May 2019
 
Greetings from BCAM!
 
In this month's newsletter we focus on ways to improve your feeder system, helping first year coaches succeed, improving team chemistry and developing leaders on your team. 
BCAM's Year in Review: our annual magazine that lists all award winners from this past season will be mailed this month. Meijer continues to underwrite the BCAM awards. 
 
ALL certificates and ALL plaques for BCAM team/player awards have been delivered. So if anyone thinks they should have received something and didn’t, please let Amy know.
 
Our calendar year has changed: this year your membership will run through July 31st.
Our new calendar year is now August 1-July 31. You can start registering for next year's membership on July 1st.
 
BCAM Scholarship will open up May 15 and run through June 20. The application form is online and is under the "Nomination Forms" tab. The BCAM Scholarship is a $500 grant for children of BCAM members. You must have been a member for the last 5 consecutive years and your child must be a 2019 high school graduate.
 
BCAM's Posting Boards: be sure to check out the "Bulletin Boards" on our website: JOBS, COMPETITIVE EVENTS, and CAMPS/CLINICS. They are starting to come alive with activity for the summer months.
 
Best Regards,
 
Dan Young 
Executive Director
 
In this edition: 
  • BCAM Coach Spotlight: President Ramsey Nichols, Kalamazoo Central
  • Chris Beard on the power of team chemistry
  • Book "The Old Man In The Gym" by Bob Taylor
  • MHSAA Updates: New Transfer Rule for 2019-20
  • Developing Leaders by Greg Kampe, Oakland University
  • Basketball Officials & Coaches Communication Committee
  • "Grow Our Great Game": A guide for first year coaches
  • FCA announces 3 upcoming events
 
Coach Chris Beard's strategy can transform individuals into a high-performance team.
The first thing Beard did when they reached the remote ranch two hours south of campus was to ask players to surrender their cellphones. The players were assigned questions to ask one another and they had to share what they had learned with the rest of the group. Instead of checking their devices, they listened to each other's stories. They learned about each other--where they came from and what drives each of them. It brought them closer.
Read more
 
 
Bob Taylor coached college basketball for more than three decades when he began to notice a difference in players: Their basketball IQ was declining. He discovered that the problem began in the youth game, primarily with the coaching methods used to teach today’s players. In “Old Man in the Gym,” Taylor breaks down his step-by-step plan for how coaches and parents can train their young basketball players the right way, building a foundation that improves court sense, decision making and feel for the game. Taylor also shares the drills and practice routines he used to help his players earn a spot on their varsity team as freshmen. Pick up “Old Man in the Gym” to learn the secrets behind building better basketball players!
Read Chapter One
 
New Transfer Rule Ahead
A new Sport-Specific Transfer rule takes effect for 2019-20 and is based on participation in sports THIS YEAR. A student who does not meet an exception and transfers to another school will not be eligible in any sport he or she played this year in the next season.
 
Current Transfer Rule Summary
New Sport-Specific Transfer Rule
 
Developing Leaders
By Greg Kampe, Oakland University
 
#1. You have to define what you want from them as the leaders of your team.
#2. Then you have to teach them, because they won't know how to lead.
I sent my 3 captains to sit down with Carol Hutchins, Michigan Softball Coach. She has more than 1,500 career wins, more than any other coach in University of Michigan history in any sport, male or female. I asked her to spend 30 minutes with them. She ended up spending over an hour. Then I had them meet with Tom Wilson, President & CEO, Olympia Entertainment. Then they met with Vince Thomas, who is 33 and CEO of Billhighway, and has a net worth of 500 million. Find successful people (a coach of another sport at your school, a college coach or your local business CEO) to sit down with your captains. It will help them grow as leaders and as people.
 
 
Basketball Officials & Coaches Communication Committee
 
“WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.”
Help build a healthy relationship between coach and official. In the end we are in this together for the health and well-being of the game.
Keith Richardson
Supervisor of Officials
Saginaw Valley League
Read
 
Grow Our Great Game
Better Coaching Always Matters
BCAM is committed to improving our game by assisting new coaches. This program: Grow Our Great Game, Better Coaching Always Matters, is based on the idea that first year coaches would benefit from knowledge shared by veteran coaches gleaned from years of experience.
 
Our program is designed to introduce you, the first year coach, to the fundamental steps necessary for you to join the ranks of sound basketball coaches.
 
The purpose of this publication is to acquaint the new coach with many of the issues related to coaching basketball. We have intentionally omitted references to plays and drills as they can be found on any number of other websites.
Guide for the first year coach
 
FCA Announces 3 Upcoming Events
What is FCA? The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is touching millions of lives…one heart at a time. Since 1954, FCA has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful platform of sport to reach every coach and every athlete.
 
Night of Champions
Coaches Marriage Retreat
Michigan FCA Sports Camp
Contact Your BCAM Board Members
 
Support Your Sponsors
 
BCAM Website