WE

• Sprinting to pick a teammate up after they are on the floor
• Showing passion for a teammates good play
• Standing up and cheering for a good play while on the bench
• Diving on the floor for a loose ball
• Taking a charge
• Making the extra pass
• Looking a coach in the eye while being corrected
• A positive word after a teammate makes a mistake
• Focusing on what you control
• Making the most of your playing time
• Being happy for your teammates when they play well
• Treating each practice as game
• Being on time
• Being focused and ready to give your best
• Looking for the best in others
• Be confident in your role and give your best to perform that role
• Being confident in what WE do in the face of adversity-No Fear.
• Keeping the game simple by letting the play make itself
• Compete on every possession
• Be consistent
• Do the little things that help your team win-rebound, defend, run the floor, set screens
• Play slow with the ball in your hands
• Make players around you better
• Be interested in growing every day

ME

• Hanging your head after a mistake by a teammate or yourself
• Having mental baggage aver the last play
• Slowly walking to the bench when you are subbed out
• Pulling jersey out as your walk to the end of the bench
• Not being ready to give your best
• Bad body language – slumped shoulders, head down looking at the ground after a mistake
• Not slapping a teammate or a coach a high five when they extend their hand
• Not knowing/ Lack of execution of a play
• Looking only to score for yourself
• Showing up late
• Comparing yourself to others
• Complain about playing time
• Complain about officials/ bad body language to a referee’s call
• Playing outside of your role
• Looking what is best for you rather than what is best for team
• Not being coachable- not looking a coach in the eye
• Not following a leader who is trying to bring team together
• Not taking care of the little things – thinking it is only the ‘big shot’ that is important
• Playing not to make a mistake or not to miss
• Lack of IQ and understanding on what the team is trying to accomplish
• Trying to distract others and blame others when held accountable
• Be concerned only with your stats and not with the team’s success
• Losing control of your emotions

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Day 4: Playing for the Scouts, and the Jam Fest

The first practice of the day ran from from 9 to 11 a.m. The players showed their competitiveness as they worked through a few drills, while the NBA teams were there to evaluate the players.  The McDonald’s All American Games are often referred to as the number one event for NBA teams to evaluate future draft picks. But these days, the national media is also paying attention — and, of course, the players’ families.

The court was abuzz that morning with questions surrounding the best prospect, which player was the most competitive, who played the best, and who seemed to be emerging. Year after year, I’ve continued to find it interesting to see who shows they belong. I remembered back to the game in 2014, when two of the lower ranked players at the time stepped it up: D’Angelo Russell and Melo Trimble. This year, Jarrett Allen showed himself to be playing at a different level and Zach Collins proved he could mix it up inside as well as shoot the three.

During practice, the coaches ran full court three-vs-three. Every year, the scouts want to see if players know how to play without the ball in their hands, and this year was no different. Their basketball IQ was on display and many impressed with their reads off the ball screens, finding space for a shot as their man helped, or bigs showing they knew when to slip, short roll, long roll, or pop off the ball screens. They put the players through a variety of shooting drills, 4-v-4-v-4, and conversion drills. Because the four head coaches and their assistants were all long-time, successful high school coaches, they did a fantastic job of instructing the players, developing a rapport, and running a sharp practice.

It was great to see some of the players build confidence as they realized they could play with anyone, and also see the subtle changes they made as they realized they weren’t the biggest, fastest players on the court.

After an intense practice session, the players were interviewed by the national media and scouting services. They were slow to change, as all high school coaches can attest to with their own teams, but eventually we boarded the buses wrapped with pictures of McDonald’s All American Games alum like Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Ivory Latta, Dela Donn, and many more.

The afternoon brought a lunch buffet, family time, and relaxation. At about 4 p.m. we left for the Chicago Theater for the Jam Fest. The legendary theater has hosted acts such as Frank Sinatra and Diana Ross. Backstage, all of the performers have a tradition of signing the walls. All of our players signed the wall as having performed there!

The Jam Fest included the legends contest, the 3-point contest, and the fan-favorite dunk contest. Frank Jackson took home the dunk contest honors, while all players enjoyed the night as they got to have fun shooting, dunking, and being creative.

After the Jam Fest, the players had pizza backstage before listening to a concert back on the stage. Then, the night wrapped up with a wing bar in the players’ hospitality room.

