The Well-Prepared Coach's Blog

You’ve volunteered to coach your child’s basketball team; one of the first tasks is to create a team nickname.  Should you be “The Fast and the Furious,” “The Banana Slugs,” or “The Basket Hounds”?  Or something else?

How To Decide On Your Basketball Team Names

1.) Start broad with your search before narrowing it down to your favorites. 

Look at sports leagues from all different sports for inspiration.  There’s a great list of basketball team nickname options at Sports Feel Good Stories.

2.) Involve your players. 

Have your players suggest team nickname ideas and have them vote on 3 finalists that you’ve whittled the list of possibilities down to.

3.) Consider how the nickname sounds. 

Is it easy to pronounce? Is it memorable?

4.) How do the nickname alternatives fit your team, players, and community? 

“Runnin’ Rebels” works better for a fast team than a slow team. “Giants” might work best for a tall team.  In Minnesota, a high school team’s nickname is the “Blossoms.” 

It doesn’t make sense unless you understand that the high school is in Blooming Prairie. The school’s mascot is the “Awesome Blossom.” Is there a team nickname that fits your community to a “T”?

5.) Is the nickname distinctive? 

Do you ever wonder how many teams are nicknamed “Tigers”? Be different. Find some less common alternatives.

6.) Eliminate inappropriate options.

You don’t want to offend others with your choice of a nickname for a youth basketball team.

7.) Consider how well your nickname plays out as a logo.

How do the options play out graphically? There’s a reason that many college names are linked to animals — they lend themselves well to logo creation.

Have fun with your team nickname. Develop a team logo and use it in your team communications. Tip-off the season in style with a great team nickname and logo!

By Mike O’Halloran
Mike has coached youth basketball for 15 years.

You are on our 7 Tips for Deciding on a Basketball Team Name page.

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Most youth basketball teams begin practicing in October, so now seems like a good time to identify some things that youth basketball coaches should be doing to prepare for the season.

Start of Season To-Do List

Here’s what youth basketball coaches should work on early in the process.

1.) Be ready for your first meeting with players’ parents.

It’s a great idea to get all the team parents together so you can discuss your coaching philosophy, plans for the year, administrative issues and opportunities, and other plans. Prepare a one-pager that you can hand out that lists your parents’ expectations.

These expectations might include Demonstrating good sportsmanship at games by applauding good play from both teams, respecting the referees, and not shouting out directions to your child. By getting everyone on the same page at the start of the season, you’re on a good path to having everyone understand your intentions and enjoy the season. 

The players’ parents’ meeting is also a time to discuss carpooling to practices, how many tournaments everyone is interested in, and plans for making the season memorable for players. Prepare an agenda and require that at least one player’s parent attend.

At the meeting, try to get everyone to participate by having everyone introduce themselves and say something about some topic of interest. Maybe it’s their first experience with basketball or the favorite thing about their child.

See How an iPhone Can Help A Basketball Coach.

2.) Prepare for your first meeting with players.

In the same way, you’ve developed a list of parent expectations, prepare a list of player expectations. For example, you might include being on time for practice, trying your best, and respecting your teammates, coaches, and referees.

3.) Recruit assistant coaches.

Having assistant coaches makes the experience much more rewarding for players and coaches. Assistant coaches reduce the student/teacher ratio and can help you accomplish much more. 

Assistants can fill in if you’re late or miss a practice, and more sets of eyes can help in practices and games. Before your first meeting with parents or players, meet with your assistant coaches and outline your philosophy, approach, and the type of help you’re looking for.

See 10 Things I Hate About Youth Basketball.

4.) Identify your team manager.

In addition to your assistant coaches, it helps to have a team parent to handle some of the administrative tasks associated with managing a team.

Your team manager might help you with tasks like collecting money from each family, team communications, party planning, tournament entries, etc. You’ll want to find someone who is organized and can communicate effectively.

5.) Create your practice and tournament schedule.

With some youth basketball organizations, your practice and tournament schedule might be completed by board volunteers.  If not, you’ll have some work identifying the tournaments you want to play and the times and places for your weekly practices. 

