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The art of getting better

With a slew of accolades defining its basketball program, the one thing that drives Tampa Catholic High School is getting even better.

by Michael J. Pallerino

Mention high school basketball in the Greater Tampa area and watch how many people immediately cite Tampa Catholic High School. The problem is trying to find what of the many amazing athletic accomplishments to lead with. Since 1991, when Don Dziagwa officially took the helm as head coach, the Crusaders have won 287 games (think 17 wins per season, five seasons with 20 wins and two with 19 wins).

You want more? Try seven district championships (16 in all), 12 regional tournament trips, five regional finals, three state final four appearances and a state championship in 1995 (which even included a day named in the team’s honor by the mayor of Tampa). And the list goes on.

So how does the coach of a program that has featured 11 players score more than 1,000 points and has played in tournaments from Georgia, New York, Illinois, Las Vegas, Austria and Italy celebrate? Do you believe by having his players work even harder and smarter on getting better?

Dziagwa, who is starting is 18th year as head coach and seventh as the assistant athletic director, believes his program can be even stronger. His strategy is centered on building his players’ fundamentals – a philosophy he says more coaches should embrace. That’s why Dziagwa implemented the On Court Player Development® program and immediately introduced his team to the Virtual Trainer, which includes hundreds of drills that can be customized to fit any player or team’s needs.

“I have been involved with the game of basketball for over 40 years, 30-plus as a coach,” he says. “Over the years, I have come across some great things. But I would have to say that the On Court Player Development® program is one of the best training aids I have ever come across.”

On Court recently caught up with Dziagwa to get his take on how On Court Player Development® is helping make a difference in his program. Following is what he had to say.

On Court: Discuss your philosophy when it comes to youth basketball.
Don Dziagwa: When I think about the philosophy of youth basketball, I would say there is a cycle to it all. When players first find the game to be fun, they practice more, which makes them better, which in turn makes the game more fun. This leads to more practice time and a cycle of improvement. Youth basketball must be first and foremost about having fun. We want to make those who play youth basketball see improvement in their game, which will make it more fun for them.

On Court: Tell us how the On Court Player Development® Virtual Trainer (VT) is helping make a difference in your players.
Dziagwa: By using the Virtual Trainer, our players are doing things they have never done before. So much of the VT has to do with footwork, whether it’s dribbling, passing or shooting a basketball. This is something our players have never put much thought into before. By having the On Court Player Development® program, they are seeing the importance of skills such as footwork in everything they do on the basketball court.

On Court: What is the first thing you noticed after watching them run through the Virtual Trainer?
Dziagwa: I hate to say it, but one of the first things I noticed was how poorly they executed their pivots. Something that someone might think is second nature to a basketball player is more difficult than you might think. The VT puts so much emphasis on the legs and toes and proper footwork. I noticed that my players were not ever concerned about these things. Of course, they are now. For instance, there is a major emphasis put on proper footwork leading into a shot. My players are starting to see that through proper footwork they can make more shots. It’s amazing.

On Court: Why would you recommend the VT to other coaches?
Dziagwa: The VT provides you with a game/practice plan that will help improve your players. What coach wouldn’t want something that covers all the individualized aspects of a player’s game? I find the daily workouts to be invaluable. Having a program already prepared for me has saved me a great amount of time. That’s not to say I don’t tweak it, but it’s already there for me.
On Court: What do your players think about the VT? What are some of the more popular drills?
Dziagwa: My players look forward to using the program because they are seeing the improvements. It goes back to the cycle I mentioned about when a player practices. When they practice, they see improvement, which makes it more fun. That means they want to practice more. I would say the more popular drills are the shooting drills. Most players love to shoot the ball – mine are no different. But these shooting drills are so much more than just shooting. The drills feature so many moves that a player will learn how to get open for a shot.

On Court: What’s the biggest piece of advice you can give a basketball coach today?
Dziagwa: The biggest advice I would offer a basketball coach is to enjoy the moment. What could be greater than teaching the greatest game in the world? To me, nothing could be better than to enjoy every moment of the experience.

On Court: How can programs such as On Court make a difference?
Dziagwa: On Court makes a major difference because it teaches the individual skills necessary to be successful at the game. I couldn’t agree more with the notion that we seem to have gotten away from the individual aspect of the game and have focused too much on the team aspect. Many of today’s players simply don’t work on the individual part of their games. They just go out and play. On Court teaches a player how to play. Every player would benefit immensely if his game improved. On Court can help with that. OC