Do you fancy yourself as the next Phil Jackson? Do you have Popovich potential? Are you the Steve Kerr of your ball association? Coaching a basketball team is not only a great social and community experience, but also a great way to stay fit, as you will likely be partaking in the drills you choose for your team!
Naturally, there are a few qualities that any top coach should have in their repertoire, including the following:
- Teamwork
Grab your best basketball gear and be part of the team – and you are most certainly part of the team! As the team leader, it is imperative to instil a teamwork philosophy that will carry through from training to gameday.
- Sportsmanship
It is imperative to show your team how to respect officials and the opposition. You don’t want your players to have a bad on-court rep, especially as poor on-court behaviour is often replicated in real life, too!
- A good attitude
It’s imperative for your players to be able to overcome difficulties both on and off the court. It’s also vital for them to be able to take a loss and bounce back stronger the next week!
- Respect
As a coach, you have to be able to interact with officials, parents, opposing coaches and their players with respect. The way you treat others will reflect through your players, and if you want your players to become respectable individuals both on and off the court then it is vital that you lead by example.
Coaching the players
There are also some important elements of coaching the players, too, which include:
- Philosophy
Remember to keep it fun! After all, you’re not coaching at the elite level (sorry to say!) and you shouldn’t feel too much pressure regarding how well the players do. If anything, coaching at a youth or amateur level is more about transferring the skills and life lessons the players learn into their daily lives, so be sure to allow your players to enjoy themselves.
Of course, training is the place where you learn new skills and work on fitness, but it should also include fun drills that teach the kids how to hone their new skills in an enjoyable way, too!
- Communicate
When you start a new season, be sure to hold a meeting with your basketball players, to get to know everyone and chat about the season ahead. If things go wrong throughout the game, be sure to create goals for the players to ensure they can work on those weaknesses for the matches to come.
Communication is as imperative for a top class coach as it is in real life – be sure to bring some quality communication into your coaching style and your players will follow suit!
- Continue growing & educating
You should be conscious of your own growth as a coach as well as areas where you too could make some improvements. What’s more, it’s important to keep educating your team about the important elements listed above, as there is the hope that they will also go on to become leaders in their craft.
- Use resources
Australia – being a sport mad nation – isn’t short of resources that you can incorporate into training your basketball players. What’s more, Google is a great place to learn more about coaching in general, as well as advice on leadership, all of which can then be used to truly enhance your own leadership qualities!
