March 4, 2024 by: coach

How Players Should Prepare For Basketball Practice

Players should establish a routine for how to prepare for basketball practice.

Basketball is a sport that demands both physical fitness and mental acuity. For youth players, especially those just starting their basketball journey, preparing for practice goes beyond just showing up on time (although that’s a good start). It involves a combination of physical conditioning, mental preparation, and a focus on fundamental skills.

Here are some key tips for young basketball players to make the most of their practice sessions and impress their coaches.

1. Attend To Hydration and Nutrition

Proper hydration and nutrition are basic requirements for any athlete. Before practice, players should drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and have a light, balanced meal to fuel their bodies. Avoid heavy, greasy foods that can cause discomfort during practice. Come ready to play.

2. Complete A Dynamic Warm-Up

A proper warm-up is essential to prevent injuries and prepare the body for intense physical activity. Players should engage in dynamic stretching exercises to loosen up muscles and increase blood flow.

3. Conduct An Equipment Check

Before heading to practice, players should ensure they have all the necessary equipment, including their jerseys, shorts, basketball shoes, and water bottles. It’s also a good idea to check the condition of their gear to avoid any issues during practice.

4. Focus on Mindset and Focus

Basketball is as much a mental game as it is physical. Players should arrive at practice with a positive mindset, ready to learn and improve. Focus on the goals for the practice session and stay mentally engaged throughout. Be focused and an active listener.

5. Review Goals and Objectives

Before practice begins, players should review the goals and objectives set by the coach for that session. This could include working on specific skills, improving teamwork, or implementing game strategies. A player may also have goals of their own, e.g., To be the player at practice noted for hustling the hardest.

6. Arrive Early

Arriving early shows dedication and allows players to mentally prepare for practice. It also gives them time to chat with teammates, review plays or get in some extra shooting practice. Coaches notice.

7. Wear Proper Attire

Wearing the right clothing and footwear is crucial for performance and safety. Basketball shoes provide the necessary support and traction for the quick movements required in the game.

8. Listen and Learn

During practice, players should listen carefully to their coach’s instructions and actively participate in drills. Paying attention and asking questions can help clarify any fine points.

9. Stay Positive and Encouraging

Basketball is a team sport, and positivity and encouragement go a long way in building team cohesion. Players should support and uplift their teammates, even during challenging drills. It’s not always who is best on the team, but who makes the team best.

10. Stay Hydrated and Energized

Keep a water bottle handy and take short breaks to rehydrate during practice. Snacks like fruit or energy bars can help maintain energy levels.

11. Focus on Fundamentals

Practice sessions are an opportunity to hone fundamental skills like dribbling, shooting, passing, and defense. Players should approach these drills with focus and attention to detail. Practicing things you’ve done many times can be boring, but stay on task and work to improve.

12. Ask for Feedback

Seeking feedback from coaches and teammates is a great way to improve. Players should be open to constructive criticism and use it as a tool for growth. Everyone once started as a beginner.

13. Stay Positive and Resilient

Not every practice will be perfect, and there will be ups and downs. It’s important for players to stay positive, learn from mistakes, and bounce back stronger. Coaches like resilient players. So, do teammates.

Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, preparation is key to success in basketball, especially for young players. By following these tips and approaching practice with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn, young hoopsters can maximize their potential and enjoy a fulfilling basketball experience.

By Mike O’Halloran

Mike has written four books on coaching youth basketball including Youth Basketball Practice Plans.

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55 Good Basketball Quotes and 20 Funny Ones

Good basketball quotes are not hard to come by. But, we’ve made it even easier for you with this group. Basketball coaches, players and superstars all made their contributions. Take a look through and see if you find any quotation that might inspire and motivate your team. Or, if you’re just looking for your own amusement, check out the funny basketball quotations down low. Time for the tip-off – you’re on your way!

55 Good Basketball Quotes

I think everyone should go to college and get a degree and then spend six months as a bartender and six months as a cab driver. Then they would really be educated.
Al McGuire
I know that the hard work got me here. And the day I stop working hard, this can all go away.
Kevin Durant
I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.
Michael Jordan
A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If you can get them all together, you have a fist. That’s how I want you to play.
Mike Krzyzewski
I don’t know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody – somewhere – was practicing more than me.
Larry Bird
You can’t be afraid to fail. It’s the only way you succeed…you’re not gonna succeed all the time, and I know that.
LeBron James
I don’t believe in statistics. There are too many factors that can’t be measured. You can’t measure a ballplayer’s heart.
Red Auerbach
Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates.
Magic Johnson
Discipline and demand without being demeaning.
Don Meyer
Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
John Wooden

