Coaching Basketball For Dummies E-Book
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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Lebensstil
- Sprache: Englisch
So you’re thinking about volunteering to coach youth basketball? Great! You’re in for a fun, rewarding experience. Whether you’re new to the sport and looking for some guidance or you’re a seasoned coach hunting for some fresh tips, Coaching Basketball For Dummies will help you command the court with confidence.
Each friendly chapter is packed with expert advice on teaching the basics of basketball—from dribbling and shooting to rebounding and defending—and guiding your kids to a fun-filled, stress-free season. You get a crash course in the rules and regulations of the game, as well as clear explanations of what all those lines, circles, and half-circle markings mean on the court. You’ll assign team positions, run great practices, and work with both beginning and intermediate players of different age groups. You’ll also see how to ramp up your players’ skills and lead your team effectively during a game. This book will also help you discover how to:
- Develop your coaching philosophy
- Understand your league’s rules
- Conduct a preseason parents’ meeting—crucial for opening the lines of communication
- Teach offensive and defensive strategies
- Keep your kids healthy and injury-free
- Encourage good sportsmanship
- Make critical half-time adjustments during a game
- Help struggling players
- Address discipline problems and handle difficult parents
- Coach an All-Star or Travel team
Complete with numerous offensive and defensive drills and tips for helping your kids relax before a game, Coaching Basketball For Dummies is the fun and easy way to get the score on this worthwhile endeavor!
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Seitenzahl: 608
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011
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Coaching Basketball For Dummies
by National Alliance For Youth Sports
Coaching Basketball For Dummies®
Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, 317-572-3447, fax 317-572-4355, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permissionAll other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Some of the exercises and dietary suggestions contained in this work may not be appropriate for all individuals, and readers should consult with a physician before commencing any exercise or dietary program.
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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2007935018
ISBN: 978-0-470-14976-8
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Author
Greg Bach is the communications director for the National Alliance For Youth Sports (NAYS), a position he has held since 1993. Before joining NAYS, he worked as the sports editor of the Huron Daily Tribune in Bad Axe, Michigan, where he captured numerous writing awards from the Associated Press, Michigan Press Association, and the Hearst Corporation. He has a journalism degree from Michigan State University, which he earned in 1989. He’s an avid sports fan — particularly of his beloved Spartan basketball team — and has coached a variety of youth sports. He’s also the author of Coaching Soccer For Dummies, Coaching Football For Dummies, and Coaching Baseball For Dummies.
The National AllianceFor Youth Sports has been America’s leading advocate for positive and safe sports for children for the past 25 years. It serves volunteer coaches, parents with children involved in organized sports, game officials, youth sports administrators, league directors, and the youngsters who participate in organized sports. The Alliance’s programs are utilized in more than 3,000 communities nationwide by parks and recreation departments, Boys & Girls Clubs, Police Athletic Leagues, YMCAs/YWCAs, and various independent youth service groups, as well as on military installations worldwide. For more information on the Alliance’s programs, which appear in the following list, visit www.nays.org.
National Youth Sports Coaches Association — More than 2 million volunteer coaches have been trained through NYSCA, which provides training, support, and continuing education.
Parents Association for Youth Sports — Parents gain a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in youth sports through this sportsmanship training program, which is utilized in more than 500 communities nationwide.
Academy for Youth Sports Administrators — More than 2,000 administrators worldwide have gone through the Academy, which is a 20-hour certification program that raises the professionalism of those delivering youth sport services. A professional faculty presents the information, and participants earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
National Youth Sports Administrators Association — This program provides training, information, and resources for volunteer administrators responsible for the planning and implementation of out-of-school sports programs.
National Youth Sports Officials Association — Officials who go through this certification program gain valuable knowledge on skills, fundamentals, and the characteristics that every good official must possess.
Start Smart Sports Development Program — This proven instructional program prepares children for the world of organized sports (without the threat of competition or the fear of getting hurt) through an innovative approach that promotes parent-child bonding.
Hook A Kid On Golf — Thousands of children of all ages and skill levels tee it up every year in the nation’s most comprehensive junior golf development program, which features an array of instructional clinics and tournaments.
Game On! Youth Sports — This worldwide effort introduces children to actual game experience by giving them the freedom to create and play on their own.
Dedication
From the National Alliance For Youth Sports: This book is dedicated to all the volunteer basketball coaches who devote countless hours of their free time to work with children and ensure that they have positive, safe, and rewarding experiences. We applaud your efforts and commend you for making a difference in the lives of youngsters everywhere.
From Greg Bach: This one’s for Sandra, with all my love, for all the special times we’ve shared.
Author’s Acknowledgments
A successful youth basketball program doesn’t just happen. It takes a real commitment not only from dedicated volunteer coaches, but also from parents who understand their roles and responsibilities and league directors and administrators who know what it takes to ensure that all children who step on the basketball courts in their communities have safe, fun, and rewarding experiences. Basketball plays an important role in the lives of millions of children and provides them with the opportunity to learn the skills of the game and the chance to develop both emotionally and physically as individuals. The National Alliance For Youth Sports extends a heartfelt thank-you to every person who makes a positive difference through basketball in the life of a child.