When the players on your team are identified, I’ve found it helpful to develop a wallet-sized card that, on one side, lists all of the player’s names, their uniform numbers, parents’ names, and phone numbers.  The flip side lists all of the planned tournaments and dates.

If your team is formed with players and parents who don’t know each other well, it helps to have the uniform number of each player so that parents can quickly identify who’s who.

See 7 Pre-game Activities For Youth Basketball.

6.) Prepare your practice plans.

Setting aside time before the season starts to think about what you want to teach your players this season makes a lot of sense. In broad strokes, think of timing—what needs to be taught right away and what can wait until later in the season. 

I’m a big believer in teaching team and individual defense first. We can compete in most games if we can slow down opposing teams’ scoring. Thus, I focused on teaching defense for my first practice with a new team.

As kids can get bored quickly, I like to change directions in practice by having a series of exercises and moving aggressively from one exercise to the next. By doing that, kids get some aerobic work without coaches having to devote separate time to run laps or sprints.

Our 30 Youth Basketball Practice Plans are great for planning the season and each practice. This PDF, which you can download on your PC or Mac, allows you to print out the 2-page practice plan and bring it to practice. I usually fold it and put it in my pocket, but some coaches prefer clipboards. It will give you an agenda for thirty 90-minute practices you can walk through minute-by-minute.

See A Motion Offense in Youth Basketball.

 7.) Plan events to make it fun.

Year in and year out, players have enjoyed some of the events we’ve done as a team, even more so than the tournaments we’ve won. Most players are in it for the “experience.” 

Kick around some events with your coaches and parents, like a “Parent vs. Player” game, a Halloween haunted house, a college or pro game with players and parents, or something else. 

When the newness wears off of basketball practice, try to instill some fun by having some themed practices like “Crazy Socks Night,” where players wear their wildest socks, a “Contest Night,” or a “Motown Monday” practice where a boom box plays the Temptations and The Jackson Five during parts of the evening.  Make it different, keep it fun, and players will respond.

See 7 Tips For Deciding on your Basketball Team Name.

8.) Reach out to neighboring teams’ coaches to plan scrimmages.

You can agree on one or two scrimmage dates by contacting the coaches of other teams in neighboring towns. Before our first tournament or game, I always try to have one dry run in the form of a scrimmage with a neighboring team. Sure, we do lots of intra-squad scrimmaging, but players get pumped up to play someone else, and it’s good preparation for your team. 

You get a chance to practice your pre-game comments and see players competing against folks they’re likely not very familiar with. As a coach, you can walk your players through how it will work before, on the bench, and after. 

At first scrimmages, I’ve had players who didn’t know that I expected them to come to each team huddle and listen. A scrimmage is a great way for players and coaches to understand how a real game will go.

9.) Sharpen the saw.

There are lots of resources available for youth basketball coaches. Please take advantage of them.  Check out websites devoted to youth basketball, go to YouTube and watch a video to see how others coach by searching on youth basketball keywords, or read a good book on basketball coaching.

You can’t go wrong reading a John Wooden book. I like Wooden:  A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court.

10.) Determine your communications channel for your players and your parents.

Emailing parents seems to work well when you have to get some team communication out to everyone.  Make sure to collect email addresses at your first parents’ meeting.

When you send your first email, ask everyone to reply to confirm the correct email addresses and allow them to add other email addresses, e.g., a spouse’s email or work email. You’ll also have the opportunity to talk to players at practices, and with enough notice, you can try to meet with parents before or after a practice.

Before you know it, your first practice will be upon you. Get your basketball lesson plan ready with a schedule so you know what you’re doing and when you’re doing it.  Start your basketball practice planning now for a great season!

By Mike O’Halloran
Mike has authored four books on coaching youth basketball.

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We all know the type of youth basketball coach that stands up the entire game — every game. They shout instructions and feedback to their players constantly and at a high volume. They question every referee’s call that doesn’t go their way.

This type of coach is a dime-a-dozen at any AAU tournament nationwide.

It’s as if they’ve watched NBA games or ESPN’s Sports Center and taken their cues on how to coach by listening to the broadcasters and watching the sideline antics of some coaches.

