Motivating Kids to Play Basketball

Basketball is a game and a game is supposed to be fun.  As a coach you can't lose sight of that. The main reason why your players play is because they want to have fun.  When the game stops being fun then you've lost your players.

Keeping the game fun for your players requires a coach to excel in multiple areas.  

1. Keep practices fun and unpredictable.
1. Come up with fun drills.
2. Let them choose a drill they want to do.
2. Be positive in games and practice.
1. You need to instruct and correct but do it in a positive manner.  You can use the sandwich approach.  Start by giving the player a compliment, then correct what he did wrong, then give him another compliment.  Once he does the drill correctly make sure you congratulate him.
2. Push your kids with positivity.  As a coach you need to push your players to higher levels but you need to do it in a positive manner.  You can say something like “guys I'm about to ask you to do something that is going to be really hard but if you focus on it over the next 3 practices you will be better players.”
3. Always start practice by asking your team if they are ready to take a big step towards becoming a good basketball player by working hard.
4. Always end practice by asking your team if they worked hard enough to be better basketball players.
5. Always encourage your players to participate.  Don't just lecture them.  If you're teaching how to shoot a jump shot you can ask them what the important fundamentals are.  This way you have them engaged and talking to you.
6. Break them down into small groups when teaching and keep them engaged like in point e above.  Keep the groups at 5 or less.
3. Arrange games for them.  Even at 7 years old kids want to run around and play like the players they see on TV.  Find games for them so they can have fun.
1. During games keep your team size reasonable.  You can't use more than 10 players in a game.  There just isn't enough minutes in a game to play everyone.
2. Teach them offense and defense.  Don't assume that they can't learn it push them but realize that they will make mistakes and you need to correct the mistakes they make in a positive manner.
3. A missed basket is no reason to yell at a player.
4. A bad shot needs to be pointed out in a positive manner.
5. Don't be afraid to push them by shouting instructions.  Do it positively.
6. Always high five the players as they come off of the floor.  Even when you need to correct mistakes.  Players love high fives.
7. Win or lose always be positive.  Remember that it's a game and games are supposed to be fun.
4. Arrange to do something fun outside of practice a couple of times a year.
1. This is a great team building exercise.  The kids will have fun and they'll have a lot in common to talk about during the next practice.

As you can see coaching is not just about building your players up physically but it's also about building them up mentally.  If you have them looking forward to practice and being with their teammates this will keep them excited and promote a positive environment for learning and improving.