This book is the result of a lot of hours of hard work from a lot of talented people at Wiley. Thanks to Stacy Kennedy, the acquisitions editor, whose efforts behind the scenes in working with the National Alliance For Youth Sports have resulted in this being the fourth book in a series for youth coaches, with more to come; to Chad Sievers, the project editor, and Josh Dials, the copy editor, whose insight on the sport, eye for detail, and never-ending reservoir of great ideas made a tremendous difference in every chapter of this book; to the wonderful illustrations put together by Rashell Smith and Jake Mansfield to supplement many of the techniques covered; and to Curt Bell, varsity girls’ basketball coach in New Castle, Indiana, who was a terrific asset with all of his in-depth knowledge about every aspect of the game.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development
Project Editor: Chad R. Sievers
Acquisitions Editor: Stacy Kennedy
Copy Editor: Josh Dials
Technical Editor: Curt Bell
Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker
Editorial Assistants: Erin Calligan Mooney, Joe Niesen, Leeann Harney
Cover Photos: © Tom and Dee Ann McCarthy/ CORBIS
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Composition Services
Project Coordinator: Adrienne Martinez
Layout and Graphics: Shane Johnson, Stephanie D. Jumper, Jake Mansfield, Rashell Smith, Alicia B. South, Ronald Terry
Anniversary Logo Design: Richard Pacifico
Proofreaders: John Greenough, Sossity R. Smith
Indexer: Glassman Indexing Services
Special Help:Pam Ruble
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies
Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies
Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies
Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel
Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel
Publishing for Technology Dummies
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User
Composition Services
Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Contents
Title
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
What You’re Not to Read
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I : Getting Started Coaching Youth Basketball
Chapter 1: Teaching Basketball to Children
Before You Grab the Clipboard: Preparing for Your Season
Hitting the Court
Juggling Your Parenting and Coaching Responsibilities
Chapter 2: Preparing for a Successful Season
Crafting Your Coaching Philosophy
Understanding the Rules and Purpose of Your League
Covering Equipment Responsibilities
Chapter 3: Covering the Basketball Basics
Measuring the Court
Grasping the Rules of the Game
Preparing Your Kids to Step on the Court
Chapter 4: Getting to Know the Parents
Setting the Tone with Mom and Dad
More John Wooden than Plato: Explaining Your Coaching Philosophy
Putting Together the Paperwork
Assembling Your Assisting Posse
Meeting Your Players’ Special Needs
Concluding the Meeting with Q & A
Part II : Building Your Basketball Coaching Skills
Chapter 5: Evaluating Your Team
Putting Your Players (And Team) Under Your Microscope
Give Me Five: Choosing Your Lineup
From Shy to Showboat: Understanding and Interacting with All Kinds of Kids
Chapter 6: Running a Great Practice
First Practice: Tipping Off the Season
All the Balls and Whistles: Coming to Practice Prepared
Practice Principles to Live By
Maximizing Your Practice Time
What to Do if a Kid Just Doesn’t Get It
Ending Practice on a High Note
Chapter 7: Game Day
Putting the Press on Your Pre-Game Responsibilities
Tip-Off! Time to Play
Working with the Refs
Halftime: Delivering an Effective Speech and Adjusting Your Strategy
Winning and Losing Gracefully
Wrapping Up with a Post-Game Talk
Chapter 8: Refining Your Coaching Strategies
Dealing with Shifting Team Dynamics
Conducting a Midseason Review
Holding Parent-Coach Conferences
Part III : Working with Beginning and Intermediate Players
Chapter 9: Teaching the Offensive Fundamentals
Working and Protecting the Ball
Build on the Basics: Dribbling Skills
Addressing Passing and Catching Skills
Look to Score: Shooting Skills
Take It to the Hole: Driving to the Basket
Hitting the Boards: Offensive Rebounding Skills
Chapter 10: Teaching the Defensive Fundamentals
Emphasizing the Importance of Defense
Break Down! Teaching the Basic Stances
Rebounding the Ball after a Missed Shot
Teaching On-Court Thievery: Steals
Chapter 11: Fundamental Drills for Beginners
Incorporating Offensive Drills to Bolster Scoring Chances
Becoming Shut-Down Defenders with Defensive Drills
Introducing Effective Rebounding Drills
Chapter 12: Coaching Offense 101
Upgrading Your Players’ Offensive Skills
Forming a Cohesive Unit with Basic Offensive Team Plays
Chapter 13: Coaching Defense 101
Identifying the Types of Defenses
Teaching Good Team Defense
Chapter 14: Taking Your Drills to the Next Level
Working on Individual Drills
Peppering the Court with Team Drills
Implementing Innovative Scrimmages
Part IV : Moving On to Advanced Basketball Strategies
Chapter 15: Coaching Offense 201
Communicating Plays during the Game
Changing Your Offensive Approach
Attacking Opposing Defenses
Adding Flair and Fanciness with Fakes
Chapter 16: Coaching Defense 201
Positioning Your Players for the Main Zone Defenses
Applying Pressure with Your Whole Defensive Arsenal
Defending Fast Breaks
Chapter 17: Zoning In on Advanced Drills
Upgrading Offensive and Defensive Drills
Managing the Game Clock
Part V : Shooting for the Extra Points
Chapter 18: Keeping Your Kids Healthy and Injury Free
Hoop Fuel: Eating Healthful
Taking Steps to Avoid Basketball Injuries
Addressing Injuries on the Court
Chapter 19: Challenges Every Coach Faces
Dealing with Problematic Parents
Putting a Muzzle on Problematic Coaches
Taking Care of Discipline Problems on Your Team
Snuffing Out Problematic Spectators
Chapter 20: Coaching a Travel Team
Defining a Travel Team
Assembling Your Travel Team
Hitting the Road
Surviving the Travel Team Season
Part VI : The Part of Tens
Chapter 21: Ten (Or So) Things to Say to Your Team before the Game
Being Nervous Is a Good Thing
Win or Lose, I Support You All the Same
Mistakes Are Okay
Be a Supportive Teammate
Be a Good Sport
During One of My Games, I . . .
