Interview Alex Menard - Head Coach Rouen Metropole Basket

1. What is your philosophy of coaching?

Habits and compete are two words making sense to me. Smart Intensity could resume my philosophy, in offense and defense. I also like my players and my coaching staff to be a part of the project. I’m trying as much as I can to be in a participative management mode.

2. How do you deal with discipline issues and repeat offenses?

My captain and his teammates wrote rules team agreement with fines in case one of them didn’t respect it. So it’s easy for me. Everybody signed it, even the coaching staff. If you want to be respected, first be respectable and lead by the example. If it’s really too much, then I can meet players in my office or take them away from the practice but it’s rare.

3. How do you handle the tryout and rejection process?

Sometimes, there are situations you can’t control. Only focus on what you can control and look at yourself first if you want to get better. Somebody said : If the problem has a solution, you don’t need to worry about it. If the problem doesn’t have a solution, get worried about it won’t change anything. What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger then. Learn from each situation and try not to repeat the same mistakes.

4. What is the organization of your bench area during games?

My assistant-coaches are beside me, then players and then physio and team manager.

5. What would you teach your young players to focus on playing for you ?

Listening, practice hard every day, take care of your bodylangage, be useful for the team, do what coach wants you to do! Work always pays off, more or less soon!

6. What offensive “tools” of a player do you think is important ?

Outside threat, recognize situations and make the right decision (where to pass the ball), useful dribbles.

7. What do you like about the Dr Dish machine ?

Repetitions, easy to use, possible autonomy for players, various ways of use!