Have you ever noticed, when we coach our tails off, develop a great team and we are undefeated and winning games by 30 that we tend to change our original philosophy in order to not embarrass teams that are simply not as strong as us or are not as well COACHED as us. we tend to spend more time creating ways to keep the score down or keep the inadequate team in the game rather than developing new strategies. Why? I have read the advice of these great coaches and unfortunately agree with all of it...but...why? We have a coach on here who has spent a lot of time with his kids and is now in the power position and we are giving him advice on how to "Keep the score down" why? I wonder, does it hurt the kids to slow them down, to call off the fast break, to go to zone instead of an aggressive man to man, to go to 3, 4 or five passes prior to attempting a shot at the basket, holding the ball at half court and all so we don't embarrass the team that perhaps has not worked as hard as us. Personally, I think it sends a wrong message to our kids. Why should they be consequenced because they worked harder, developed quicker and are better coached. I had a team one year where my substitutes played more than my starters and one day I came to the dressing room and overhead a conversation between two of my starters who were joking that maybe they should mess up in some games so they would get more playing time.
Just a thought for reflection........Coach Mac

Mac,

Winning by a big score is fine for the older kids... don't you think that anything over 30 is overkill? NOW, I've never been on the big side except for one time.. coaching 7th & 8th graders..... game was over at half time... 65-14.... ended up 96 - 25.... and the starters sat the entire 2nd half. 96 points in 24 minutes and some wanted me to go for 100..... I felt bad for those kids.... I knew what its like to lose big back then.

I know where you are coming from.... but there are things that you can work on in games like that... and for sure you can get some kid that never scores some shots. I wish I had that problem..... we were one of those teams that controlled tempo, Open Post Offense with NO shot clock.... we were a nightmare to defend... over play, we go back door, sag too much, stick a 3 but our goal was to keep the other team around 45 points while we scored 55. We scored 87 in one game and lost.... sorry for the rambling. We can still win - kick but with a little class.

Just a quick update...My girls ended up winning the league and we did win by 35 in the championship game. I refused to call off the dogs in that one. It's a team that beat us by 60 last year and never did call off the dogs. Unfortunately for them, the game was over in the first 5 minutes.

My daughter, who I had kept on a leash all year, so as not to show favortism, scored the first 12 points in about 2 minutes.

I thank everyone for the advice. It was very helpful...I have moved up slightly and am coaching our Schools JV boys team in the summer league this year. Some of them have sisters on the team I coached this past winter. So anytime I hear any of them telling me what we are doing isn't going to work I remind them that their sisters were scoring 50-60 points with that offense. Usually gets them back to work.

At least we get to do things differently offensively and defensively at the JV level.'

I'm sure I'll be posting for advice in that forum soon


Thanks again guys.

Great to hear, coach. We're glad that you had so much success this year.

This line cracks me up, "So anytime I hear any of them telling me what we are doing isn't going to work I remind them that their sisters were scoring 50-60 points with that offense."

Here is something a friend sent me..... ( yea Mac I have a couple ) LOL

In Belgium it is illegal to run plays in youth level basketball. Run the floor,
circle movement and pass and cut is all you are allowed to do. If the coach calls a play it
is a technical foul. The coach is to direct his energy to teaching the players how to play
not what play to run. They are pretty good at it. Building strong layers. Our players never
build a strong offence layers or habits. Allow players to play to strength and avoid
weaknesses. Don't go past the first layer until you develop the habits.

This is from the Read and React Offense

I like it...and Ken...you have more friends than you can use..IM one of them..take care Mac

I liked that too Mac... and I am proud to call you my friend. There are some great guys on this site.

I have met some coaches personally thru another site I am on..... going to see Chic Hess on Ohau if we can find a time to meet next week.