Offensive Charting on the Bench by Adam Spinella

Written by Coach Peterman

I have coached at the NCAA Division 2 (Southwestern Oklahoma State University), NAIA (USAO), and JUCO Levels (Blinn College and Carl Albert State College) as well as high school. I just felt that fellow coaches especially young coaches need to constantly work on their “game”. Just like the basketball players that we coach. We as coaches need to improve ourselves. That is my story and why I do this blog.

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Basketball Coaching

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January 24, 2015

Offensive Charting on the Bench by Adam Spinella

Most college coaches and even high school programs chart their offensive performance during a game. But the key is for whatever assistant that’s charting to be able to do so in an effective, efficient and readable manner. When taking stats on the bench, you need to have a system that quickly can be written. Short-hand for results of a play will save you time, keep you involved in the flow of the game but also have an accurate method of charting.

How to Structure the Page

Your charting document should not exceed one page, maybe two at the absolute most. You should have the name of each play, including plenty of clearly-marked space where you can chart effectively. Furthermore, plays need to be grouped by type or by structure. I like to have a section for Transition/ Early Offense, Main Motion Offense, Zone Offense, Half-Court Sets and Inbounds Plays.

How to Chart the Game

Charting the game in short hand is the key. Coming up with a comprehensive system for what a play results in is fairly simple. Makes and misses, where the shot comes from and if there is a foul or turnover are the essentials that you’ll want on your chart.

Many who are charting games don’t remember that it’s okay for a play not to result in a shot, or for one possession to have more than one play call in it. In these scenarios I would simply mark the play with an “O” so that you know it has been called and resulted in a continuation of offense. It would be incorrect to assume that nothing happened during the play call because there wasn’t a shot in the play.

Coach Adam Spinella is entering his first season as an Assistant Coach at Culver Acadelinmies in Culver, IN. Spinella spent the three years prior as a Student Assistant Coach at Division III Dickinson College. The Dickinson Men’s Team advanced to two NCAA Tournaments and accumulated an overall record of 59-26 (.694) during the three-year span, with the 2013-2014 season ending in the Division III Elite Eight. A native of Bow, New Hampshire, Spinella has a keen interest in X’s and O’s, particularly in professional basketball, and skill development.

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