A couple of weeks ago, I posted a thread on $ for Athletes about the compensation of athletes, how much schools control, etc. I was trying to understand the subject, and that thread produced some much appreciated insight. So, since Coach Kim's System comes up frequently in various threads. I thought it might be enlightening to have one place to pull together resources, thoughts, criticisms, and ongoing discussion. I'llstart it off with a statement of my understanding of that system that I put in one of the game threads. Maybe we can add to it with resources (videos, articles, where Kim has commented), analyses, suggestions, critiques, etc.
Here are what seem to me to be the components of the CKC system, maybe in order of importance:
1. Effort. All out, last two minutes of the championship game effort every time you're on the court. Kim has said it's an effort-based system. She's said when done right, players are glad to come out. I see it like interval training -- going really hard for 90 seconds to 3 minutes, then resting, then doing it again. Defense and rebounding are a lot about effort, and we all know what Pat said about offense, defense, and rebounding.
2. Pace. I'm a little less sure about where CKC is on this one, but the early roots of this system included shooting the first good shot. Then rebound and shoot again or defense. Two reasons. One, a good shot is a good shot; take it. And, two, shooting a good shot quickly and running back forces the other team to run also. Half-court sets give defensive players more of a chance to rest. (And, if you shoot fast enough, their "big" may be just getting don the court when she has to turn around and run back. Win, win, win.)
3. Full-Court Pressure: This helps with Pace, produces turnovers, and hopefully wears the other team out so their legs aren't there and shots start missing late in games. In some of our close losses last year, we came back late, just not quite enough. I do think this is one of the "learn" things. Learn the presses, learn the rotations, learn when to go for the double-team and how to do it, learn to pressure but still be able to cut off the ball handler so she can't just go straight toward the rim (a real weakness so far).
4. 3-Point Freedom. We all know this is a bit of a challenge this year. I think we really wanted Latson, but, oh, well. Anyway, it may more of a go to the basket off transition than pull up for a three, but the 3-point shot is a key for Coach Kim's approach, and I think she'll be trying to work it in as players settle in and learn how to get their best shots off in this system. We saw what happens when Robertson sets and shoots rather than trying to go off the bounce. Same is true for others. Knowing when it is the shot they should take and taking it without hesitation and with confidence will help.
5. Trust and Teamwork. Trusting your teammates to fill their roles in the presses. Trusting them to shoot their shots. Trusting yourself to shoot yours. Trusting enough that, when a shot or three fails to fall, you're still putting in the effort on the press, in the half-court defense, and rebounding. Trust and teamwork also generate poise, that ability to execute like practice in critical game situations. We've been short on that at times this year, but hopefully we will get there.
6. Frequent, multi-player substitutions: The frequent and hockey-style substitutions actually are what enable many of the components of this system. In addition, this approach means more players get significant minutes in every game, even important ones. Kim has commented about how quickly this changed team cohesion once they got used to it the first year she played under this system. It also seemed to have that effect (buy-in, cohesion) last year.
But, overall, I think the biggest thing is #1: all-out, intensive effort each time you're on the floor, then rest, then back at it. That is different from how most players have learned to play, and I suspect it is the biggest part of what has to "click." And without it, everything else in this system starts to look bad and, as Kim has said, you get some ugly looking basketball.
Edit to add links to resources. Mention good resources in posts and I'll add them here so we end up with a good overall resource.
Sports Illustrated story on Kim's System
Cora Hall story (Tennessean) on the addition of analytics this season
Here are what seem to me to be the components of the CKC system, maybe in order of importance:
1. Effort. All out, last two minutes of the championship game effort every time you're on the court. Kim has said it's an effort-based system. She's said when done right, players are glad to come out. I see it like interval training -- going really hard for 90 seconds to 3 minutes, then resting, then doing it again. Defense and rebounding are a lot about effort, and we all know what Pat said about offense, defense, and rebounding.
2. Pace. I'm a little less sure about where CKC is on this one, but the early roots of this system included shooting the first good shot. Then rebound and shoot again or defense. Two reasons. One, a good shot is a good shot; take it. And, two, shooting a good shot quickly and running back forces the other team to run also. Half-court sets give defensive players more of a chance to rest. (And, if you shoot fast enough, their "big" may be just getting don the court when she has to turn around and run back. Win, win, win.)
3. Full-Court Pressure: This helps with Pace, produces turnovers, and hopefully wears the other team out so their legs aren't there and shots start missing late in games. In some of our close losses last year, we came back late, just not quite enough. I do think this is one of the "learn" things. Learn the presses, learn the rotations, learn when to go for the double-team and how to do it, learn to pressure but still be able to cut off the ball handler so she can't just go straight toward the rim (a real weakness so far).
4. 3-Point Freedom. We all know this is a bit of a challenge this year. I think we really wanted Latson, but, oh, well. Anyway, it may more of a go to the basket off transition than pull up for a three, but the 3-point shot is a key for Coach Kim's approach, and I think she'll be trying to work it in as players settle in and learn how to get their best shots off in this system. We saw what happens when Robertson sets and shoots rather than trying to go off the bounce. Same is true for others. Knowing when it is the shot they should take and taking it without hesitation and with confidence will help.
5. Trust and Teamwork. Trusting your teammates to fill their roles in the presses. Trusting them to shoot their shots. Trusting yourself to shoot yours. Trusting enough that, when a shot or three fails to fall, you're still putting in the effort on the press, in the half-court defense, and rebounding. Trust and teamwork also generate poise, that ability to execute like practice in critical game situations. We've been short on that at times this year, but hopefully we will get there.
6. Frequent, multi-player substitutions: The frequent and hockey-style substitutions actually are what enable many of the components of this system. In addition, this approach means more players get significant minutes in every game, even important ones. Kim has commented about how quickly this changed team cohesion once they got used to it the first year she played under this system. It also seemed to have that effect (buy-in, cohesion) last year.
But, overall, I think the biggest thing is #1: all-out, intensive effort each time you're on the floor, then rest, then back at it. That is different from how most players have learned to play, and I suspect it is the biggest part of what has to "click." And without it, everything else in this system starts to look bad and, as Kim has said, you get some ugly looking basketball.
Edit to add links to resources. Mention good resources in posts and I'll add them here so we end up with a good overall resource.
Sports Illustrated story on Kim's System
Cora Hall story (Tennessean) on the addition of analytics this season
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