BEHIND THE SCENES: NTDP Boys Training Series | Building Athlete Ownership with Nick MacRae

A key aspect of designing a strong practice is helping young athletes learn how to take ownership of their development on the court. In this “behind the scenes” look at the Boys NTDP Training Series, Nick MacRae, Long Beach State Head Coach and NTDP Age Group National Team Coach, guides coaches through ways to build a practice that emphasizes a growth mindset. MacRae highlights the need to plan drills that make athletes uncomfortable (e.g., new challenge, skill they haven’t mastered) and to repeat these drills in close proximity, giving athletes a chance to succeed where they previously failed. MacRae emphasizes the need to help direct athletes attention to how they are improving, and to create a mindset of being “problem solvers” on the court when mistakes happen. 0:00 – Introduction 0:30 – Inside NTDP: Focus on Athlete Ownership 1:45 – What Ownership Looks Like in Training 3:05 – Encouraging Decision-Making on the Court 4:30 – Creating Accountability Within the Team 5:55 – Coaching Athletes to Take Initiative 7:15 – Communication and Leadership Habits 8:40 – Observations from Live Training 10:00 – Translating Ownership to Competition 11:20 – Key Takeaways for Coaches