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The Coaching Lab

The Coaching Lab

By Coach Matt Dennis

The Coaching Lab podcast is a place for basketball coaches to learn more about the game and how to lead their team and program to more success in less time.


Coach Matt Dennis offers insights into his basketball program along with tips, tricks, strategies and stories of leading a basketball team and program.
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Currently playing episode

Episode 005: Building Leaders On Your Team

The Coaching LabJun 10, 2020

00:00
20:26
Episode 032: Kevin White - Taking Over A New Program
Aug 16, 202246:23
Episode 031: Talking Fundraising w/FunRaisen CEO Anthony Gerson
Jun 24, 202234:33
Episode 30: Motivating Your Players In The Off-Season
May 16, 202204:36
Episode 029: 6 Open Gym Dos and Don'ts
May 11, 202209:02
Episode 028: The Not So Talked About Stuff (Sign-Ups, Liability Insurance, and Staff)
Apr 22, 202205:18
Episode 027: Two Formulas To Use For A Successful Camp
Apr 21, 202205:48
Episode 026: Moving From Camp Coach To Camp Director
Apr 20, 202205:14
Episode 025: 3 Great Ways To Grow Your Basketball Camp
Apr 18, 202207:30
Episode 024: 4 Ideas To Build Better Shooters

Episode 024: 4 Ideas To Build Better Shooters

Players build shooting habits and these habits will make them a good/consistent shooter or bad/inconsistent shooter. In today's episode, I'll share four ideas to help your players build the right habits to become a good shooter. 

- Legs Loaded

- Position 3 to 4 Shooting

- Directional Passes

- Foot Movement


For more great coaching content I encourage you to check coachmattdennis.com.

Jul 26, 202122:35
Episode 023 - 4 Reasons To Shoot On Air and 4 Not To
Jul 19, 202117:16
Episode 022 - Developing Shooters 101
Jul 12, 202125:02
Episode 021 - 6 Overlooked Skills That Win Games

Episode 021 - 6 Overlooked Skills That Win Games

In today's episode, we listen in on a Friday Coaching Clinic I held at CoachMattDennis.com on the 6 Overlooked Skills That Win Games. These skills are things your players likely know how to do but they don't do them enough of the time to make them automatic in games. You'll also be reminded that players will do what the coach emphasizes. If coaches don't add these skills to the workout or practices they will likely cost you a game or two.

Find the next Friday Coaching Clinic by visiting coachmattdennis.com. If you can't make a clinic live be sure to sign-up so you'll receive the replay and resources I discuss during each clinic session.

Apr 25, 202137:03
Episode 020: Conditioning Your Basketball Players To Play Harder and Longer
Jan 26, 202112:18
Episode 019: 4 Steps To Teaching The Motion Offense At The Youth Level
Jan 11, 202110:11
Episode 018: Getting The Most Out Of Your BLOB and SLOB System
Dec 28, 202016:00
Episode 017: 3 Strategies To Improve Your Team's Performance Now

Episode 017: 3 Strategies To Improve Your Team's Performance Now

Are you looking to better your team's performance? Today we will look at things you can do in practice to boost their performance right away. I'll share 3 strategies and the progression I use to make certain my team is getting better every time we step on the court.

Dec 20, 202018:01
Episode 016: 4 Ways To Better Utilize Your Assistant Coach(es)

Episode 016: 4 Ways To Better Utilize Your Assistant Coach(es)

If you have the luxury of having an assistant coach you need to make sure you utilize their time and knowledge the best way possible. Today, we will dive into 4 ways you can do just that.

Dec 13, 202014:13
Episode 015: 9 Ways To Develop Your Offense

Episode 015: 9 Ways To Develop Your Offense

In today's episode, I share my thoughts on why there isn't just one best offense. I also give you 9 questions to help you better develop the offense you've chosen. It doesn't matter if you run the Flex, Dribble Drive, Read and React, Princeton, or the 1-4 High offense I know you'll walk away a better coach today.

Dec 09, 202030:36
Episode 014: 6 DOs and DONTs of being a basketball coach

Episode 014: 6 DOs and DONTs of being a basketball coach

As the season gets underway for many coaches I want to remind you of 6 things you do and don't want to do this season. Feel free to send me a do and don't that you would add to this by emailing me at matt@coachmattdennis.com.