Day 5: Our Busiest Day

We had an early morning wake-up with what would be the busiest day of the week, beginning with a 90-minute practice in front of the scouts, followed by media day at the United Center and a scrimmage between the East and West boys’ and girls’ teams.

Practices were again intense and players started to settle in and get comfortable with their surroundings. NBA scouts asked questions about the players as people. As one scout put it, “In college, the coaches are trying to beat the other colleges in the recruitment of a player. In the NBA, we either have the pick or we don’t. Our job is to get to know as much about the player as we can, both on and off the court.”

From practice we headed to the United Center, where we first ate lunch in the media room. The players got a feel for what it is like to be in the NBA/WNBA as they pulled up to the loading dock on a chartered bus and enter as Michael Jordan did for so many years. Lunch was quick as we had to get upstairs for media day. Four of the players got to go from practice to the local radio station to be interviewed and got to media day just as it started. There were over 150 credentialed media there asking questions and finding out all there is to know about the future stars.

The girls were up first with their scrimmage. We reset the score at the end of each quarter, but the game ended up being a one-point differential — a great precursor to the overtime game that would follow the next night. The girls then headed back to the hotel after the scrimmage to get ready for the banquet in the dresses that they were fitted for when they arrived on Saturday.

The boy scrimmage was televised live by ESPN with Jay Williams roaming the sidelines getting feedback from players and coaches and giving his always-insightful observations. After a great scrimmage, the boys hustled back to the hotel to get their tuxedos for the banquet.
The families of the players and the supporters of the Ronald McDonald House Charity (RMHC) were on hand to bid on auction items and enjoy the evening. Douglas Freeland, the director of the games, spoke and recognized all the people who make the games possible, and the Chicagoland RMHC Chair spoke about the house and all the good that it does. I presented the Morgan Wootten McDonald’s Player of the Year to Lonzo Ball and Crystal Dangerfield — two great people who just so happen to be great players, as well, and who are very deserving of the award. The award is significant because it recognizes not just a player’s skills, but their academic achievement and service to their community. Then the players were all introduced and received their McDonald’s All American rings — rings they will keep with them for a lifetime. The night concluded with a few words from Jay Williams and the keynote address by Steve Schanwald, the former president of the Bulls. Both gave inspiring speeches. The night was capped with food and ping pong in the hospitality room.

Day 6: Starting easy, finishing strong

Day 6 was termed a shoot-around, but was really team picture day at the United Center. After going hard on the court for the last several days, the players took it easy and rested for the night’s game.

At lunch, The Hall of Fame bestowed the Morgan Wootten Lifetime Achievement Award to a boys’ and girls’ coach for outstanding contributions to high school basketball. I presented the award to Bob Dwyer posthumously. His son, Bobby Dwyer, a former assistant to Coach K at Army and Duke, accepted on his dad’s behalf. Dr. Anthony Pappas, a member of the girl’s selection committee, was given the award for Lifetime Achievement in girls’ basketball. Two great men, two great educators.

The rest of the afternoon was free and we took our kids to see Chicago 360, where you can be tilted looking down from 96 floors up in the John Hancock Building!

Finally, the games arrived. Viewers of the girls’ game couldn’t have asked for more. The West, down most of the game, make a great comeback led by Sabrina Ionescu.  She put on quite a performance, hitting step-back threes and winning the Coach John Wooden MVP award.

The boys’ game was also action-packed and exciting, with the West led by the two Jacksons: Josh (a future Jayhawk) and Frank (a future Blue Devil). The co-MVPs helped the West hang on versus a hard charging East team who cut the lead to seven. I presented the MVP award to both the boys and girls with Coach Wooden’s great grandson Tyler Trapani, who played at UCLA.

A party followed the game with everyone saying goodbye to the coaches and staff. Life is a collection of memories and all will remember the experience for the great coaches they had and the terrific job that they did.

And so, after another successful year at the McDonald’s All American Games, I turn my attention to the future. On to the next nomination and selection of the 2017 class of McDonald’s All Americans!

Want more? Learn about the McDonald’s All American Games here, or read up on the players from this year’s games.

The post The 40th McDonald’s All American Games: Day by Day, Play by Play (pt. II) appeared first on Wootten Basketball Camps.

Proudly, my wife Terri Lynn Wootten has also been heavily involved, serving as the administrator of the nominations and selection committee for the games for eight years. Stay tuned for a future post from her about the rigorous process associated with getting the game week together.

This year’s event, which took place from March 25 through the 30 in Chicago, was no less exciting than ever. Here’s my rundown of how the first three days went.