Teaching Matters

What’s not shown during games and highlights is that there’s so much more to coaching than what happens during game time. A coach’s success at any level of play isn’t as dependent on their coaching from the bench and how well they can work over the referees during a game as it is on how they prepare and teach their players before the game begins.

In the same way that the most critical factor in determining the quality of education is the quality of the teacher, the most critical factor in determining the success of a season is the quality of the coach. Being a great youth basketball coach is all about being a great teacher.

See Ways Players Should Prepare For Practice.

What can youth basketball coaches learn from great teachers?

Great teachers understand the big picture.

My wife works at a wonderful school whose motto is “Not for school, but for life.” The school’s founders clearly understood that students’ time in school was preparation for something much bigger. Great teachers and coaches know that certain times throughout the year present great teachable moments where life lessons can be taught.

The basketball game presents some wonderful opportunities to teach the value of winning and losing with grace, understanding that hard work and purpose can lead to success, and knowing the value of teamwork – everyone can make a difference. Look for these opportunities and make a real difference in a child’s life.

See The Secret Sauce To Winning Youth Basketball.

Great teachers know that preparation is king.

There’s a reason classroom teachers plan out their year, month, week, and day. What you teach and the order in which you teach it are hugely important. Don’t wing it. Take some time to think it through. Being prepared will give coaches the confidence they need to do their best.

Great teachers are lifetime learners.

A school teacher will collect materials for their class from various sources, including training materials, other teachers, books, seminars, and materials used in past years. Likewise, a coach will use materials from coaching books, websites, other coaches, and clinics.

Others have faced many of the challenges that you’ll face. Learn from them. Know what you know, and look for outside resources to help with the stuff you don’t know.

See Never Forget They’re Kids (Youth Basketball Coaching Book).

Great teachers communicate their expectations effectively.

From grade school through college, it’s common for teachers to review their expectations with their classes on the first day of class.

It helps to have some shared understanding to get many people moving in the same direction. A successful coach will share expectations with players and their parents.

Great teachers don’t motivate students through fear.

In another era, using fear was a popular method to motivate players. If players were goofing off at practice, running killers was the solution. If a couple of players were out of line, the entire team was punished, creating peer pressure for the offenders to watch their way.

Better coaches use better methods. Motivate players to be the best they can be. It starts with players respecting the coach. That begins with the coach respecting the players. Ask yourself, Is the coach prepared? Is the coach fair? Is the coach nice?

See 55 Good Basketball Quotes (and 20 Funny Ones).

Great teachers understand balance.

By coming to class with a sense of purpose, some organization that enables them to use time well, and real enthusiasm helps great teachers get a lot out of students.

Great teachers stay positive even when dealing with the negative. They understand that people learn in different ways. Telling, demonstrating, reviewing students’ work in action, and repetition can all be keys to learning. Great teachers also read their classrooms. When kids are fidgeting too much or down in spirit, it might be time to try something new or move to an activity that is a class favorite.

Great teachers connect with their students.

Finding ways to engage students might mean being able to relate to subject matters beyond the intended course.

An English teacher might relate to students by sharing her love of movies. I’ve always found it valuable to meet 10 minutes before court time for practices to cover the practice agenda and connect with players on something other than basketball. Topics of conversation have included what’s going on at school, pop culture, and news events.

Connecting with players is also a lot about creativity. Teaching some fundamental skills with the required repetitions can get boring without adding some element of creativity, e.g. a game element with 2 teams competing.

Having themed practices ranging from “Hat Day” to “Motown Appreciation Night” helped many players look forward to our next basketball event practices.

Great teachers know the value of reviewing their student’s work.

It seems like clockwork in our community that after the first few weeks of school, a parent/teacher night is held, enabling parents to see how their child is adjusting to school.

It is also important to give players and parents an early review of how things are going on the basketball team. Usually, after the first tournament, I’ll send an individual email to each player’s parent, letting them know a few of the good things their player is contributing to the team.

I ask the parent to communicate this information to their child as well. From a player’s perspective, receiving positive feedback from both the coach and a parent can frequently boost their confidence.