Nov 18, 202019:07
Episode 013: Tryouts And What You Need To Know

Episode 013: Tryouts And What You Need To Know

In today's episode, I walk you through all things tryouts. We will look at:

- The 4 keys to good tryouts

- How to best use your time

- The Scaffolding strategies to evaluate players

- The formula for choosing the right players

- How to let a player go (make cuts)

Oct 02, 202029:43
Episode 012: The #1 Drill To Use In Practice - The Shell Drill

Episode 012: The #1 Drill To Use In Practice - The Shell Drill

Today we look at how to use the shell drill to make your team the best defense team possible. I offer thoughts on:

  • variations to use with your team
  • delegating responsibilities to your assistants or managers
  • key coaching points
  • preparing for opponents
  • getting your team used to playing with chaos


Thanks for listening. If you haven't checked out coachmattdennis.com now is a great time to get better as a coach.


Sep 06, 202029:06
Episode 011: Better Free Throw Shooting

Episode 011: Better Free Throw Shooting

Today we will look at over 20 different ideas to use to help improve your team's free-throw shooting. While you won't use every idea, I know you'll have more tools to use as you prepare your team for a successful season.

Aug 10, 202034:26
Episode 010: 5 Quick Wins Coaches Can Use At Any Level

Episode 010: 5 Quick Wins Coaches Can Use At Any Level

Today we look at 5 quick wins that you can use right away. Three of the quick wins are athlete-centered and focused on making the athletes experience better while the other two quick wins are coach-centered and will challenge you to get better.  

Aug 03, 202010:26
Episode 009 - 3 Questions Coaches Should Ask Themselves This Off-Season

Episode 009 - 3 Questions Coaches Should Ask Themselves This Off-Season

The off-season is often a time coaches encourage their players to get shots up, work on their ball handling, and become an all-around better player. After all, championships are won in the off-season, not during the season. Well, what about coaches? Should coaches be doing the same to make themselves better? I think so and today I'll share three simple questions to ask your self to make you a better coach in your upcoming season. 

Jul 30, 202012:15
Episode 008 - 10 Strategies To Build A Better Basketball Program

Episode 008 - 10 Strategies To Build A Better Basketball Program

Building a program is something all varsity coaches dream about. They want to create something special that will last a long time and of course, create a lot of wins. In today's episode, we will look at 10 strategies to build a better program. No matter if it's your first year taking over a program or you're looking to improve what's already in place these 10 strategies are sure to add value to your program.

Jul 20, 202021:56
Episode 007: Lessons Learned From Our Summer Skills Challenge

Episode 007: Lessons Learned From Our Summer Skills Challenge

We recently wrapped up our Summer Skills Challenge and I look back at what I liked and what I learned during this time. Overall it was great to get the players in the program involved and getting better even though we couldn't do basketball like summers past due to with Covid-19.

Jun 30, 202021:54
Episode 006: Essentialism - In Practice and In Life
Jun 19, 202022:05
Episode 005: Building Leaders On Your Team

Episode 005: Building Leaders On Your Team

Leadership is something all coaches want to have on their team, but many don't intentionally build. This week I give examples of what leadership is and isn't and strategies to build better leaders on your team.

Jun 10, 202020:26
Episode 004: Summer Skills Challenge - Score Sheet, Social Media and Unknowns
Jun 04, 202019:25
Episode 003: Phase 2 - Summer Skills Challenge
May 27, 202021:24
Episode 002: Developing A Plan For Summer 2020

Episode 002: Developing A Plan For Summer 2020

In this episode, I'll break down two ideas: 

1. Having A Meeting Before The Meeting

2. Our Summer Skills Challenge

I'm laying it all out there, from start to finish. You can follow along, borrow or steal an idea, or hit me up with a question.

May 20, 202011:03
Episode 001: Intro to Coach Matt Dennis and the Coaching Lab Podcast

Episode 001: Intro to Coach Matt Dennis and the Coaching Lab Podcast

In episode 1 I give you a little background information on myself and my coaching journey as well as insight into what the Coaching Lab Podcast is all about. Enjoy!
May 04, 202019:47