Guidelines for Coaching

Ages 5 to 12 years are ideal for learning basketball skills. During those years, children are energetic and enthusiastic. Coaches should channel this energy into positive development at a pace and level that is physically and emotionally appropriate to players’ ages.

·     Hold a parent orientation before the season starts. Explain the league rules, team goals, and your coaching philosophy. Set a time parents may contact you with questions or concerns

·     Gain their cooperation. Be tactful.

·     Accentuate the positive. Criticism should be constructive and sandwiched with positive comments.

·     Don’t try to be a strict taskmaster. Children participate in sports to have fun, make friends, and improve their skills.

·     Make practice fun. Use a variety of exercises and drills and break them up by introducing games.

·     Demonstrate sporting behavior and communicate to your players that you expect the same behavior from them.

·     Be alert to individual needs, and be flexible. Praise players’ strengths and practice their weaknesses. This requires one-to-one coaching wherever possible.

·     Coach yourself before you coach others. Practice your skills so that you can give competent demonstrations.

·     Encourage players to compete against their own past performance rather than against the performance of others. Set realistic personal and team goals.

·     Teach skills, tactics, and rules in practice and apply those lessons in games. Do not expect players to execute new instructions given during a game.

·     Complexity is confusing. Explain moves using clear, specific explanations with appropriate terminology.

·     Do your homework. Come to practices and games prepared with drills, games, and rosters.

·     Keep your team organized, both on and off the court.

·     Make sure everyone plays. Research has shown that children would rather play on a losing team than sit on a winning team.

Do not over coach. Avoid talking too much or “preaching” to the players while they are seated. Most coaching should be done at practices. Allow players to learn from mistakes at games. During games, takes notes about what needs improvement, and use them to plan your next practice.

·     Do not “psych up” your team before games. Chances are they are nervous enough. Play down the importance of winning, and praise new skills and effort.

·     Be aware of your players’ stage of physical and mental development. They will vary in age and ability.

·     If you are having difficulty with a player, first talk to his or her parents. If you continue to have difficulty, or have difficulty with a parent(s), contact AHPD staff.

Ages 5 to 8

Players in this group are very self-conscious, have a very limited attention span, and need constant movement. Encourage movement through games that encourage players to develop good shooting habits, dribbling skills, balance, and footwork. The emphasis should be in having fun. There should be no competitive pressure.

Ages 8 to 12

These players perhaps are better balanced physically and mentally than any other age group. They have a great sense of team loyalty, are quite competitive, and learn skills eagerly. Continue to develop shooting, dribbling, and passing skills, under defensive pressure as they are ready.

Introduce defensive skills such as rebounding and setting screens

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