Great teachers know the value of reviewing their own work.

Great teachers and coaches reflect on their work at certain points in the school year or season. What does my class or team need right now? What’s working? What’s not? Make adjustments. Sometimes, small mid-course adjustments can make a big difference.

One of my teams had a hard time dealing with presses. We had lost two close games to teams who pressed hard. In reflecting on the losses, we decided we needed more time spent in practices on breaking presses and better techniques for doing so.

These adjustments made a big difference, and we didn’t lose another game the rest of the season.

Great teachers know how to act on test days.

Think back to your school days. How many of your teachers shouted instructions at you while you were taking a test? The answer for me, as I think would be for others, is zero.

Sure, there were the pre-test instructions, but after the test was handed out, most teachers sat back at their desks and monitored the test-taking.

Compare that approach to many youth basketball coaches screaming instructions at players every 10 seconds during games. Legendary basketball coach John Wooden knew that nearly all of his work was done by the time his players prepared for the tip-off. It was all about preparation.

He could think of a few games in which his on-bench activity impacted the outcome. Success on game day is all about preparation and practice days. Today’s youth basketball coaches should be sitting down more and letting their players be the focus of attention.

Just as most great trial lawyers will tell you that cases are won or lost before they reach court in research and preparation, most great basketball coaches know that games are won based on practice and preparation.

Great basketball coaches like John Wooden, Dean Smith, and Don Meyer were all great teachers. Focus on preparation and practice, and the games will care for themselves.

By Mike O’Halloran
O’Halloran is the author of 4 basketball books.

1. Never Forget They’re Kids
2. Well Prepared Coach:  30 Youth Basketball Practice Plans
3. MVP Offseason Workouts for Youth Basketball (with Nolan McMonagle)
4. Layups and Life Lessons: 101 Coaching Tips for Youth Basketball

 

 

Basketball is inherently a fun sport, and youth basketball coaches typically find ways to make it fun for players.

When allowed to play hoops, most kids will have a good time. However, some coaches find ways to reduce the fun players have and the effectiveness of their team. Avoid these common mistakes if you’re coaching a kid’s basketball team.

1.) Starting practices with long lectures when court time is available

Kids generally come to practice excited to play. It’s best not to open the practice with a lecture when court time is available.  Instead, jump right into a warm-up activity like having all players, with their own basketballs, dribble in a zig-zag fashion down the court.

Coaches that tip things off by trying to communicate important coaching points at the start of practice will usually find an inattentive group, full of pent-up energy and not in a listening mode.

A coach will find players in much more receptive mode by executing one or two activities first. If you need to communicate a lot of information to your team, plan on meeting 10 minutes before court time availability and covering your points at that time. Talking to players when they’re catching their breaths is easier than wishing they were out on the court playing.

2.)  Over-using your whistle

The best coaches I’ve seen coaching youth basketball develop rapport with their team. They don’t need a whistle to call everyone together, and coaches don’t need to flaunt their authority by blowing a whistle or always yelling.

Classroom teachers know that sometimes the best way to quiet down a class isn’t to raise their voices; rather, it’s to lower the volume of their voices.  It forces a class to be quiet so they can hear.  Don’t get me wrong, when scrimmaging, whistles are very effective.  But, during the regular practice course, ask yourself how much you need to use a whistle.

3.) Staying too long with the same drill

Teaching kids how to play basketball requires repetition.  By doing things the correct way over and over again, the action becomes a habit. But you usually can’t teach a skill completely in one exercise.  Don’t try to. To keep practices interesting and fun, think about breaking practices down into 10-minute chunks.

Sometimes, an exercise requires multiple 10-minute periods. But keep things moving. Players’ attention spans are short, and new activities will keep them challenged. Don’t be afraid to revisit similar drills in future practices.

It’s better to practice one fundamental six times for 10 minutes throughout six practices than to practice it twice for 30 minutes at two practices.

4.)  Making the team run killers

By moving quickly from one drill to the next and choosing drills that involve a lot of running, players should be getting a lot of conditioning from the practice plans you’ve put together.  Running lines or killers (or whatever you want to call it) may be good for aerobic conditioning but doesn’t advance basketball skills.