Great Basketball Quotations

Anytime you get an award as a coach, you’ve got to be the ultimate fool to think it wasn’t your assistant coaches and all the players responsible for the award.
Don Meyer
I can get better. I haven’t reached my ceiling yet on how well I can shoot the basketball.
Steph Curry
You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.
Michael Jordan
I’m a firm believer in that you play the way you practice.
Larry Bird
It’s not what you tell your players that counts, it’s what they hear.
Red Auerbach
Shout praise and whisper criticism.
Don Meyer
Leaders have to search for the heart on a team, because the person who has it can bring out the best in everybody else.
Mike Krzyzewski
The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.
John Wooden
I always laugh when people ask me about rebounding techniques. I’ve got a technique. It’s called just go get the damn ball.
Charles Barkley
Every day you teach attitude.
Don Meyer
What I tell people is be the best version of yourself in anything that you do. You don’t have to live anybody else’s story.
Steph Curry
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.
John Wooden
Chemistry is important. If you like your teammates, it’s going to be easier to play with them on the court.
Kevin Durant
Push yourself again and again. Don’t give an inch until the final buzzer sounds.
Larry Bird
I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.
Michael Jordan

Inspirational Basketball Quotations

They said you have to use your five best players but I found you win with the five who fit together the best.
Red Auerbach
I’m looking for players who make their teammates better. You do that with enthusiasm and passion.
Mike Krzyzewski
I think I’ll stick to what I’m used to, my principles, and that is team Number 1 and individual Number 2.
Yao Ming
You build your program from the ideas of great coaches.
Don Meyer
It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
John Wooden
Systems win! Believe in your system, and then sell it to your players.
Billy Donovan
You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I’m the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right.
Charles Barkley
I’m not saying that they were Einsteins; they were marginal students. But every ballplayer whoever touched me has moved up his station in life. And the players moved up my station.
Al McGuire
Sports teach you how to be quick. Injuries teach you how to slow down.
Yao Ming
With a versatile player, there’s no spot on the court you can’t pass him the ball. You can do anything.
Kevin Durant

Cool Basketball Sayings

It’s not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.
John Wooden
Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It’s being able to take it as well as dish it out. That’s the only way you’re going to get respect from the players.
Larry Bird
The truth is that many people set rules to keep from making decisions.
Mike Krzyzewski
Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.
Jim Valvano
Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath.
Wilt Chamberlain

Motivational Basketball Quotes

Every sound in the gym is so fantastic. The screams of the fans, the whistle of the ref, the teammates calling to each other, the sounds of the ball touching the wooden floor, the sneakers touching the floor, and the sounds of the fight, the muscle and the sweat. Oh, and the last one—when the ball goes through the net. Don’t laugh at my sensitivity and romanticism – those sounds really attract me.
Yao Ming
If they think we’ve got an edge, we’ve got an edge.
Red Auerbach
The two ingredients in success in basketball are playing hard and playing intelligently.
Pete Carill
Criticize on defense and encourage on offense.
John Brady
Every time I think about changing a diaper, I run a little bit harder and a little bit faster to make sure I can afford a nanny until my daughter’s old enough to take care of that herself.
Charles Barkley
My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.
Jim Valvano
I was always in the gym. People would look at me crazy because I spent so much time there. But that’s what it was about. I’m glad I did it.
Kevin Durant
I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot. When you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result.
Michael Jordan
One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Every time I rise up, I have confidence that I’m going to make it.
Steph Curry

Inspiring Quotations

Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.
John Wooden
Not only is there more to life than basketball, there’s a lot more to basketball than basketball.
Phil Jackson
Prepare for every game like you just lost your last game.
Lon Kruger
With accomplishments comes confidence and with confidence comes belief. It has to be in that order.
Mike Krzyzewski
One day of practice is like one day of clean living. It doesn’t do you any good.
Abe Lemmons

20 Funny Basketball Quotes

Winning is only important in war and surgery.
Al McGuire
Any American boy can be a basketball star if he grows up, up, up.
Bill Vaughn
When I’m losing, they call me nuts. When I’m winning, they call me eccentric.
Al McGuire
We are in the business of kicking butt and business is very, very good.
Charles Barkley
We’re shooting 100 percent – 60 percent from the field and 40 percent from the free-throw line.
Norm Stewart
I had my moment on the stage. The trick in life is to know when to leave.
Al McGuire
A team should be an extension of a coach’s personality. My teams are arrogant and obnoxious.
Al McGuire
When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team.
George Raveling
Basketball is like photography, if you don’t focus, all you have is the negative.
Dan Frisby
I hate it. It looks like a stickup at 7-Eleven. Five guys standing there with their hands in the air.
Norm Sloan, talking about zone defense

Basketball Quotes Funny

This year we plan to run and shoot. Next season we hope to run and score.
Billy Tubbs
Fans never fall asleep at our games, because they’re afraid they might get hit by a pass.
George Raveling
Winning is like deodorant – it comes up and a lot of things don’t stink.
Doc Rivers
I haven’t been able to slam-dunk the basketball for the past five years. Or, for the thirty-eight years before that, either.
Dave Barry
There are really only two plays: Romeo and Juliet, and put the darn ball in the basket.
Abe Lemmons
We’re shooting 100 percent – 60 percent from the field and 40 percent from the free-throw line.
Norm Stewart
The secret is to have eight great players and four others who will cheer like crazy.
Jerry Tarkanian
I remember sitting down with the Rockets and saying, ‘Yeah. I’m going to retire.’ They said, ‘Well, we’ll give you $9 million.’ And I said, ‘You got a pen on you?’
Charles Barkley
We rush for the stars as we crawl toward our graves.
Al McGuire
I asked a ref if he could give me a technical foul for thinking bad things about him. He said, of course not. I said, well, I think you stink. And he gave me a technical. You can’t trust em.
Jim Valvano

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October 25, 2016 by: Michael OHalloran

Seven Pregame Activities for your Youth Basketball Team

Youth basketball coaches can accomplish a lot of things in the time they have with their players before games. It can be the difference between winning and losing a close game.

