I think every single basketball enthusiast can agree that one of the biggest characteristics of a good basketball player is confidence. Whether it be high school, middle school, or even our youngest players; we can find that a difference maker in the overall play can be the level of confidence in our players.

Now those of us who have coached 14u and below have probably ran into some kids who have trouble breaking out of their shell and really exuding their confidence. They acquire this scared and sort of timid attitude which is very similar to a skittish dog on the 4th of July.

The kids who are playing this young are at such a fragile age when it comes to their confidence.

We need to remember that as coaches we have a degree of control over their confidence...

So given the situation of working with our younger players, we should remember how huge of a role we play in their life for such a short amount of time. I think I can speak for the rest of us coaches when I say I don't want to be remembered as that awful coach from the eighth grade.

In order to help other coaches to not be remembered as that awful coach from the eighth grade, these are the DO NOTS when trying to improve the overall confidence of your players:

1. DO NOT teach through fear.

   Teaching through fear is more of an old school technique that I have found merely destroys player confidence. Many coaches I have seen keep players on a tight leash and when a player makes a mistake, they are immediately sent to the bench. This tactic will only hold players back from trying to make plays on the court. Remember to try and take on a leadership mentality when working with your players. They would much rather play for a coach and not a tyrant.

2. DO NOT over coach your players.

   One of the toughest aspects of coaching younger players is teaching them about the game of basketball. They haven't quite had the experience to have a high I.Q. of the game and they are easily confused by different layers in an offense. Remember to try to keep things as simple as possible. Also keep in mind that overcomplicating plays can lead to confusion which can then cause tentativeness. Coaches, remember that motion offense for younger players is ideal because they're basically following a blue print while they learn to make plays happen.

3. DO NOT disregard the idea of establishing roles.

   As a coach, we want our players to be on the same page as we are. And although players may not like it, we need to consider establishing roles on our team. We don't want to discourage a player by letting them believe they are going to play extended minutes, when in reality they may spend a majority of the time on the bench. Instead, coaches should try to communicate a role to a player and make them believe that their role is important. Then they are more likely to accept that role and contribute.

4. DO NOT over use the word win.

   Yes, I agree winning is an excellent thing and teams should strive for victory. Then again, when giving pre-game talks or even in practice I try not to use the word win. Why? Because causing players to play under the pressure of solely winning is far more difficult than assigning jobs (roles) and letting players step onto the court and perform their jobs. Instead of teaching players how to win, teach them that if they perform their jobs well out on the court then winning will be the finishing product of their performance.

What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First Garrett Murphy says: 1/16/2015 at 5:15:39 PM Great points, especially about the roles. Too many brand-new players assume that their primary role on the court is to score, so even when they know they can't shoot, they think they're obligated to shoot no matter where/when they get the ball. After my first few practices, I like to pull kids aside and ask them, "What do you think you're good at?" and by that point, hopefully they've identified at least one skill they have...from there, you get them to concentrate on that, but not forget the others. Giving them ownership is pretty powerful! Like   1 person liked this.   login   register Michael Stewart says: 1/30/2015 at 9:52:01 AM Good stuff i'll try and use it at my next practice(12u middle school) Like     login   register Mike Colucci says: 1/30/2015 at 10:44:24 AM I coach young players and never talk about winning. I'm much more concerned about teaching fundamental skills: pivoting, jump stops, ball movement, spacing, m2m defense. I realize most of my young players will go no farther than playing in the 8th grade for their school team, but if I can imbue a sense of understanding (and even love) of the game then I've done my job Like     login   register TJ Mizuno says: 1/30/2015 at 12:18:59 PM Great points. For #1, I encourage my players to create or tryout new things, especially in practice. If it works in practice for them, then they can use/do it in the game. I found this to be a great outlet/incentive for the kids to get creative and challenge themselves. For #2, I struggle with over-coaching too sometimes, so I try to get everything out in practice. I gave a rule to myself, "If I didn't show you how to do something in practice, then I can't scold you for it during the game". For #3, I do find that giving the players a role (i.e. as the "best" rebounder, or "best" defensive player, etc.) gives the kids a boost in confidence. What I also found helpful to gain self-confidence, is giving the "less talented ones" small achievable goals for the game or practice, then slowly building those goals or adding more as they progress. For #4, I totally agree with this. I am more goal oriented. I make a "goal formula" for the game. If we achieve all/most of the goals, then the final product will be a "W". I have a motto: "Offense will keep the game close, but DEFENSE WILL ALWAYS WIN BALL GAMES!" ...and of coarse there is the "X" factor that comes into play ... HEART ...but we know that we can only encourage that, not coach it. Like     login   register Greg Crabtree says: 1/31/2015 at 12:45:34 AM I hope more coaches reads this ,its a lesson that we all need to consider when developing players. I wish me sons Middle school coach and freshman coach would have gotten the memo about bulding confedence, when it was time for kids to move up we lost 7 kid from 8th grade an 7 from 9th grade from our program, most were very good players before getting to middle school Thanks For the post! Like     login   register

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