Shoot off one or two dribbles
“Rise on balance”
Makes pull-ups against a defender
The Wolves Way
Five rungs. Eight buckets. One test for every skill on the list.
Every skill on this ladder earns its place the same way: it helps us create space, create an advantage, or play the advantage before the defense recovers. Space. Advantage. Pace. If a skill doesn’t serve one of those three, it isn’t on here.
Coaches set where a player sits on this ladder. It climbs in order, Foundation through College-Level, and the fourth rung carries the Marion 30: nobody plays varsity without all thirty.
Ready for real pressure. Make decisions fast and hold up when tired.
Shooting
Shoot off one or two dribbles
“Rise on balance”
Makes pull-ups against a defender
Make open shots tired
“Same shot, fourth quarter”
Shooting holds late in scrimmages
Make 70 percent of free throws
“Same routine, every trip”
70 percent over a stretch of games
Finishing
Finish around a help defender
“Find the gap at the rim”
Scores when the help arrives
Use the glass from any angle
“Glass, top corner”
Banks shots from the short corner and wing
Attacking
Make a zero-second decision on the catch
“Shoot, drive, or pass in one second”
No holding on catches
Handle pressure with either hand
“Protect, see, pass”
Few turnovers against ball pressure
Attack the closeout, not the set defender
“Catch, read, go”
Drives start against a moving defender
Passing and Reads
Pass before the trap closes
“Early, not late”
Beats traps with the first pass
Kick to the open shooter off a drive
“Two on you, find the one”
Assists off paint touches
Off-Ball
Back cut on every overplay
“Hand up, go behind”
Scores or frees space against denial
Meet every pass
“Come to the ball”
No passes stolen in front of her
Relocate after a kick out
“Move into her blind spot”
Open for the second shot
Defense
Help and recover in one rotation
“Stunt, then home”
Stops the drive and still contests her own player
Contest every shot without fouling
“High hand, no jump”
Few shooting fouls
Talk the screen before contact
“Call it early”
Screens called before they hit
Rebounding and Transition
Box out the best rebounder
“Find, hit, hold”
Her matchup gets few offensive boards
Outlet in two seconds
“Rebound, pivot, outlet”
Fast break starts off her rebound
Get below the ball on every miss
“Below the ball”
No numbers advantages against us
Competing
Reset in three seconds after a mistake
“Three seconds, next play”
Next possession at full effort
Hold the standard when tired
“Tired is a choice”
Effort plays hold in the fourth quarter
Lead a huddle with one clear message
“One message, seven words”
Huddles stay calm and short