Think about all the time you have with your team before games. If you play 30 games a year, and ask players to come 45 minutes before game time, you have almost the equivalent time of 15 more practices. If coaches view this time as an opportunity to continue the coaching process, it gives them a leg up on competitors.

Youth Basketball: Seven Pregame Activities for Coaches

1.) Review defense, offense, and inbound plays

Basketball players make many decisions when on the court, with a good share of them having to be made very quickly. The more players understand exactly where they’re supposed to be and the associated action needed, the better shape the team will be in.

Before games is a great time to use your coaching whiteboard. In addition to teaching and reinforcing concepts you’ve reviewed in practice, it also prepares players for when you might use it to communicate activities during a game. I think for the first 10 games of every season, I’d review the concept of ball-side and help-side defense on my coaching whiteboard. This is such an important concept for defense that it merits repetition. Keep your reviews simple and short. Quiz your players to keep them engaged as you’re talking.

For some games when we introduced an inbounds play that not all of the players knew 100%, we’d walk through the school’s hallways practicing where people needed to be, and what they needed to do. The immediacy of having just recently practiced a play sure seemed to make it work better during game time.

The overall goal of the quick review of defense, offense, and inbound plays was to make sure our coaches were putting our players in the best position to succeed. Plus, since we really didn’t introduce new activities before game time, kids gained some confidence from reviewing roles they accomplished in practice.

2.) Highlight one area of focus

Reviewing the basic game plan with players helps the head coach identify one area of focus. This might vary from game to game based on previous performances, your opponent or where you’re at in the season. Areas of focus that I tended to use a lot were moving their feet on defense, rebounding aggressively, winning 50/50 balls, and making great passes.

By letting your players know that this is important to you will make it important to them. Your area of focus should tie to your practice plan for the week before the game.

For the area of focus, coaches might provide a few tips. For example, if the area of focus is rebounding, a coach might demonstrate the boxing-out technique. A coach might speak to attitude, e.g., “Sometimes it’s the player who wants the ball more.” Some players might respond to technique improvements and others might respond to attitude challenges.

3.) Share a life lesson

When the season is completed, coaches don’t want to look back and realize that they’ve only taught basketball to their players. At young and impressionable ages, coaches need to take advantage of this time to teach bigger life lessons.

Share with the team a short story that emphasizes the value of practice and hard work, the importance of playing together as a team, or some other key learning that goes beyond just hoops.

A local college basketball player was in the news because he never made his high school basketball team. He continued to play basketball and work hard. He practiced daily. He never gave up. When some college varsity players noticed him in pick-up games on campus, they asked him to join the team. He made the team that year. Three years later, he was all-conference and led the team in scoring. Do you see how a story like this can emphasize the value of not giving up and working hard?

4.) Keep your players relaxed, loose, and ready to play

Make sure your players’ necessities are met. Have them go to the bathroom, fill water bottles, and ensure that their shoes are laced properly.

It’s been my experience that nearly all players have a little nervous energy before a game. And, that’s ok. But, as a coaching staff, you don’t need to make the situation more tense by reminding them, “This is a big game!” On the other hand, try to get players to calm down. Players typically play their best when they’re relaxed.

5.) Warm-up

In practice before a game, you should review your warm-up drills. The overall goal is to get players’ bodies loosened up and to familiarize players with the playing conditions, primarily the court surface and the backboard and rim. If the court has unique markings or different seating areas for fans, as a coach, you might highlight these for your players.

Activities for pre-game warm-ups should include some running, some dribbling, and some shooting. As most baskets in any game are typically made within 5 feet of the rim, make sure players get an opportunity to practice some short shots and lay-ups.

Coaches should be looking for opportunities to provide positive comments. Five minutes before tip-off is not the time to change your center’s free throw shooting form. You want your players to be confident. Find things they’re doing right and let them know.

6.) Shooting practice

As lighting, background, rims, and backboards can vary significantly from one gym to the next, it’s a great idea to spend a good chunk of the warm-up time having players shoot the basketball. Drills that include dribbling to a spot, stopping, and shooting work well. Or, multiple passes leading to a shot.

While the head coach and perhaps one assistant are focused on preparing the team, another assistant coach can be scouting the other team during their warm-ups. That assistant coach might quickly discover the opponent’s best players and defensive assignments for your team can be made accordingly.

With shooting, perhaps more so than any other aspect of the game, it helps to have confidence. Coaches should work to instill confidence in shooting during pre-game warm-ups.

7.) Getting focused and a “winning my shift attitude”

Unless warm-up time is greatly reduced, it’s a good idea to huddle up with players again about 2 minutes before the buzzer goes off signifying the time for the game to begin. These 2 minutes allow the coaching staff to refocus the players, make any specific defensive assignments, e.g. Sara, you’ll be guarding #33, and talk about the importance of a strong start.

