Five Practices That Help Motivate Individuals and Teams (by Sean Conrad)

I remind you that this is a section of zF Coaching and Training dedicated to basketball (in general) and Roseto Sharks in particular.
Today a great post from Sean Conrad.
A very useful pentalogue you can use in your own team.

Team players don't need to be hard-spoken, show-man, hyper-active, ecc... They could be soft-spoken, shy, good-listener, ecc... but this doesn't mean to be passive. They really care about the team and they give their contribution to its success, without pushing...

This is a real innovative section connected with Roseto Sharks through mental-body-emotion tools to get your higher meanings and better performances!

Please share your thoughts, ideas, and suggestion below.

Anyone as best as he can!

Have Joy

Giannicola

READ THE POST IN ITALIAN IF YOU NEED...
Copy and Paste... and click here

Here are 5 management practices we normally associate with driving individual performance and motivation that I think should be applied to teams:

1. Set Clear Goals: A lot of teams flounder because of a lack of direction or deliverables. They know they are supposed to work together; they are just not clear on their deliverables, schedules, performance expectations, etc. The lack of a clear direction and purpose can easily “demotivate” a team, making it hard for them to be engaged and productive. Just as individual employees need goals to help motivate them, teams also need SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound) goals. So make sure your teams are given one or more clear, common SMART goals. This can go a long way to making them more accountable and driven.

2. Give Them a “Big Picture” Context: Everyone needs a context for their work so they understand its value and larger impact. It is one of basic needs identified by research into employee engagement. Without a larger context, our work becomes purposeless. We are left wondering: “who really cares about what I do?” The same applies to a team. Just as it is important to connect each employee’s goals to the organisation’s high-level goals, it is important to connect your team’s goals to organisational goals. This motivates them by helping them understand the impact of their efforts on organisational success.

3. Assess and Cultivate Teamwork Skills: Research tells us that teams are organic units that go through development stages and struggles. To become high-performing, teams and team members need to develop core skills in communication, negotiation, dealing with conflict, etc. So in the same way that you assess your employees’ demonstration of key competencies and assign them development plans to help them further develop these competencies, you should assess a team’s demonstration of key teamworking competencies, and provide them with learning activities to help them address any skill gaps. Encouraging team and employee development can be an important driver of engagement and motivation.

4. Gather Performance Feedback from Team Members: If you are going to assess a team’s performance, you are best to start by asking them to rate their performance first. Asking employees to complete a self-appraisal as part of their annual performance appraisal is shown to increase their engagement in the process as well as their motivation overall. The same principle can also apply to teams. By asking team members to provide feedback on their own performance, as well as their colleagues’, can help improve their engagement in the team, and their motivation.

5. Provide Ongoing Coaching and Feedback: To be high-performing and stay motivated, every team can use ongoing coaching and feedback. It is just human nature; we want to know how we are doing and how we can do better. Just as employees need regular, ongoing feedback about what they are doing well and areas for improvement, teams as a whole need feedback on how they are functioning and performing. They need someone who is external to the team to give them perspective and guidance, and help motivate them.

Motivating and managing teams can be a lot like motivating and managing employees. The same solid management practices that support employee high-performance can be used to help keep teams motivated and drive their performance.

Sean Conrad

FRESHTRACK homepage

TEAMBUILDING: da chi dipende?

Cos’è il team-building?

Questa è una bella domanda che spesso mi viene rivolta!

In molti credono che il team-building sia un'attività specifica, singola, e ci lavorano in modo specifico.

Ora ti chiedo: "si può lavorare nello specifico su un processo complesso?"

In altre parole, si può lavorare sull'orchestra senza lavorare sui solisti? 

Credo di no!

Il team-building è un processo, è l’insieme di diverse abilità finalizzate al conseguimento di un obiettivo comune. Nel basket è molto interessante osservare questo aspetto in quanto i solisti, anche se hanno caratteristiche specifiche, hanno la necessità di adoperarsi in differenti situazioni per il bene della squadra: sia in attacco che in difesa.

Nel calcio, ad esempio, gli attaccanti sono attacanti e i difensori sono difensori!

Quali skills per riuscirci?

