Coaching Philosophy

Coach Lutz knows from his experiences as both a player and a coach, that if players are not having fun while working on their game, there is little chance they will improve.

As a result, Coach Lutz adjusts his coaching style based on the age, skill level, experience and passion of his students.  If a player is young and inexperienced, Coach Lutz places the emphasis of his coaching on having fun, mixed with lots of encouragement.  As a player develops his or her skill level and passion to improve, Coach Lutz’s emphasis turns more toward hard work and intensity.

However, you will never hear Coach Lutz use foul language, insults or anger to motivate those players he is training.   Coach Lutz believes the best motivators are encouragement and respect – and this method has proven very successful over the years. 

Character and Athletics

Coach Lutz will discuss many of the topics below during his clinics and training sessions:

  • Hard-working students and a kid’s overall effort in the classroom is often an indication of what type of athlete he or she will become
  • Laziness and lack of attention to details in a kid’s personal life (whether it be chores or homework) will carry over to a kid’s athletic career
  • If a kid is teachable at home, he will be coachable on the court.  Kids who are disrespectful to their parents are typically very difficult to coach 
  • Playing sports is a privilege, not an entitlement.  All players should be grateful to be on a team, no matter their role or playing time
  • How a player responds to his teammates mistakes reflects a lot about that player’s personal character
  • Encouragement is one of the keys to all successful teams.  Kids who practice encouragement at home with their siblings and with their friends will likely become excellent team players
  • Referees are in a position of authority.  It is extremely important to never disrespect a referee, or anyone in authority for that matter
  • A player’s true character is defined by how he or she acts when nobody is watching
  • Trust is something that is earned over years, but can be destroyed within minutes

Importance of individual skill development

Coach Lutz believes in the time-tested practice of individual skill development through repetitive drill work.  But what sets Coach Lutz’s approach apart from so many other coaches is the way he also teaches players how to develop the cognitive approach to the game at the same time.  In other words, a player’s confidence level and “basketball IQ” can also be developed during individual workouts, which helps players to perform their best when it matters the most.

Coach Lutz’s system also teaches players how to challenge themselves, compete against themselves, record individual progress during their workouts, and ultimately improve their overall level of play without the constant need for supervision from a coach or trainer.

Coach Lutz emphasizes the following points during his clinics:

  • There are only a few basic ball handling and shooting drills that players need to concentrate on, but minor variations can be added to each of them, so personal workouts don’t become boring or routine
  • Many drills can incorporate multiple skills at the same time, maximizing a players development over a shorter period of time
  • Players must keep track of their progress during workouts by timing drills, “keeping score” and constantly trying to improve on their past results
  • Practicing with intensity (at or above game speeds) over a shorter period of time produces 5-10 times the results than longer workouts that involve less speed and intensity
  • The mental aspects of the game – including a player’s confidence level and “basketball IQ” – must also be cultivated and increased during personal workouts.  Coach Lutz teaches how this can be accomplished.