The Mindset Shift Every Youth Coach Needs for Player Development

Maddie is a really good athlete. She’s fast. On the soccer field, she’s phenomenal. On the basketball court, she’s 180 degrees different.

Whereas she’s always attacking and looking to score on the pitch, she often doesn’t even look at the hoop on the basketball court.

She will catch the ball with no one guarding her and not shoot or attack. It’s like it never occurred to her that scoring is a good option.

I’ve been trying to coach this out of her. She’s only in 5th grade so there’s time. However, I want to change her mindset ASAP!

Why An Aggressive Mindset Is More Important Than Skill At The Youth Level

Scoring is fun. Let’s be real - of all the things you might do in a basketball game, most players prefer scoring over anything else.

(I did once have a player who told me how much he loved setting screens, but I think it’s safe to assume he was an outlier!)

As a youth coach, it’s important that you develop their skills. However, I’d say that developing an aggressive mindset is just as important.

Why?

• The game is less fun when you never shoot or score. When you play with a fear or hesitancy about shooting, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. This often leads to players who stop playing because they aren’t enjoying themselves.

• If you don’t try to score, you don’t get game reps developing the skills necessary to succeed at higher levels. This results in players falling further behind. As that happens, they become even more hesitant.

So, you must instill this mindset!  It’s especially important with female players. I’ve coached boys for 20 years and girls for 7. I see this issue much more with girls. They are much more likely to defer and play passively.  If you coach girls, make sure you work with your players who exhibit those tendencies.

3 Ways To Develop An Attacking Mindset

How should you go about developing this mindset? Here’s a couple suggestions:

• “Penalize” players for not being aggressive - I put penalize in quotes because you aren’t truly penalizing them. But I tell my players if you are open (within your range, which we will have previously discussed) and you DON’T shoot, I will take you out of the game.

This flips the script in their head. Instead of being afraid to shoot and miss, they are now worried about what happens if they don’t shoot when open.

By telling them they must shoot when open, I’m showing my confidence in them.

Does this lead to high percentage shooting? At the youth level, probably not. However, that’s not my concern. That will come with time. My concern is that they are looking to shoot. 

• Celebrate the process - as I said, your players are still going to miss a lot. And that’s okay. Don’t focus on the outcome. If I tell players to shoot when open and then get mad when they miss, that’s a mixed message. My actions (the frustration) will trump my words (telling them to shoot).

When players have the courage to attack, celebrate that. That helps reassure them and build their confidence. Over time, you’ll see more of what you praise.

• Play 1v1 & 3v3 a lot - these games encourage aggression. In 1v1, YOU HAVE TO TRY TO SCORE. In 3v3, you can pass, but players get more touches and more chances to be aggressive.

A drill like 1v1 Rock Paper Scissors from Jim Huber Beginner Basketball Ages 5-9 is a great example of a fun 1v1 game that forces players to drive and look for scoring opportunities.

3v3 Closeout from The Youth Coaching System With Jim Huber is an example of a 3v3 game that gets players involved and thinking score first.

Removing The Fear Of Failure

Too many players are afraid of failure. Often, we add to that fear with how we react to mistakes.

What if we focused on building a growth mindset into our players? What a gift that would be . . . one that would extend far beyond the basketball court.

We have that chance. Let’s make the most of it!

Related Resources

For those coaching true beginners, consider Jim Huber Beginner Basketball Ages 5-9. This is a great resource to help those new to the game. Coach Huber provides a number of games and age-appropriate drills that result in rapid improvement and a good experience for young players.

The Youth Coaching System With Jim Huber provides an entire blueprint for coaching a youth team. It's a one stop shop for all youth coaching needs. If you're looking for a proven system to get the most from your team, this is the resource for you!

Finally, if you’re looking to build an aggressive mindset into your team, consider the Attack And Counter Skill Development System With Don Kelbick.  Coach Keblick’s entire philosophy is centered around being aggressive and thinking score!




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