REAL good advice

SoCalHoops Message Board:

This post came off of a message board and was written in response to an LA Times article titled Sporting behavior . It was written by a fellow (I presume) that has posted often over the last several years. Unfortunately his contributions have waned some over the past year or so (maybe his children have moved on beyond high school and its primarily a high school/youth board). He appears to be a very wise man - and his posts are almost always very insightful

"GREAT COACHES recognize that children are the most precious possession that families have and that FAMILIES WILL NOT TURN A DEAF EAR AND A BLIND EYE TO ANY ONE who comes into a child's life simply because you put on a coaches hat with NO training...NON PROFESSIONAL COACHES must stress growth and not winning...COACHES must not treat the best player like 'Prince Charming' and then treat the 'up and coming' player like they have a disease...Coaches must CARE about academics and not SHOE CONTRACTS...COACHES MUST set goals for EACH PLAYER and when those GOALS are reached celebrate like crazy...

In your example, if the coach would have communicated his goal to have the child learn to play the outfield and maybe..Hit the cutoff man'....When the child executes that task...The coach should be cheering and clapping and patting on the back ( whether or not the crowd understands what just happen)...

If the coach does not have that kind of personality...bring an assistant in that does...
And last, include the family in your goal setting for the team...stop focusing on the score and focus on making sure the players leave you...better than they came to you...EVERY PLAYER is a member of the team family...from the BEST PLAYER to the WORST PLAYER...

I submit, than when a family knows that Coaches care...and are not turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to 'self esteem issues' ( parents see the hurt in their child's eyes...why don't you see it first coach?)and Coaches treat AND COMMUNICATE GOALS TO PARENTS AND KIDS ALIKE...most problems go away...and the team's family structure will follow a kid for the rest of their life...

COACHING IS MORE THAN 'X's and O's'..it is nurturing and teaching and directing GROWTH..Train the Dads and Moms...let them in on your plan...losses become steps...wins become milepost...that everyone celebrates...GIVE BENCH PLAYERS ASSIGNMENTS even if it is pitch counts(baseball)..watching player tendancies( basketball)

(I) saw a game where the score was already settled..the coach pulled out all of his starters except his best player...I watched the best player pull down rebound after rebound and pass it to the other players so they could get a chance to score...at first the opposing coach got angry..then he watched and learned...that when a bench player shared the floor with the best player...the self confidence of the reserve went through the roof...and the best player was learning that success was more than personal goals...it was helping others reach their goals...the opposing coach smiled...and took a seat...and watched a MASTER COACH at work!!PEACE!"