Especially with younger-aged teams, when complete team rotations happen, talk about the importance of winning a shift.

With youth basketball in particular, most teams start the game very tentatively. A team that is aggressive in the early going can frequently get off to a great start. Make sure your team is ready.

The way you prepare your team right before a game should be a direct reflection of your practices. The game preparation time serves largely as a reminder of activities that you’re practicing and completing successfully in practice. Prepare, be calm, and keep the big picture in mind.

By Michael O’Halloran

Michael O’Halloran has coached basketball for 15 years and is the author of Youth Basketball Practice Plans.

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October 1, 2015 by: Michael OHalloran

Youth Basketball Tryouts: Lessons Learned

Twenty nervous 10 and 11-year-olds chattered and laughed nervously before basketball tryouts. The numbers worked out well this year as the 20 players would be divided into two equal teams of 10 players.

Our community brings in coaches from other grade levels to serve as independent evaluators and rank players into an “A” pool (top players), a “B” pool (middle-of-the-pack players), and a “C” pool (less advanced). When the rankings are completed, the two head coaches, one of whom was me, could use the rankings as a resource to help select the teams as we alternate picks.

Where Rankings Don’t Always Work

As I observed the tryouts, one of the players caught my eye. Let’s call her Amanda. Amanda was the tallest kid in the group of 20, but not particularly athletic-looking. She appeared clumsy at times. She jumped off the wrong foot for her right-hand lay-up, her dribbling skills were very rugged and like many of the players, her shooting form was lacking.

In scrimmage sessions, she tired quickly and transition play wasn’t her strong suit. However, in half-court play, Amanda was able to secure rebounds and protect the ball. And, she seemed to have a good understanding of where to position herself to get shots off the backboard at close range. However, in the scrimmages, she only made one shot.

When the rankings came back from the independent evaluators, there were 4 players in the “A” pool, 12 in the “B” pool and 4 in the “C” pool. Amanda was placed in the “C” pool. If the number of participants had been different, the “C” pool would have also been the cut pool.

Despite her “C” pool ranking, I selected Amanda as my 2nd pick. The tryout coordinator questioned my selection because so many “A” and “B” pool players were available, but the other coach sighed because she had planned on making Amanda her next pick if I hadn’t chosen her.

The other coach and I had coached many youth basketball teams, and we had both learned the value of having a center who could grab rebounds.

Trust Your Own Eyes

Amanda, from day one, went on to lead our team in both scoring and rebounding that season. Throughout the year, she was our go-to player when we needed a basket. Any knowledgeable ranking of the players at the season’s end would have had Amanda in the top 3 players at least.

Why did the independent evaluators rate Amanda so low? What’s to be learned for conducting tryouts for youth basketball?

Youth Basketball Tryouts: Lessons Learned

Here’s my take:

• Most tryout drills and activities are not the forte of bigger players. Factor that into your evaluations.

Bigger players, especially at younger ages, tend to not perform as well in lay-up form, dribbling skills, and the like, as smaller players. Sure, there are lots of exceptions to that rule. But, many “bigs” are growing into their bodies, and hand-eye and foot-eye coordination can be challenging. Even scrimmages tend to favor guards. Who brings the ball up nearly every time in a tryout scrimmage? It’s the guards.

Players at younger ages are not noted for their strong passing abilities. Bigger players get fewer unearned touches. Based solely on the performance at tryout activities, many clubs might end up with a team of guards. Teams need rebounders. Teams need players who can guard bigger opposing players. Don’t underrate the bigger players — and I say that as a father of 4 players who grew up playing guards.

• Place a premium on height, athleticism, and aggressiveness — they’re hard to teach.

At younger ages especially, many kids come into tryouts not having played a lot. While kids who have played extensively will have more advanced skills, be careful not to rate them too highly on skill development alone.

With more practice time, other players will catch up and may quickly surpass the players who had the lead at tryouts. I remember one 5th-grade tryout where one of the fastest, most athletic kids had the lowest rankings because she had never played basketball before. But, with more practice time, she quickly elevated her game. By the end of the season, she was one of the top 2 players on her team. Lots of practice time will bring the cream to the top.

• Avoid cutting players.

If evaluators have a hard time determining how a player will do for the season ahead as was the case with Amanda, think of the challenges with trying to determine the long-term success of players. Performance at younger ages is not always the best indicator of how players will do in high school.

That’s just one of the reasons that every coach should try and keep all players in the program. Find a way to make it work so that cuts are avoided. Pushback will come from parents who want to be more competitive, parents who want more playing time for their kids, and even at the organization level, but put up your best fight to see that all players get a chance to play.

By Michael O’Halloran

Michael O’Halloran is the author of Youth Basketball Practice Plans and a long-time youth basketball coach.

After using the plans, one coach wrote: “…I coach 5th and 6th-grade girls basketball and after winning only 3 games the previous 2 years combined, I began using your structured practice plans each week and now we are one game away from the League Championship!”

