Going to be assistant coaching for my former high school's basketball team. It is my first time ever, any advice/tips?
Random - Seeking Your Advice
- Thread starter BrickandMortar
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Have thick skin and remember you can't please everyone.
Build relationships with your kids first, before you start ripping their a$$.
As a former coach who traveled to countless clinics to learn, a college coach told me this over lunch; "I don't know the key to success but the key to failure is trying to please everyone".
First day meeting with players/parents, tell them up front not to ask you any questions they are afraid of the answer.
Good luck
@BrickandMortar
I've been coaching youth and HS football for the last 10 years or so.
1. It is a second full-time job
2. Half the parents will love you, the other half will hate you.
3. It is easier to be a hard ass and lighten up, than being too soft and trying to be more hard.
4. It will be the some of best and worst times of your life.
5. Even on a bad day... your kids will put you in a good mood
6. Even on a great day... the parents will put you in a bad mood
7. If you "get it", you will love it... and always want to be a part of it
Good luck
I've been coaching youth and HS football for the last 10 years or so.
1. It is a second full-time job
2. Half the parents will love you, the other half will hate you.
3. It is easier to be a hard ass and lighten up, than being too soft and trying to be more hard.
4. It will be the some of best and worst times of your life.
5. Even on a bad day... your kids will put you in a good mood
6. Even on a great day... the parents will put you in a bad mood
7. If you "get it", you will love it... and always want to be a part of it
Good luck
Don't get too drunk on the job and you will be every bit as good as your head coach.
Know what assets your team has. There are 3 -- speed, size, skill.
It is hard to win if you only have one of those.
You can make a reasonable strategy if you have two of those.
Having all three is rare.
If you have:
speed/skill -- run-and-gun
speed/size -- trap and defense-minded
size/skill -- play slow-and-low
There is a 4th element -- smart
Try and get a point guard that you trust and is smart.
It is hard to win if you only have one of those.
You can make a reasonable strategy if you have two of those.
Having all three is rare.
If you have:
speed/skill -- run-and-gun
speed/size -- trap and defense-minded
size/skill -- play slow-and-low
There is a 4th element -- smart
Try and get a point guard that you trust and is smart.
Remember your players are the priority. Ignore the fans, parents and PlayStation jockeys. Oh…and teach fundamentals. The game is basketball, not an NBA 3-jacking dunking circus.
Learn to say "GOOOOOOO" and "RUNNNNN" I kid.
That right there. I've never coached sports, but I've led teams. This is the hardest one to learn. Because it seems so counterintuitive. That doesn't mean you come in an cuss everyone out, but you do have to be a strict dude for while.
# 6 is the worst. Parents think you don't know what you are doing because you are not playing their kids. Just tune the parents OUT !
I'd say try to be a role model for the kids. Some of your kids might have it rough at home. So just try to be their role model and guide them.
stay off of message boards. The parents all complain. Just don't go to forums where you see it because most of them would never say it to you personally.
Having said that, I coached before the internet existed. Coach the worst player as much as you coach the best player. Most teams have good players, some teams have great players, but the teams that win generally win because their worst player isn't as bad as the other team's worst player. Every kid that tries can get better. Try to make the great players elite, the good players great, and the other players good. My coaching experience was rewarding not because of the great players, but because of the bottom kids that we built up, who all generally were important in quite a few wins. Seeing those kids now, obviously not professional athletes, but professionals that thank me and my other coach for believing in them when they were 14 is one of the most rewarding things.
Finally, while I know there are limited resources, but if you are able, never cut a kid that works his ass off. That kid will influence the good/great players. Just watch Rudy.
Having said that, I coached before the internet existed. Coach the worst player as much as you coach the best player. Most teams have good players, some teams have great players, but the teams that win generally win because their worst player isn't as bad as the other team's worst player. Every kid that tries can get better. Try to make the great players elite, the good players great, and the other players good. My coaching experience was rewarding not because of the great players, but because of the bottom kids that we built up, who all generally were important in quite a few wins. Seeing those kids now, obviously not professional athletes, but professionals that thank me and my other coach for believing in them when they were 14 is one of the most rewarding things.
Finally, while I know there are limited resources, but if you are able, never cut a kid that works his ass off. That kid will influence the good/great players. Just watch Rudy.
When you're on a sled team, the view doesn't change unless you're the lead dog.
Most people are mentioning the parents and kids and rightfully so . But what kind of relationship do you have with the head coach? Is he a friend? Does he value your opinion? What happens if you don’t agree with what he’s telling you to do or how he’s treating the kids ? Hopefully you can be the “good cop” . In my experience , both coaching and being coached, often times the assistant coaches are in a better position to build relationships with the kids
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