Pat Juckem on Designing Practices That Transfer, Scoring Winning Habits, and Taking Emotion Out of Shot Selection | WashU

WashU Head Coach Pat Juckem joins the Slappin’ Glass Podcast to discuss practice design, competitive scoring, team engagement, and transition defense.

Juckem breaks down how WashU structures practice through teaching, learning, and competitive segments, why the opening minutes should reveal a team’s identity, and how productive practices often require mistakes, uncertainty, and player-led problem solving.

He also explains how scoring systems can reinforce offensive rebounding, defensive activity, and other winning habits, along with how his staff divides responsibilities during live play to keep coaching focused.
In Start, Sub, or Sit, Juckem reflects on the difficult season that reshaped his approach to recruiting and program building, how WashU keeps every player engaged, and why shot selection is the first layer of transition defense.

The episode closes with WashU’s gold, silver, and bronze shot-quality system, role-based offensive rebounding assignments, and the value of adding experienced veteran coaches to a staff.

What You’ll Learn

• How to structure practice through teaching, learning, and competitive segments.
• Why the first 10–15 minutes should reveal your team’s identity.
• How scoring systems can reinforce rebounding, defensive activity, and other winning habits.
• Why correcting every mistake can limit player ownership and problem-solving.
• How to give each assistant coach a clear responsibility during live play.
• How to connect focused film sessions directly to the next practice.
• Ways to keep players engaged beyond minutes, shots, and starting roles.
• Why shot selection and finishing decisions are the first layer of transition defense.
• How WashU uses role-based offensive rebounding and a gold, silver, and bronze shot-quality system.
• What a 4–21 season taught Juckem about character, recruiting, and program building.

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