If you have players run, have them dribble the ball or play defense.  Good coaches put together practice plans that develop enough conditioning to remove the need for drills like killers.

5.) Scrimmaging too much

I’m always surprised by the number of coaches who spend virtually all of their practice time having inter-squad scrimmages or the coaches who try to schedule scrimmages for every practice.  While there’s a need for scrimmaging, focused drills enable players to grasp concepts more effectively and should make up the lion’s share of most practices – especially at the start of a season.

Scrimmaging is undoubtedly easier for a coach as it doesn’t require much planning. Players will generally like it as well; after all, many have a pure love of the game. But it’s a combination of drills, teaching, and scrimmaging in practice that will develop the best team and get the most out of your players.

6.) Focusing on set offensive plays

Every youth coach should think about how I can prepare my players for their future basketball seasons.  Teaching fundamentals like defensive positioning, dribbling with both hands, pick-and-roll, how to cut to the basket, and how to box out for rebounding provides players with building blocks that will help players this year and in subsequent years.

Coaches who focus on set offensive players may enjoy some short-term rewards for their team that season, but it’s unlikely that coaches down the line would use the same plays. Repeatedly practicing the same set of plays provides little future value. Give your players the building blocks that will enable them to succeed in any system.

7.) Having no season plan for practices

New youth basketball coaches often ask, “Where do I begin?”  It’s a great question. New and experienced coaches should not only ask, “Where do I begin?” but also, “What should I teach in the middle and at the end of the season?” 

By starting the season with an overall practice plan, you can think about the best time to teach certain concepts. I’m a big believer in starting out teaching defense.

I like starting with defense because if we can slow down opponents from scoring, we should be able to compete in most games.  I also like incorporating how to deal with ball pressure, full-court presses, and half-court presses into early practices.  If teams don’t know how to handle those, you can be on the bad side of big losses. 

There’s a lot to teach youth basketball teams, and the order you teach it can make a difference. Think through when the best time is to teach shooting form, inbound plays, your offensive flow, rebounding, passing, etc. Just as a good coach plans each practice, a good coach will have an overall plan for the season.

By Mike O’Halloran
O’Halloran authored 30 Youth Basketball Practice Plans and Never Forget They’re Kids—Ideas for Coaching Your Daughter’s 4th—8th Grade Basketball Team. He has coached basketball for 15 years.

When you’re coaching youth basketball, there are some givens. You’ll need to teach team defense, rebounding, dribbling with your head up, proper shooting form, and many other fundamentals. However, many coaches also forget some things.

Here are 12 tips for success that can make a big difference in coaching youth basketball.

Success Tips For Youth Basketball Coaches

1. Call timely time-outs.

There are many good reasons for a coach to call a timeout. You may want to slow down an opposing team’s scoring run, rest your players after a tiring stretch, switch your offense or defense approach, or prepare your team for a critical possession.

Don’t lose sight of the opportunity to call a timeout to save possession of the ball. Some examples are if your team has nearly exhausted the 10 seconds it takes to get the ball over the half-court line when the other team is pressing, or a player is double-teamed in a corner with no good passing options. Or when your player gains possession of the ball but is laid out on the court without his feet on the ground.

Using timeouts to save a possession here and there might be the difference between winning or losing a tight game.

See Youth Basketball Coaching Book: Never Forget They’re Kids.

2. Practice sideline inbound plays.

Most coaches teach plays for inbounding the ball underneath their offensive basket and have structured plays for inbounding against a press after a made basket against their team. But not enough coaches practice sideline inbound plays.

For the team with the ball, it can be a high-risk pass for the player throwing it in. A stolen pass can mean an unguarded lay-up for the opposing team. Well-constructed sideline inbound plays can put the defensive team on the defensive and, at a minimum, reduce the risk of turnovers.

See Youth Sports’ Secret Sauce.

3. Teach players how to steal the basketball.

For many teams, especially at younger ages, some of the best open looks players will get at the basket will result from good defense.