Talk about Your Pals on the Other Team
I’m Excited to Watch You in Action
Tell Me What You’re Looking Forward To
Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Stay Realistic When Coaching Children
Step Back in Time
Focus on Fun instead of Wins
Put Yourself in Their Small Shoes
Keep the Goals Reasonable
Ditch the “Star Builder” Mindset
Don’t Arrive with Preconceived Ideas
Poll Your Players
Don’t Copy What You See on Television
Understand Your Motivations
Realize Kids Begin at Different Levels
: Further Reading
Introduction
Welcome to Coaching Basketball For Dummies, a book dedicated to helping all the volunteer coaches everywhere enrich the lives of young men and women and grow the sport of basketball. These people — and hopefully you — dedicate their valuable time and energy in order to teach and encourage children in this sport. Youth basketball is enormously popular, as millions of children annually flock to facilities throughout the United States and Canada to loft jump shots, grab rebounds, and run up and down courts. The game features so many qualities — from the thrill of having a shot drop through the net to the pure enjoyment of dribbling a ball — that grab kids’ interest.
We hope you find this book informative, entertaining, and — most important of all — useful in your quest to ensure that every child on your team has a fun, safe, and rewarding experience. After all, that’s what coaching youth basketball is all about.
About This Book
We wrote this book for many types of youth volunteer coaches. For first-time coaches looking for some guidance before they step on the court to conduct practices and oversee games. For coaches who’ve been on the sidelines for a season or two and want to gain some more insight on specific areas of the game. For coaches looking to transition from working with younger kids to coaching older, more advanced kids. For veterans of the postseason pizza parties who have spent countless hours at the local basketball courts. And even for coaches who want to manage all star or travel teams.
No matter your situation, it’s perfectly understandable if you’re somewhat nervous about what you’ve gotten yourself into. Don’t reach for the antacid tablets, though. You can take comfort in knowing that this book will be at your side as you prepare for the season. It will be your handy companion as you guide the kids to a fun-filled season. And it will be there when your season ends and you prepare to coach another team next season!
Each chapter is packed with useful and straightforward info. The more chapters you read, the more knowledgeable you’ll become about coaching this great game. The smiles on the kids’ faces — and all the learning and skill development that will take place — will be a nice payoff. We cover everything from drills you can use to raise your players’ skills to details on different offensive and defensive strategies you can employ, among many other topics.
Conventions Used in This Book
To help you navigate this book, we use the following conventions:
Italics emphasize certain words and highlight new words and terms that we define in the text.
Boldface text indicates keywords in bulleted lists or the action parts of numbered steps.
Monofont sets apart Web addresses. If you find that a specific address in this book has changed (and they seem to evolve all the time), try scaling it back by going to the main site — the part of the address that ends in .com, .org, or .edu.
We also pack this book full of diagrams of practice drills that you can work on with your team. The following chart is the key to understanding all the squiggly lines, arrows, and dashes in these diagrams:
What You’re Not to Read
Hey, if we were in your position, we’d read this book from cover to cover. That’s how good — and informative — we think it is. If you’re short on time, though, we’ll let you in on a little secret: You don’t have to read every single word, because this is a reference book.
To get through the book a little more quickly, you can skip over the sidebars — the shaded gray boxes. They contain interesting info, but nothing critical to your understanding of the chapter or topic. So sit back, relax, and dig into these chapters at your own pace. And if you have time — between your soon-to-be busy schedule of practices and games — we’d love to know what you think of the book!
Foolish Assumptions
Here are some things that we assume about you, our dear reader. Some of these assumptions may be right on target; others may not apply to you at all:
You know that basketball is played on a court and requires little equipment.
You may have a child who wants to take up the game this year, but you’re not sure how to teach the basics.
You’re a novice youth basketball coach, and you need to get your coaching skills up to speed.
You don’t have any aspirations of climbing the coaching ladder and pacing the sidelines as a high school basketball coach.
You just want the basics — for instance, what skills to focus on early in the season, how to determine who plays where, and how to make sure the kids have a fun time playing for you.
You’re coaching an older and more advanced team for the first time and you need some good drills to challenge the kids and keep their interest levels high.
The kids on your team have plenty of basketball experience, and you’re not sure how to upgrade their level of play at the offensive and defensive ends of the court.
You want some good information on keeping the kids safe and reducing the risk of injury.
You’re looking for tips on how to run a quality practice that the kids look forward to participating in all week long.
If any of these descriptions hits the mark, you’ve come to the right place!
How This Book Is Organized
This book is divided into parts, with each one pertaining to a specific aspect of coaching a youth basketball team. Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect to find in each part of this book.
Part I: Getting Started Coaching Youth Basketball
What you do before you and your team ever step on the court can make the difference between a fun-drenched, stress-free season and a chaotic and confusing debacle. In this part, you get the lowdown on how to prepare for the season. We explain how to put together a coaching philosophy that fits your kids’ needs and that you’ll feel comfortable executing. You also find out what all the markings mean on the court and get a crash course on all the violations and rules of the game (and your league). Finally, we include valuable information on how to conduct a preseason meeting for parents, which is crucial for opening the lines of communication, reducing the chances of misunderstandings, and keeping your sanity.
Part II: Building Your Basketball Coaching Skills
This part is where the real fun — and actual coaching — begins. Here we serve up answers to those challenging questions swirling around in your head:
How do I figure out who plays where?
How do I conduct practices that the kids will look forward to?
How do I work with the uncoordinated, shy, and talented kids all at once?
How do I assess my team at midseason to ensure that we’re headed in the right direction?
Plus, we show you the game-day ropes. We touch on everything from giving your pre-game and post-game talks to conducting efficient warm-ups to making critical halftime adjustments.
