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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