Teach your players how to steal off the dribble, including which angle to take and how to tip the ball without fouling. Also, teach them to anticipate passing angles. A dominating defensive player can wreak havoc on the opposition.

4. Switch defenses opportunistically.

A team that switches defense throughout the game makes it hard on the opposing team. A coach should always look for the right opportunities to make changes in defense. When the opponent’s best ball handler takes a break, it might be time to apply a full-court press.

When your full-court press has worked a few times and the opposing coach calls a timeout to address it, it might be time to fall back into a different defense and return to the full-court press later in the game.

Facing an athletic team with speed? Force them to drive through a half-court zone defense or take long outside shots.

See 10 Ways an iPhone Can Help a Youth Basketball Coach.

5. Put your star players in position to star.

If your team’s best ball handler and playmaker happens to be the tallest, don’t be afraid to have that player bring the ball up. Because of the player’s height, many coaches might play this player in the center position.

Don’t get locked into stereotypes. Also, try to put your best on-ball defender in the position to guard the other team’s point guard.

6. Examine match-ups between your players and the opposition.

Great coaches look for advantages. If the other team’s frontline is taller at every position than your team, but your guards are taller, consider posting up your guards on offense.

If your center has a speed advantage over the person guarding her, pull her out, feed her the ball, and let her drive around the slower opponent. As a head coach, you might assign an assistant coach to highlight the advantages in match-ups so that you can focus on overall team management during the game.

7. Use the warm-up time before games seriously.

Without wearing your team out, you can still cover a lot of topics in some pre-game warm-ups. During this time, don’t be afraid to review key concepts, such as inbound plays, zone offense, etc.

If you add up all your pre-game warm-up time over the course of the season, it’s a significant chunk of time. Prepare and use your time wisely.

See Coaching a Motion Offense.

8. Instruct players to be careful of long passes.

With younger teams especially, longer passes frequently lead to turnovers. For passes over 15 feet long, have your players ask themselves two questions:

1.) Will the completed pass give our team a distinct advantage?

2.) What is the probability that the pass will be completed?

If the answer to #1 is “no,” don’t throw it. Don’t throw it if the answer to #2 is not 90% or higher.

9. Take time to go over the post-game handshake with opposing players.

The post-game handshake happens (or at least should happen) at the end of each game. It makes sense to practice this and get it right. If some players don’t handle this component of the game well, it can be embarrassing for them, their parents, the team, and the community.

More importantly, players should learn good sportsmanship. Teach players the three components of a good post-game handshake: 1.) Look players in the eyes, 2.) Shake hands, bump fists, or some type of shake, and 3.) Say something positive in the form of a compliment to the opposing player, e.g., “good game” or “great rebounding.”

10. Recognize the importance of the first pass on offense.

The hardest pass to complete on offense is usually the first pass. For many teams, the first pass goes from the point guard to a wing near the sidelines. Teams learn to anticipate this and will aggressively look for steals. What does a good coach do?

Mix it up. Avoid patterns by passing to the post, sometimes to the wing, having a point, keeping it off a pick, or just replacing positions with the wing. Also, when you pass to the wing, sometimes the wing should be coming off of a pick.

Receivers need to create separation via hard cuts. The passers and receivers should work on fake passes and back cuts. Don’t be predictable; pay extra attention to the first pass in any possession.

11. Reinforce the triple-threat position consistently throughout the year.

Teaching players the importance of being in a position to shoot, pass, or dribble with each possession is one of the strongest signs of a well-coached, offensive basketball team.

Kids at younger ages are often too quick to begin dribbling right away. The triple threat and its importance can’t be taught in one practice. It must be reminded and reinforced in practices and games throughout the season.

12. Keep your players interested and excited about basketball.

Finish each practice on a high note with a drill or exercise you know the team likes. It will help them look forward to the next practice. Know when to press your own team with hard practices and when to ease up.

Make practices fun. Find players doing things right in practices and games and call them out. Like Coach Don Meyer said, “Shout praise and whisper criticism.”

