Coaching Kids Under the Age of 10
Over the last few years I've had the opportunity to coach kids that are in the second grade and below. It has been an interesting endeavor to say the least. Overall my philosophy has been to try to teach the kids the fundamentals in practice and to get them enough games to put the skills we've practiced to use. My main priority has never been for them to win games or to teach them exotic offenses or defenses but to rather expose them to the fundamentals and to give them all an opportunity to play in games so they can get a taste of what it's like to compete.
Many times in the heat of battle we as coaches fall prey to competition. Being competitive is a great trait to have when you are coaching kids that are older. As they move into the 6th grade and up it is important that players begin learning how to apply all the fundamentals they have learned (and keep learning) and apply them within the team concept. However, at the lower levels, I think it is more important for players to spend most of their practice time learning the basic skills they need in order to succeed in the game as they get older. A player won't be able to succeed in a game if they can't pass, catch, shoot a layup, or dribble. This is why it is so important a coach at these levels spends enough time going over the fundamentals. Without them your kids will never succeed.
In addition to the above, a coach should never be prepared to judge a kid at the younger age groups. Kids gain their coordination and strength at different ages. Just because a kid can't reach the basket when shooting at age 7 doesn't mean they won't be good shooters at age 10 or 12. All you can do as a coach is keep giving them the avenues to play and develop. Don't let them get discouraged.
Another item that needs to be addressed is how many kids you can coach during one practice session. You should always have as many assistants as possible. The more coaches you have, the more efficient your practices. Ideally a team should not consist of more than 10 players at the youth level. This will give a staff of 2 people a chance to break the team into 2 groups and spend time with them running fundamentals. If you can add another coach to the equation it would be even better because you could have your assistants running practice while you float around emphasizing points to all of your players.
Now what happens when you have more than 10 players on your team. At that point you need to increase the size of your coaching staff. You need to be able to break the team down into groups of 4-5 in practice when practicing fundamentals. You need to keep the kids engaged rather than sitting around and losing interest. If your number goes above 15 then you need to consider forming a second team. This will require even more coaching help. Don't make the mistake thinking that you can do this alone. You will be doing a disservice to your team.
It should be noted that in spite of the fact that you want to limit the size of your team to make training easier, you should never cut kids at this age group. It's better to try to increase your coaching staff and create multiple teams than to discourage a kid by telling them you don't want them.
In a way, the responsibility you have as a coach of kids at this age level is very important. Depending on how you treat the kids and the patience and opportunities you provide for them, you can inspire them or discourage them. Always stay positive and be smart when planning your practices. Always allow time for fundamentals in practice and don't worry about wins and losses. Running set plays, or running exotic offenses or defenses should not be in the cards at this age level. Don't waste practice time on exotic team concepts. Teach the kids floor balance and some basic moves to get the offense started (v-cuts, cut and replace) on offense along with a basic defense (man to man preferred although it is not allowed in some younger leagues). At this age level your performance as a coach should not be judged by how many games your team wins but rather how much your team has improved on the fundamentals as the year has progressed.
Many times in the heat of battle we as coaches fall prey to competition. Being competitive is a great trait to have when you are coaching kids that are older. As they move into the 6th grade and up it is important that players begin learning how to apply all the fundamentals they have learned (and keep learning) and apply them within the team concept. However, at the lower levels, I think it is more important for players to spend most of their practice time learning the basic skills they need in order to succeed in the game as they get older. A player won't be able to succeed in a game if they can't pass, catch, shoot a layup, or dribble. This is why it is so important a coach at these levels spends enough time going over the fundamentals. Without them your kids will never succeed.
In addition to the above, a coach should never be prepared to judge a kid at the younger age groups. Kids gain their coordination and strength at different ages. Just because a kid can't reach the basket when shooting at age 7 doesn't mean they won't be good shooters at age 10 or 12. All you can do as a coach is keep giving them the avenues to play and develop. Don't let them get discouraged.
Another item that needs to be addressed is how many kids you can coach during one practice session. You should always have as many assistants as possible. The more coaches you have, the more efficient your practices. Ideally a team should not consist of more than 10 players at the youth level. This will give a staff of 2 people a chance to break the team into 2 groups and spend time with them running fundamentals. If you can add another coach to the equation it would be even better because you could have your assistants running practice while you float around emphasizing points to all of your players.
Now what happens when you have more than 10 players on your team. At that point you need to increase the size of your coaching staff. You need to be able to break the team down into groups of 4-5 in practice when practicing fundamentals. You need to keep the kids engaged rather than sitting around and losing interest. If your number goes above 15 then you need to consider forming a second team. This will require even more coaching help. Don't make the mistake thinking that you can do this alone. You will be doing a disservice to your team.
It should be noted that in spite of the fact that you want to limit the size of your team to make training easier, you should never cut kids at this age group. It's better to try to increase your coaching staff and create multiple teams than to discourage a kid by telling them you don't want them.
In a way, the responsibility you have as a coach of kids at this age level is very important. Depending on how you treat the kids and the patience and opportunities you provide for them, you can inspire them or discourage them. Always stay positive and be smart when planning your practices. Always allow time for fundamentals in practice and don't worry about wins and losses. Running set plays, or running exotic offenses or defenses should not be in the cards at this age level. Don't waste practice time on exotic team concepts. Teach the kids floor balance and some basic moves to get the offense started (v-cuts, cut and replace) on offense along with a basic defense (man to man preferred although it is not allowed in some younger leagues). At this age level your performance as a coach should not be judged by how many games your team wins but rather how much your team has improved on the fundamentals as the year has progressed.
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