May 1, 2015 by: coach

Basketball Practice Plans Bundle for Coaches

If you’re just starting out coaching your son’s or daughter’s basketball team, you’re about to depart on a great journey. And, for you coaches who have already had the privilege, you know what a great time it can be.

There are lots of practices and games, highs and lows, and opportunities to interact with players, other coaches and parents.

Coaching youth basketball is all about teaching. Don’t let your game time watching of college and pro games fool you. The real work happens in practice before the prime time televised games. The same goes for youth basketball.

One of the first things the top coaches will tell you is that it pays to have a plan for the season. You’ll need both an overall plan for the order you’ll be teaching things from practice to practice, and individual practice plans to make the most out of your teaching time on a practice by practice basis.

Youth Basketball Practice Plans

Instant access for $29.99

The Well Prepared Coach Youth Basketball Practice Plans guide is a tool that will make your coaching so much easier. It features 30 structured practice plans so that you’ll be ready with very little preparation for each practice session.

You’ll save time. When you’re running from work to an early practice, you might not have a lot of time to consider your best coaching approach for the evening. Print out the practice plan, bring it with you to practice, and you have the night’s agenda scripted.

Coaches have confidence and can coach in the moment. They don’t need to worry about what’s the next item to plan. It’s written out for you. This guide provides talking points for pre-practice meetings, court-tested drills and add-ons like inbound plays and an off-season workout.

A common problem with many newly assigned youth basketball coaches is that they spend too much time scrimmaging. Why? It’s usually because they haven’t prepared. Some scrimmaging is needed for a team, but a coach must teach. And when a team is scrimmaging 80% of every practice, all of the players are not learning as much as they could.

Basketball Award Templates & Coaching Forms

Basketball award certificate templates samples image

Start with blank form and type or write to customize.

Come the end of the basketball year, and throughout the season, coaches should be looking to build the confidence of their players. One way to help achieve that is to present players customized award certificates. Choose from many forms including “Dream Team,” “You’re an All-Star,” and more. There are also award templates for coaches, team parents and others who have helped support the team.

Created by professional designer Greg Johnson, these award certificates can be personalized with players’ names, date, individual words of praise, team name, coach’s name and more. Kids will keep them up on the family fridge or bulletin boards for a long time.

In addition to the award certificate templates, there are also coaching form templates including one for treat sign-up, shot tracking, basketball homework and more. As a coach, you’ll look polished and well prepared with this basketball coaching tool.

Basketball Practice Plans Bundle

Now, here your opportunity to get the Basketball Practice Plans Bundle — you’ll receive both the Youth Basketball Practice Plans and Basketball Award Certificate and Coaching Forms Printables for just $35.50. Save over $14 by buying both in this Basketball Practice Plans Bundle.

Find out more about the Basketball Practice Plans Bundle contents by clicking on the links below.

Youth Basketball Practice Plans + Basketball Award Certificates and Coaching Form Printables

You’ll receive links to instantly download these Basketball Practice Plans Bundle products upon purchase. Buy both and enjoy a significant savings.

PRICE: $35.50 for the Basketball Practice Plans Bundle

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October 15, 2014 by: Michael OHalloran

Youth Basketball Coaching: 7 Tips to Build Players’ Trust

Youth basketball coaching done well depends significantly on the relationship the coach has with the players. If a young team is firmly behind its coach, players will play their hearts out and that coach will get their best efforts. So, how does a volunteer youth basketball coach build trust with players?

At a very high level, trust-building comes down to credibility and how one treats people. It’s wise to always keep that in mind. How did Abraham Lincoln build trust with his advisors? Many of his closest advisors started as enemies. But, Honest Abe was patient, treated people well, and slowly built their trust. So, what are some concrete things one can do as a coach to build that trust? Here are some ideas.

Youth Basketball Coaching: 7 Tips to Build Players’ Trust

1.) Compliment often.

For young players, playing their best basketball comes from being confident. Compliments go a long way to building confidence. Be sincere, but keep the kind comments flowing. Address the team as a whole and players individually. Find players doing something well, and let them know you noticed.

2.) Use players’ first names.

Learn first names quickly and use them frequently. I think it was Dale Carnegie in How to Win Friends and Influence People who wrote that hearing our first names is like music to our ears.

3.) Come prepared.

If you come to too many practices disorganized, your players will know. Being prepared shows you care about the players to come ready to give your best. Avoid long monologues when addressing the team. Keep your comments short in length, but frequent. With a plan of attack in hand, it will enable you to coach in the present, and not worry about what you’re going to have the team do next.

4.) Spotlight players’ skills.

When teaching a new skill, whether it be a technique for boxing out for rebounds or executing a reverse layup, demonstrate it and then let your players have a try at it. After observing several efforts, pick out a player or two who do it well, and ask the whole team to watch them, because they’re doing it well. What a boost for the player who is asked to demonstrate the skill! Throughout a few practices, try to make sure all the players are called out for something.

5.) One-minute player pep talks.

Don’t forget the power of one-to-one communication. More often than not, you’re addressing the team as a whole or a group of players. But, a well-timed message delivered to an individual player before a game or practice can do wonders. Highlight some skill that they’re doing well and challenge a player to try something they haven’t demonstrated before, e.g. dribble driving with their off-hand to the basket.

