My first coaching job was as a freshman coach. I would sit on the varsity bench during their games as well. 

I remember late in the year we had a home game against the top team in our league. It was an awful night. We stunk. Our opponent was hitting on all cylinders.

It really didn’t matter what we did. We were going to lose. However, that loss was made worse by the actions of our head coach.

Midway through the 3rd quarter, he sat down. That in and of itself is not a big deal. Many coaches prefer to coach while sitting.

But that wasn’t all he did (or didn’t do). He stopped coaching. He sat back, crossed his arms, and shut down. 

After recognizing what was going on, our assistant coach had to jump in and coach the rest of the game.

Well, you can imagine the call and emails that incident produced. And rightfully so. What was unfortunate was that it wasn’t about his coaching. It was about something much more important - his character and the example he set for his team.

You Aren’t That Special - You Will Get Blown Out 

We’ve already talked about how to handle games where you are blowing out your opponents.

While those situations are not ideal, they are better than the alternative. No one enjoys being blown out. It is deflating to be completely overmatched. And yet, it happens.

Every coach will experience being on the wrong end of a blowout at some point in their career. How you handle it says a lot about you.

Handled well, it can be a great teaching tool for your players. Not only that, but you come across as a person of integrity.

Handled poorly, you come across like a baby and set a terrible example for your team.

What choice will you make?

5 Ways To Handle Being Blown Out

• Keep coaching - I’ve already referenced a story where this didn’t happen. You must keep coaching - even if you don’t feel like it or don’t think it matters. It does!

  There are a couple reasons this is so important. First, everyone is watching you. When you’re being blown out, people are looking to see how the leader responds - and that’s you.  Do you throw in the towel? Or do you continue to do your best until the end?

  Would you be okay with your players giving up? Of course not. And that’s the second reason. You owe it to your team. You have to stick together through thick and thin.

  Continue to give your best effort until the final buzzer. By doing so, you make it much more likely that your players will, too.

• Focus on what’s in your control - sometimes you get blown out because your opponent is just that much better. In those cases, what’s the point of getting on your team? It’s not about effort or desire, it’s about ability. That’s not going to be fixed in the middle of a game.

  Your energy is better directed at outcomes your team can control. For example, can we make sure we initiate contact on our box outs on every shot? Can we square up to the rim on every catch?

  Those are mini victories that your players can achieve. And when they do so, recognize them. They are already going to be down because of the score. Look for chances to lift them up.

• Give other players a chance - I don’t understand coaches who leave their best players in during a blowout. I think it’s sometimes done as a punishment. However, the punishment is really being administered to the kids on the bench, who don’t play very much anyways.

  Use a blowout as an opportunity to get other players some minutes. They might surprise you. At the very least, they deserve a chance to play. They come to practice every day and work hard. Give them some minutes in a game like this.

  Finally, if you’re worried about the final score, you’re worried about the wrong thing. Does it matter if you lose by 25 or 35? Probably not.

• Keep your postgame short - Occasionally, you can accurately assess the causes of what went wrong immediately after a game. However, that’s the exception, not the rule.

  More often, your emotions get the best of you. You say something you regret. You think you saw something only for the film to show something else.

  After a bad loss, everyone just wants to get out of there. A 20 minute post game lecture is not going to be very helpful. That’s not to say they might not need some tough love. But it can wait til the next practice.

• Plan a great next practice - after a blowout, players are interested to see how you’ll come in the next day. Are you going to come in angry and accusatory? Or are you going to come in focused on getting better?

  Yes, you need accountability. But you can do it in an affirming way. And once you’ve done it, you move on. Reliving the blowout is not going to help your players get better.

  Instead, recognize what went wrong, and make a plan to fix it. Come back the next day and help your team get better. As they say there’s a reason your windshield is a lot bigger than your rear view mirror, because what’s in front of you is what’s most important.

Turn a Blowout Into a Lesson in Leadership

Most coaches think they will shine when their team plays great and they win big. And that is one situation where a coach can shine.

So is when you’re being blown out. The players and fans may not walk away wowed by your coaching tactics and strategies. But they will be impressed by your character. And that will stick with you long after the ball stops bouncing!

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First nicole douglas says: 6/9/2025 at 7:09:43 AM Thank you for publishing this article. For the last three years, I have been racking my brain on what to do as a coach when my teams are being blown out. And in the past...I just stood on the sidelines and waited for the clock to click to zero. Now, I did put in all of the players that didn't receive a lot of playing time during games...I just stood there and watched them as well. After doing a self-assessment after a blowout loss, I realized that I still had to coach them with the same energy, passion, and fire that I have when we are winning/competing during the times that we are being blown out until the clock runs out. I am a competitor, and I will compete until I drop dead. However, based on my experience, most kids are not competitors and they have no idea what it means to COMPETE. And, until now...I have had challenges reconciling and coaching games in which we are being blown out. Now...I coach until the clock strikes zero...win, lose, (blow out) or draw because above all....my character and what I represent as a coach comes first...PERIOD! Like     login   register

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