Day 1: Arrive in the Windy City

Terri Lynn and I arrived in Chicago on Friday for the staff dinner prior to the games week. Each department gave updates on their roles, and we heard from the media, security, and the legal teams. Then the director of the games, Douglas Freeland, and I gave a report on the players. I covered who emerged late and who to watch out for. I also gave insight into the process of selecting the team and the importance of the evaluations that begin the week for each player.

Day 2: Players Arrive

The players were welcomed with the incredible hospitality of the black and white room set up by Adidas. Each player had their own locker with a uniform and nameplate. Throughout the week, they received new items in their locker…many of them a surprise.

We started the afternoon with a one-hour coaches’ meeting. We covered the events of the week and, most importantly, we covered each player, the match-ups for the game, and what we wanted the coaches to do in practices. We wanted these practices to be competitive, fast-paced, and demonstrative of players’ ability, skill, feel for the game and coachability.

Following the coaches’ meeting, we had our welcome meeting for the 24 boys and 24 girls who were the 2016 McDonald’s All American players. They were greeted personally by Douglas Freeland.

I then spoke to the players about hitting the “reset button” for the week. They had all strived to be McDonalds All Americans, they had worked hard, they had become the best of the best. This week represented a new chapter — the opportunity to hit a “reset button” — where the evaluations start all over again.

Every single NBA team had two or three scouts at every practice who were watching and evaluating everything. I let the players know that the practices and the games were the #1 event where they would be evaluated prior to the draft.

A McDonald’s All American player has more than a 60 percent chance of having a significant NBA career. The next closest indicator is around 20 percent. These scouts watch for everything.

Why? Because this much talent won’t be together again before the draft — not in a college game, not in the Final Four. Remember that 60 percent of these players will have significant NBA careers! The same can’t be said of a college game or even the National Championship.

The scouts wanted to see how players do against the best. I warned these young athletes that they were no longer the biggest or the strongest. I asked, “Will you still be able to get your shot off? Will you know how to move, cut, space the floor? Can you show that you can play with the pass? Can you display your natural competitiveness?” Again, the scouts watch everything!

The evening concluded with a trip to Chicago’s famous Harry Caray’s restaurant and history museum and plenty of interactive games for the kids to unwind with. One of the nicest things is that most of the players knew each other from camps, tournaments, etc., and they always seem to enjoy making new friends.

Day 3: Why We Play, the First Practice and Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonald’s

The day started with an optional Easter service that was attended by more than half of the players.

We then headed over to the Ronald McDonald House just a few blocks away. The players heard from a father with a very sick son. He talked about how the house allows them to feel like a normal family as they spend most of their days at the hospital. His son even received a text message from Ben Simmons a year after he played, just checking in and saying hi.

The McDonald’s game raises money for the Ronald McDonald charity. During the 39 years the games have been held, over 12 million dollars have been raised. Our players then spent the next two hours making cookies with the children, getting a tour of the house, and talking to the families who live there. Later, many players told me they felt this visit was the most impactful event of the week.

From the Ronald McDonald House, the teams headed to the gym to start doing the practices we designed for them in the coaches’ meeting. Players competed hard and adjusted to the talent level that they were playing with and against. Some struggled to get their shots off against the stiff competition.

Some surprised the scouts with their elevated level of play. All showed they belong. We limited breaks to one minute and we went hard for two straight hours. It was clear by the end of the day: for both the boys’ and girls’ teams, this was a deep class of McDonald’s All Americans.

After practice we headed to the Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonald’s downtown, which features a wall showing the history of the iconic restaurant. The players had tray after tray of fries, chicken nuggets, and apple pies waiting to tide them over until their individual orders were ready.

After eating, we made our way to the Chicago Theater, where a basketball court had been built over the seats for the POWERADE Jamfest. The look on the players’ faces when they saw the court inside a theater was one of awe. They had a walk-through for the dunk contest, the 3-point shootout, and the legend’s challenge.

Then, the night ended with more food in the hospitality room and a focus group with Adidas to get the players’ insights on style for shoes and clothing.

It was a busy few days, but the kids did great. I always feel proud of these young men and women when we get together for what is surely an intimidating time in their careers.

Want a peek in to what the McDonald’s All American Games are really like? Check out this interview from last year’s events, and stay tuned for my play-by-play of days 4, 5 and 6!

