Are you a parent or a coach wanting to teach the youth how to play Basketball? Passionate Basketball fans want to see the next generation of kids also be good at the game, and so they try to coach the youth. However, coaching the youth is not an easy job at all. If you want to learn how to coach youth Basketball, keep reading this article.
Most young kids play Basketball because they find it fun. Some join in because they have a lot of friends playing basketball. A few are put in by their parents to give Basketball a try. These kids may not have any experience, but they do have the urge to learn how to play Basketball.
Kids bring their parents to the Basketball games they play. These parents can have different views about how things are going to work for their child. Some parents want their child to win no matter what and can be strict in doing so. Other parents would be happy that their child is playing on the Basketball team. Many parents are afraid that the Basketball youth team coach may shout at their child and embarrass them in front of many people. Taking all these things into mind, here is how a coach can coach youth Basketball:
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Do not be Harsh
A lot of kids lose interest in sports by the age of 13 because of how they lose interest in that sport. One of the reasons why they lose interest is because coaches are very harsh on them. They are too strict and scold them for every mistake they make. Do not be such a coach. You should know that they are just children who want just to have fun. Even if they make mistakes or lose by a huge margin, go easy on them. Let the kids have fun and teach them things that they are doing wrong instead of shouting at them. Shouting will discourage them, and they will perform even worse than before. Encouraging the kids to work on their mistakes is a much better way than just shouting angrily. Most coaches treat kids the same way as to how they would coach adult Basketball players, and that is why they are a bit harsh with youth basketball players.
Interact with the Parents
If a parent of any of the children wants to meet you, do not decline. Even if you think that a parent is a little too strict on their child, you should meet and have a talk with them. Let the parents be on your side and let them know not to put the burden on their child for the sake of winning. Parents’ actions have a great influence on their children. So if they act kindly, their child’s performance in Basketball will most definitely get better.
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Teach the Youth Sportsmanship
Manners in sports are a great deal. Every person who plays any sport should always respect their opponent. Teach the youth to never trash talk with their opponent. In fact, tell them to be truthful about fouls and do not play dirty games. Do not let them shout at the referees even if they think the decision referee made was wrong. Teaching such discipline from a young age will help them not only in just Basketball but also in life later on.
Be Fair
A great coach will always be fair to everyone. Do not choose any favourites. Treat each and every player on the team equally. A lot of coaches act differently with every player, especially if they have their child in the team. Act equally with every player on the Basketball court. And do not criticize or talk about your child’s performance off the Basketball court. No child wants to hear what wrong they did after they leave the Basketball court. Behave like a coach only when you enter the Basketball court.