Parent’s Meeting

One of the common issues in youth sport today is the complaint about parental involvement.  Parents complain about playing time, poor coaching, unfair treatment of their child, and most anything else you can think of.  In many cases, the complaints could have been addressed before the season even started by conducting a coaches/parents pre-season meeting.  The pre-season parent meeting can go a long way in creating positive relationships, gaining an understanding of the coaching philosophy, and most importantly on receiving the parent’s acceptance of a code of conduct.

Sports Esteem publishes a free 16-page Team Handbook that is intended for distribution and use at the first coach and parent meeting.  The booklet includes many things that should be covered at this initial meeting. The season overview section includes discussion on a philosophy of winning, team goals, player goals, and philosophy on playing time.  There are sections on team policies, a Parent’s Code of Conduct and parent involvement with the team.  There are nine frequently asked questions by parents, as well there is a section that lists “101 Ways to Praise a Child”.  At the end of the handbook is the Season Goal of “A successful season is one where the players have fun, improve their skills, become better people and want to play again next year.”

The Sports Esteem Team Handbook is a free-download at http://www.sportsesteem.com/ and then click on the Team Handbook link at the top.  The fifteen minutes it takes to read it will give you valuable information in preparation for your parent’s meeting.

Communication in Practice

A section in the Basketball Skills and Drills for Younger Players DVD Volume 3 discusses coaching legend, John Wooden’s communication during his practices.  A study done said that 94% of his communication was “positive and encouraging” and only 6% was negative. He would “scold” the players about their behavior.  It is important to note that this was about their behavior, not the person.  As is often said in education “catch them doing something right.” 

Further broken down, 75% of his communication in practice was “precise and concise” information directed towards helping the players improve. 12% of the time his communication was about hustling and playing harder and 7% was pure praise directed towards their effort and performance, with no information.  Long considered one of the greatest coaches in sports history, maybe all coaches should try to emulate Coach Wooden’s communication strategies.  Analyze your communication during practice and recognize if you are communicating positively to your kids to help make it a positive experience or are you creating a stressful, negative environment through your communication.

Footwork

Partner V-Cuts: Partner v-cuts is a quick, simple and valuable drill that coaches can do on a regular basis. This drill works on a variety of important skills.  Players are in pairs spread around the court.  Each pair has one ball.  The players should start about 12-15 feet apart.  The partner without the ball will cut 2-3 steps away from the ball, v-cut back to the ball and receive a pass.  After passing the passer becomes a cutter, moves 2-3 steps away, v-cuts back to the ball and receives a pass.    The player with the ball should have the ball in triple threat position ready to make a pass.  When the cutter moves back towards the ball the passer should deliver the ball with proper timing to ensure proper spacing is maintained.   Points of Emphasis for the Cutter: • Change speeds on the cut – cut away at ½ or ¾ speed and break back at full speed;  • Give a target – both hands up; • Run through the ball – don’t stop and wait for the pass to get to you, move to the pass; • Stop on a two-foot jump stop – “ball in the air, feet in the air.” Points of Emphasis for the Passer: • Be an active passer – the ball should be moved from waist level to shoulder level on one side of the body; • Be in a good, low athletic stance; • Make a push pass – not a chest pass; • Hit the cutter with timing – make sure you pass the ball at such a time that spacing is maintained.

Pivoting

Agility

Tag:

Speed expert, Lee Taft called "tag" the greatest game to train athleticism.  Not only is “tag” fun for kids while it trains the athletic qualities of speed, agility and quickness there are also several benefits to the basketball player that can transfer to team play.  Here is a version of “tag” and see if you can recognize how there are basketball concepts that can be developed. 

Players are in pairs and are spread out in the court (amount of space is determined by the number of players).  To begin the game one player in the pair is the “tagger” and the other must avoid being tagged.  However, when the player gets tagged the roles are reversed. The “tagger” must then run away and avoid being tagged.  All pairs are doing the same thing at the same time which creates situations in which players can hide behind other players – similar to screens. 
     Benefits:
a. Players learn to use evasive techniques and strategies;  
b. Proper stance so they change direction quickly – get low and wide when changing         direction laterally;
c. Speed to run away.
     Conceptual Benefits:
a. Be aware of other players on the floor so they do not run into each other;
b. Use of other players as screeners;
c. Use of the outside boundaries to trap or funnel.

Dribble Tag:
This is the same game as “tag” outlined above but every player has a basketball and must dribble.
     Benefits:
a. Players must keep their eyes up to tag partner;
b. Player will have to change hands with the dribble to be able to avoid or tag their         partner, and thus players;
c. Learn to handle the ball better.

Coordination

Ladder Drills and Basketball Skills: For youth players ladder drills are great activities to help develop coordination in a fun and challenging way.  However, you can combine ladder work with basketball skills.  To see a number of ladder drills go to www.highperformancebasketball.ca and click on Video Clip Library > Categories > Agility Training.   Though the possibilities are endless here are two examples: 1) Players will go through the ladder, receive a pass from the coach as he/she clears the ladder and immediately execute the correct footwork for the lay up with no dribble. 2) Players will go through the ladder, immediately complete a V-cut and receive a pass from the coach for a shot.    But wait a minute, what if you don’t have ladders?  Most gymnasiums have ladders on the floor – they are the doubles alley of the badminton court.  If the badminton courts are oriented properly you could use them.  But even if this doesn’t work you can just have the kids do footwork as if they are going through a ladder and then complete the basketball skill at the end.  To rotate in these drills the players will be either passers or shooters to begin.  Then after passing the ball they should go to the shooting line and after shooting go to the passing line.  You could set up two ladders at the same hoop or set one up at each end.   Jan Stirling, the Australian National Team Coach, said that youth coaches need to focus on athletic development; agility, balance, running ability, core stability, and coordination.  Youth coaches should spend time every practice working on their player’s athletic skills, not just their basketball skills.