Le capacità sottostanti, per un eccellente lavoro di team-building, sono: 

1) definire i presupposti;

2) dare e ricevere feedback.

Facciamo un esempio: sapere che "le persone sono più dei loro comportamenti" aiuta ad offrire maggiori possibilità a chi ci sta davanti e, in più, offre uno sguardo mirato al miglioramento delle performance piuttosto che alla svalutazione dell'individuo. Ne segue che il saper dare e ricevere feedback lavora sui comportamenti, eliminando il dare giudizi sulla persona. Insomma, diventa un'occasione di confronto e di crescita continua.

Rafforzare le singole e più forti abilità di ognuno mentre si migliorano quelle più deboli, predispone lo sviluppo del singolo potenziale, nel rispetto del valore comune (dato dalle abilità di ognuno).

Il Coach gen Y...

Il Coach (l'allenatore) innovativo non è il capo ma è il “Maestro” (nel senso del più forte) di questo processo di team-building. 

Questo lo rende il leader che sa come ascoltare i suoi collaboratori e i suoi ragazzi, sa come entrare in rapporto aperto, sincero, onesto, intimo con loro, sa come trattare e negoziare bisogni e ambizioni, sa come definire e condividere obiettivi con la sua organizzazione, sa come parlare a tutti loro per risvegliarli, per motivarli, per sfidarli e per spingerli oltre i limiti fisici-mentali-emozionali di ognuno.

Il Coach innovativo sarà colui che riuscirà a trarre dalla sua squadra, come risultato finale, più della semplice somma tecnica dei singoli componenti. 

Sa come coinvolgerli nelle scelte, sa come coinvolgerli nel processo decisionale, sa che senza confronto non c'è crescita. Insomma, il Coach innovativo è il tramite di una leadership partecipata e situazionale che spesso lo definisce come modello non solo per la sua squadra ma per l'intera organizzazione (anche a livello giovanile, anche a livello dirigenziale, ecc...) in cui offre il suo contributo.

E chi ce l'ha... se lo tiene stretto!!!

Ognuno come può!

Abbia Gioia

Giannicola

10 Tips For Getting Your Basketball Team Focused, Motivated, And Playing Hard! (by Jeff Haefner)

I remind you that this is a section of zF Coaching and Training dedicated to basketball (in general) and Roseto Sharks in particular.
Today a great post from Jeff Haefner.
A very useful decalogue you can use in your own team.

This is a real innovative section connected with Roseto Sharks through mental-body-emotion tools to get your higher meanings and better performances!

Please share your thoughts, ideas, and suggestion below.

Anyone as best as he can!

Have Joy

Giannicola

READ THE POST IN ITALIAN IF YOU NEED...
Copy and Paste... and click here


"Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their players and motivate" Vince Lombardi



One of the biggest challenges that basketball coaches of all levels face is the challenge of keeping your players focused, motivated to play, and playing as hard as they can. The following are 10 tried and true tips to keep your team motivated.

1. Set a precedent on the first day of practice. Establishing your expectations from the very beginning is the best way to not only establish your role within the team but to also let your players know what kind of coach you're going to be.


For example: As your first practice starts and players are milling about blow your whistle and call them to the center of the gym. If they don't sprint to you, they get to run right then and there. After they've run, blow the whistle again. This time all your players will enthusiastically sprint to you. And more importantly, you'll have their full attention for the rest of the year.

2. Show your players that they matter. Probably the most effective method for getting your players to work hard for you, and for themselves, is to let them know that you care about them.


Show interest in their lives outside of basketball. Get to know your players as individuals. Spend time talking to them one on one. It doesn't have to be for hours; a couple minutes will do the trick. The point is to let them know that they're important to you on and off the basketball court.


3. Model motivation in all of your actions. Have fun, remain positive, and let your players know what is expected of them immediately. Your players will pick up on everything that you say and do and they will respond accordingly. Verbalize your philosophy so your players know what to expect and to what to strive for. 

For example: If you tell your players that the best rebounders will be starters, then players will all strive to be good rebounders. You've told them through your words and actions that rebounding is important to you.