After the first couple of weekends of games, I always found it effective to meet with players individually for just a couple of minutes to let them know how good a job they were doing. At every age, you’ll likely have players at different skill levels with different strengths and weaknesses. Use the sandwich approach of combining things they’re doing very well at the beginning and end of the conversation, and challenge players with an opportunity to improve in the middle of the conversation.

6.) Reduce whistle use.

Save your whistle for when you’re scrimmaging. Try to get through a practice without using it at all. I always found it easier to form a tighter grouping and talk softly vs. having the team dispersed and needing to shout so they could hear. Your vocal chords will thank you.

7.) Plan fun.

The #1 reason players play youth sports is to have fun according to every report and post-season survey I’ve ever read. While basketball is inherently a fun sport, show players that your agenda addresses some of the components of their agenda. Plan fun into each practice. If you can’t figure out what your team considers fun, ask them. Start with one of the team leaders.

By Michael O’Halloran

Michael O’Halloran is the author of the Well Prepared Coach Youth Basketball Practice Plans and Layups and Life Lessons: 101 Coaching Tips for Youth Basketball.

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August 5, 2014 by: Michael OHalloran

Layups and Life Lessons book excerpt

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is an excerpt from Michael O’Halloran’s “Layups and Life Lessons: 101 Coaching Tips for Youth Basketball” published with permission.

Cultivate an atmosphere where kids can’t wait to come back to the next practice.

A challenge for youth coaches is to keep players engaged throughout the entire season. How do you do that? Keep it interesting. Keep it fun. Know your audience. In your practice plans, include some fun games and activities that you know your players will like. End practices on high notes, so that players leave wanting more. Mix it up. Don’t stay too long with one activity. Don’t lecture too much, especially when you first take the court. Ask your assistant coaches, players’ parents and players for ideas on adding fun and keeping things interesting. Find the right balance between working on challenging drills and easier practice topics. Spend some time on planning fun just like you might plan on teaching a basketball skill. Consider a player activity off the court for some team bonding. Teams that are enjoying the process learn more and perform better.

Teach the big lessons.

Sports are great platforms to teach bigger life lessons. Some of the same issues, opportunities and challenges that one faces in a game of soccer, basketball or another sport, are what your players might be facing later on in their lives. The importance of working hard, setting goals and teamwork are just some of the lessons that a good teaching coach can call out to players. Lessons learned while players are young will stay with them throughout their lives.

Layups and Life Lessons: Basketball Coaching Tips

$5.99 – click on book for more info.

Engage your players’ parents.

Involve as many players’ parents you can in team activities. Some possible roles on your team include: scorekeepers, assistant coaches, team parents, and team party hosts. Kids seem more engaged when their parents are involved in the team. For youth sports, communication to players’ parents is very important. Schedule an early meeting with parents to set expectations for the season, keep an updated calendar and find the best way to communicate to all parents in an efficient manner. Email lists and parent meetings after games and practices work well for many teams. Don’t be shy handing out compliments. What parent doesn’t want to hear that their child is doing well?

Let your stars shine.

It seems that some coaches try too hard to be coaching superstars at games. They’ll stand, they’ll pace, they’ll work the officials, they’ll scream, they’ll shout and to what effect? It distracts from their players on the court. Youth sports are ultimately about the players. Let your stars shine. Parents and fans don’t come to games to watch coaches coach. They come to watch players play. Coaches need to act their role, and remember it’s a supporting role.

Create a calendar of events for your basketball season

At the start of each school year, good teachers prepare a calendar of events for the school year. On many levels, a good coach is like a good teacher. Creating a master plan for the season is a great place to start.

Basketball seasons for many teams can begin in October and go well into February. That’s a long time. Look to build events into the season at well-established times. For example, at the start of the season, you could organize a team get-together for the player to get know one another and get to know the coach better. October brings Halloween and a natural time to invite players to dress up for a Halloween practice. December presents an opportunity for a Holiday party. You get the idea. Start your plans by building events around common calendar events.

Then, take a look at your practice schedule and game/tournament schedule. There may be some times when it would be great for your team to scrimmage another team. Before your first game or tournament, a scrimmage with a local team might just be what the doctor ordered to prep your players for game conditions. Write it into the calendar and make a note to call some local coaches to schedule. Another good time to schedule a scrimmage is coming off the holiday break in early January.

If your team has a stretch of 3 tournaments in quick succession, you might want to schedule an event to let your players relax a bit after the second tournament so that they don’t burn out on competitive fire.

It’s a good practice to look out the entire season and even plug in a couple of dates that might work for the season ending party. You might also plug in some placeholder events where you know you want to do some special at practice to keep kids interested, but don’t quite know what it should be. Pencil it in and solicit suggestions from other coaches and/or directly from your players.

In business, the saying goes, “Plan the work, and work the plan.” By laying out some key event dates and some placeholders, it will give you a sense of purpose and make things easier for you to visualize how the season will go.

