Basketball Podcast with Coach Sue Phillips

Guest Introduction

• Guest: Sue Phillips, head coach at Archbishop Middy
• Background:
  • Math teacher and highly successful basketball coach
  • Coached over 50 Division I players
  • Holds record for most coaching wins in North California high school girls' basketball history
  • Achievements:
    • 33 league titles, 30 Central Coast section titles, 14 NorCal championships, 6 CIF state titles
    • 2018 team ranked top nationally by ESPN, Max Preps, USA Today
    • Named National Coach of the Year by WBCA, Naismith, Gatorade
    • Coached McDonald's All-America game in 2019
    • Won gold medals with USA Basketball U16 and U17 teams

Coaching Philosophy and Program Building

Building a Program vs. Building a Season

• Focus on long-term development over single-season success
• Manage talent distribution across freshman, JV, and varsity teams
• Use a 'triangle' system, not a ladder, for player development
• Implement 'split shift' practice to integrate JV and freshmen with varsity

Grassroots Development

• Believes in grassroots basketball and community involvement
• Founded San Jose Cagers AAU program
• Focus on player development from grades 4-12
• Encourages multi-sport participation for holistic development

Coach and Player Development

• Stresses importance of coaching development alongside player development
• Encourages open communication and feedback within coaching staff
• Emphasizes learning from others, including watching various games and scenarios

Resiliency and Chaos Management

• Encourages players to be comfortable with chaos
• Uses practice scenarios like underinflated balls and disadvantage situations
• Focus on process over outcome, decision-making, and mental resilience

Practice Structure and Player Management

Practice Design

• Mix of structured and chaotic practice drills
• Incorporates competitive elements and ACL prevention exercises
• Emphasizes rebounding and transition play

Leadership Development

• Encourages player-led communication and leadership
• Develops players to be independent decision-makers during games

Managing Talent and Coaching Philosophies

Coaching Talented Players

• Focus on all-around player development, not just scoring
• Emphasizes contribution in multiple areas (rebounds, assists, defense)
• Encourages players to never apologize for wanting to be great

Parent and Community Management

• Hosts parent and player meetings to set clear expectations
• Enforces a 24-hour rule for communication after games
• Encourages parental support while maintaining a focus on player independence

Modern Challenges

Social Media and Hype

• Encourages positive use of social media
• Takes phones on road trips to promote team interaction

Balancing Modern Coaching Demands

• Advocates for free play and less structured environments
• Questions rigid state rules and their impact on player development

Official and Game Management

• Promotes respectful interaction with officials
• Seeks to improve the game environment for officials and players

Final Thoughts

• Sue Phillips emphasizes holistic development, both on and off the court
• Advocates for ethical behavior and sportsmanship in all aspects of the game
• Her approach blends traditional values with modern coaching techniques to sustain success.