It's all about what you emphasize! If you're constantly talking about rebounding, you're players will pick up on that and become good rebounders.

4. Offer verbal rewards. Rewards grab attention - players and people love compliments. Whether you're running beginner basketball drills or drills that require more skill, give praise for improvement and for working hard.

Occasionally, for significant effort, praise players in front of the team. Public praise is often well received and players will work hard to earn such praise. Remember that if negative feedback is required to sandwich it between positive feedback. For example: "You did a great job hustling down the court, next time wait for a better shot. Keep up the great hustle and the good shots will be there for you."

5. Offer occasional non-verbal rewards. Players can be motivated to achieve goals by occasionally offering tangible rewards like a Gatorade or by utilizing a tactic of the great Morgan Wooten. Wooten offered "Permissions" to his players.

Permissions were rewards granted to players based on outstanding efforts or reaching set goals. The permissions are earned throughout the practice and then totaled up at the end. Each permission resulted in one less lap, suicide, or other conditioning drill.

You can also add laps to players for not meeting expectations. For example you can set up a basketball rebounding drill and players that get 5 or more rebounds pick up a permission and those that get less than 4 pick up a lap.

6. Coach the success of the team. When it comes down to it, it is more fun to win together than it is to win alone and basketball is a team sport. Your players are more likely to give greater effort if they know the team is counting on them. By reminding players, through your actions and words that they are a team, they'll be motivated to work together to succeed.

Often this can be accomplished by verbally praising players that are working well together or by offering a non verbal reward for practices where they work together particularly well. Also, by knowing your players strengths and weaknesses you'll be able to keep an eye out for potential conflicts and enforce a team attitude.

7. Add competition to your drills. A great way to spice things up and keep players working hard is to add competition to your drills.

As an example, you could establish teams for a shooting drill and reward the team or individual player that makes the most shots successfully.

With a little imagination, you can come up with ways to make almost all your drills competitive. Just remember that comparisons between teammates can make some players feel badly about themselves and can spur rivalries between teammates. In short, it can squash a player's motivation. If you need to compare teammates, do so only to model a desired behavior or skill. For example, "Watch how Joe follows through with his free throw shot, try that next time you're at the line and see how it feels."

8. Teach visualization. Visualization is a valuable coaching tool and it is the one skill that all athletes can take away from their sport, no matter what level they perform at, and use the skill to attain success the rest of their lives.

Teach your players to visualize reaching their goals. Visualization teaches focus. It teaches planning, executing, and succeeding. Incorporate a few minutes of visualization in each practice by asking the team to visualize a play that they're having difficulty perfecting, a shot that they need to work on, or executing the drill of their choice.

Teach them to utilize all their senses in the visualization so that they can hear the ball bouncing, see the ball bouncing, and feel their gym shoes squeak on the floor.

9. Don't punish, discipline with the intent to teach. Punishment for poor or inappropriate behavior only serves to fragment the teams focus and hinder their motivation. Instead, discipline with the intent to teach your players how to conduct themselves appropriately.

Rather than yell or punish players that aren't living up to their potential, ask them, "Is that the best you can do? Are you trying your hardest?" Often simply by acknowledging to you or to themselves that they're not trying their hardest, players will try harder, particularly if they know that you notice.

Additionally, discipline with consistency. For example, if it is unacceptable to be late to practice then all who are late to practice receive the exact same consequences no matter what.

10. Set the right type of goals for your team and for your players. Players and teams need goals so that they know what to focus on and they know what to strive for. But the key is the "type" of goals you choose...

I'm a firm believer that you should NOT set goals for the prestigious statistics, like scoring the most points and even winning games. Players already want those things without setting goals. Not to mention, it gives them the wrong idea.

However, if you set goals for other critical aspects of the game you will see huge success!

You can set goals for a low number of turnovers, team shooting percentage, your opponents shooting percentage, team rebounds (not individual), defensive stats, and possessions per game. You always want more possessions that the other team and that comes from rebounding and taking care of the basketball.

You could even have conditioning goals like 100 push-ups or run a mile in less than 5 minutes. Just be careful about the message you send your players when setting goals. When used properly, goals are a powerful motivator.