Part III: Working with Beginning and Intermediate Players
Helping kids get a handle on the basics of the game — from dribbling and shooting to rebounding and defending — is crucial for their long-term enjoyment of the sport. This part shares how you can relay the basics by providing a variety of lessons you can teach. It has chapters for offense and defense, for beginners and intermediate players. We include fun-filled drills that are highly effective for teaching skills to beginning players. And when your team has the basics down, this part also has a chapter devoted to intermediate skills to raise your players’ abilities another notch or two.
Part IV: Moving On to Advanced Basketball Strategies
As players progress in the sport, they’ll crave opportunities to practice some more advanced skills to increase their effectiveness on game day. You can utilize the chapters in this part to help spur their development. The pages are filled with in-depth techniques for raising the level of play on offense and defense. Plus, you can find set plays to run on offense and specific defenses to employ to make your team even more competitive. We also provide an assortment of drills you can use to help your players maximize their development.
Part V: Shooting for the Extra Points
This part is a smorgasbord of information on several topics — some we hope you won’t face this season, and others that may be the crowning achievement of your youth coaching career. Here we help you recognize and handle player injuries, confront problem parents, and deal with discipline problems on your team. You also find valuable info on pre- and post-game nutrition to help maximize your players’ performance. And, for those of you with your eye on coaching a travel team, you find all the information you need to help make your transition to this more competitive level a smooth one.
Part VI: The Part of Tens
A For Dummies book just wouldn’t be complete without the Part of Tens. Here you find all sorts of quick-hitting, valuable information that you can put to use to boost the fun and enjoyment levels this season. We include some great tips for helping the kids relax before a game, and we present ways to stay realistic when coaching young kids.
Icons Used in This Book
To help you navigate this book and to make it easier to read the extra-valuable information, we include some icons, or little graphics, in the margins. These beacons point out some key ideas you need to consider. We use the following icons in this book:
The tip icon signals valuable info that can save you time and frustration and that can really enhance your experience. If you’re scanning a chapter, take a moment to read these tips when you come across them, and then put them to work. You — and your players — will be glad you did.
A lot goes into coaching youth basketball. The remember icon alerts you to key information that’s worth revisiting. You want to remember this info long after you close the book.
Sometimes you’ll encounter issues during a practice or game that you need an extra hand with. Consider these paragraphs your troubleshooters that can help you on the court.
Watch out! The warning icon lets you know about situations that can be dangerous — perhaps to your players’ health, to the safety of spectators, or to your sanity.
Where to Go from Here
One of the really cool things about this book is that you can jump in anywhere. Just check out the table of contents or the index for the topic you want to explore and then flip right there to get the scoop. Each chapter is divided into sections, and each section contains information on a specific topic concerning youth basketball.
If this season is your first on the sidelines, you probably have several questions about everything from what to do with the kids at the first practice to how to teach them the fundamentals of the game. You may be most comfortable digging in with Chapter 1 and moving forward from there. Or, perhaps what’s causing you the most concern is being an effective coach on game day; if that’s the case, head to Chapter 7 to get the scoop on how to handle your game-day responsibilities. Wherever you go, though, you can be confident that the info you gather along the way will ensure that your youth basketball team has a fun, safe, and memorable season.
Part I
Getting Started Coaching Youth Basketball
In this part . . .
Before stepping on the court with your players, you need to take care of some behind-the-scenes tasks to ensure that your season starts on a positive note. Specifically, you need to define your coaching philosophy, get a handle on how your league runs, familiarize yourself with the terms and rules of the game, and prepare to meet with your players’ parents. We cover all this — and more — in this first part.
Chapter 1
Teaching Basketball to Children
In This Chapter
Preparing before you take the coaching reins
Performing your duties on the floor
Handling the dual role of coach and parent
Congratulations on your decision to volunteer to coach a youth basketball team. Your season-long journey — beginning when you meet the kids and parents, continuing at the first practice, and ending with the final game and awards ceremony — will be packed with special moments. The job you do will bring a smile to your face, and you and your players — regardless of their age, skill levels, or experience — will remember this season for the rest of your lives.
And if you’re picking up this book because you haven’t decided if you want the job yet, we hope the information can convince you that your job as a coach will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life — as long as you do it for the right reasons. Heading into the season, your goals should be zeroed in on fun, skill development, and safety, as well as making it all happen in a stress-free environment.
Please be aware that if you volunteer to coach youth basketball, you’re taking on a very important role. How you approach the season and how you interact with the kids will affect how they feel about themselves, the sport of basketball, and you. Your coaching style can either help them develop an unquenchable passion for the game or sweep away all their interest in playing organized sports.
To start and finish your job, you need some quality information on all the different aspects of the game. Consider this chapter your jumping-off point to this book and to the world of coaching youth basketball. Using this chapter and the rest of this book as a guide, you can find everything you need to navigate your players to a safe, fun-filled, rewarding, and memorable season.
Before You Grab the Clipboard: Preparing for Your Season
People get involved with coaching youth basketball for all sorts of reasons. Perhaps you volunteered this season because spending extra time with your child while introducing him to the game sounded like a fun experience. Maybe the league has a shortage of coaches, and you chose to step forward and help out the kids. Or perhaps you simply love working with kids, and the thought of coaching a youth basketball team sounded pretty appealing.
Whatever your reason, you must recognize that you’re accepting an enormous responsibility that you can’t take lightly. Hopefully, you’ve stepped forward for all the right reasons, rather than for many of the wrong reasons some get involved in the game, such as hoping to win a shiny first-place trophy to show off to friends and neighbors, or to guide their children to future athletic scholarships. Before any youngster begins dribbling or shooting a ball, you have plenty of behind-the-scenes work to do to ensure that the season gets off to a smooth start and stays smooth throughout. This section gives you a preview. Check out Chapter 2 for the complete lowdown.
