COACHING

Basketball is essentially a very simple game. The fundamental skills of passing, dribbling and shooting are relatively straightforward. In the early days of Scottish basketball, coaching was mainly about teaching these skills along with some basic footwork related to pivoting and starting and stopping a dribble. The concept of a Game Coach was alien to traditional British Sports and some actually forbade the practice. Game Coaching is an integral part of American Sport and basketball was no exception to that rule.

The need to organise substitutions and adjust tactics resulted in an enhanced role for the experienced Player/Captain. When not playing, the Captain would coach from the substitutes bench. Gradually these leaders assumed the role of non-playing coach. Coaches endeavouring to enhance their knowledge of tactics and strategies would search local libraries in vain for helpful literature.

Teams employed zone defences, no doubt copied from soccer experiences. Players were responsible for defending an area (zone) and were given specific roles. Players near the basket they were defending would be responsible for rebounding and passing to front runners who would endeavour to score an early basket at the other end of the court. Zones would retreat quickly after a score or change of possession making it difficult for the opponents to shoot from a short distance. Long range shooting was difficult due to various factors, including the heavy, often misshapen leather ball, the quality of the goals and overhead obstructions.

As playing skills and equipment improved coaches began experimenting with alternative defences. Man to man and pressure defences were introduced and the coaches' role was further enhanced.

The Scottish Council of Physical Recreation (SCPR) established summer schools in the 1950's for various sports in St Andrews, using the vacant student residential halls for accommodation. Basketball was one of the sports offered. Instructors were drawn from Central Council of Physical Recreation staff. Joe Jagger (father of Rolling Stone Mick) was the lead basketball coach. When the SCPR withdrew from the organisation of the Summer Schools at the end of the decade the ABAS assumed responsibility, organising coaching staff and advertising the courses through clubs and local authority Education Departments.

Facilities for the basketball summer courses were rather primitive. Practical sessions were conducted in the inner quadrangle of the listed building of Madras College on South Street. The area was unevenly paved and the baskets were the free standing variety with a very small overhang. If it rained the participants retreated to a classroom for a theory session or sheltered under the cloisters until it stopped raining. On good days course members would carry the basketball goals through the streets of the town to the beach and give an exhibition on the wet sands.

As the courses became more popular and incorporated officiating and player improvement, more facilities were required. The local youth club had built a small gymnasium which incorporated basketball goals and the local Territorial Army Drill Hall became available. The baskets were moved from Madras College to the TA hall which was a vast improvement. A new Madras College building to the South of the town was built, incorporating a full size games hall. Shortly after St Andrews University open a superb new facilty to the west.

Through contacts established with various Colleges in North America the ABAS was able to invite a series of High School and College coaches to supplement the coaching staff. The visiting coaches contributed greatly to the status of the courses. Informal evening discussions with Scottish coaches proved to be extremely valuable.

Many Local Authorities gave financial assistance to teachers to attend the summer courses to qualify as coaches or referees. This was considered to be part of their in-service training. Many would return as instructors and leaders of coaching and player improvement courses. Eventually players and coaches of the Scottish Schools under 15 and under 18 teams would be supported as they prepared for their international programmes. At the height of the summer schools popularity, there were three weeks of activity with up to twenty trainee coaches, ten trainee officials and sixty schoolchildren each week.


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