Don't forget to reward players for achieving their goals.

If you'd like a ready built system to motivate your players with goals and statistics, try out the Value Point System. It's one of the most effective ways to motivate players and keep them working hard all year round.

Know that what motivates some players will not motivate others. It is important to get to know your players as individuals and to know how they will respond individually and as a team to motivational tactics. In the end, if you're involved, excited, and willing to take the time to keep practices interesting, then your team will respond.

For more motivation tips, check out the Ultimate Guide to Player Motivation.


What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...

Jeff Haefner

BREAKTHROUGH BASKETBALL homepage

Anyone as best as he can!

Have Joy

Giannicola

Watch What You Teach (Roseto Sharks)

Here we are!

This is a section of zF Coaching and Training dedicated to basketball (in general) and Roseto Sharks.

The thing that got me to think around was a great, brilliant idea included in that following post.

Both players, coaches, supporters, basket-friends, etc... will benefit by reading to this post and I hope this can help clubs to develop their HR (players, staff, bosses, even if still young).

Posts written by zF (in English or in Italian) or picked up from the best web sites to be helpful on your real basketball team. 
A real innovative tool for better performances!

Please share your thoughts, ideas, and suggestion below.

Anyone as best as he can!

Have Joy

Giannicola

When we step on the floor to teach our players, what is it that we feel is important, what is it that we really teach? Are there lessons inside of the ballhandling, shooting, etc?

Over the years, I have had great success in facilitating player's improvement. I have worked with NBA All-Stars, high school, college and youth players. If I had not been successful, the player would not have come back and I would not have new players asking me for my time.

I don't believe I know any more basketball than anyone else. I don't think that I am better than anyone. I just know what works for me and I know it has been very effective. My teaching style is different than most. I have different priorities and different methods. Some agree with it, some don't. I am not saying it is any better than anyone but I am saying it is just different.

While others teach jump shooting, ball handling, passing, etc., I try to teach something different. No matter what level of player, regardless of age or sex, I teach one thing. I think it is the most important skill any player can learn. I try to teach players not to fear failure.

I believe the fear of failure is the single largest impediment to learning and improvement. I think that the way we teach what we teach might help instill fear of failure.

I grew up with the same work ethic that we all did, "Practice makes perfect." Then, I was introduced to the saying that, "Only perfect practice makes perfect." For a long time, I bought into that, full force. I was so intent on "perfect practice" that I made players afraid to act.

My insistence that players make every shot, commit no turnovers, allow no scores on defense actually forced my players further and further away from what the objective was. I decided that maybe I should look at my methods.

Here are some things I have come to realize. Shooters that miss 55% of their shots are considered good shooters. In baseball, if you fail 70% of the time, you have a chance to be a Hall of Famer. The greatest golfer ever, Tiger Woods, loses 79% of his tournaments (if you are a Jack Nicklaus person, his win percentage is 9% - and that is the 2nd highest win percentage ever). On the whole, sport is an exercise in failure. It's how you deal with that failure that determines how good a player you are. You can either fear failure or you can accept it as part of the game and move on.

When I catch a player getting frustrated or angry because he has missed some shots, I will ask him, "If I could give you some advice in the form of 3 words and tell you if you follow this advice you will never miss another shot, would you like to hear it?" Invariably, the answer comes back, "Yes." So, I give them the 3 words, "Don't shoot any."

If you don't shoot any, you won't miss any. As long as you shoot, you will miss. That is part of shooting. Accept it and move on. As long as you play, you will make mistakes. Accept that premise and move on. Make the next play.

I think most of us will accept that line of thinking. But, do we, as coaches, contribute to instilling that fear of failure? Do we insist on "perfect practice" and thereby point out all the times we are less than perfect? Do we lose patience with players after multiple imperfect repetitions? Do we jump on players every time they make a mistake? Do we tell our players, "I want you to play loose and free. I don't want you to worry about me. I don't want you to play the game looking over your shoulder."? And then jump off the bench at the slightest mistake.

We, as coaches have to understand our complicity in creating players who play out of fear. Do we want players who are afraid to fail so they are also afraid to try? In the guise of teaching, do we instill fear?

