Hi Savi Community, My name is Jason Smith, and I’m thrilled to introduce myself as the head coach at a small high school in the Houston, TX area. My journey into coaching basketball at this level started somewhat unexpectedly. My children attend a small private school here in Texas, and we recently received an e-mail announcing that this would be the very first year of high school basketball. It was an exciting, yet daunting, proposition for someone whose coaching experience was limited to elementary school boys and whose playing days were far behind him. Our inaugural team comprised five freshmen and one junior—an inspiring mix of youth and potential. With a clean slate to build from, I crafted practice plans and developed a program from the ground up. The challenge was immense, but the rewards were even greater. Throughout the season, my boys demonstrated incredible character and resilience. We were competitive but often outmatched in terms of experience, size, and speed. While the scoreboard didn't always reflect the level of improvement I saw, their determination and heart shone through in every game. It was clear that this was something we could build upon. Offensively, our system revolved around a 4-out or 5-out setup, incorporating various handoffs and screens based on reads. However, I felt that our defense needed a more structured approach, which is what led me to Savi. During one of our league games, I noticed another team's defense was exceptionally challenging to play against. It wasn't exactly a Lock Left concept but had similarities I hadn't seen before. It piqued my interest, and I knew I needed to learn more. Given that I accepted the coaching role just a few weeks before the season began, there was no time for an offseason to prepare. Our season has just concluded, and I'm already eagerly planning our offseason with the goal of implementing the Lock Left concepts I've learned. I'm excited to see how these strategies will elevate our team's performance next season.