David was the last player to make the 7th grade basketball team . . . the 7th grade B team.

At the time, David was gangly and uncoordinated. He struggled to walk and chew gum at the same time.

Five years later, David was an all-conference player.

There are a ton of stories like these. Part of the legend around Michael Jordan is the story of him being “cut” from his high school team.

About 10 years ago, I coached a player named Brad. As a sophomore, he was the 8th best player on a below average JV team. When his sophomore season ended, I wasn’t even projecting him to make the varsity team the next year.

Two years later he got a Division II basketball scholarship (shows what I know)!

While these stories are common at the middle school and high school level, they are even more common at the youth level? Why? Because players are still going through tremendous physical, emotional and psychological development. Those changes happen at different paces for different kids.

Not All Players Pop at the Same Time: The Popcorn Lesson for Coaches

When my wife pops a bag of popcorn, she puts it in the microwave for 2:44. Not 2:45, and definitely not 2:43. Don’t ask me why.

What’s interesting is seeing the popcorn after I take it out of the microwave. A few of the kernels are burnt. Most are popped and ready to eat. And then there are a few that haven’t yet popped.

That’s a great metaphor for coaching youth basketball.

• The burnt kernels - those are the kids who shine early only to flame out later. Often, these are kids who physically mature ahead of their peers. When they are young, they standout. 

Unfortunately, when other kids start to match their physical development, these kids can’t compete. Because they were always able to rely on their physical attributes, they never developed their skills. When the physical advantage goes away, they have nothing to fall back on.

Other ‘burnt kernels’ could be the kids who burn out from playing too much. These could be kids who play basketball 12 months a year. Over time, they lose their love for the game, and often quit playing.

• The ready to eat popcorn - these are the kids who follow the typical developmental path. They progress at a normal rate. Every year they get a little better. If you remember your math classes, these are the kids within 1 standard deviation.

As a coach, you can see these kids improving. They may not be great players, but their progress is clear.

For those reasons, it’s pretty easy to coach these kids. 

• The unpopped kernels - these are the David’s and Brad’s of the world. They aren’t the best players early on. Maybe they came to the game late. Maybe they are super gangly like David or maybe they haven’t grown at all.

For whatever reason, they are underdeveloped.

This often leads to an unfortunate outcome. . . 

Don’t Throw Out The Unpopped Kernels!

Very rarely do I take the time to put the bag back in the microwave to ensure all the kernels get popped.

Unfortunately, many coaches take the same approach to underdeveloped players.

We write them off. We don’t give them much of our coaching time and effort. 

While it’s easy to do this, it’s also wrong! Every kid deserves our best effort.

Not only that, but who’s to say where that player will be in a few years. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you were the coach who lit the spark that accelerated their development?

The Real Purpose of Coaching Youth Sports: Growth Over Games

Every player develops at their own pace. When you are in the midst of a finite season, it can be hard to accept that truth.

If you’re only coaching to win games, you probably won’t. But if you’re coaching for a greater purpose - to create a great experience for every child you coach - you’ll take a long term approach.

Will all of those kernels pop? No. But if you give them the right amount of time, a lot more will.

And that will make the experience more satisfying for you and for them!

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 Huberprovides 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!

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