As basketball season hurtles through the playoffs and baseball gears up for spring, we are at the crossroads of the two sports I played growing up and the two sports that I have coached. One of my loyal readers asked if I would write about my coaching philosophy (yes, I do take requests!), so here goes.
When I started coaching in college, I thought everyone would be competitive like I was, and so I coached the way I had been coached. However, I quickly realized that not every athlete is cut from the same cloth, and coaching has been a constant adjustment over the years to the ever-changing youth athlete.
I coached three basketball teams while I was in college and then 11 years of junior high basketball at NRHEG. I also coached junior high baseball here for 13 years.
As I re-started my coaching career with my daughter’s grade when they began elementary basketball in 3rd grade, I really sat and thought about a plan for this group over the four years of elementary basketball. I talked with other coaches, including our head coaches here, to see if I was on the right track.
I knew some things that we absolutely needed to work on from my years coaching junior high. This was a nice advantage since I had seen what was needed at the next level up from elementary.
Here’s the trick: coaching your own child and the group of kids in that class is difficult. You become very invested and emotional because you really want to see your child succeed. However, the overriding goal always has to be the good of the group and the long-term viability of that team.
Whatever the sport, the beginning years should be focused on fundamentals. If a basketball player doesn’t have good shooting form, if a baseball player swings with an uppercut, if a football player doesn’t tackle properly, all is in vain. It’s hard to break bad habits in sports, so hammer home on those basics in the early years.
The tough part about that is keeping it fun too. Fundamentals are boring, so finding drills and activities that make things fun while still teaching the skills is key.
A coaching friend of mine told me that a coach’s goal should be that the same number of players that ends the year should want to play the next year. While that becomes more difficult the older kids get, it’s a laudable goal. Once kids hit high school, other things draw them away, including jobs and academic pursuits.
Too many times youth coaches want to whittle the numbers they have down to a manageable number. Let’s be honest; practices and games are difficult with hoards of kids running around. But the long-term viability I mentioned above makes it worthwhile. The more players you have now, the more potential and total numbers you will have when the games really count.
Todd Born and I have been coaching our current 5th-grade girls for basketball. We’ve tried to give lots of opportunities to see if this sport is for you. As tempting as it has been to take a top group and see what we can do, we’ve strived to divide the girls up equally and run two teams to different locations.
While trying to give kids opportunities, it’s also important to hold them to a high standard. Kids who only show up for practices when it’s convenient for them (or their parents) shouldn’t get the same considerations as those who are always there and working hard. If sports just become a social arena, the focus is lost. The skills you learn in athletics translate to the world outside of fields and courts. Teamwork, a good work ethic, and the ability to listen are valuable skills everywhere.
Wow, after I wrote my first draft this week, I realized I had enough material for two columns! Thus, I present to you my very first… to be continued!
Word of the Week: This week’s word is hagiarchy, which means a government ruled by people considered to be holy, as in, “Vatican City waited patiently for the election of a new pope to govern their hagiarchy.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!