By: Coach Dartt
As a coach in our community I receive many questions regarding what is best for athletes that want to play basketball. The questions range from “How do I get my 3rd grade daughter interested in playing basketball?” to “My eight year old son is a great dribbler. What should I do to help him be a great high school player?” These are great questions and illustrate parents’ natural interest in helping their children succeed. From my perspective as a parent and a coach, I think we need to make sure we have a definition of success that is broader than individual achievement. Balance is the key here: balance among activities and experiences. And, perhaps the most difficult balance to achieve – teaching kids to demand much of themselves while still enjoying the activity itself.
History Tells Us…
From a basketball program perspective the worst thing we can do to our youth participants is narrow their scope of experiences. Our most productive athletes have been dual or three sport athletes that played in the band or sang in the choir. They were active in their family, school and church. Players like Karson Messenger, Geoff Britton and Joey Wilson exemplified “well rounded” individuals. When it came down to crunch time, these individuals had a perspective that allowed them to be successful.
Players like Zane Gay and Jason Fox were great players not because they were on “traveling” teams in 2nd grade but because they were supported and encouraged to try many activities. They were supported whether they achieved individually or not and the emphasis was on enjoyment of participation and improvement rather than winning. These players were successful because of their genetic gifts, parents that supported and held them to a high moral standard, and their intrinsic desire to become the best they can be. These same players might have quit the game of basketball had it been over emphasized at a young age.
What Can Work…
Following are some basketball ideas or skills that are age appropriate. If you want to provide an environment and the support that can foster a love for basketball, encourage development of the following skills and attitudes.
First through Third Grade
• Encourage participation in many activities.
• Focus on non-competitive basketball events.
• Begin teaching rules; watch games on television together.
• Attend the high school games.
• Introduce the idea of teamwork through discussions while observing competitions.
• Teach skills like catching, dribbling, and shooting (only with a small, light ball on a 6’ to 8’ rim).
Fourth thru Sixth Grade
• Continue to encourage participation in many activities.
• Play in the Olivet Youth Basketball League.
• Participate in skill development clinics held throughout the state (See resource section at end of article)
• Work ethic: help children understand that it is ok to work and sweat at improvement.
• Emphasize skills such as shooting and passing.
Seventh & Eighth
• Olivet Middle School basketball runs from November (Boys) through February (Girls)
• Fundamental skill development like Jason Otter’s School of Basketball. (See resource section at end of article)
• Face the basket moves
• Skills: Shooting, Passing, Catching, Athletic Stance, Teamwork, V-Cuts
High School
• Athleticism
• Coachability/Eye contact and listening skills
• Post play, post entry passes
• Pick and roll
• Traveling summer teams
• Summer clinics (team and individual)
• Teamwork
• Fundamentals: Stance, Teamwork, Shooting, Ball-handling
Varsity
• Post moves
• AAU
• Reading the defense
• Passing off of the dribble
• All fundamentals mentioned above.
Creating a healthy, happy, and responsible child is becoming more difficult every day. Athletics and other extracurricular activities can be a great tool that parents can use to teach responsibility, respect, teamwork, work ethic, perseverance, and many other positive attributes. If pushed too early, a child may make the personal choice not to participate.
At the same time, kids often need an example or some encouragement to step out, try hard, and enjoy something new. Let’s start early in teaching our kids that a broad array of experiences and balance between individual achievement and teamwork is how Olivet defines success.
Resources
Web Sites
http://www.otterbasketball.com/ Jason Otter is an expert at teaching the fundamentals of the game from the physical aspect as well as the mental.
http://www.powerbasketball.com/ a youth basketball coaching and athletic resource
http://www.yboa.org/ Youth Basketball of America is an international governing body which promotes youth basketball worldwide.
http://www.basketball-drills-and-plays.com/youth-basketball-drills.html As a youth basketball coach, your main job is to make sure your kids have fun, and develop good discipline and physical conditioning.
Books
Coaching Youth Basketball: The Guide for Coaches & Parents (Betterway Coaching Kids Series) by John P. McCarthy
Youth Basketball Drills by Burrall Paye and Patrick Paye
Coaching Basketball Successfully (Coaching Successfully Series) by Morgan Wootten
Coach Dartt has an extensive library of books, videos, and information gathered throughout his coaching career and while finishing his Master’s degree in Kinesiology, which are available to anyone who requests them.