Gaining mom and dad’s support
The vast majority of the moms and dads you’ll meet while coaching youth basketball will be wonderful, supportive, and caring people — as long as you do your part to make and keep them this way. When working with your players, you’ll stress the importance of teamwork. When it comes to working with parents, it’s really no different. When coaches and parents commit to working together — the adult form of teamwork — they create a special formula that produces tremendous benefits for the youngsters. When coaches and parents clash over everything from playing time to strategy, it can spoil the experience for everyone involved.
You can make an immediate connection with the parents and sidestep many potential problems by gathering them for a special meeting before you begin the season. You can lay the ground rules on what you expect in terms of behavior during games, and you can outline their roles and responsibilities. (Check out Chapter 4 for tips on how to run this preseason meeting.)
No matter what, never forget that parents play important roles in youth basketball programs. Keep the following points in mind to help make your dealings with the parents go smoothly:
Explain your expectations. Many parents have never had a child involved in organized basketball before, so they’ll appreciate a little guidance. Before the season starts, outline your expectations for them and their kids so you leave no question about what kind of conduct and attitude you expect. Go over your planned coaching methods and detail what you want everyone to take away from this experience.
Telling parents firsthand that you’re committed to skill development and fun over winning, and that you’ll distribute playing time equally — regardless of skill level — squashes any chance of petty squabbles surfacing. Chapter 2 helps you develop your all-important coaching philosophy and become knowledgeable with all your league’s policies and rules regarding playing time and other considerations.
Include parents whenever possible. Parents invest a lot of time and money into their child’s basketball experience. The season will be much more enjoyable for them and their youngster if you can find ways to include them on your season-long journey. Parents can do so much more than bring snacks and drinks to games. You can involve them in your practices and recruit the right ones to assist on game day (see Chapter 4). Plus, it’s a great gesture on your part. (Chapter 6 covers planning your practices.)
Communicate with them. Besides conducting a preseason parents meeting, you need to keep the communication lines open all season long. Regularly talk to the parents about their kids’ progress; share your thoughts on areas of the game where the kids are really improving; offer suggestions for ways they can help their youngsters develop; and check in to make sure their kids are still having fun. (Chapter 8 details how you can talk with parents during the season.)
We’d be remiss if we didn’t warn you that some parents will take their kids’ participation more seriously than necessary. They think they’re doing what’s best for their children, but they can end up being sources of season-long aggravation. No matter what, there’s always a chance that problems will materialize. If a problem pops up, you should remain calm and in control of your emotions, and never allow situations to escalate. Chapter 19 gives the rundown on some of the more common problems that you may need to address and presents the best approaches for solving them before they disrupt your season.
Getting a handle on the rules and terms
Just like any good auto mechanic understands how all the different parts of a vehicle work, a good basketball coach knows all the rules of the game and how they’re applied. A good coach also knows how to teach the rules — along with the various terms and strategies associated with the game — to players. That isn’t as complicated as it may seem, but it does take some time and effort on your part to learn all the rules that comprise this great game.
In Chapter 3, we dig into basketball’s rulebook to help you cover key basketball terms. We also explain the many violations that refs often whistle. The information there serves as a basis for the skills, techniques, and strategies you need to pass along to your players (which we cover throughout Parts II, III, and IV of this book).
Make sure you know any special rules that your league has in place. Quite often, leagues utilize different rules depending on the age and experience level of the players. Everything from the size of the court to what types of rules are enforced change from community to community. Knowing these rules — and being able to share them with your players — makes a tremendous difference in your coaching and how you can motivate your players to have the most fun possible.
Hitting the Court
The most fun you’ll have during the season will occur on the court — both during practices and on game days — when you’re working closely with the kids in all different areas of the game. During your practice sessions with the kids, you’ll instruct them both one-on-one and in group settings, and you’ll teach, motivate, and applaud them every step of the way. When game days roll around, you’ll have a front row seat as you watch them transfer those skills to a more competitive setting against other teams. During these moments, you can forge special bonds with your players and help them improve in the game.
Always keep in mind that coaching youth basketball is much more than helping a youngster deliver passes, make shots, and protect the ball. Coaching during practice and games also is about putting a smile on a youngster’s face when she’s on the court and seeing the excitement in her eyes as she has fun learning how to perform a variety of skills. While you’re teaching and coaching, always keep the focus on fun. It could mean the difference between a child playing one season or forever. This section touches on what to do during court time, including practices and games.
Mapping out your practices
When you plan your practices, you’ll create sessions that kids look forward to because they set the tone for all sorts of learning and skill development. If your practices aren’t carefully planned — perhaps you put them together while sitting in your car, five minutes before the players arrive — you minimize the sessions’ productivity and smother a lot of the fun that could’ve taken place. Planning is important. But how you design your practices and choose drills also has a direct impact on the kids’ enjoyment. (To help you prepare for and run a great practice, check out the info in Chapter 6.)
Keep the following thoughts in mind to help squeeze the most fun and productivity out of every practice you run:
Be more than a coach. Your position as coach gives you a special opportunity to make a difference in a lot of other areas of the kids’ lives. Sure, you’ll teach kids the basics of the game, but your impact can extend far beyond how to set a screen or take a jump shot.
For example, while your kids are warming up for practice (see Chapter 18), take the time to talk to them about the importance of doing well in school. You also can speak about the importance of staying away from tobacco and drugs and leading a healthy lifestyle. The words you deliver may stick with a child for the rest of his life.
