Woj
Last week

What do coaches do at district club level?

Observed a post advertising teaching players how to shoot, it's locked to stop nasty replies, but have a genuine question.
What skills are coaches teaching at district level? By 18s would assume most skills are just getting polished if the kids have been in the system for a while. Top grades might learn more advanced technical things and all should be practicing shooting and ball handling every training.


Under 10s should be about the absolute basics to start, not travelling, double dribbling etc. Then build the base up from their, passing, dribbling, more hand eye coordination, don't necessarily need Steph Curry form but start to show following thru, goose neck/ reaching in cookie jar.


Then under 12s really start to progress everything, proper form all the time, layups using both hands, and more team skills like spacing, cutting and more ball handling drills concentrating on both hand, between the legs, behind the back.


If the kids have come up from 12s in district to 14s, now can really concentrate on form, more advanced drills. With my 14s if a player needs help can try to do one on one stuff or at least try and focus on them a bit more in certain drills.


By 16s it should be now the case of practice practice practice. Although some succeed at this level just by physical characteristics, if they haven't mastered the basics the parents should be asking the coaching director or whoever whats going on.


If the kids want extra practice there's plenty of options out there these days, can usually get an import or senior player to do individuals, think the going rate is around $50 a session depending if it's 1 or a couple. But that should be extra on top of what the club coaches is doing already, maybe just to refine a skill just like some kids need a bit of tutoring for maths, just occasionally to get them up to speed.


So what are people's experiences with junior coaches, I know a lot are parents volunteering, but do they get shown by more experienced coaches to what they should be doing? I've definitely was showed early on where kids should be, but still see some trying to show their under 12 div 5 the triangle offence for most of training when they can't even dribble with there left hand.


And should parents pay huge amounts on top of fees, especially 10 year olds getting told they'll be getting nba coaching when all they need is reinforcement every training by there normally coach? If mum or dad have played a little bit they can even show it thmselfs at the playground. If not there's plenty of youtu.be videos showing the basics.

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retired  
Last week

If you are coaching at rep level you still need to work on fundamentals at all ages.

In 12's and 14's it is vital to work on fundamentals.

I coach an U14 JPL Girls team in Sydney and we spend the first 30mins working on fundamentals as some of the players are still raw and need the work.

At local club level we also emphasise fundamentals at training for up to and including 16's.

The old adage players need to be able to catch,pass,shoot and have good footwork is crucial.

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+  
Yesterday

way too many variables at district level.

your question is like saying - what is the best thing to do on a Saturday night ?

my thoughts are teaching the best skills relevant to the group (and what they need) at that point of time.

if you saw how many guest coaches visited eastern states and what they offered / taught you'd be onboard - a decent coach knows their audience and adjusts accordingly

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Grote 12  
A few hours ago

Firstly the guy advertising the shooting clinic is not a disctrict coach and has been known to be VERY Agressive towards people who are critical of him. Its locked because he wont acknowledge any form of feedback and will threaten legal action more times than not ( I will leave it at that as I dont want this thread to be locked, and I hope that wont draw a lock)

District coaching I think is tough today compared to times prior.
1 hour and a half, 2 times a week. 15-18 kids.
Teaching shooting fundamentals and then re-enforment is almost not enough bang for buck in terms of return for coaches.
25 years ago the bigs learnt to post, the guards learnt to shoot jumpers and kinda some inbetween. So you could split up and teach shooting to the guards and post moves to the bigs. Having 9 kids at each rim focusing on "BEEF", "goose neck", ect is almost impossible. You need 2-3 coaches at each end.

The best I see is district coaches teaching the "game" and letting skill development almost be secondary. Im not saying this is right but the coaches who have best success and the players who seem to develop the most practice the game and the skills outside those sessions.

I think basketball (skill-wise) has become so open with the greater adaptation of 5 out, bigs expected to handle and shoot well. that club (district) should be 2x 1 hour and half sessions and 1x 1 hour skill session with a game each week.

3 hours of training each week in modern basketball isnt enough. And those that argue "My Son/Daughter/whatever, does academy/school/whatever twice a week also".... most of those programs I have witnessed end up being ego stroking people who have either fallen out of the district rotation OR people trying to make money and sell you that they are improving your kid when really they are dribbling through a stationary chair and playing against competiton which is too low for their skill level.

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Nightwing  
A few hours ago

Spot on Grote. End of.

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