The post The 40th McDonald’s All American Games: Day by Day, Play by Play appeared first on Wootten Basketball Camps.

Experience. Experience is a big factor in winning games. Older players have had more life experiences on and off the court, and that leads to a certain maturity. They have been through tough losses and had great wins. They have had to develop a tough-mindedness that leads a group of individuals to achieve more as a sum total than as their individual parts.

They are a winning team. In order to make the NCAA Tournament as a lower seed you are most likely to get there in a one-bid league. You must win your conference tournament in order to advance. Your team knows what it takes to win. The tenacity, the skill, the collaboration, and being part of something greater all lead to the conference championship and can lead to success in the NCAA tourney. These teams had to commit to a cause greater than themselves because they couldn’t just out-talent their opponents.

Age. The lower seeds do not traditionally attract the blue chip prospects that are commonly one and done. They have players that develop over the four years. Many of those teams that are the spoilers for the higher seeds are led by seniors that are 22-24. These 22-24 years old are competing against super-talented yet young blue chippers that are 18 or 19.  The age difference not only helps with experience, but with the strength, skill, and mental maturity that simply comes with age. Tonight’s Maryland vs. Kansas match-up should be interesting as both teams have some mature players leading them.

This is their moment in time. The one-bid leagues in most cases do not have multiple players that are destined for the NBA. If they do have an NBA prospect, he has developed into one over four years.  These players value the chance to make memories for their school, their teammates, their coaches, and themselves. This will be the highlight of their careers. They do not treat this opportunity as another stop on the way to NBA stardom.

The Goliath does not believe that David can beat them. The approach of the blue chip-laden team is often not one that leads to success. They go in thinking they are winning the championship.  They are looking forward to the match-ups with the other high seeds. They think that without the NBA looming for their opponent, “How can they ever beat us?” That approach of not taking the opponent seriously leads to a missed shot here, a lost rebound there, until these high seeds are fighting for their tournament life!

As suspenseful as these matches are to watch, all told, the upsets are what make the tournament great! They are truly what makes March complete madness! Enjoy watching.

Read more of Coach Wootten’s insights elsewhere on the blog, and don’t forget to register your child for a Wootten camp this summer!
Aspen Photo / Shutterstock.com

The post What Leads to Upsets in the NCAA Tournament? appeared first on Wootten Basketball Camps.

It can be hard for kids to broach this subject with their parents, whether because they don’t want to be perceived as “giving up” or are worried that mom or dad might get mad. That’s why it’s best to be prepared when it arises. Here’s what I suggest parents do to help navigate this sensitive and potentially difficult interaction.

Before you make a decision, talk to your child. Determine why they’ve lost interest.
Why do they want to stop? Uncovering the reasons will help you talk through what’s troubling them — it could be that a solution is easier to come by than they realize. Is there a particular skill they’re struggling with, or another kid on the team making them feel bad, or even worse, bullied? These problems can be more easily solved by talking to the coach, another parent, or by working one-on-one to improve that tricky skill. But if their reasons relate to interest in another activity, or exhaustion, or anxiety, you should consider allowing them to stop playing — and, in the event of stress, get them help.

Talk to the coach. He or she might be aware of something going on with your child that you’re not.
Let’s say you ask your son or daughter why they want to stop playing, and they don’t have an answer or avoid the question altogether. That’s when I always advocate for going directly to the coach and seeing what’s up. They see your child on the playing field and in the gym much more than you do, and can help give you some insight on team dynamics and individual struggles.

Evaluate your child’s schedule.
Do they have too much going on? Overscheduling effects kids from elementary school all the way through high school. Having too much on the agenda can contribute to your child feeling unmotivated. Kids get burned out, too, and their growing minds and bodies require more rest than our adult ones do.

Ask yourself an important question: was it you or them who wanted to start playing in the first place?
Remember that their participation or enjoyment in a given activity is not a reflection of you. It’s about whether they are enjoying what they’re doing, learning from it, and gaining experiences that will help in the rest of their lives. Putting pressure on them to continue doing something they don’t want to do will rob them of all the joy associated with the sport — and that’s something no child should be deprived of.

If you think through these key points before making the decision about whether to let your child leave the team, you will not only gain a better understanding of their real interests and concerns, but you’ll also reinforce their trust in you as their advocate.

One additional note: as a coach and a parent, I think it’s pretty darn important to encourage your child to finish out the season if they do decide they want to stop playing. This teaches a lifelong lesson about honoring your commitments and not letting your teammates down.