Perfection is a fine ideal, but to use it as a goal will lead to endless frustration and even resentment of the game because nobody is perfect. If you expect perfection, you will always be let down.

A great illustration of this is 7th game hero and noted psychologist Ron Artest, of the L. A. Lakers. I was listening to him on Dan LeBatard's local Miami radio show. He spoke of career, his psychiatrist and the playoffs. The conversation came around to his shot in the 7th game. He spoke about his confidence in making that shot. He said that he really did not understand why teams give him that shot. He pointed out that he is a 40% shooter from 3, which is one of the best in the league (so he misses 60% of his shots but he is considered one of the best). LeBatard then says, "Maybe so, but you still have thrown up some memorable clunkers, haven't you?" To which Artest responded, "Sure, but that doesn't mean I can't make it. It just means I'm not perfect."

Interesting thought.

Don Kelbick

To view coaching products from Don Kelbick, go to Don Kelbick Products.
For more information on Don Kelbick, go to http://www.DonKelbickBasketball.com.

“TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL COACHES” (by Coach DeForest) - Roseto Sharks

Here we are!

This is a section of zF Coaching and Training dedicated to basketball (in general) and Roseto Sharks. 
From here, from today, we start posting 1 article/week that gives you advices on many fields about this loving sport. 
Posts written by zF (in English or in Italian) or picked up from the best web sites to be helpful on your real basketball team. 
A real innovative tool for better performances!

Anyone as best as he can!
Have Joy
Giannicola

(posted by Coach DeForest - August 12, 2010)

This list was developed by Patrick Hunt, the coaching education director for the Australian Institute of Sport. I have read some of Coach Hunt's material in the past and thought it was excellent.

Great technical knowledge – understand the intricacies and dynamics of their sport which allows them to effectively train and teach players

Good communicators – like being around people, honest and open with their communication

Care for players – genuine care and investment in developing players to achieve their potential. The old saying “players don’t care what you know until they know that you care”

No Bad attitude policy – have clear criteria about the type of people they allow into their team. Value good culture too much to let “bad eggs” infiltrate their system

Recruit players who want to learn – successful coaches are always striving to improve, both themselves and their players. Players must be willing to learn and commit to improvement

Eye for detail – believe in the “power of small”. The smallest detail can sometimes have the biggest impact in the long run.

Seek opinions – secure enough to be challenged and seek opinions from others. Open-minded to innovation and change.

Understand the “why” of their game plan – good coaches don’t just copy another system or game plan. They understand the reason why they use a particular game plan and all the little things that go into executing it. This ties into traits 1 and 6.

Coach with enthusiasm and passion – this approach rubs off on players and makes them enthusiastic about the task of learning and improving

Life-long learners – always looking for better ways, new information. Seek out other coaches. Study other sports for training and playing methods


"One who gives less than what he has to give is telling you what he thinks about both you and him. " (Pete Carrill former Head Basketball Coach at Princeton University)

Posted by Coach DeForest


BASKETBALL COACHES CLUB homepage

Il modello Partizan non serve a niente se non viene imitato

fonte: basketnet.it del 12 aprile 2010

«E’ UN CAMPIONATO sinusoidale», strilla Paola Ellisse, la sobria telecronista che semplifica il basket ai bimbi e alle massaie.
La sua non è l’unica stravaganza nel canestro di Pasqua: il tecnico di Roma Matteo Boniciolli, che quando batte Siena scomoda paragoni con Mohammed Alì (quando perde a Cantù, allora, Stecca?), sostiene che il Montepaschi è «la miglior squadra italiana dell’ultimo decennio».
D’accordo che ingigantire i meriti dell’avversario serve ad amplificare i propri, ma forse anche l’ultima Virtus di Ettore Messina, che ha aperto il decennio con il Grande Slam, ha fatto, sempre per dirla come la Ellisse, «parecchino».
Più che allucinato, è un campionato allucinante: non c’è lotta per il vertice (al massimo, si gioca per il secondo posto) e gli unici brividi arrivano dal fondo, dove sei squadre si sudano ancora la salvezza.
Soprattutto, è un basket che si guarda intorno, ma non ha idea di quale strada prendere.
L’ultima frontiera è il modello Partizan: il glorioso club di Belgrado, arrivato alla Final four di Eurolega con i suoi monelli fatti in casa, è diventato il tema preferito dei salotti cestistici.
Fa tendenza parlarne: purtroppo, imitarlo è un altro discorso.
Per riuscirci, servirebbero in ordine sparso: a) società che investono su un tecnico, dandogli modo (e tempo) di allenare davvero e non di gestire i giocatori come accade ora; b) società che hanno voglia (e tempo) di costruire giocatori, sia allevati in casa che scovati altrove, modellando uomini prima che atleti; c) società che hanno voglia (e tempo) di credere fino in fondo in un progetto, senza cambiare strada alla prima crisi; d) società che abbiano voglia (e tempo) di scegliere stranieri in funzione della crescita di squadra e non il contrario.

