Category: For Coaches

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Separate your training from the average | PGC Basketball | Mental Toughness

Precision is having the discipline to do something as well as it can be done, every single time, even if it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. —Dick DeVenzio

Separate your training from the average | PGC Basketball | Mental Toughness

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The Race to Nowhere

The title of this movie – RacetoNowhere.com – caught my attention because in youth basketball sometimes we forget what we are “racing” towards. This movie focuses more on academics, but the parallels to athletics is important. So there so many redemptive reasons to participate in youth basketball.

3 Redemptive Reasons to do youth basketball: 

  1. Learn to make quick & correct decisions under pressure.
  2. Learn to work with teammates who often have different perspectives and attitudes.
  3. Develop physical skills.

Want to dig deeper?

The Race to Nowhere Trailer: 

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What can I do to increase my role with the High school program? (thoughts, idea’s and suggestions)

Currently I am the 9B coach, and recently got done with my meeting with the varsity coach. Since there are no coaching spots at the higher level we agreed that it would be a good idea for me to expand my role with the program so I continue to grow as a coach.

Other then doing practices and games for my team, the only other thing I have had to do is Scout about 60% of the games for varsity last season

Today the Varsity coach emailed me saying my increased role was going to be to scout even more so the other 9th grade coach can be at their games instead of on the road. Although getting more reps at something will help me improve, I don’t feel like it is helping me learn any new skills or helping me toward becoming a Varsity coach myself, and is more for the other coaches benefit who is starting to burnout. (From coaching so long and some recently frustrating seasons)

So do you have any ideas on what I could do to continue to expand my role in the program or things that could help me toward my goal of being a head coach? Is my frustration from unwarranted?

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Girls Youth Basketball is Different

Just came across an interesting article from TheUndefeated.com which highlights the different paths for girls when it comes to college scholarships. What caught my attention was the additional number of college scholarships available to women. It represents great opportunities for women in basketball.

Women’s Division I teams each have 15 scholarships, compared with 13 for men, so there are 644 more free rides for women. And there are about 120,000 more boys playing high school basketball than girls. In other words, women’s college basketball has more scholarships for fewer players.

Author Jesse Washington reminds that “We don’t see the 5-8 kid in eighth grade and then she’s 6-3 in 11th grade. That just doesn’t happen…”. So – as with all kids – be realistic with your daughter’s opportunities.

“Because women still spend four years in college, because the money to be made in professional women’s basketball is not life-changing in the way that men’s basketball is, the main difference is that recruitable girls and their families still value education, first and foremost,” Gottlieb said. “I think they value relationships with the coaches and with the teammates and things like the feel of the campus.”

Read the full article for more insights: TheUndefeated.com

 

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Practical Advice for a Youth Basketball (AAU) Coach

We asked long-time Coach Dickson of Squalicum High School in Bellingham, Washington:

What would be your one practical piece of advice for a youth basketball (AAU) coach?

“This suggestion is an attempt to improve your team’s culture. In order to motivate and maximize your team’s and players’ potential, a coach must make every team member feel valued.

Show value to your players for their on-court contribution to the team (rebounding, defensive intensity, FTs, passing, etc) and their on-court qualities (competitiveness, persistence, encouraging, etc).

Take time to model this alone with each player and in front of the team. After you have modeled this practice, have your players demonstrate value towards each other by noting the contributions (on-court and character) made by their teammates. You might pair players up, or choose one player to be “spotlighted“.

This is a terrific way to improve your team culture as well as teaching your players the value of affirming others.”

Many coaches may take time after a game to give positive feedback to their players. Keep in mind 2 things:

  1. Demonstrate value to each player for their on-court contributions & qualities.
    “Great job scoring 20 points” communicates one thing to a player. “I appreciate your unselfish play near the end of the game” communicates something deeper.
  2. Find specific situations to highlight.
    “I appreciate your unselfish play near the end of the game” is a great encouragement, but “It showed great unselfish play in the last minute when you chose to pass inside instead of shoot.“