Galen Harkness • July 24, 2023
Accelerate Your Journey to Greatness: The Importance of Finding a Coach, Mentor, or Guide in Basketball
In the pursuit of greatness, seeking guidance from a coach, mentor, or guide can make all the difference.
In the pursuit of greatness, seeking guidance from a coach, mentor, or guide can make all the difference. A skilled coach isn't just a solution for those struggling; they serve as a powerful accelerator for those aspiring to be great. In this article, we will explore the significance of finding a coach or mentor and how their expertise can propel hard-working basketball players towards success.
Personalized Guidance:
A coach or mentor provides personalized guidance tailored to your unique needs and goals. They can identify your strengths and areas for improvement, creating a targeted training plan that maximizes your potential. With their experience and knowledge, they unlock possibilities you might not have discovered on your own.
Accelerate Skill Development:
A skilled coach accelerates your skill development by offering expert instruction and constructive feedback. They can break down complex techniques into manageable steps and provide valuable tips to refine your game. Their guidance expedites your progress and saves time that would otherwise be spent on trial and error.
Mental and Emotional Support:
A coach or mentor not only focuses on physical skills but also offers crucial mental and emotional support. They instill confidence, belief, and a growth mindset in their players. During tough times, their encouragement and advice keep you motivated and focused on your goals.
Learn from Experience:
A coach's experience in the game can be an invaluable asset. They have faced challenges, overcome obstacles, and achieved success themselves. Learning from their experiences can help you avoid common pitfalls and make informed decisions on and off the court.
Accountability and Discipline:
Having a coach or mentor fosters accountability and discipline. They set expectations, monitor your progress, and hold you responsible for putting in the effort required to reach your goals. Their guidance ensures that you stay on track and maintain consistency in your training and performance.
Conclusion:
In the journey to greatness, finding a coach, mentor, or guide is a game-changer for hard-working basketball players. They offer personalized guidance, accelerate skill development, provide mental and emotional support, share invaluable experiences, and instill accountability and discipline. Remember, embracing the expertise of a coach will propel you towards your basketball aspirations and help you accomplish big things on the court. Embrace the guidance, work hard, and soar to new heights in your basketball journey.
Summer is the season where real growth happens. Summer is the season where real growth happens. For serious high school basketball players, this isn’t the time to coast. It’s the time to separate yourself. If you want to take your game to the next level, take a page from WNBA star Caitlin Clark’s offseason playbook. Here’s what she focused on—and how you can apply it this summer: 1. Get Stronger to Play Stronger The game only gets more physical at higher levels. Caitlin Clark used her offseason to build strength so she could handle contact, maintain her balance, and stay efficient even when tired. You can do the same: Bodyweight strength work like pushups, squats, lunges, and planks builds a powerful base. Core strength helps you finish through contact and protect the ball under pressure. Strong legs = better defense, more explosiveness, and more consistency in your shot. This summer, commit to strength training 2–3 days per week. 2. Recovery Is Part of Training Recovery is not just for pros—it’s what allows you to train hard again the next day. Clark’s offseason wasn’t just about grinding—it was about taking care of her body with sleep, nutrition, hydration, stretching, and downtime. What does recovery look like for you? Go to bed early. Drink water throughout the day. Take time to stretch, roll out, and cool down. Don’t train yourself into the ground—train to be consistent. Recovery helps you show up every day with energy and focus. 3. Work on Game-Specific Skills Clark didn’t just shoot 1,000 shots a day. She trained the shots she actually takes in games: pull-ups, deep threes, quick releases, contact finishes, tight handle under pressure. This is where most players fall short—they train skills in perfect settings instead of game situations. This summer: Add contact to finishing drills. Practice handling under pressure, not just cones. Get game-speed reps on your shot. Compete in 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 as much as you can. Your training should look like the game you want to play. 4. Put It All Together Clark’s offseason success wasn’t magic—it was a smart, consistent plan. She got stronger. She recovered with purpose. She trained her game with intensity. You can do the same. Strength builds your body. Recovery protects it. Skill work sharpens your game. This summer, train with a purpose—not just sweat, but skill. Final Thought: The offseason is where players are made. The ones who train smart, recover well, and stay consistent will come back in the fall stronger, sharper, and more confident. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to keep showing up and doing the work. Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways EYG Basketball can help you this summer: Committed Skills Academy – Weekly high-level skills training for players who want consistent work on ball-handling, finishing, shooting, and playmaking. Summer Camps – Fun, challenging, and competitive camps in Superior, Northglenn, and Longmont. 1v1 to 3v3 play every day. Training Memberships – Serious about your game? Memberships are for players who want more. Train 2–3 times per week with a structured plan and coaching. Check out all our summer training options at www.eygbball.com