To learn more about being a champion sports parent, check out the advice in this recent post.

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How do you get to that next level? It seems elusive. It can be frustrating. Here are my three keys for breaking through.

Acknowledge that this process cannot be rushed. Mastery in sports takes time. A player has to embrace the daily work that must go into mastering a skill. There’s a legendary story about John Paxson, a former GM of the Bulls and a legendary Bulls player. The story goes that he spoke at a camp and said, “I am a million times better shooter than you,” to the campers. His point was not to make fun of the campers, but to say that he had taken that many more shots in his lifetime.

How did he do it? It is in the daily approach that makes the difference. If you made 200 shots per day, five days per week, that’s 1,000 made shots. 52 weeks in a year equals 52,000 made shots. John Paxson made more than 200 per day. Great shooters are not born, they are made. And they’re made day by day, shot by shot.

Understand that competing every day to master a move or a shot, or to up your level of play, doesn’t always show instant results. As a coach, I’ve seen many players work day after day and not see much progress, but one day it clicks and they go to the next level. It is not the work that they do that one day, but the constant push they made day after day.

Steph Curry, the reigning MVP, had an amazing year last year. Most would have thought it would be a challenge to duplicate that type of year. And he isn’t duplicating it…he’s exceeding it. How? Every day he is striving and one day it clicks, his confidence goes up, and then he pushes to the next level again.

Be concerned with what you are doing day to day, not with what you have done or might do. So many times you see players that are concerned with results only: how many points they scored, how many minutes they played, what level they are playing at.

The players that break through the most consistently are concerned with the process. Working hard, being coachable, learning from mistakes, and understanding the game and where their strengths lie are all things that can be controlled on a daily basis. If you control these day by day, you will experience a break through as a player.

As a coach I love the player that just works, listens, and learns. Each year I love to see which players will have that sought-after breakthrough! This is where parents have to allow the coach and player to work together on the process. Together, they’ll make good progress.

The post Breaking Through as a Basketball Player: Tips for Getting There appeared first on Wootten Basketball Camps.

This week, the Pro Hop and layup get a closer look.

Pro Hop

This move is defined by a side leap that moves the basketball away from the defender. Be aware though, the Pro Hop is often mistaken as a travel, meaning execution needs to be precise.

The Layup

The seemingly straightforward layup requires a lot of nuance to get right. Hint: aim for the top of the square.

Don’t forgo practicing these staple finishing moves to improve your game at the rim. Stay tuned for more video tips coming soon and don’t forget to register for camp, where your youth athlete will receive personal instruction on skills like finishing and more.

The post Videos: Basketball Finishing School, Pt. II appeared first on Wootten Basketball Camps.

That said, I’ve developed keys for moms and dads to follow to help them be great sports parents. We’ll discuss these over the next few blog posts.

Key #1:  Tell your child, “I loved watching you play today.” 

Why do we drive to practices and games? We do it because it’s a joy to see our child play and experience all the great things that sports have to offer. Yet sports can be emotional. They can bring out our best and our worst. The reason it can be so hard to watch is that we as parents have no control of what we see. Parents cannot correct, officiate, coach, or play. We must simply watch.

Key #2:  Do not soften the blow for your child after a loss or lack of playing time. These moments teach mental toughness and humility.

As coaches, we want every player to assess what they did well, what they could do better, and how they can grow from a loss. Sports mirror life and an important life skill is learning to gain motivation from a set-back, rather than dejection. All of these skills can be applied to other parts of your child’s life as they get older. This can also be related to playing time. As children get older, playing time is not equal. My father, Morgan Wootten, was my high school coach, and when I made varsity as a junior I did not play. Honestly, I wasn’t ready to play game minutes on the varsity. He pulled me aside and said, “Make every practice your game.” Every day, I guarded a player who ended up going to Duke. I gained valuable experience and was the equivalent of an intern in business. My senior year, I started and the team went undefeated. When I did have the opportunity to play, I valued every minute of it.

Key #3: Don’t point fingers when things don’t go well.

When your child’s team loses, do you blame the coach? Do you blame other players, or the referees? If you blame others, what is your child learning about how to improve on the court? What is your child learning about life? That it’s always someone else’s fault.

Key #4: Teach them to be a part of something greater then themselves: a team.  

