The secret sauce to winning at youth sports is the understanding that it all starts with the right coaching attitude.
A team with a low percentage of wins can still have a winning experience if a coach has the right attitude. And a team that has a high winning percentage can still have a poor season if the coach loses sight of the big picture.
What constitutes the right coaching attitude? Here’s a list of 7 things every coach should know:
1. Focus on player development.
A coach’s primary responsibility is player development. It’s not about the won-loss record. Wins will take care of themselves if you take the right approach. It’s not about critiquing refs’ calls or trying to influence calls during games. If you’re focused on teaching your players, there isn’t time for that.
Player development is all about improving individual and team skills. There’s a lot to learn at practices and at games. If you’re too focused on how the refs call the game, you can’t be as focused as you need to be on instructing players.
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2. Take a lifetime learning approach to coaching.
It is challenging to coach a basketball team today based on how you remember being coached as a kid. Take advantage of all the latest and greatest teaching techniques available. Read a book.
Check out some YouTube videos on basketball coaching. Go to a coaching clinic. Talk to other coaches. Invite high school players to practice and have them demonstrate some drills. There’s a lot of knowledge out there. Being a great basketball coach means you’re always learning.
Most great basketball coaches I know are thieves in the best possible sense of that word. They take away key learnings and approaches from other coaches and teams. They’re always on the lookout for ways to better their coaching technique and to better their teams. And for that reason, their teams get better.
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3. Prepare for every practice.
Practice courts and practice fields are where teams are made, players learn, and bonds are formed. As a coach, you should take advantage of your time with your team and be ready with a plan. Having a plan indicates that you’ve thought the practice through with goals in mind.
One of the best things about bringing a short, written plan to practice is that it enables you to coach in the moment. You don’t have to worry about what you will do next, so you can focus completely on the activity in front of you.
Like good chess players, good coaches don’t just plan out one move or practice but think ahead for several. To optimize the finite amount of time you have with your team, come prepared. Plan your practice time. You’ll accomplish so much more.
4. 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, and 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 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.
5. Teach the big lessons.
Sports are great platforms for teaching 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 on in their lives. The importance of working hard, setting goals, and teamwork are just some lessons a good teaching coach can teach players.
Lessons learned while players are young will stay with them throughout their lives.
6. Engage your players’ parents.
Involve as many players’ parents as possible in team activities. 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 efficiently with all parents.
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?
7. Let your stars shine.
Some coaches try too hard to be superstar coaches 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.”
By Mike O’Halloran
Mike has coached basketball for 15 years and has written four books on the subject.
Book Excerpt: The above article is an excerpt from Michael O’Halloran’s book Layups and Life Lessons: 101 Coaching Tips for Youth Basketball.
About the Author: O’Halloran has coached youth sports for 15 years and is the founder of Sports Feel Good Stories. His new book Layups and Life Lessons: 101 Coaching Tips for Youth Basketball is available for sale now.
