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MARSHALL SPORTS
Marshall player offers free hoops tips
Photo courtesy Marshall University Sports Information Marshall University men’s basketball player Adam Williams is providing free coaching tips at his Website www.hooptips.net.
Purchase this photoHUNTINGTON -- Marshall University men's basketball player Adam Williams wants to become a coach. He's already somewhat of a player-coach.
Williams has a Web site, Hoop Tips (www.hooptips.net), where he offers free basketball advice. It's an e-mail service with Williams providing answers to the questions.
"The purpose of Hoop Tips is to give basketball instruction through the internet to people of all ages and skill levels," Williams wrote in the home page introduction. "Whether you are a college athlete or you are trying to make your middle school team, Hoop Tips is the place you need to be to find the workout program that fits your need best."
Williams, 22, will be a junior guard for Marshall next season.
The advice he wants to provide comes from coaches who have touched his career, beginning with his father, Tex, at St. Albans High School.
Tex Williams played well enough in college to earn a spot in the Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame. He coached at every level.
"Growing up with my dad, it's my opinion that he knows as much about the game as anybody," Williams said. "I value his opinions and what he has to say."
The 2004 West Virginia high school player of the year had some intense coaching at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., before reporting to the University of Kentucky and playing one season for former Wildcats coach Tubby Smith.
Now, he plays for Thundering Herd coach Donnie Jones.
Williams said he picked up knowledge from every coach he ever played for and could have a basketball conversation for hours with all the information stored in his head.
"Eventually I want to be a collegiate coach," Williams said. "If I can help people out now, if I can come up with answers to their questions, it will prepare me for down the road. Practice makes perfect and that goes for anything."
Suppose someone writes to Hoop Tips seeking information on shooting. How would he respond?
Williams said he's not a great shooter, but knows the mechanics of shooting. He'd provide some basic shooting drills and tell the coach, player or parent to try them for a few months and let him know what progress was made. As a followup, he'd offer some advanced advice.
Hoop Tips is for players who want to improve, Williams said.
"So whenever you decide to step up your game to another level, all it takes is one e-mail and you will be on your way," Williams wrote on the site.
The idea to start a Web site began one day when Williams was sitting around with a friend who had a tutoring site. Williams thought, why not me?
So he built his own site, which if nothing else is a good skill to learn.
The site was online for several months before last week when the first e-mails came in.
"I've heard from a few high school JV coaches," Williams said. "They asked my opinion on certain defenses, how to get your kids to do this and that. One specific workout a guy asked me about was how to improve his son's quickness and jumping. He asked for my input on that."
Williams admits his playing career hasn't turned out the way he envisioned, but he's mature enough to know things don't always work out the way you want.
He got into 25 games last season and made two starts for the Thundering Herd, averaging 8.5 minutes and 0.6 points per contest. Much of his playing time was in a defensive stopper's role. Playing time won't be any easier to get next season, either.
"Let's be honest, coming out of high school if you would have told me be a role player for Marshall University I'd be very unhappy," Williams said. "But, I'm still fortunate. How many kids get to play (NCAA) Division I basketball? At the end of the day I've had experiences nobody can take away from me."
Among his many experiences are getting to meet actress Ashley Judd, a huge UK fan; playing for the UK Wildcats against Kansas in historic Allen Fieldhouse; and playing for Marshall against Memphis last season when the Tigers were rolling toward the NCAA Final Four.
Williams anticipates getting a degree in 2009, then using his vast contacts to get into coaching.
"It's who you know, but once you get there you have to know something," he said.