Allow your child to be a part of a team. They’ll learn how to work with others to reach a common goal and how to play a role that leads to the team’s success. Parents can often get in the way when a coach tries to build a team atmosphere. They tell the child what to do and many times it is opposite of what the coach is telling the player to do.  Parents have to remember that they are viewing things as if their child was the only player on the court. The coach is viewing things from the overall team’s perspective. Every coach wants their team to be successful and will try to put the best possible team on the floor. Your child will figure out how to contribute and have a role on the team — just allow them to do it and don’t get in the way.

We’ll cover more keys to being a champion parent in the coming weeks. For more information about how to position your child for success on and off the court, check out “The Power of Positivity in Sports.”

The post Be a Champion Among Sports Parents, Pt. I appeared first on Wootten Basketball Camps.

Great offensive players can rely on a toolbox of options for finishing at the basket. In our “tip of the week” videos, we explore individual finishing moves that every player should strive to perfect. This week, the inside hand finish, Rondo, and Euro Step are on deck.

Inside Hand Finish

To ace this type of layup, plant outside the block to get the necessary extension to avoid the reach of a defender’s block.

The Rondo

Take a page from the book of whip-smart Sacramento point guard Rajon Rondo and learn to counter the defender who starts to anticipate the inside hand finish.

The Euro Step

A thing of true beauty, the Eurostep or two-step uses misdirection and fast footwork to force the defender’s momentum away from the finish.

Practice, practice, practice makes perfect with these finishing moves. Stay tuned for more video tips coming soon and don’t forget to register for camp, where your youth athlete will receive personal instruction on skills like finishing and much, much more.

The post Videos: Basketball Finishing School, Pt. I appeared first on Wootten Basketball Camps.

But he also understood that there’s often more to learn from losing than from winning. Part of having a positive impact on our kids’ lives — another reason, spoken or unspoken, that we coach — depends on our ability to teach lessons of lasting value on and off the court, in the face of both wins and losses.

How can you ensure that your coaching is making a positive impact on your players’ lives? Remember the 5 “Ps.”

Practice what you preach.
Coach Don Meyer said, “It is foolish to expect a young man to follow your advice and ignore your example.” Kids have hypocrite radar. They see right through lessons taught by people who don’t seem to heed their own advice. Just like in parenting, in coaching the concept of “do as I say, not as I do” is bogus. For example, don’t ask your kids to keep their language clean on the court if you can’t manage to do it from the sidelines. Leading by example makes you easier (and more rewarding) to follow. It makes your lesson stick.

Position your players for success — on and off the court.
That means fostering a winning and persevering attitude. How can you do that? One of the best ways is to help set individual and team-wide goals, establishing a vision for what can be achieved through hard work and dedication. Painting that picture in concrete terms and constantly reminding the team about where you’re headed helps inspire and keep focus. Guess what? This helps off the court, too. Being an active goal-setter factors into a lifelong positive attitude and a willingness to take on new challenges.

Push.
But never to the breaking point. It’s your job to ask kids to work hard and maybe even surprise themselves with what they are capable of. Part of that is not allowing players to (1) stay in their comfort zones or (2) rest on their laurels. You do a disservice to your players by not asking them to work hard to achieve goals that feel like a stretch. Of course, pushing too hard is bad for kids physically and mentally. But experience helps hone the ability to sense when a kid is hitting the wall.

Be patient.
Kids today really are under a lot of pressure — in sports, in the classroom, and often at home, too. And they’re still kids, after all. They haven’t had the time and the experiences necessary to learn how to control all of their frustration, anger, and disappointment. One of the best things you can do is remember that fact and remind yourself to be patient (but firm) when kids act out or don’t follow directions. Yelling or losing your temper makes you harder to heed and respect (see #1).

“Post up.” Every day.
You cannot expect your players to turn out for you and bring their best to every single practice and game if you don’t offer them the same respect and courtesy. One of the most difficult and disappointing experiences for kids is when the adults in their lives to let them down. This happens inevitably, of course, because none of us are perfect, but don’t let them down by being late to practice or not taking the game seriously. You can’t expect the kids you coach to be earnest, diligent, and responsible if you can’t manage to be that way yourself (#1 again!).

Noticing a pattern? It all comes back to “P” #1, staying true to your own rules. Hold yourself to the same standard as you hold the kids, and do regular check-ins to make sure you’re really “practicing” and not just “preaching.” That’s how you ensure that players look back on your lessons as guidance for the future.

To learn more about coaching techniques and how to position your players for success in life and in the game, check out our library of past posts.

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