How to get out of a slump? by John Saintignon
Definition: a sudden severe or prolonged fall in the price, value, or amount of something. “a slump in annual profits”
synonyms: steep fall, drop, tumble, downturn, downswing, slide; antonyms: rise
a prolonged period of abnormally low economic activity, typically bringing widespread unemployment.
synonyms: recession, economic decline, depression, slowdown, stagnation, “an economic slump”
antonyms: boom
a period of substantial failure or decline. “the organization’s recent slump”
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As players and coaches we sometimes all go through these moments when we just can’t make a basket. I am going to share with you what I learned when I was an NCAA player from my Coach at UCSD, Tom Marshall.
In 1985-86 season I was the leading scorer in the NCAA, Division 1,2,3., and I had a difference of opinion with what was going on at my University and I sought the guidance of Coach John Wooden, who suggested that perhaps it would be a good idea for me to transfer within the UC system if I was going to do it at all, because of the respect he had for the UC System. I was a camp counselor for Jamaal Wilkes and Coach Tom Marshall of UCSD was at the camp as well and said to me that he would welcome me to his team if I was going to decide upon such a transfer. Needless, to say after much thought, I transferred to the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). 1 season only to play.
It was a difficult decision, I was coming in as a player with a reputation and I was coming into a very well established team with their own superstars, guys like Greg Kamansky who was averaging 20 points per game and Brian Backens who also was at that same 20 points per game average. I was brought in to add additional fire power to the already strong team. I changed my role from a shooting guard to the role of the point guard with the coaching staffs expectation to be a scorer, but I was not confident how to keep everyone on the team happy, or at least knowing that I was there to win games, to fit it, to be a part of the solution.
It was just prior to a Christmas tournament we were going to host and I was out of sorts, I wasn’t scoring like I could, I was so concerned with being everything to everyone else, that I was taken aside by my coaching staff, Coach Mark Aumann and Coach Jack Shawcroft and Coach Tom Marshall and they suggested something to me that changed our course from that point forward.
They sat me down and said that they wanted me to return to the place where I had fallen in love with the game. For me that place was in Tucson, Arizona where I had grown up at a school down the street from me at C.E. Rose school. It’s where I spent much of my youth. Basketball is a game in which you only need a ball and a basket and your imagination and wonderful things can happen. I had 2 days off, so I heeded their advise, and returned to my house in Tucson. I walked down the street dribbling the ball between my legs like I had always, and I passed by the usual suspects along the way, those who would be drinking, or smoking. That was a distraction that didn’t bother me, because those people never bothered me, they knew I was driven to play the game and not get involved in those other things.
I arrived at the courts and just took it all in. The smell of the grass, the dirt in the air, the feeling of peace, the enjoyment of me thinking when I was younger, my dreams; my smile came back, I was shooting and remembering spots on the floor where I had spent time shooting, even when it rained; on that concrete I would bounce the ball in those little pockets where the water accumulated to get used to having difficulty shooting and handling the ball. I did self talk about how I was going to make baskets, and then began to work harder and harder and harder, mind you I was on a break, but the joy was overwhelming and took me to a place where I loved being as a kid. A place where anything is possible! I began to listen to my former coaches from my childhood at St. John’s, to Salpointe Catholic High School to my NCAA Coaches, from UCSC and UCSD. I heard their voices.
Later that night, I got my phone call my Assistant Coach Aumann. He asked me how was I doing and did I go to that special place? When I told him yes, he said great, now it’s time to return to UCSD and do what you do! I returned, I scored, I was MVP of the Christmas Tournament, I helped our team win and additionally, provided us with that extra. My teammates embraced me because I felt that they believed that I was there for them.
Now as coaches, please take the time to share with your players. This is a young man’s game. It doesn’t last long. Make it the best possible experience that you can for them. When a player is struggling, ask them where did you first fall in love with the game? Go back to that place, either physically or mentally and ask them to share with you, the atmosphere, where is it, what does it smell like, to describe to you. You will see a smile come out. I know that with my NCAA players and with my Professional players, they all hit the wall at some point. They usually think it’s solved by shooting more in the gym. It can be solved there for sure. But I also know that when I used this with them and it had a profound effect on them, personally and professionally as they remembered that it was a game to be loved and that once upon a time they were a kid who just loved the game and needed to be reminded by someone!
