PODCAST

A Pen And A Napkin

Martin Plum

A weekly basketball coaches clinic that you can have in your pocket

sports basketball

All Episodes

72:06

"The Coaching Staff" Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/06/30

If you are going to maximize your abilities as a coach, I firmly believe that you need to be a voracious reader and to have the ability and drive to pick up on coaching tidbits through literature. This week, Tony and I break down and explain some of our favorite coaching books that we have applied to our coaching journeys, and if you haven't read some of these books, you need to get on it right now! In addition, we have our basketball history, trivia and TWIB segments to share, including our

69:49

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #282 Herb Livsey & Don...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/06/25

What a great morning talking with Herb Livsey and Don Showalter, the two men most responsible for Snow Valley Basketball School, which kicked off their 30th summer in Iowa this week! We take some time to discuss "Last Of The Cowboys", the history of Snow Valley, stories about the camp and much more! In addition, Wes Bruns of Cedar Rapids (IA) comes on for a short interview about working through adversity and life in semi-retirement!

70:13

"The Coaching Staff" Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/06/22

Because of some travel complications, we're dropping "The Coaching Staff" a day early . . . Tony and I wanted to go through a list of things that a new coach (especially) needs to be aware of before the step onto the sideline or as they take over their new jobs. From adversity to organization to finding a higher meaning, here's a great starting point for any new coach who is wondering what to expect, especially off the court. In addition, we have trivia, a discussion of the Lakers sale, the draft

67:14

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #281 Northwest Iowa...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/06/19

I was back at home last week visiting family and friends, and my friend Kiley Yates from South O'Brien (IA) HS helped me bring together Derek Keizer from Hull Western Christian (IA) and Loren DeJong of Siouxland Christian (IA) HS together at my buddy Chad Lang's restuarant "Langer's" in Sheldon for a great podcast! We discussed summer strategies, staying in coaching for an extended period of time, sustaining a successful program, what these coaches learned from their highly successful seasons and

75:19

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #280-Rafael Barlowe and...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/06/12

We've got a two-parter this week! We'll kick it off with NBA draft guru (and Omaha native) Rafael Barlowe breaking down the top end of the draft, discussing players with Omaha ties, some foreign players that may sneak up the draft board and other sleepers in the draft. In the second half of the pod, up and coming coach Jordon Klein discusses his rise up the coaching ranks, including his new positoin at Fort Hays Tech in Goodland, Kansas. Enjoy!

71:15

"The Coaching Staff" Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/06/09

Both teams in the NBA Finals, the Pacers and the Thunder, have really built an identity on their aggressive defensive systems. In this week's pod, Tony and I discuss various methods and philosophies to attack defenses that are really aggressive, from both a program point of view to a daily expectation. In addition, we have our weekly trivia, a discussion of the Finals to this point and did the Knicks do the right thing firing Thibs?

66:33

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #279 John Gianforte

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/06/05

It's tough taking over a new job, but it can be even tougher taking over for a legend, but that is what John Gianforte, the new GBB HC at Cedar Rapids Xavier (IA) is doing this spring! Coach graciously jumped on the pod with us this week to talk about a variety of topics, including his basketball journey, "re-recruiting" his players, adapting his system to a successful system, building a program from the bottom up, working with parents, community service and "Exit Tickets". Two Italian guys had alot

79:18

"The Coaching Staff" Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/06/02

Tony and I are excited to have our first guest EVER for "The Coaching Staff" in Greg Berge, head boys basketball coach at Lake City (MN) and "culture guru"! We go through a bunch of topics during the podcast, including building a culture, building leaders and accountability within your program, battling for players attention in the "TikTok" generation, bringing joy back to the game for our players and much, much more! We also discuss the NBA playoffs and the NBA Finals matchup between Oklahoma City

65:38

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #278 Steve Smiley

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/05/29

We had a great time chatting with Steve Smiley, Northern Colorado University Men's HC about a variety of topics for episode #278! In this episode, we talk about coaches journey through the JC ranks to a Division I AC to now the head man. In addition, we talk about NIL and the effects of the portal on mid-major programs like his, the influence of the legendary Don Meyer and his network of coaching friends, bench organization, implementing your scouting report, turning defense into offense and much

81:38

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #277 Ryan Mlnarik

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/05/22

Fremont Bergan (NE) Boys HC Ryan Mlnarik comes on the podcast this week, fresh off of an unlikely state championship run this spring, the first #8 seed to win a state championship in years! Coach Mlnarik discusses his journey as a basketball coach and his stops along the way, navigating the season with a very young team, hitting the tournament trail and the process they went through to win a title, and more! We also talk about how he sets up his practices, offensive transition and his half court

