Role conversations shouldn’t happen:
— Hoops Companion 🏀 Resources for Coaches (@Hoops_Companion) July 28, 2026
After a bad practice.
On the bus.
Immediately after a substitution.
In the heat of emotion.
Have them in “air-conditioned rooms”—calm environments where both sides can listen, process, and speak honestly.
Grace and truth both matter.
Every coach, every boss has hard conversations. Sometimes the coach initiates them and sometimes the player or her allies.
Develop guidelines.
The Place
Have some privacy (with a caveat).
I have arranged the conversation at the player's home "kitchen table conversation" including parents.
Documentation
Always have another adult present. No "he said, she said."
Be prepared to take notes, which are optional.
If you expect problems, notify your supervisor in advance.
Get feedback. "Please share your thoughts."
Exclusions
Not a conversation about minutes or strategy
Never discuss other players on the team.
Time
Have a "cooling off period" - let everyone calm down.
This also allows for a more thoughtful conversation.
Never during the heat of the action.
Remember Colin Powell's first rule - "It will look better in the morning."
Don't expect these conversations to always birth "sunshine and rainbows." Leave room for followup conversations. Situations change, which is why the conversation was needed to begin with.
Lagniappe. Strong defenders and strong defenses make life miserable. They pressure the ball handler, make penetration and passes difficult, are physical, contest shots, and make contact. Ask whether our defense consistently shows these traits.
On defense we:
— Hoops Companion 🏀 Resources for Coaches (@Hoops_Companion) July 28, 2026
- make life absolutely miserable for you
- impact the ball at all times
- refuse to allow you to run what you want
- keep you off balance with new looks
- force tough 2s
- make you want to go home and get on the bus ASAP
- make you say “this sucks”
