Playoff Week Preparation: The Pause Before the Push
After a few weeks off—due to Memorial Day, summer camp season, and scheduling gaps—I found myself staring down an all-too-familiar coaching moment: Fatigue wasn’t physical. It wasn’t mental, really.
It was weight—the weight of leadership. The invisible strain of showing up, holding it together, driving something forward when the clarity you started with begins to blur.
I’ve been coaching this Hornets team for four seasons now. We’ve gone from 0–2 at the beginning of my volunteer journey to three undefeated seasons with 27 wins and only 3 losses. That doesn’t happen without structure. It doesn’t happen without culture. And it certainly doesn’t happen without pressure.
But even seasoned coaches get tested. And this week, I was tested.
The Challenge of Uncertainty
With the playoffs approaching and no clear league communication, I found myself wondering:
Who’s in second place? What’s the format? Who are we playing? Who’s showing up for practice? Will I even have enough players for the semifinal?
One of my key players let me know he signed up for a camp and wouldn’t be there Saturday. Another had been sick and hadn’t practiced in weeks. Others were question marks.
That’s when the reflection hit me:
Do I keep doing this? Is it time to pass the torch? Why am I feeling this way right now—after everything we’ve accomplished?
But I already knew the answer. This wasn’t fatigue. It was opportunity disguised as pressure.
From Fog to Focus: The Reset
So I coached myself the same way I coach my players:
“You don’t prepare only for the days when everything’s perfect.
You prepare for the days when it isn’t. That’s what a system is for.”
I’ve built this program with intention—structure, roles, rotations, a defensive identity, and a championship standard. Not to chase wins at all costs, but to create an ecosystem where kids grow through accountability, discipline, and self belief.
And just because the path to Saturday’s playoff game is muddy doesn’t mean we stray from that system.
The Practice Plan: Sharpening the Sword
I reworked our upcoming practice into a high-impact, playoff-tuned session designed around one theme: “Showing up.”
Key Elements
Huddle reset: Reaffirming identity—Who are we? Hornets. What do we do? Hustle hard. One, two, three—Swarm.
Defensive execution: Review full-court and half-court traps. Pressure first.
Situational scrimmage: Simulating playoff moments—timeouts, traps, last-second inbounds.
Press break precision: Who’s where if we’re down to 6? Rehearsed. Understood. Executed.
End with ownership: Each player verbalizes their Saturday role.
This isn’t about installing new schemes. It’s about solidifying who we are. Reinforcing the system. Keeping everyone mentally sharp.
System Over Chaos
Here’s the thing most people outside of the game don’t see:
We win not because we’re always the most talented team.
We win because we’ve built something that outlasts missed practices, injuries, summer schedules, and temporary adversity.
I’ve taught these kids not just how to play—but how to plug into a system. And that system doesn’t collapse when one or two pieces are missing.
Some players may have to step into unfamiliar roles, but they’re stepping in with preparation behind them. They’ve been part of this culture. They understand the our intentions. And, as a coach, I make the adjustments around the system—not outside of it. That creates structure. That creates consistency.
The Bigger Picture: Culture Wins
At the end of the day, this is still YMCA basketball. Volunteer-run. One-hour practices. Busy parents. Life happening in every direction.
But that’s exactly why this model has worked.
Because it’s not about creating superstars. It’s about creating belief.
About making accountability cool.
About raising kids who trust the process, who show up for one another, who win the right way.
One of our players walked off the court after a big win last month and called the team together:
“Let everybody hear us: Who are we? Hornets. What do we do? Hustle hard. 1, 2, 3, SWARM!”
That’s culture.
Closing Thoughts: Finish Strong
So here I am—days before the playoff semifinal. Not fully sure who will show up. Not fully sure what we’re walking into.
But I am sure of this:
We will finish strong.
We will show up with intention.
And we will trust the system that’s carried us here.
Because win or lose, systems don’t panic.
Systems adapt.
And champions finish what they start.