Set a relaxed atmosphere. Let the kids know during the first practice of the season (see Chapter 6) that mistakes are part of the game, and that all you ask is that they listen to your instructions and give their best effort — with a smile on their face, of course. Make your practices stress-free sessions where youngsters can make mistakes without the fear of criticism or embarrassment. In this environment, your kids will play much more relaxed, which clears the way for them to have more fun, learn skills quicker, and perform better.
Focusing on fundamentals first
Although you may be enthusiastic about teaching kids all facets of the game, temper your enthusiasm so that you don’t overwhelm them by throwing too much at them. When taking the court with a beginning-level team, you must focus on the most basic of skills, such as dribbling the basketball. After youngsters have a decent understanding of that skill, you can progress to other areas, such as shooting and passing. Gradually, after spending several practice sessions with them, you’ll find that some kids will become more proficient at executing certain skills, and others will probably have some difficulty that, as the coach, you have to find ways to help them overcome.
Ultimately, your long-range goal is to help kids become all-around players who can perform a variety of skills at both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. But remember, that won’t occur during a one-hour practice with you. It’s going to take a lot of time — and plenty of patience on your part — to help kids get there. So relax, build on the fundamentals of the game, and enjoy your season-long journey helping the kids enjoy learning and embracing the game.
When choosing practice drills for your sessions, your best bet is to opt for drills that keep the kids moving and are challenging enough to hold their interest. Standing-around time drastically reduces the amount of learning that can take place. The array of drills we present for both offense and defense in Chapters 11, 14, and 17 will challenge and excite beginning, intermediate, and advanced players.
Surviving game day
One of the challenges of coaching basketball is constantly adapting to ever-changing conditions. This challenge is especially prevalent on game day, when you have to make all sorts of decisions with little time to sort through your options, all while distractions are grabbing for your attention. For instance, you have playing time to monitor, plays to call, strategies to adjust, and pre-game, halftime, and post-game talks to deliver. (That’s why it’s so helpful to have assistants! Chapter 4 goes through the process of choosing the right assistants.) Yes, game day brings with it a lengthy list of responsibilities, but don’t go reaching for the antacid tablets just yet. Chapter 7 gives you all you need to help game day go smoothly. (Also, Chapters 12, 13, 15, and 16 go through many strategies on both sides of the ball and present many plays that you can call during a game.)
We also have you covered with more detailed information if you’re coaching a more basketball-savvy, older squad. Part IV of this book covers strategies for offense and defense, and Chapter 20 covers coaching a travel team.
Besides giving kids the chance to use all their skills against a real opponent, game day provides you with some great teachable moments, too. Reinforce what you brought up during practice that week, such as the importance of teamwork, displaying good sportsmanship, abiding by the rules, doing your best at all times, and having fun regardless of what the scoreboard reads.
Juggling Your Parenting and Coaching Responsibilities
Parenting presents an endless list of challenges and responsibilities; tacking on the role of coaching your child can be doubly difficult. As soon as you step on the court with your child, all sorts of issues can appear out of nowhere. Don’t worry, we help prepare you as best we can in this section. If you can handle the issues, you’ll create an experience that will be enormously rewarding and memorable for both you and your child.
Making the decision and navigating the season from the sidelines
Before you decide to grab the whistle and clipboard and assume the role of basketball coach, sit down with your child and gauge how he feels about you running the team. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know. Many youngsters are thrilled to have their dads or moms as coaches, and if you see that sparkle in his eyes when you bring up the subject, that makes all the time and effort you’ll have to put into the season well worth it. On the other hand, some children — for whatever reason — don’t feel comfortable with the idea and would prefer that their parents don’t coach their teams. Take your child’s wishes into account before making the decision. After considering all the issues, your family must decide if you should indeed coach your child this season.
If you and your child agree that it’s okay for you to coach the team, keep the following “don’ts” in mind as you navigate through the season:
Don’t overlook your parenting duties. Whether the team wins or loses, you have to put down your playbook and remember that you’re a parent first. Ask your child whether he had fun, and pile on the praise for doing his best and displaying good sportsmanship.
Don’t close the lines of communication. You want your child to know that he can come to you to talk about a concern at any time during the season. Open communication helps ensure that you’ll be able to monitor how the season is going.
Don’t carry over practice sessions to home. If your child has some difficulty performing a specific skill during practice, avoid the urge to insist on working on the skill as soon as you get home. You can ask in casual conversation if he’d like to spend some time working on a certain skill, if you sense that he’s really interested. If he is, great, but if not, let it go. Pushing your child can drain his interest in the sport.
Don’t compare your child to siblings. Let your child develop at her own rate. Children should never feel burdened by expectations to match the skills or abilities of older or younger siblings. Such comparisons can crush self-esteem and chase away the desire to play basketball.
Don’t mislead your child. You shouldn’t heap on the praise when actual honesty about his skill level or work ethic needs to be addressed. Act as you would if he wasn’t focusing on his school work or needed some extra help in a particular subject.
Don’t shortchange the praise. Be sure to praise your child’s willingness, understanding, and cooperation in this special venture. Coaching your child can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have, but it isn’t always easy.
Sidestepping problems with your child
To derive maximum benefits from coaching your child, you have to find the proper balance between providing preferential treatment and overcompensating. It’s a tricky proposition — sort of like balancing on a high wire, minus the safety net — but we have you covered with some pointers in the following list. Ideally, your behavior should fit somewhere between these two extremes, which each carry negative consequences:
Providing preferential treatment: It isn’t uncommon for coaches to show preferential treatment to their own children, whether they realize it or not. For instance, they may provide their children with extra playing time, more attention, and special team duties (such as captain). Be aware that showing favoritism pushes your child into an uncomfortable position with his teammates, weakening your team camaraderie and his chances to have fun with his peers.