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March 6, 2014 by: Michael OHalloran

Teaching youth basketball players life lessons

If you’re coaching a youth basketball team, you have a wonderful opportunity to pass on some of your wisdom to players. Look for opportunities throughout the season, during practices and games, to communicate important messages. Here’s a sampling for your consideration:

BASKETBALL LIFE LESSONS

Hard work and purpose lead to success.

When a player individually or the team as a whole puts in extra work, and the results pay off on the court, what better time is there to communicate this message? Think of this message playing out on the basketball court and also in the classroom.

It’s important to take chances because that’s how we grow and get better.

Players at all levels can quickly fall into a pattern of only using skills that they’re most comfortable with. Younger players might only dribble with their strong hands. Encourage your players to take chances and reward the effort even if the result is less than optimal.

“Inch-by-inch, life is a cinch; yard-by-yard, life is hard.”

Challenges are easier when taken in bite-size chunks. By getting a little better every day, the process is more comfortable than if you try to make a drastic improvement in one practice. It’s a good message for players to understand to try their best at every practice.

Winning and losing with grace.

In basketball as in life, players will not always come out on the winning side. Learning how to deal with one’s emotions immediately after losing a close game is an important experience for players, even if it doesn’t feel too good at the time. Players can also learn how adjustments made in practice after losses can have a positive impact on future games.

Don’t quit.

Whenever your team comes from behind and secures a victory provides a great opportunity to reinforce an important message: never quit.

The power and magic of teamwork – everyone makes a difference!

The best teams work together as a unit on offense and defense. It’s not all about scoring and rebounding — every player finds a way to contribute.

Getting along in a group.

When working with a group, there’s usually going to be some people you get along with better than others. Maybe because of similar backgrounds or interests, some players will make immediate connections with some and not so much with others. Basketball teams provide players opportunities to work together, even with others they may not necessarily like (at least at first).

Making good decisions.

I recently listened to a basketball expert who said that when a player has the basketball, they’re frequently making about 10 – 15 decisions in their head every 20 seconds, e.g. Should I pass, dribble or shoot? If I pass, who to? What kind of pass? How hard? Should I fake first? What should I do if I pass? The game of basketball forces players to make decisions. Some players learn from what the coaches say, and for other players, it takes the experience.

Preparing and meeting challenges.

How do you get ready for big opponents? Do you prepare a written plan, put in extra effort, and make the most of your practice time? If a coach makes the connections, it’s easy for players to see that preparation for a tough, cross-town rival in basketball is not dissimilar to preparing for a tough math test. Both take a plan, extra effort, and commitment.

By Michael O’Halloran

Excerpted from Mike O’Halloran’s Layups and Life Lessons: 101 Coaching Tips for Youth Basketball

Also, check out the new MVP Offseason Workouts for baseball, basketball, and softball.

February 15, 2014 by: coach

Basketball Coaching Tip: Shout praise and whisper criticism

Are you looking for a basketball coaching tip that works at all levels of play? Legendary college basketball coach Don Meyer authored the phrase, “Shout praise and whisper criticism,” which is great advice for not only basketball coaches but also all people in any pursuit.

One way to “shout praise,” with kids is to find players doing something right, and call attention to it for the whole team. If you look hard enough, over the course of several practices, you can call out of your players and ask them to demonstrate again their technique for the whole team’s benefit. Talk about a confidence booster for a player. I suspect more than a few players might go home and let their parents know that the coach thought I blocked out well for rebounding, or whatever the call out skill was.

A different approach should be taken when critiquing. Talk individually to the player in a lower tone and suggest some improvements.

The sandwich compliment is a great approach when you need to highlight an opportunity for a player. For example, if a player is standing up too straight when rebounding, and you want to let them know to get down low in a more athletic positions; here’s what you do.

Start with a compliment: “You’re really good at protecting the ball when you get a rebound. Then, offer the critique opportunity: “I think it will really help you if you can get lower, in a more athletic stance, when you’re first starting to box out.” And then, finish with a compliment: “What makes you so effective as a rebounder is your heart and hustle. You never give up.” Compliment – Critique opportunity – Compliment is an effective combination. Use it. If kids just hear negatives, they get down on themselves. This combination is a proven winner.

November 22, 2013 by: Michael OHalloran

Ten Ways an iPhone can help a Youth Basketball Coach

People use iPhones to text, keep calendars, take photos, play games, call friends, access the Internet, and for a gazillion other reasons.

But, could your iPhone help you coach your basketball team better?

To bring your coaching approach into the 21st century, consider the list below to bring some high-tech tips to your team. well prepared coach on iPhone

Here then are “Ten Ways an iPhone can help a Youth Basketball Coach”:

1. Use your video recorder. Basketball coaches: take advantage of the video feature on your iPhone with your basketball team especially at practices. In the same way that golf pros break down swings for golfers by video, show your players their shooting form. If a player’s elbow is sticking out too far, sometimes seeing it on video will help them make the correction easier. Does your team bunch up in one spot when they’re on offense. Showing the players video footage of a practice when this occurs might open their eyes to better spacing. It’s also fun to get video of footage of a practice session at the start of the year when skills are less developed and then gather footage at the end of the year on the same drill – a before and after approach.

iShotTracker

2. Track your team’s shots with iShotTrack app. Have an assistant coach or team parent record made and missed shots and the location of each with this app. You can view the shots overlaid on to a basketball court and begin to notice trends. You might notice that your team isn’t very effective at 3-pointers, but within 15 feet, your players shoot a high percentage. You might also notice how many made shots happen within 8 feet of the basket. Shots can be broken down for one player or the whole team.

