Selecting the Right Coaches

Here at TBL we have spent a lot of time talking about how to help players improve. What we haven't spent a lot of time doing is talking about selecting coaches to help run your program. If you are the program director of an organization there is not a more important job than the selection of the coaches who are going to run your teams.

You need to keep in mind that these people are going to be the faces of your program. They are going to be on the front lines interacting with players and parents so it is important that you spend time making sure you pick the right people.

What are some of the things you need to consider when it comes to coaches:

  1. Make sure coaches understand the time commitment. Coaching teams will require a 3-4 day a week commitment for the entirety of the session. Barring sickness or unforseen family commitments coaches need to be prepared to be available. No excuses.

  2. Don't assume that you can teach prospective coaches how to coach with a clinic. This means don't hire people and assume that you can teach them how to coach overnight. If you want to bring someone in to coach, you need to bring them in slowly. If you are coaching, have them spend a session with you and help with your team. If you don't coach, have them hook up with one of your more experienced coaches. Season them.

  3. Hire coaches that are experienced.

  4. Try to take all coaches of your program to a coaching clinic at last once a year.

  5. Have coaches get together 4 times a session. Once before the season starts to make sure everyone is on the same page, twice during the season to see how things are progressing, and once at the end of the session to review evaluations and discuss how to get better.

  6. Have a top down approach to coaching. Your club should have a philosophy and that philosophy should be taught from the youngest levels.

  7. All of your coaches should be comfortable teaching the club philosophy.

  8. Take care of your good coaches. Whether it is monetary or some other perks show the good ones how much you appreciate them. Good coaches are tough to come by.


When you are putting together a club you need to realize that the bigger you get the more you will need to delegate. It is at this point that your main job as program director is to bring in good coaches who will represent your club well and teach the kids they will be responsible for the game of basketball.

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