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Coaching Youth Basketball. Share on Facebook Tweet This Share on Linkedin Share via Email. Picture by KityKity. You'll be teaching habits that will stick with these kids for the rest of their lives. And whether you like it or not, you'll be setting an example and teaching kid's lessons about life good and bad.

Kids are impressionable. They pick up on things. You have an obligation and responsibility to teach them the right things - in both basketball and life.

When you think about it, teachers would do anything to get the enthusiasm that you get from your players. Kids actually like and want to play basketball. For very young children from pre-school to 2nd grade: Use a Movement Education Approach where tasks or instructions are designed so that virtually all the youngsters can accomplish the assignment successfully e.

Whether the child gives only one answer or many, the task can be successfully performed and thus becomes praiseworthy. With this method, no one fails.

This approach is rarely appropriate in older children who would quickly note the differences in performance between children of differing abilities. For late elementary school and middle school: Use the Sandwich Approach.

For example, note a praiseworthy behavior, such as effort. I know you can do it. Older athletes then begin to discount the initial praise as they anticipate the correction. For older athletes late middle school and high school : Use Supportive Truths. Athletes who are capable of adult-like judgments prefer coaches who get right to the point.

Point out the error and then provide a future oriented statement of support. Stay on the balls of your feet and anticipate a hit when the batter swings the bat.

When setting goals for yourself or your team, they must be achievable. For instance, is it achievable to set yourself a goal of going undefeated for the season?

Setting unachievable or unrealistic goals can damage team morale and derail an otherwise promising season. Coaches have been trading in pen and paper evaluations to now using the SkillShark app. This allows coaches to analyze player data more effectively while improving feedback to athletes.

Instantly view and send individual player reports after each evaluation. This helps youth athletes understand exactly what they need to work on.

Compare the results of two or more youth players. Coaches will often use this for benchmarking or selecting top athletes. Coaches can use SkillShark to track their player progress and development over a series of events. Another valuable skill is emphasizing players being task-driven rather than results-based.

In a team environment, focusing solely on results can harm team morale and lead to dangerous rivalries between teammates. As a coach, you must continuously reinforce teamwork, communication, and camaraderie among players.

Another critical skill great coaches have is their ability to deliver positive, timely, and practical feedback. Giving positive feedback is not easy, though.

Alternatively, if you criticize a player too harshly, they can lose confidence in you, which is the last thing any coach wants. Just make sure you do it authentically.

Many coaches do not place enough emphasis on continued learning. Remember, your players are looking to you for advice and guidance. Coaching can be a hectic, emotional roller coaster, so taking a step back every now and then is important. At the end of the day, sports should be fun, and the last thing we want to see is junior athletes dropping out due to feeling defeated or unsatisfied with the game.

Setting goals, providing athlete feedback, and continual learning are all required to make a well-rounded youth sports coach. However, sports coaches often overlook what type of system they will use to conduct evaluations.

Will they resort the pen-and-paper coach evaluation forms, or will they consider using an evaluation software to streamline the process? Athletes are seeking a granular level of feedback from their coaches after tryouts, camps, showcases, and year-round evaluations.

This can create a more positive environment for everyone involved, from players to coaches to parents. Moreover, positive reinforcement can help players develop a sense of sportsmanship and respect for the game. When coaches model and reward behaviors such as fair play, respect for opponents, and teamwork, players are more likely to adopt these values themselves.

Creates lasting memories Finally, positive reinforcement can create lasting memories for young athletes. When coaches take the time to praise players for their efforts and hard work, it creates a positive experience that players will remember for years to come.

This can lead to stronger bonds between players and coaches and can make youth sports a positive and meaningful experience for everyone involved. In addition to creating lasting memories, positive reinforcement can also help young athletes develop a sense of pride and accomplishment.

When players receive praise and recognition for their efforts, it reinforces the idea that their hard work and dedication is worthwhile and valued. With over two decades of experience in youth sports and parenting, we strive to provide affordable coaching and mentoring services to underserved communities, focusing on helping parents raise children in the 21st century.

We offer a range of programs for leaders, coaches, parents, and student-athletes, all designed to promote youth development and prevent lifelong trauma in children. Our business is licensed with the state of California under license number , and we are dedicated to providing our clients with the highest quality services and support.

Get in touch with us today! This coaching style makes it impossible for athletes to think and react for themselves, leading to a lack of both mental and physical development. The over-coaching approach can be debilitating for an athlete and very difficult to overcome, even after moving on to a new coach.

Perhaps the most destructive coaching style is the Win-At-All-Costs Coach. This coach will over-pitch the best pitcher, rarely play the reserves, waste valuable practice time working on set plays over developing long-term athleticism, and belittle struggling players.

This coaching style leads to anxious and burned out athletes. The win-at-all-costs approach can also damage young brains and negatively impact the mental health of players well into adulthood. Focus on Long-Term Athletic Development over Short-Term Success An important responsibility of a youth coach is to develop athletes—physically, mentally, and emotionally—in an age-appropriate context, with a vision toward long-term athletic development.

A science-based program for the advancement of athleticism, mental awareness, strength, agility, power, and speed is long-term. Athlete Development Model for Ages 4 — Sign up to receive new content and get your FREE E-book 10 Ways to Become a Better Athlete.

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Partner Resources Logout. Home The PCA Blog What Kids Really Need From Youth Sports Coaches. The PCA Blog. Growing up I was into team sports: football, basketball, and baseball. The Top 3 Reasons That Kids Have Fun In Sports By Amanda Visek Listen Now. John Nolan, PCA-Mid-Atlantic Board Member, sports parent and sports grandparent!

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For Parents. For Leaders. The Power of Positive. Online Training. Our Team. Your donation supports vital programs that empower youth coaches and athletes on and off the field. You can make a long-term impact on kids in your community by volunteering to coach. Youth sports teams often play a vital role in their communities.

Many local leagues have been in operation for decades and have a strong sense of tradition. You can see the fruits of your work in the development of the young people on your team. And you can know that your service has meaning and value to the community where you live.

With the pressures of adult life, it can be difficult to make new friends. But you can solve that problem by becoming a youth sports coach. Some of those relationships will last just a season. Many skills that you use while coaching have direct relevance in your workplace.

Try to figure out how to unlock each player's potential - regardless of whether you coach rec or competitive sports. At times, you may have to rebuild morale after a disappointment.

And you may have to discern how to outmaneuver tough opponents. All these skills are essential leadership qualities. Is there a better way to build your leadership skills than coaching a group of year olds?

With all the competing pressures of everyday life, it can be hard to find quality time with your kids. By being a youth sports coach, you can build extra family togetherness into your life and support your kid as a young athlete. Head to the field or court a few minutes early to warm up. Bond as you review the latest victory over breakfast.

And enjoy every special moment. After a hard loss or difficult season, you may wonder: Why coach youth sports? Being a coach can definitely add complexity to your life. But when you pause to reflect, the rewards of your effort become clear. One reason many adults become coaches is to reconnect with sports they loved in their youth.