by Holly Simmons

Created on: March 06, 2007   Last Updated: March 11, 2007

There they are, a bunch of button-nosed, knobby-kneed kids standing in front of you with one expectation. "Make me the next Michael Jordon." Okay, not really. Although, there's usually one father who has this desperate hope.
The fact is that these kids really do expect you to show them how to play the game and play it well, so here are a few tips I've learned along my coaching way.

1. Drills: Making it fun without losing control. Organized fun is the key. There are a variety of great websites with drill suggestions. Here are a couple to get you started. One of my teams' favorites has been Red Light, Green Light.

http://www.ksnusa.org/bkblinks.htm
http://www.b ellaonline.com/articles/art4180.asp

2. Start by helping them shoot to the "magic box." I showed the kids the box on the backboard and told them to aim at the top corners, as they stood beneath the basket. In the beginning, this is the best way I've found to help them make baskets. You can't spend too much time on shooting baskets. Also, advise the kids to practice shooting at home. If they don't have a basket, suggest that they look at a spot on a wall and try to hit that.

3. Work on ball handling. Help the children understand what dribbling is and explain double-dribbling and traveling. Dribbling is another important thing to practice at home.

4. Now you're ready to get more technical. Time to explain things like when to bounce pass, how to box-out, what the key is, etc.

4. Establish goals as a team. Practice strategies. Once you've got a solid foundation on passing and working as a team, establish plays.

5. Always emphasize good sportsmanship. As the Dry Idea commercial states, "Never let them see you sweat." As the coach, it's your responsibility to be the ultimate example of good sportsmanship.

6. Get the parents involved. Parents are not only a great resource for ideas, but they are often dying to get involved. Who knows! Maybe next year, one of them may just fill your shoes.

So that's it! You're set. Let me hear a "Ra! Ra! Ra! Coach!" Now get in there and do your best.

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