3. Take notes. At the completion of each practice and at the end of every game, jot down in the Notes app some things you think the team should work on at the next practice. It might be a reminder to make sure to practice boxing out or to recognize a player’s upcoming birthday. The Notes app is an awesome way to keep track of the little things.

4. Use the stopwatch feature. Go to Utilities>Clock>Stopwatch and you’re able to easily time different aspects of a practice.

5. Have your season’s schedule at your fingertips. Ok, this one is obvious, but use your calendar. Put all of your practices and games, players’ birthdays and other key event days on to your calendar app. At the conclusion of any event it will be easy to remind your team of the next gathering by simply referring to your calendar.

Basketball Coach’s Clipboard

6. Basketball Coach’s Clipboard app. A quick and easy way to diagram plays. If your hands are getting dirty from wiping the marker off your white board, this might be the ticket for you. Create plays and drills with animation.

7. YouTube it. YouTube gets one billion + unique visitors to its site every month. We live in a video world. There are lots of videos on YouTube from basketball coaches that might help you explain a basketball concept, learn a new inbounds play or teach a particular technique, e.g. the crossover dribble. You’ll find youth, high school, college and pro coaches sharing valuable advice via video. Take advantage of it.

8. Put the spotlight on your players (literally). The free flashlight app turns your iPhone into a flashlight. Recognize players after great hustle plays in practice and games by shining the spotlight on them in the team huddle post court time. After being temporarily blinded, they’ll appreciate the recognition.

9. Refer to your practice plan. The best basketball coaches at all levels bring a practice plan to every practice. Our favorite for basketball teams is the Well Prepared Coach – 30 Youth Basketball Practice Plans. It’s available as a digital PDF that works with your iPhone or other smart phone, and you can refer to the pre-practice talking points, practice agenda, and key lessons easily throughout the practice. By having everything planned out and noted for you enables coaches to live in the moment and not worry about what they need to do next.

10. Music. If you add a compatible boom box to your iPhone to amplify the sound, you’ll make a lot of friends with players on your team. You can turn the music on for some repetitive drills and turn it off when you need to do more talking and explanations. Playing some favorite songs can add some energy and fun to any practice. Recognize standout performances in practices by rewarding players with the right to pick the next song.

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Michael O’Halloran. O’Halloran is the author of Well Prepared Coach – 30 Youth Basketball Practices and Layups and Life Lessons: 101 Coaching Tips for Youth Basketball.

1. Attend To Hydration and Nutrition

2. Complete A Dynamic Warm-Up

3. Conduct An Equipment Check

4. Focus on Mindset and Focus

5. Review Goals and Objectives

6. Arrive Early

7. Wear Proper Attire

8. Listen and Learn

9. Stay Positive and Encouraging

10. Stay Hydrated and Energized

11. Focus on Fundamentals

12. Ask for Feedback

13. Stay Positive and Resilient

Closing Thoughts

55 Good Basketball Quotes

Great Basketball Quotations

Inspirational Basketball Quotations

Cool Basketball Sayings

Motivational Basketball Quotes

Inspiring Quotations

20 Funny Basketball Quotes

Basketball Quotes Funny

Youth Basketball: Seven Pregame Activities for Coaches

1.) Review defense, offense, and inbound plays

2.) Highlight one area of focus

3.) Share a life lesson

4.) Keep your players relaxed, loose, and ready to play

5.) Warm-up

6.) Shooting practice

7.) Getting focused and a “winning my shift attitude”

Where Rankings Don’t Always Work

Trust Your Own Eyes

Youth Basketball Tryouts: Lessons Learned

• Most tryout drills and activities are not the forte of bigger players. Factor that into your evaluations.

• Place a premium on height, athleticism, and aggressiveness — they’re hard to teach.

• Avoid cutting players.

Youth Basketball Practice Plans

Basketball Award Templates & Coaching Forms

Basketball Practice Plans Bundle

Youth Basketball Coaching: 7 Tips to Build Players’ Trust

1.) Compliment often.

2.) Use players’ first names.

3.) Come prepared.

4.) Spotlight players’ skills.

5.) One-minute player pep talks.

6.) Reduce whistle use.

7.) Plan fun.

BASKETBALL LIFE LESSONS

Hard work and purpose lead to success.

It’s important to take chances because that’s how we grow and get better.

“Inch-by-inch, life is a cinch; yard-by-yard, life is hard.”

Winning and losing with grace.

Don’t quit.

The power and magic of teamwork – everyone makes a difference!

Getting along in a group.

Making good decisions.

Preparing and meeting challenges.

The Benefits of Practice Plans

Reviews of Youth Basketball Practice Plans

Basketball Quotes