The Connecticut Sun coaching staff teamed up with New York Liberty head coach Pat Coyle for a Coaches’ Clinic on Saturday, November 19th at Mohegan Sun. Nearly 180 coaches from all over New England attended the six-hour clinic, which covered a variety of topics.

“I thought the clinic went really well,” Sun coach Mike Thibault said. “I was pleased by the attendance. Coach (Bernadette) Mattox, coach (Scott) Hawk and coach Coyle did a great job sharing their knowledge with the coaches who came to the clinic. I think (the participants) got a good sampling of what we do.”

The clinic introduced youth, high school and college coaches to a variety of drills designed to improve defense and offense while building the foundation for a winning program. With the help of some local high school girls’ basketball players, the coaches discussed offensive skill development and demonstrated drills on team defense, pick-and-roll offense and transition offense.

“Mike Thibault and his staff did an excellent job of covering good, basic, fundamental basketball,” Bacon Academy girls’ basketball coach Dave Shea said. “There were many good drills for all levels of basketball. He gave the young coaches as well as the veteran coaches a lot of good ideas, and much food for thought. It was one of the best clinics I’ve been to in recent years. The Sun staff, plus the Liberty coach (Patty Coyle) did a tremendous job of promoting basketball in Connecticut. I would recommend this clinic to any coach – rookie coach or veteran coach. It was just an excellent job by Mike and his staff.”

Every participant in the clinic received a Nike Coaches Portfolio and water bottle, along with a ticket voucher for a Sun home game during the 2006 season. The clinic also included a continental breakfast and buffet lunch.