Utopia? 
Lo è di sicuro in un Paese dove gli allenatori devono fare risultato oggi perché ci sia un domani, dove i proprietari giocano a fare i manager costruendo album di figurine anziché squadre, dove i giovani di buona volontà non hanno fiducia nemmeno da chi, arbitrando, può aiutarli a crescere, dove i procuratori sono pronti a sottolineare i diritti e a ignorare i doveri.
Non lo è a Belgrado dove cucinano una minestra fatta di cultura, volontà e capacità di risorgere in fretta (la Serbia, tra il 2005 e il 2008, ha fatto da comparsa).
Viva il modello Partizan, allora: a patto che non ci venga chiesto di importarlo.

Angelo Costa

Boniciolli e l'anno zero del nostro basket: "Ci resta solo l’innovazione"

Solo ieri buttavo giú poche righe sulla possibilitá di appropriarsi e/o sviluppare abilitá importanti come l´innovazione e la creativitá, e oggi che trovo? Questo articolo interessante sul sito della lega basket (preso dall´Unitá - di Salvatore Maria Righi) su coach Boniciolli che parla di argomenti interessanti; dove si viene premiati se coinvolti, se appassionati, se organizzati, se pazienti, se si hanno idee chiare e se si agisce con precisione e determinazione.
Parole sante... nella speranza che arrivino i fedeli!!!
Grazie per l´esempio di scelta personale (guidata da altissimi valori) che ha dato al basket e alla "societá civile".
Ci vuole coraggio, ci vuole creativitá, ci vuole innovazione.
In bocca al lupo coach!