As Coach John Wooden told me, “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care!” I can write to you about various offensive systems, but I really believe that at this time of the year, you have all that done. What you are going to face, is a player who isn’t sure, isn’t making baskets, or playing well and you can make a difference. Share with me your stories please. Thank you.
Coach John Saintignon
John Saintignon has an extensive background of an experienced and successful basketball coach at the International Professional, NCAA Division 1, NCAA Division 2 and High School levels — and a three-time NCAA All-American as a player and a professional player. Coach Saintignon has been helping players and their families navigate through the NCAA process of helping them get a college scholarship, having wrote a book on the subject while at Oregon State University, “ What does it take to get a college scholarship?”, as well as preparing them for the court. Coach Saintignon trains the athletes and provides performance nutritional advice working alongside Advocare to help his athletes reach their fullest potential. FB: JSSportsNet and at www.advocare.com/130423949
Saintignon was the Head Coach of Fuerza Guinda of the FIBA Americas; Coach Saintignon led his team to a Playoff finish. During the 2011-2012 season of the NBA lockout, Saintignon was instrumental in getting NBA players into jobs overseas having placed Jarron Collins and Mardy Collins into the CBA in China, Salim Stoudamire into Italy, Sam Clancy into Argentina, James Porter into Japan, Calvin Hampton into Bahrain. Over a 100 players have come through Los Angeles to get player development training including the future Hall of Famer NFL Defensive end and Superbowl winner Simeon Rice who came out to LA to train for 3 days in strenuous basketball training with Coach Saintignon.
Saintignon has been a coach in high school, college and professional basketball in Arizona, California, Oregon, Mexico and Bahrain. Most recently, Saintignon was the successful Head Coach in the Premier League in the country of Bahrain in the Middle East since March 2010, leading his team to a Final Four finish. Prior to that he was the Assistant Coach at Cal State Stanislaus University in the CCAA Conference and an NCAA Division 2 institution. Saintignon was also the Associate Head Coach and Director of Player Development for the Culiacan Caballeros of the top league in the Mexican Professional Basketball League (LNBP). As a first-year franchise, the Caballeros went to the LNBP playoffs in a top 6 finish.
Prior to coaching professionally, Saintignon was the Director of Basketball Operations and Assistant Coach at Oregon State University in the Pac-10 Conference from 2006 to 2007. Before landing in Corvallis, Saintignon was a teacher and Head Coach at Desert Edge High School in Goodyear, Ariz. His previous high school coaching experience included being the Head Coach at Canyon del Oro High School in Tucson, Ariz. (2001-04); Bonita Vista High School in Chula Vista, Calif. (1995-01); and Mar Vista High School in Imperial Beach, Calif. (1992-95).
Saintignon led his team at Canyon del Oro to the state tournament twice and was named the Coach of the Year in 2001-02. At Bonita Vista, he was also named the league’s coach of the year after leading his team to the CIF championship in 1999, the first CIF Championship earned in the schools history. At Mar Vista, Saintignon earned Coach of the Year honors by taking his team to the league championship in 1994-95, and the schools first since 1964.
As a guest speaker in Italy, Croatia, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Bahrain, Mexico Israel and Argentina, Saintignon has earned a reputation as an authority on player development and has produced several DVD’s on getting athletes better through individual training; “Advanced Guard Workout” is the title, as well as attacking on offense with his Secondary Break philosophy, called “On the Attack: Mastering the Secondary Break.”
Saintignon graduated from the University of California at San Diego in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, and a Master’s degree from Liberty University in Sports Administration. He played one season at UC San Diego and three seasons at the University of California at Santa Cruz. In 1985-86, he was the Leading Scorer in the United States (USA) as he led the entire NCAA Divisions with 31.2 points per game scoring average. He earned All-Conference MVP and All-American candidate honors all three of his years at UC Santa Cruz as he scored more than 2,450 points in his career where he is the All-Time scoring leader in University history as his number was retired this year. He went on to play professionally in Spain and Mexico for four seasons earning various honors including several All-Star selections.
A native of Tucson, Ariz., Saintignon graduated from Salpointe Catholic High School where he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998. Saintignon has been married for 16 years to Angelica and they are proud parents of their two sons, Vicente (14) and Sebastian (11).
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