Part 1, if you haven’t read it.
As the basketball takes its final dribble, I print out my final rotation as head coach for my youth basketball team, the Aces. Looking back, I am not only proud of my achievements but also of what my team has accomplished collectively. Each individual has grown tremendously, whether it’s boxing out players, setting screens, or moving off the ball. Their basketball IQ has grown alongside their skills. Even for myself, I can say with certainty that the next time I decide to coach, I will be much better.
Yesterday, we had our official team party with the players and their parents. At the party, I informed the parents that this was my first year coaching, and they were taken aback. They said it didn’t look like my first year and told me how much their kids loved going to practice, even if it was just for the last 30 minutes (some kids had overlapping schedules). Another parent mentioned that previously, their kids didn’t enjoy playing basketball, but this year they loved it. They emphasized how much of an impact a coach can make. I blushed with all the high praises. It tugs at my heart knowing that I might not be able to coach another season due to time commitment issues, which I’ll dive into a bit later. What makes it worse is that several years ago, there used to be eight teams, but due to a lack of people willing to coach, the number of teams has shrunk by half. It’s definitely a thankless job. Some parents are so passionate about the game that they often forget it’s a recreational activity for the kids, and there are rules enforced to ensure each player gets at least 15 minutes of playtime.
Here are some takeaways I want to jot down for myself, and maybe they will help you too:
Drafting
For the league I was coaching in, we had a snake-style draft. From what I gather, the players you select will define your coaching experience as well as the team dynamic. Coaches who have been there for several years definitely have an edge over you because the one-hour assessment isn’t enough to understand the players. Like I mentioned in my previous blog, Part 1, I selected players that I thought were coachable. A player being coachable can be vague, but here are several things I looked for during skill assessments:
Listening to Instructors: The instructors were asking players to perform different drills, and I was looking for players who were focused and not goofing around. As this was my first year coaching, I didn’t want players who were difficult to get to pay attention.
Hustle: I knew the skillsets would be all over the place, but I wanted players who would still run up and down the court even if they weren’t getting the ball or attempting to get their own rebound when their shot didn’t go in.
Involving Other Players: I knew it would be much easier to coach a player who would pass the ball rather than always shooting. Additionally, I looked for players who high-fived and cheered for each other.
Practice
Defining who is coach. Like I previously mentioned, it’s a thankless job, and some parents want to tell you how you should be coaching their kid. At the end of the day, it’s your team, and you have to draw a line, or else the players will be confused about who to listen to. Also, sprinkle in some fun—most aren’t aiming for the NBA. When we were sprinting across the court for our endurance training, I was running with them. Kids are competitive, and they want to beat the coach. We also played tag, which the team loved, and it subconsciously teaches them how to create separation from the opponent. We played a lot of knockout or lightning, which the kids enjoyed. One thing I am most proud of at practice is involving all the players. I didn’t care if you were the most or least skilled player; I wanted you to run the drills with the team. Sometimes I would even have the less skilled player guard the most skilled player. This really paid off in our league because every player had to play at least 15 minutes. Toward the end of the season, the least skilled player at the time caught up to the average skilled player from the beginning of the season. I emphasize this because while battling other teams, I felt that some coaches were substituting their least skilled player only because they were required to. I felt that their skill set was very similar to when I first saw them.
Attendance
Most of this is out of your control, but player attendance to practice and games can be influenced by making it a positive experience for the kids. Some teams had only five players at the end of the season due to various reasons, and it can be demotivating for the team.
Now you’re probably wondering how we did as a team. I’ll just share this picture since it’s already public. Our first place trophies
Difficulty rating: 3/5 - It hasn’t changed from the first blog.
Fun factor: 5/5 - Seeing how much each player has grown definitely made it more fun. Seeing kids make their first in-game point not only brought a smile to their faces but also to mine. Winning is also fun.
Go Aces!