"Why do you want to coach this team?"
Do you need a coach who wants the job or one with a purpose for coaching excellence? If you thirst for the job, how do you get that drink? You teach basketball and life so people know the difference between good and better.
"Explain your coaching values."
How you coach and how you play reflect your identity, your dreams, and your will. Lives tell stories. Seasons tell stories. Our coaching advances the team's story. Family. School. Basketball. Make a difference every day.
"What is your first priority? What happens day one?"
Communication is job one. Communicate through multiple domains...with the players, the families, the students, and the fans. Energy, truth, establishing trust.
"Inform us of your philosophy."
"The game is for the players." The coach leads, teaches, and models excellence. Add value and get buy-in with a strong culture and defined roles. Players learn to see the game...the progression from vision to decisions and execution.
"Discuss the structure of your program."
Your "program book" defines organization and competence including practice schedules, drills, and offense, defense, and special situations. Schedules mandate attention to detail and how each activity reinforces identity. Emphasize the importance of preparation, tempo, and consistency. "This is who we are; that is what we do."
"Why are you the right person for the job?"
Give the committee reasons to choose you, while not demeaning any other candidates.
Disclosure: I am not seeking a coaching job.
Lagniappe: Coaching transitions create stress for everyone involved. Chris Oliver's spectacular podcast with Michael Fly shares valuable insights.
[On interviewing] “I prepared those materials and tried to think to myself, “How do I bring value? What is my value?” . . Then I could touch on those things and provide examples.”
Lagniappe 2: America's Play Weakside Option
Sets up low versus man-to-man
Strongside America's Play variation
Helpside basket cut
Lagniappe 3: A few pet peeves from watch a morning of youth basketball.
- Shot selection (how many consecutive airballs shut that down?)
- Don't play in the traffic...guards driving into the teeth of the defense to fumble or get shots blocked
- Concepts ignored. Space the floor to open the middle. Why pass and stand?
- Don't run offense from the sideline.
- Offensive rebound. Presume every shot will miss (you'll be right a lot).
Lagniappe 4: Attitude adjustment. Don't HAVE TO, GET TO. We don't "have to" watch film, we "get to" watch film.