**Winning isn't everything in developmental programs.
Middle school basketball creates a platform for sport-specific knowledge, skill building, social skills and relationship building, emotional breadth, and positive psychology. Or it can devolve into an Ivan Drago-esque world of winning at all costs.
How do you "win at all costs?" Coaching involves player selection, individual and team development, motivation, strategy, and game management.
Player selection. Tryouts aren't only about selecting the "best" players or the most "promising" players. Some coaches don't select a full roster, so they have no "weak" players. We regularly see teams with ten or fewer players. That's their prerogative, creating more repetitions for fewer players, addition by subtraction. That also applies to playing time, not just the "my kid plays more" but "the best players get the lion's share of time."
Skill building. I won't deny the "less is more" philosophy regarding reps. And maybe these communities have B, C, and D teams and 'rec league' where participation comes first and competition second. Maybe that's just vanilla and chocolate, preference not style or substance. But the player selection track parallels how the playing field is leveled. The best programs we face practice four times a week. We practice twice. Children have school and other activities including music, drama, and student government.
Team development. We have something called, "Sixth Grade State Championships." Maybe that's a good idea, but we're never going to win one. I won't bury weaker players on the bench as sacrifices on the altar on victory. One of my favorite teams had a competitive player (became a four-year varsity player) crying and apologizing to the team after a loss. Multiple teammates consoled her, one hugged her and shared, "we win together, we lose together." She got it and is in college now.
Motivation. Motivate to your values - teamwork, improvement, accountability. Motivate to your process, fundamental skills and small-sided games to evolve to part-whole teaching. Motivate to shared experience. The league asks for nominations to an "all-star" team at the season's end. We don't participate because we're avoiding emphasis on the individual and focusing on contributions to the team.
Strategy. Most of the "elite" or at least toughest teams we play employ zone presses and fall back into zone defense. I won't deny that's the best way to win at this level, as weaker teams struggle with pressure and zones put a premium on perimeter shooting, better ball reversal, and inside-outside actions that younger players usually lack. Whether it's the ideal way to grow players is debatable. I contend that the best individual assignment defenses use pressure on the ball and zone principles away. So maybe I'm splitting hairs. I do weary of some players asking why we don't play zone. It's not enough that we'll struggle defending the pick-and-roll, but do you have to teach moving screens, too? I don't teach flopping or how to draw charges by pulling players down on top of you, but teach how to avoid having that happen to you.
Here's my long-winded answer. Because.
Game management. My least favorite part of coaching (after cutting players) is substitution. No, we don't have "blue" and "white" teams like Carolina did or allow players to sub themselves in or out as Dean Smith. The easiest way to keep it 'fairer' is to draw up lineups and substitute at regular intervals to distribute minutes somewhat equitably. Yes, it's flawed and maybe less competitive. Do I use timeouts to scream and yell at the kids? No, but I've seen it...plenty. That's not the model I trust, and those aren't the memories and values I want to impart. Have I ever dressed down the team? Yes, one memorable time, I told them you cannot back down and let the other team push you around. "You live your life as you play the game." If you let others abuse you, then you are a willing victim.
Do we win enough? That's not my call and it's absolutely not my calling.