By Mike O’Halloran
O’Halloran has written four books on basketball:

1. Never Forget They’re Kids
2. Well Prepared Coach:  30 Youth Basketball Practice Plans
3. MVP Offseason Workouts for Youth Basketball (with Nolan McMonagle)
4. Layups and Life Lessons: 101 Coaching Tips for Youth Basketball

That’s a harsh title:  “10 Things I hate about youth basketball.”  “Hate” is a strong word. Don’t get me wrong.

I love what youth basketball has to offer. From learning physical skills like shooting a lay-up to the opportunity to acquire life lessons like understanding the power and magic of teamwork, the game has so much to offer kids. Still, in the spirit of trying to make a great sport even better, here are a few things that need attention.

What Should Change About Youth Basketball

1. When opposing players shout at opposing players with the ball, “Ball, Ball, Ball, Ball, Ball!” or some other repetitive phrase.

I’ve seen this annoying technique used to try to apply additional pressure at grade school games and even high school games. This needs to stop. Basketball doesn’t need to be as quiet as golf, but this is just bad sportsmanship.

Officiating bodies: can we make this a point of emphasis this year? Referees should first warn the offending player and that player’s coach. A technical foul should be called for poor sportsmanship if the behavior continues.

2. Making no accommodation for players’ ages when establishing the length of free throw shots.

Free throws are typically shot 15 feet away from the basket. That works fine for older players, but for younger age groups—say, most players aged 11 years old and younger—that distance causes players to break their typical shooting form and heave the ball.

Free throws should be a reward. Move the free throw line in a couple of feet or more based on age. If the problem is court markings, referees or tournament officials could place a post-it note or move players up. There will be fewer fouls if the corresponding penalties result in points.

3. The travel basketball starting age shifting younger and younger.

Travel basketball in our community began many years ago for players at the 7th-grade level. After a few years, the starting level was lowered to 5th grade. Soon, ambitious parents of 4th graders were having their players “play up” to the 5th grade level. After a few years, 4th grade was the entry point for travel basketball.

Given the trend line, one can only assume that 3rd grade will soon be the entry point for travel basketball. Before you know it, could we be looking at a pre-K travel basketball program in a few years? I hope not.

I’m all for kids learning the game early, but I’m not sure if parents and families need to travel all over a metro area to travel basketball until players have put in considerable practice time in their local gyms and played local teams in a league setting.

5th grade is a great place to start for travel basketball, and I suppose a case could be made for 4th grade. However, I think we need to draw the line there. It seems like the lowering of the age is done more for the hopes and dreams of some parents than giving enough consideration to the overall growth and development of young basketball players.

4. When too much emphasis is placed on game play versus practice time.

There seem to be coaches in many programs who try to schedule scrimmages at virtually every practice. Most players’ parents and players love scrimmages, too. However, better basketball coaches know quality practice time is vital for players’ skill advancement.

It’s not just playing against great competition that elevates a player’s game. The biggest advancement in skills for a player comes from practice time. And frequently, the biggest advancements come from players practicing on their own.

5. When teams pile on. Scores like 68 – 6 shouldn’t happen in youth basketball games.

With lopsided games in which one team is better than the other and the outcome has been determined before the first half concludes, there’s a big opportunity for the team’s coach in the lead. Coaches should use this chance to put the ball in the hands of players who don’t typically have that opportunity.

Give your better players more time on the bench, which might balance the extra time you give them during highly competitive games. Increasing the ball-handling skills of some of your weaker players will make your team better prepared when you play tougher competition.

Slow down the game by passing more. Work on a new offense. Work the clock down more before taking the first shot.

6. When players play scared.

Have you seen the type of coach who, whenever a player makes a turnover, sends in a replacement from the bench as punishment for the error?

When this happens over the course of the season, players start looking at the bench whenever they make a mistake. That’s a terrible way to coach basketball and build confidence in players. When players play scared, it’s nearly always from adult pressure, either a coach or a parent. Even the best players at all levels make mistakes. Players need to learn how to play through mistakes.

7. Poor officiating.

Referees are easy targets, but there are times when criticism is valid. Here are the top offenses:

a.) Calling too many “jump balls” instead of calling the first fouls – we get it, fouls slow down the game (and refs are not paid by the hour), but overly-physical play follows when no fouls are called,

b.) When one officiating partner makes no calls, rely on the other ref to make all the calls. c.) When refs make poor calls from being out of position because they’re not running the court.

