Published: December 02, 2008 09:33 am            

Hooper shares thoughts of his MV coach

Editor’s note: Mt. Vernon basketball legend Max Hooper recently decided to share with the Register-News a review of a conversation held between Stan Changnon and his son, Stan Changnon Jr.



By MAX HOOPER

For the Register-News

Some twenty years ago — no perhaps 30 years ago — Coach Stan Changnon’s son sent me the following. He had spent time trying to convince his father to put on paper some of his thoughts about coaching.

Coach Changnon was a humble man and just could not put himself to the task of writing about a subject that to him seemed so basic. What Stan Changnon Jr. accomplished was to sit his father down and just talk about coaching and take notes that he later reduced to this type of account.

What Stan Changnon Jr. sent me included some 10 or 15 pages of notes on various subjects about basketball — defense, offense, shooting, footwork and several more. At the time we were considering a more lengthy presentation that never materialized.

But, with a new coach now operating on the Changnon Gymnasium basketball court I spent several days searching for the most logical place I had filed these documents. After reading the opening few pages it seemed appropriate to share these thoughts with Mt. Vernon’s great basketball fans. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did.



“Webster’s Dictionary defines fundamental as: serving as an original or generating source.

“I think Coach Changnon believed so strongly in this idea of original or generating source that his teams could have existed solely on their fundamental training. Certainly there are many factors that go into producing a competent team or organization but without the foundation all else will certainly be a muddle of effort.

“It’s easy to talk of fundamentals, but just what are these little characters and how are they put into team action. Hopefully that is what this writing is all about.

“Everyone associated with sports today has one central theme when discussing how all sports have changed from yesteryear. The obvious narrative is that all athletes are bigger, faster, stronger and do most everything better than at any time in the past. It is a fact that basketball players in general are bigger, faster and all those other things than they were just a few years ago. Many reasons for this: more opportunity to play and be coached at earlier ages, better and more availability of facilities and certain rule changes have brought about different types of play (dunk shot). Even though players are all of these things today let us consider the value of fundamentals and the results that are available.

“Is it fundamentals or pure individual development that allows the tremendous jumping ability of many of the basketball players of today? Certainly, you would have to agree that it is the individual natural development of these young players. But would it be fundamentals or individual development that allows a basketball player to position himself to properly block another player from gaining the offensive or defensive rebound? I think you would agree that it would be the fundamental training. It is the natural instinct of a player to attract himself to the flight of the ball and not be concerned with position in regard to rebounds.

“There is another analogy of fundamentals that will bring this point home to a segment of the sporting public. A handicap to a golfer allows him/her to compete with another golfer of more superior natural talent. So it is with basketball fundamentals. An individual or team being well schooled in the basics of the game can and will compete with another individual or team that may have superior individual talent. The real trick in coaching is to combine great individual talent and strong fundamentals.

“Fundamentals are to be continually reinforced. Regardless of the area: shooting; defense; rebounding; footwork; offensive movements. It must also be remembered that there is one area of fundamentals that is often overlooked — TEAMWORK. Probably in any team sport there isn’t anything more pleasing than to watch a team that works together.

“In the area of teamwork a coach, such as Coach Changnon, must instill the teamwork attitude on and off the floor. Teamwork means that an individual recognizes his total responsibility to his fellow teammates at all times.

“All of us are interested in self-improvement. But without good teamwork, it is impossible to mold together an outstanding team.

“In the long run, it is better for everyone if we all pull together for a common cause rather than to pull in opposite direction for selfish reasons. It is our belief that self-improvement will come more easily from an honest effort to be a good team member.

“The subject of teamwork and fundamentals brings to mind the view one gets when watching basketball teams perform. It defies all reason to explain why most of today’s coaches must continually be on his/her feet giving a neverending string of vocal and/or hand signals to the players on the court. The concentration necessary to function as an individual and a part of a unit cannot be focused on the task at hand with one eye on the bench and the other on the playing floor.

“Coach Changnon took the time to provide the solid foundation of fundamentals and game preparation but never would he inject himself into the flow of action during game conditions. Each coach is different, and we are glad of that. Not everyone can contain himself on the bench, but I think that the majority of the jumpers and screamers would be amazed at the outcome if the players were allowed to perform without the continual interruption from the headman on the bench.

“As we think about these words, we will have some difficulty visualizing this written text in Coach Changnon’s actual words. Stan Changnon should have put these words on paper, not me. However, he did not and it is not my intent to let these thoughts, which were his, go unnoticed. Perhaps this effort can make a small contribution to present-day coaching. Or perhaps a player will see through his efforts the value of teamwork and fundamentals.

“Coach Stan Changnon believed that what he was doing had much to do with the actual flow of life ahead. The concept of teamwork and fundamentals would play an important part in the lives of the young people he coached and taught. It is also interesting to note that all those on his staff followed Coach Changnon’s beliefs in the value of good fundamentals and teamwork.”

        

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