Ognuno come puó.
Abbia gioia
Giannicola

Boniciolli e l'anno zero del nostro basket:
"Ci resta solo l’innovazione"
Chi sogna di giorno vede molto più lontano: tra Matteo Boniciolli ed Edgar Allan Poe c’è piena sintonia. Il problema casomai sono gli altri, quelli del basket, che lo considerano un pazzo che abbaia alla luna e che ogni tanto si toglie qualche soddisfazione. Per non parlare di quelli che «la pallacanestro è roba per spilungoni», e che sicuramente faticano a capire perché il miglior allenatore del 2008, il mago della rivelazione Avellino, ora sia al timone del progetto Trieste, cioè casa sua. Perché ci si può anche specializzare in miracoli e restauri, ma passare dalla semifinale scudetto alla quarta serie è un bello schiaffo alla bulimia dello sport (e del mondo) contemporaneo. La sua ennesima scelta alla Bartleby lo scrivano, preferirei di no, e le macerie della nazionale italiana che ormai non c’è più, proprio ora che nel campionato sono tornati soldoni e grandi firme: carne al fuoco ce n’è tanta insomma, per l’unico «compagno» (nel senso politico) che ha fatto outing nel mondo dei cesti. E pazienza se la sua parabola ricorda un po’ quella di Zare Markowsky, suo successore proprio ad Avellino, dalla finale scudetto con la Virtus Bologna al licenziamento: il deragliamento dalla logica è senz’altro uno dei padri dello sprofondo baskettaro. «Calma, io non ho rinunciato a nulla. Semplicemente ho scelto di tornare dalla mia famiglia, perché non volevo più stare lontano dai miei figli. Me ne sono andato da Avellino, non senza rammarico, e soprattutto senza offerte sul tavolo. Dico solo che altri, più paraculi di me, non l’avrebbero fatto. E dall’Italia non mi ha chiamato nessuno. Mi hanno telefonato da Mosca e da Istanbul, ma non sarebbe stato coerente andarci. Ma ma resto sul mercato e aspetto una panchina». Quindi fine della favola Avellino: gli ultimi tornano ad essere beati? «Assolutamente no, il presidente Ercolino e la società hanno investito molto e si sono rafforzati ancora di più, durerà ancora tanto. Il problema è un altro casomai». Quale? «L’anno scorso i nostri risultati, come quelli di Montegranaro e Capo d’Orlando, cioè le piccole piazze, sono stati possibili anche per la crisi dei club come Milano, Roma e Bologna. Ma soprattutto perché, per la prima volta, è stato premiato più chi ha avuto idee di chi ha speso soldi. “Avellino ha vinto per l’innovazione” ha detto di noi Dan Peterson, il complimento più bello». Dopo la rivoluzione francese, torna la restaurazione. Le grandi hanno speso tanto, e Siena è sempre Siena. «Quest’anno sono in ballo le tre licenze per le prossime edizioni dell’Eurolega, non potevano permettersi di sbagliare. Ma questo conferma quello che ho detto. Ad Avellino sono state premiate le scelte come quella di prendere giocatori che altrove non volevano più, o di giocare con un play nano, ma con quattro di due metri e passa intorno. Oppure di fare l’allenatore e il gm insieme, con Tonino Zorzi al mio fianco». Quindi qualche consiglio per salvare la nazionale che non era mai caduta così in basso ce l’avrà, no? «Cito il libro di Elsa Morante, “Il mondo salvato dai ragazzini”. Bisogna investire sui giovani e avere il coraggio di buttarli nella mischia subito, come abbiamo scelto di fare qui a Trieste. Abbiamo un paio di ragazzi che in tre-quattro anni potrebbero essere di aiuto all’Italia». Campa cavallo, coach. Forse hanno ragione a dire che non abbiamo più giocatori. «Non è che una volta ci fossero sette Meneghin e otto Flaborea, il problema è casomai che se accetti la competizione e il professionismo, devi comportarti con coerenza. Durante l’estate, per esempio, non è che vedo i campi affollati di giocatori che si allenano per migliorare. Le regole non sono in discussione, casomai è l’interpretazione. Se abbiamo accettato il mercato, poi non si può pretendere il posto fisso. In altre parole, la discriminante non è il passaporto, ma la bravura. Diciamo la verità: tanti nostri ventenni non giocano perché non meritano». Ma come, proprio ora che abbiamo una generazione Nba con Bargnani, Belinelli e Gallinari... «È un paradosso solo apparente, perché la Nba corrompe e perfino gli americani, pur preda talvolta della loro drammatica stupidità, hanno capito che ormai l’Europa è un bacino dal quale non possono prescindere. I ventenni italiani sono difficili da capire, lo dicono anche i sociologi. Ma sinceramente sentirmi dire da loro, parlo dei primi due perché Gallo è stato fermato da un infortunio, che non vanno in nazionale, mi pare perlomeno discutibile. Come il fatto che, invece di essere protagonisti di una rinascita sportiva per il proprio paese, preferiscano passare l’estate a fare pesi in una palestra americana». Fatto sta che la Spagna, anche nel basket, adesso ci sembra la luna. «La differenza tra noi e loro è che in quel paese esiste ancora la possibilità di fare investimenti con una prospettiva e la pazienza di aspettare, senza paura di fidarsi dei giovani. In Italia, e non solo nello sport, perdere è diventato impossibile. E in queste condizioni è difficile trovare gente disposta a tirare fuori quattrini e far andare la giostra. E poi loro litigano meno». Cioè? «È una società molto meno antagonista, da noi manca cooperazione e unità dappertutto, anche nel nostro piccolo ambiente del basket». Veramente pare che il dialogo scarseggi a ben altri livelli. «Ecco, appunto». Salvatore Maria Righi