8. When coaches stand the entire game from their position at the bench.

The over-involved coach who stands the entire game places too much importance on himself or herself. This type of coach must understand that games are the time for the kids to star. Sit down more, shout less, and let everyone focus on whom they came to watch perform: the kids.

9. When coaches and parents place too much emphasis on point production.

It’s not all about who scores the most points. Players can contribute in various ways, including rebounding, defense, assists, hustle, etc. As a coach, one of the worst things you can hear is when one of your players is paid X amount for every basket made.

It’s not the right message for a coach trying to build well-rounded players in a team environment. Also, don’t be that parent who, after every game, leads with the question, “How many points did you have?” Instead, ask if the player had fun. How did it go? Players will answer with the things on their minds, which might differ greatly from points.

10. Tears during the post-game handshakes.

Learning how to win and lose in basketball or any other sport involves learning how to play both.

Crying after a game because your team lost is poor sportsmanship. Losing players need to show respect for their rivals. Coaches and parents need to work with players so that they know how to handle disappointment.

By Mike O’Halloran

O’Halloran is the author of the Well Prepared Coach – 30 Youth Basketball Practice Plans and Never Forget They’re Kids – Ideas for Coaching your Daughter’s 4th – 8th Grade Basketball Team

You’re on “10 Things I Hate About Youth Basketball.”

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12 Success Tips For Youth Basketball Coaches

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.

How Basketball Coaches Can Use Their iPhones

 How your iPhone can be your secret weapon to improve your team.

1. Use your video recorder

Basketball coaches: Use the video feature on your iPhone with your basketball team, especially during practices. In the same way golf pros break down swings for golfers by video, show your players their shooting form.

If a player’s elbow sticks 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 practice when this occurs might open their eyes to better spacing. It’s also fun to get 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.

2. Track your team’s shots with the iShotTrack app

Have an assistant coach or team parent record made, as well as missed shots and the location of each with this app. You can view the shots overlaid onto a basketball court and begin to notice trends.

You might notice that your team isn’t very effective at 3-pointers, but your players shoot a high percentage within 15 feet. Veteran coaches know that most made shots happen within 8 feet of the basket. Shots can be broken down for one player or the whole team.

3. Take notes

After each practice and at the end of every game, jot down some things you think the team should work on in the Notes app at the next practice.

It might be a reminder to practice boxing out or 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 can 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 your practices, games, players’ birthdays, and other key event days on your calendar app. After any event, it will be easy to remind your team of the next gathering by referring to your calendar.

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 whiteboard, 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. Many videos on YouTube from basketball coaches might help you explain a basketball concept, learn a new inbounds play, or teach a particular technique, e.g., the crossover dribble.

Youth, high school, college, and pro coaches share 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. After great hustle plays in practice and games, recognize players in the team huddle after court time by shining the spotlight on them. 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 a digital PDF that works with your iPhone or other smartphone. You can easily refer to the pre-practice talking points, practice agenda, and key lessons throughout the practice. 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 many 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 energy and fun to any practice. To recognize standout performances, reward players with the right to pick the next song.

By Mike 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.

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

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

A challenge for youth coaches is keeping players engaged throughout the 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 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 face later in their lives. 

A good teaching coach can teach players the importance of working hard, setting goals, and teamwork. Lessons learned while players are young will stay with them throughout their lives.

Engage your players’ parents

Involve as many players’ parents as possible 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. Communication with players’ parents is very important in youth sports. 

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 about handing out compliments.  What parent doesn’t want to hear that their child is doing well?

Let your stars shine

Some coaches seem to 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.

Schedule Appropriately

Then, 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 they don’t burn out on competitive fire.

Season-long Planning

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 something special at practice to keep kids interested but don’t 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.” Laying out some key event dates and placeholders will give you a sense of purpose and help you visualize how the season will go.

By Mike O’Halloran
Mike has authored four books on youth basketball and coached for 15 years.

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