A strong team culture doesn’t start with talent. A strong team culture doesn’t start with talent. It starts with trust. When Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland said: “Players are feeling they can contribute every night, that everyone has a role, and that hard work is rewarded. Doesn’t matter who you are.” He wasn’t just describing a successful locker room. He was describing the culture every coach should strive to create. Why This Mindset Matters 1. It Builds Trust Players know opportunity isn’t based on politics—it’s earned. That creates belief in the system. 2. It Drives Consistent Effort When effort is noticed and rewarded, players show up, work hard, and grow. 3. It Elevates Everyone Rewarding hustle over hype raises the standard. Effort becomes contagious. 4. It Keeps Coaches Honest You have to coach with clarity and consistency. No favorites. No fluff. Just earned roles. 5. It Prepares Players for Life Hard work matters beyond basketball. Teaching that lesson is part of your job. A Challenge for Coaches Ask yourself: Do your players know what it takes to earn trust? Do they believe effort will actually lead to opportunity? Are you rewarding the right things? If the answer is no, you still have time to change that. Make your program one where hard work is the standard—regardless of status. It will unlock your team’s potential. Want More Players Who Work Hard and Get Better? Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways EYG Basketball can help: 1. Committed Skills Academy Train up to 2x per week. Focused 90-minute workouts on ballhandling, shooting, finishing, and playmaking. Affordable, flexible, and consistent. 2. EYG Basketball Camps Summer camps across Superior, Northglenn, and Longmont. Open to rec and competitive players. Check our homepage for dates and details. 3. Training Memberships 3-month minimum. For serious, coachable players who want to get out of their comfort zone and grow. Coaches—we’re here to help your players improve so they can perform better for you. Explore all options at eygbball.com
Every player wants to be the one who gets the break. More playing time. More points. More attention from coaches. More wins. And when it happens, people say, “That kid got lucky.” But here’s the truth no one talks about: Luck is rarely random. Most of the time, it’s math. What Looks Like Luck... …is really just a byproduct of effort. The player who “got lucky” and made the team? They were in the gym three days a week for months. The girl who “got lucky” and hit the game-winner? She practiced that same shot hundreds of times alone in the gym. The kid who “got lucky” and got noticed by a scout? He showed up early, stayed late, and played hard every game. The players who look lucky are usually just the ones who put in more reps. Luck = Opportunities × Reps The more you train, the more games you play, the more people you meet… …the more chances you create to be in the right place at the right time. If you want to get luckier in basketball, you don’t need to hope. You need to take more shots—on and off the court. 5 Ways to Create Your Own Basketball Luck 1. Train More Put in consistent, focused work. Ball-handling. Shooting. Footwork. Finishing. Do it for months. Do it when no one is watching. Reps compound. 2. Play More Pickup. Open gym. 1v1. 3v3. Every possession teaches you something. Playing more = learning faster. 3. Watch More Film Study yourself. Study pros. Steal footwork. Learn how great players read the game. Film is a cheat code. Use it. 4. Meet More People Coaches. Trainers. Mentors. Your next opportunity might come from someone who sees you working hard. Character creates connection. 5. Help More Teammates Set screens. Make the extra pass. Talk on defense. Be the player that makes others better. Coaches never forget those players. The Compound Effect of Showing Up Every time you show up… …while others skip workouts, …while others quit early, …while others wait to be noticed… You increase your chances. You’re stacking the math in your favor. Effort. Reps. Patience. That’s the formula. The Bottom Line Most “lucky” players just took more shots. They trained more. They played more. They showed up longer. They failed more. And because of that, opportunities found them. So train. Compete. Connect. Serve. Not once. Not for a week. But over and over again. Because luck? It’s just a matter of showing up more often than everyone else. Start stacking your reps. Start creating your own luck. Start today. Whenever you are ready, there a 3 ways EYG Basketball can help you: 1. Committed Skills Academy: This program is the most affordable, flexible, and valueable for players to join. Players can train up to 2 times per week for extra work on their ballhandling, shooting, finishing, and playmaking. These 90 minute workouts are focused on helping players improve and elevate their individual skills. 2. EYG Basketball Camps: EYG offers basketball camps all summer long at the Blue Sport Stable, Northglenn Recreation center, and Ward Hardwood Hoops Facility in Longmont. Check out the home page with a full listing of Summer 2025 camps and academies. For recreational to competitive basketball players. 3. Training Memberships. These require a minimum of 3 month commitment and are for hardworking, dedicated, and serious basketball players wanting to put in extra work. These will challenge and push basketball players to get out of their comfort zone to reach new heights as a player. Players are wanting to put in extra work. They are wanting to be coached. They are good players, yet humble enough to know they need to keep getting better.