Overcompensating to steer clear of preferential treatment: Don’t go too far in trying to ensure that no one thinks you’re giving preferential treatment to your child. For instance, don’t reduce your child’s playing time, give him less attention or instruction during practices, or constantly criticize him and have expectations that are too high. Taking these measures creates a negative atmosphere for your child, because it detracts from his enjoyment of the game for reasons that he doesn’t understand.
As a parent, you want your child to excel in any activity he undertakes. Just don’t view your coaching position as an opportunity to control your child’s destiny and steer him toward stardom. You don’t want to compromise his experience by pushing him harder than the other kids, demanding more from him, and criticizing him when he doesn’t fulfill your unfair expectations. If you lose sight of what youth basketball is all about — fun, skill development, and relationship building — you’ll negatively impact your child’s emotional well-being and his interest in learning and playing in the future.
Chapter 2
Preparing for a Successful Season
In This Chapter
Defining your coaching philosophy
Running down the rules and setup of your league
Making sure your players are equipped
Coaching a successful youth basketball season — meaning the kids learn the key fundamentals, have fun, and want to play again next season — takes a lot of preparation. A bag of basketballs, a clipboard, and a notebook overflowing with drills is a good start, but you have to go the extra mile to ensure a memorable season.
This chapter covers the all-important areas that can propel your season along a fun-filled path. Specifically, we talk about how to motivate your players, how to create a team atmosphere, what you hope to accomplish with the kids, and how you can help them reach their goals. We also discuss sportsmanship, getting to know the rules of your league, and covering all your bases in terms of equipment. Take a close look at this chapter. Whether your team wins the league championship or doesn’t win a game, the info here can help you deliver a slam dunk of a season for you and your players.
Crafting Your Coaching Philosophy
When you signed up to be a basketball coach, you probably first thought about putting together your starting lineups and creating practice drills. An equally important but easily overlooked part of preparation is crafting your coaching philosophy. A coaching philosophy is pretty easy to put together but challenging to live up to all season long.
A coaching philosophy reflects the standards you set for yourself and your team. It’s the foundation of your values and beliefs when you take the court. It allows you to lead your players in the direction you know is right as you strive to instill in them the values that you want your own kids to exhibit in their lives — the true goal of youth sports. Entering the season without a coaching philosophy is like going to a tropical island without sunscreen — you’re setting yourself up to get burned. A sound coaching philosophy keeps you on the right track as you navigate your way through the season. This section introduces the various components when developing a philosophy that stresses respect, sportsmanship, skill development, safety, and fun.
Setting your philosophy: Where to start
When figuring out your coaching philosophy, you don’t have to look far. Many recreation departments have mission statements and policies that explain their stances on sportsmanship, skill development, parental behavior, and so on. These documents can serve as great starting points for your coaching philosophy. If you don’t have a copy of your league’s policy manual, check with your recreation director or league supervisor about obtaining one.
If you need to seek additional advice, you may want to ask other coaches about their philosophies to get a feel for where yours should be. You can also turn to your old coaches who you have great respect for to gain some perspective.
Even a carefully planned coaching philosophy can be tough to adhere to at times. At some point, Ken’s mom will confront you about why the team isn’t in first place, or Jenny’s dad will question why his daughter isn’t playing point guard. You have to be prepared to deal with all sorts of situations. Explain your coaching philosophy to the parents before the season gets underway to minimize these potential headaches (see Chapter 4). (For more on dealing with problem kids and parents, see Chapter 19.)
Gearing your philosophy to a specific age group
Although each child has his own unique strengths and weaknesses when it comes to basketball-related skills, all youngsters possess general characteristics dictated by age. Children are continually growing and evolving, and part of your coaching responsibility is knowing what to expect from them both physically and emotionally.
No matter the age or skill level of your players, always be supportive and enthusiastic. Pile on the praise and never stop encouraging them. You want to build their confidence and self-esteem, whether they’re 6 or 16. Self confidence is a gift that lasts for years and impacts how the kids approach life away from the basketball court. The following sections present some general characteristics that apply to specific age ranges.
Ages 6 and under
Children ages 6 and under probably haven’t played basketball before, and this season may be their first experience in any type of organized team setting. Your job is to introduce them to basketball’s most basic elements and whet their appetite for future participation in the sport. (For a look at teaching the offensive and defensive basics of the game, check out Chapters 9 and 10.)
Children at this age are primarily interested in being with friends and having fun playing the sport. Competition takes a backseat with this group; your kids will be more interested in the post-game snack than in who won the game. Many programs for the youngest kids don’t even bother turning on the scoreboard because of its irrelevance to the experience.
Ages 7–9
Youngsters in the 7–9 age group are interested in mastering some of the basics of the sport. They crave feedback from coaches and parents on how they’re performing certain skills and how they’re progressing with new ones. They begin noticing their teammates’ abilities and skill levels, and when you verbally recognize one of their peers for properly executing a skill, they’ll want to earn that same feedback. Your coaching philosophy should focus on fun, of course, but also helping the kids increase their skill development and knowledge of the game.
Ages 10–12
More than likely, children in the 10–12 age group have had some experience playing organized basketball and are continuing with it because they enjoy the sport and the competition. Your job as coach is to keep the positive momentum going by adding to their foundation of skills and fueling their desire to continue playing. Many of these kids become more competitive, and winning and losing take on more importance in their lives. They want to put their skills to the test and enjoy competing against peers. When they can help the team prevail, these players feel immense satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment unique to the sport of basketball. (Chapters 12 and 13 cover some intermediate skills you can focus on with these types of players.)
