. The teams were from neighboring towns. The visitors were more urban, while the hosts more suburban. Play and skill level were about the same. The score was tied starting the 4th quarter. The visitors prevailed winning by 10 points.
To a basketball purist, it looked like soccer and rugby combined. A herd chasing the ball along with a scrum often on the floor. At times it was unwatchable. It lacked basic athleticism and early basketball fundamentals. Players lacked balance and body control. Play was marked by fouls, turnovers, and bodies strewn across the floor. One coach SCREAMED at her team throughout the contest. Even addressing them during a timeout, “WHAT ARE WE DOING OUT THERE???!!!” It could be easily heard throughout the mostly empty gym.
There was amusement. A visiting junior varsity (JV) player served the varsity team cups of water from a big, yellow, 5-gallon Igloo water jug. But then, she continued serving water to the high school boys sitting nearby in the stands. Later in the second quarter, four more visiting high school boys attended the game, telling the ticket-taker that they were “student-managers.” This was a ploy to avoid paying admission. The ticket-taker yielded avoiding a controversy. The four students sat behind their team’s bench. They were loud, vocal, demonstrative fanatics. Over the top cheering, standing, and kicking the bleachers. Those behavioral rules/codes of conduct listed on large gym banners, well, they were breaking all of them. At the next timeout, it occurred to one of the visiting fanatics to display “managerial activities.” And that he did. He jumped up from the stands, grabbed a dozen cups, filled them with water, spilling copious amounts on the floor, and presented them to players leaving a huddle to resume play. He continued presenting cups of water to his fanatic friends in the stands. To the Muse sitting nearby, she thought, please stop and sit down.
As often the case, when observing poor basketball play, the Muse mentally plans practice for the next day. What should be addressed? How to break it down into simple drills, introductory steps, fundamentals, skills, and movements? Then a light went on, a eureka moment. A thought, those senior center fitness classes focus on strength and stability, plus osteoporosis prevention. They involve toe and heel taps, core strengthening, lateral movements similar to defensive slides, mini-lunges, concurrent arm movement (sometimes with 3 lb. weights). The Muse’s knees ache terribly after these sessions. Movements and repetitions simulate rebounding and another drill resembles offensive options in a triple threat position. The Muse couldn’t help but think, how would Linda, the senior center fitness instructor handle girls basketball practice?
Linda truly personifies the perfect girls high school basketball coach in today’s world. She has the right stuff. The right demeanor, the right personality, the right inter-personal skills, the right tone, the right approach to instruction.
The fitness regimen at the senior center would be incorporated immediately and start the girl’s high school basketball practice for one hour. No stopping for drinks, towel wipe-off, bathroom (only if an emergency). It would all be performed without a basketball. Linda, the senior center fitness instructor, would lead it and then run practice. The basketball concepts for practice would be simple. On offense, sprint and stay wide; pass ahead, and screen away. On defense, smothering player-to-player, box out, and press full court. The Muse advises running zero plays. Just play, just like on the playground in a more controlled fashion.
During games Linda would use the same approach as senior center fitness instructor. “Good, excellent, very nice, awesome” would be quietly heard by the players. Her instruction would be upbeat and encouraging, not loud, but also understood. Eventually, Linda’s basketball team would improve due to greater core strength, stabilization, body control, and stretching. The fundamentals of a triple threat position on offense and boxer’s stance on defense would become second nature from the daily immersion in Linda’s hourly fitness regimen.
The Muse strongly believes that more high school girl’s basketball coaches need to emphasize fundamentals beginning with individual core strength and stabilization. Teach players how to play the game with read and react, rather than running plays. Also, no 3-point shots, until 2-point shots are consistently made.
Lastly, and most importantly, if coaching teenagers today, the Muse suggests being more like the senior center fitness instructor. Try one’s darndest to be more Linda-like. An in-game sequence might sound like this: “box out-very nice;” “advance the ball-good;” “3-2-1 shot clock winding down with a made basket-awesome!” All delivered with a smile and in normal speaking tones. This is without gesturing and absent over the top emoting. Kind and encouraging, upbeat spoken words are most effective at the senior center fitness class and would have the same effect coaching high school sports. Also, its okay to have music playing in the background.
Benefits of Exercise for Seniors from VASA Fitness, Indianapolis, IN.
From Falls Township Senior Center.
Woman with ball.
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