Core Concepts for Youth Basketball

Fresh (middle school) faces arrive for their introductory basketball education. Where do we start? 

Overarching priorities are:

1) the player experience 
2) player and team development 

The "player experience" includes fairness, respect, communication, and overall process. "Never be a child's last coach" encapsulates player experience. Development means fundamentals and learning the game. Pete Newell described the coach's responsibility helping players to "see the game." Winning comes as a bonus but not the highest priority. Are we playing "the long game" or "the short game?" 

Set expectations:
   "Take care of your business." 
       - Family obligations - responsibilities and chores
       - School - Academics "no ability without eligibility"
       - Basketball 

Create your culture:
   "Play the game right."
       - Respect the game, officials, teammates, coaches. 
       - Put the team first. 
       - Create opportunities for your teammates and yourself. 
       - Compete. Create the "competitive cauldron." 

Forge your identity: 
   "This is who we are and who we are not."
       -Match your style to your teaching and personnel.
       -Accept no deviations - selfishness, laziness, dirty play.
       -Our teams' character should reflect who we are.
       -Energize every evolution - meeting, practice, game. 

Teach:

    Model exemplary behavior. "Your actions speak so loudly I cannot hear what you say."
       -The loudest voice isn't necessarily the most worthy one.
       -"Plan your trade and trade your plan." 
       -A "performance-focused, feedback rich" environment creates sustainable advantage.
       -Make players write it down. 
       -Create leaders on the court and in the classroom.
       -Details inform results. 

Learn from other disciplines. Ray Dalio shared his in Principles. Peter Drucker set standards in The Effective Executive. Books like HBR's 10 Must Reads on Leadership guide good leaders to become excellent ones. Here is a comprehensive summary. 

It's too easy to cloak ourselves in platitudes "I'm really good at what I do" instead of doing the hard work, chasing our better versions.