Ages 12 and up
Welcome to the challenging and ever-changing world of the teenager! Kids ages 12 and up have probably developed many of the basic skills needed to play basketball and now want to focus on improving them. (In Chapters 15–17, we cover more advanced techniques you can teach older kids and provide an assortment of challenging drills.)
If you volunteer or get recruited into coaching at this age group, don’t panic! Instead, welcome the chance to enhance your coaching abilities and embrace the opportunity to coach kids who have a deep-rooted love for the game. Be sure to let them know that you value their opinions, suggestions, and input. A youngster’s passion for basketball at this age is wonderful, and that enthusiasm can make your job easier if you let it.
Gaining the respect of your players is always important to your coaching success — particularly when coaching kids in this age range. These kids have probably developed a real passion for the sport. They may have attended basketball camps, may play on travel teams (see Chapter 20), and, in some cases, may be more knowledgeable in some areas of the sport than you are. If you neglect your homework and don’t come to practice with session plans that have been prepared in advance (see Chapter 6), the kids will notice, and learning and skill development will grind to a halt.
Promoting teamwork
Basketball is a team game. Although the sport allows individuals to create plays on their own (when they drive to the basket, for instance), you and your team will be much better off if you can get everyone to work together as a cohesive unit. Teamwork translates into more quality scoring opportunities on offense and better defensive play. Of course, promoting teamwork with youngsters is easier said than done.
There are no clear-cut methods for teaching the essence of teamwork to your players. However, if you continue to work on team play during your practices and through the drills you choose, your players will (hopefully) begin to see the enormous benefits gained by working together as a team. Keep in mind the following pointers when coaching during practices and when on the sidelines for games:
Applaud team efforts. Be sure to recognize the efforts of your entire team when possible. For example, if you’re conducting a 3-on-2 fast-break drill and the offense scores a basket, your natural tendency may be to applaud the end result and the youngster who converted the basket (see Chapter 11 for more on offensive drills). Don’t neglect the other players involved, though, because without their accurate passes, your offense wouldn’t have been in position to score a basket. Acknowledge all the components that go into making a play work.
When you spread your praise equally among all the players involved in making a basket, you convince your youngsters that they each play a significant role on the team and that good rebounding, good passing, and good ball-handling skills are just as important as the ability to score.
Encourage players to congratulate teammates on the floor. You want your players to acknowledge the efforts of their teammates. A player who receives a pass and scores during a 3-on-2 fast-break drill should holler “great pass” to his teammate after the play. Get your kids in the habit of giving high-fives or verbal praise so you can strengthen team unity.
Promote sideline support. Encourage players on the bench to stay involved by supporting their teammates. Doing so keeps them focused on the action on the court so they aren’t glancing into the stands to see what their parents are doing. Hearing teammates’ cheers also provides extra encouragement for the players on the court.
Rotate your captains. Don’t stick with the same two or three players to serve as team captains throughout the season, because this elevates them above everyone else. Give all your kids the chance to lead warm-ups (see Chapter 18) or to lead the team out onto the court on game day.
Create a team cheer. Work with your players to come up with a clever team cheer that you can shout before games. The cheer helps to remind players that they’re taking the court as a team. You can use something as basic as “one . . . two . . . three . . . together!” as a positive reminder to play together and support one another.
Motivating players
Some of your players will respond in a positive manner to your challenges — such as seeing whether they can sink five free throws in a row (see Chapter 9). For other players, that task may put too much pressure on them and actually detract from their motivation to participate. You have to discover for yourself what type of motivational tactics work for each player to get the best out of him. (For more on evaluating your players, see Chapter 5.)
Here are some general cues you can employ to help motivate your players to become the best they can be:
Embrace your position. If you display a sincere passion for basketball and teaching it to children, your excitement and enthusiasm will rub off on your players, and they’ll respond accordingly.
Set attainable goals for players. Forget about trying to win every game or having the league’s most prolific offense. Those aren’t helpful goals for kids in a youth basketball program. Setting goals that are within reach stimulates and encourages players to keep working. (For details on setting individual and team goals, check out Chapter 8.)
If a child senses that your expectations are impossibly far-fetched, he’ll question the point of even trying, and his play will suffer. Convey to the players that the essence of participating is always putting forth their best effort. Instilling this habit in kids carries over to how they approach everyday life. A winner is someone who always gives his best effort, regardless of the situation.
Point out the positives at practice. Being positive is simply one of the best motivational tools around. Think about it: If your boss publicly tells you that you did a great job on a presentation, the praise will make you feel pretty good, and you’ll give even more effort on your next project. The same goes for kids playing basketball.
Stay away from using threats as motivation. Making a child run laps around the court for failing to meet your expectations has no place in youth basketball. Kids are there to play and learn from their mistakes, not be punished for them. You don’t want to make a youngster afraid of making another mistake that will translate into additional punishment. Nothing saps the fun out of the game faster. Instead, take a closer look at how you’re teaching the child. If he’s giving it his all with no success, you have to take a different approach to teaching the skill. (For proper disciplinary actions for misbehavior, see Chapter 19.)
Opening the lines of communication
Establishing open lines of communication with your players is important. You want them to feel comfortable coming to you with any questions, problems, or concerns at any point during the season. Besides being their coach, you can do your part to be their friend and confidant.
At different points during the season, talk with all your players about topics other than basketball to forge special bonds that will last all season and beyond. While they’re stretching, for example, go around and ask your players how they’re doing in school and what their favorite subjects are. On practice days when some kids show up early, you can find out whether they have any brothers or sisters, ask about the names of their pets, or discover what hobbies they enjoy. Getting to know the kids on a non-basketball level lets them know that you care about them as individuals and makes it easier for them to open up to you if they need to come to you with a problem.
