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Coaching Basketball

Having a team that is focused on playing the game of basketball is a slam dunk to building a sport that will enhance one's childhood or youth. If you are getting ready to coach the game, knowing the fundamentals of the game is where to start. By doing this, you will be able to bring all of the players into fast action.

The game of basketball begins by having two opposing teams of five players on the court. The main objective of basketball is to have each team work towards throwing the basketball through the hoop. Every time this is done, the team will win a specific amount of points. Whoever has the most points in the end will win the game. This main objective also has several rules and regulations that are applied to it in order to win. For example, whoever has the ball has to dribble the ball within a specified area. If the rules are broken, it gives the opposing team the ball. The teams will function together either defensively or offensively when they are playing, depending on who has the ball.

Basketball first became a popular sport in 1891 in the United States. It was used in order to keep rugby players in shape during the off-seasons of the game. The idea of basketball was quickly adapted throughout YMCA gymnasiums, slowly setting the rules and regulations to the teams that are popular and seen today. It has become such as popular sport that it is now internationally known with a national basketball association that supports the sport on a professional level.

Coaching basketball today has become an art in understanding how to get teams to work towards the main objectives that have been established throughout the United States over time. By keeping the main objective in mind, and helping teams to develop from here, you will be able to ensure that everyone dribbles to their own success.

 

Coaching Basketball Defense: Top 12 Most Important Things To Emphasize On Defense

As a basketball coach, you’ve probably struggled to find enough time to teach everything that you want. It seems that all coaches have this problem!

To be an effective coach, you have to prioritize and strategically decide what you will emphasize. Coaching is all about what you emphasize!

If you do not continually harp and emphasize certain aspects, your defense will not be as good as it could be. You need to pay attention to detail and correct your players when need...

basketball defense, man to man defense, basketball defense drills

As a basketball coach, you’ve probably struggled to find enough time to teach everything that you want. It seems that all coaches have this problem!

To be an effective coach, you have to prioritize and strategically decide what you will emphasize. Coaching is all about what you emphasize!

If you do not continually harp and emphasize certain aspects, your defense will not be as good as it could be. You need to pay attention to detail and correct your players when needed.

To help determine your defensive priorities, we came up with the "top 12 most important things to emphasize on defense". Of course, every coaching situation is different, but hopefully this will give you a few ideas and help you determine what’s really important.

Here is our list of the top things that we focus on and watch for within our man-to-man defense:

1. Always stop the player with the ball because that’s the only person that can score. If the ball is in front of you, stop it!

2. Keep the ball out of the "danger zone" and as far from the basket as possible. We put tape marks 12 feet away from the basket to give players a visual reminder of where the ball should never be allowed. We call the area inside the tape the "danger zone".

3. Keep your knees bent and stay low. The second you see your players start to stand up, correct them. If they relax for one second, that’s all it takes for the offense to score an easy bucket.

4. Intensity. Defense is all about intensity. If your players relax for a second, you need to get their attention.

5. Get back on defense. If your players don’t get back on defense, it doesn’t matter how good your half court defense is.

6. Deny all penetrating passes (included the post pass). Never allow passes into the post. The chances of the offense scoring increase dramatically once the ball is within the “Danger Zone.”

7. Always see your man and the ball. Your players need to be focused so that they can see their man and the ball at all times. If somebody penetrates or passes the ball, they need to quickly help and rotate.

8. Move on the pass, not the catch. This tactic alone can literally double to quickness of your defense. Teach your players to start moving to their correct defensive positions when the ball is leaving the fingertips of the passer.

9. Provide early help and quick recovery. It’s vital to any team’s defense to have early help and quick recovery. If you do not have early help, you give up lay ups. If you do not have quick recovery, you give up open shots.

10. Communicate! Communicate! Communicate! If your players don’t communicate, they will have many problems with screens, rebounding, positioning, etc. Make sure they yell, “Shot” when the offense shoots the ball. Make sure they call out screens. Make sure they communicate help to their teammates.

11. Ball pressure and active hands. Without ball pressure, the offense can operate comfortably and easily. You never want the offense to feel comfortable. Not to mention, sagging to far back makes it easy for the offense to make accurate passes in the post area and pick you apart!

12. Box out. If your defensive players don’t block out, all their hard work means nothing. They need to block out on every shot and every possession.

 

Coaching Basketball Is Not Always Fun And Games

I wound up volunteering to coach basketball, a game I new nearly nothing about. Shortly after I wound up with the job, a parent approached me and asked what sort of coaching style I was going to use. After I managed to clear up the blank look on my face and stammer out some lame answer, I drove quickly to the privacy of my own home to avoid any more questions, and thus, not let my inexperience be known, for I knew after that question that I was in way over my head.

At the ...

basketball

I wound up volunteering to coach basketball, a game I new nearly nothing about. Shortly after I wound up with the job, a parent approached me and asked what sort of coaching style I was going to use. After I managed to clear up the blank look on my face and stammer out some lame answer, I drove quickly to the privacy of my own home to avoid any more questions, and thus, not let my inexperience be known, for I knew after that question that I was in way over my head.

At the time I was probably more suited to coach football, but basketball was what I was dealt. A buddy of mine who had played basketball in high school told me that his coach had used a hands-on coaching style. The coach played with the athletes, showing them the different techniques to use, and what situation to use them in, etc…However, he also pointed out that coaching basketball is more than just playing basketball with the kids like his coach did, but coaching is also about teaching fundamental skills that the players will use for life, as well as team work.

Feeling even more hopeless and confused after this conversation I set out to do heavy research on the topic of coaching basketball. I immediately realized that a large list of references existed to help me, which gave me a great feeling of relief. I had never thought of such concepts as team play, sportsmanship and sharing in regards to coaching sports before, but from my reading I began to get familiar with the topics and ideas. I quickly learned that basketball was about more than just putting a ball through a hoop.

As part of my research I began reading articles that focused on building skills and confidence level in young athletes while coaching. I did my best to absorb everything, but still felt that I might be a little out of my element coaching a basketball team. I had to constantly reassure myself that I could do it. The whole experience ultimately taught me that before you can coach other people you must be able to coach yourself, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

I’ve been coaching for six weeks now. I feel I’ve done a fair job of helping my players build skills and confidence levels they can use on the court and in the real world. This experience has taught me much about myself and about coaching. In regards to coaching, I have learned that it is not all fun and games, but a huge responsibility; however, I think I’ve prepared myself for the challenge. After all, my team is 5 and 1.

While coaching a team might seem a very attractive job to many a sports fan, it is not easy. I only coach at the Junior High level and it’s exhausting and stressful. I can’t imagine what it is like at the professional level, and I don’t want to. If you are interested in being a coach, make sure and give it some serious thought.