71:49

"The Coaching Staff" Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/05/19

We spend alot of time during the season devoted to developing the team game, but many times at the end of the season it comes down to either getting a score or a stop in an isolation situation. This week, Tony and I break down the importance of one on one and why you should be working on it in practice. In addition, Tony and I will drop over a dozen drills that you can bring back to your program to help develop your one on one abilities on both sides of the ball! We also have trivia, a discussion of

68:30

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #276 Kristina Danella

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/05/15

Episode #276 features state champion GBB HC Kristina Danella of Glen Ridge (NJ) High School! Coach Danella has had a well traveled career at both the collegiate and high school level, and we dive into that, along with her successful playing career at the Division I level and how that has affected her coaching style, along with some transition offense, offensive sets, communicating with parents, her state title journey and many other things. Alot of fun with a terrfic young coach from the Garden

71:40

"The Coaching Staff" Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/05/12

Although most of the topics that are discussed on this podcast deal with current coaching issues, one thing that we rarely think about until it happens is what life is like without coaching. This week, Tony and I break down the do's and don'ts of life without coaching, including prepping for the next stop, what we should look for in our next position, how to handle the situation if it wasn't your choice to step away and much, much more! In addition, we've got a new segment at the top of the pod,

70:26

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #275 Spring Roundtable

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/05/08

Four girls basketball coaches got together last week at Wine 121 here in Omaha to talk some hoops; Gretna East's Wade Coulter, Oakland-Craig's Scott Guzinski and APAAN's all around pinch hitter Marc Kruger got together to discuss their 2025 journey, of which each team played on the final day of the season. We talk about those journeys and look ahead to the summer of 2025 and how they plan on putting their teams together. We also talk about what our coaches want to get better at as they prepare for

71:25

"The Coaching Staff" Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/05/05

One of the elements that makes life difficult for many coaches is the parents of the kids that they coach. It's easy to put all of your difficult parents into one basket, but there are different kinds of difficult parents. In this epiosde, Tony and I break down those types of parents, along with our swan song for opening numbers. In addition, we have our trivia segment and our TWIB segment, including a big thank you to Coach Pop and a discussions of the NBA playoffs. Enjoy!!

67:25

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #274 Jared Blackwell

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/05/01

Jared Blackwell took over the legendary Sandy Creek (NE) girls basketball program four years ago and has worked hard to put the Cougars back amongst the elite in the small school spectrum of Nebraska. In this fun podcast, Coach Blackwell talks about building the program back up after some down years, the influence of Russ Ninemire, the adjustments you make going from an assistant coach to a head coach, scouting, game day superstitions and much more! A really fun conversation with one of Nebraska's

61:50

"The Coaching Staff" Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/04/28

Every team needs to have players that are going to keep things together and do great things without the ball in their hand; hit their partners with a great pass, screen well, be a great help side defender, and on and on the list goes. The more that EVERY player on your roster buys into the elements of being a glue player, the better your team will be. Tony and I break down the elements that makes glue players so important, and we also discuss the NBA playoffs, St. John 's dominating the transfer

67:50

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #273 Derek Sonderland

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/04/24

Coach Derek Sonderland is a veteran girls basketball coach in southwest Iowa, having coached almost a quarter of a century in various stops, including his current school, Tri-Center Neola, where he's on his second run as head coach. Coach Sonderland discusses those travels, along with some influences in his career, what his team needs to do to improve for next season, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, building a strong culture, some of his favorite drills and much more! A really fun

70:08

"The Coaching Staff" Presented by Ruiz Auto-Episode...

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/04/21

Mr. Tony D. Vis is back, so "The Coaching Staff" is back! This week we talk about Don Meyer's "Five Stages of Coaching", which is a prominent topic this time of year as coaches take inventory of where they are at and what are they are looking to do in their next steps of their career. After we break that down, we've got trivia, a WNBA draft breakdown and a discussion of the NBA playoffs.. Great to be back with Tony on the pod, and I hope you enjoy it!

65:32

A Pen And A Napkin-Episode #272 Kris Freeland

A Pen And A Napkin ·

2025/04/18

Kris Freeland has been the long time boys head coach at Dundy County-Stratton (NE) and has built a very solid small school program year in and year out. In this pod, we talk about Coach Freeland's position as an administrator and how he balances that out with his coaching duties, along with the influence of Greg McDermott and Tom Kropp on his career. We also talk about his "Improvement Season" plan, developing your program through it's youth, unique traditions about the DC-S program and much more! A

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