The season is about to begin. This will be my second season as a 8-9 year old coach and will be totally different from the last.

I coach in a zone only league. I've read what's been said about zones for this age group, but it is what it is, I'm bound by the rules of the league. Last year I had one practice to broad brush "fundimentals", I have to put that in quotes because of the amount of time spent. From there, we devoted 2 entire practices to the 2-3 zone. The kids learned what I taught very well, and for the season played lock-down defense. Dispite having a team that wasn't as talented as two of the others in our league, we won all but two games, the last game was one of the losses and it was the championship in a close one.

I honestly thought I was a successfull youth coach for what my team accomplished, and I had every intention of going about my teaching the same, exact way. The difference between this year and last is the amount of practice time, rather than having four practices I have four prior to the season, and one practice per week during the season. So I began to search for new drills and ways of teaching these kids, and what do I find but this website telling me that I've unwittingly been putting wins and losses ahead of development!

Now I've always been for the kids, I told them I didn't care win or lose, it was about them enjoying themselves. I was ignorant to the fact that by focusing so much on the 2-3, I was letting the kids down by not using that time to teach them in ways that would benefit them in the long run.

What I want to say is thank you, to everyone who posts here, to the coaches who have contributed, and to the admin who has provided such an amazing resource. I want you all to know that what you've done here will benefit at least 10 kids.

My first practice is tomorrow. My plan calls for opening up with footwork, and because of the reasources here (and a couple other places), I'm confident that I can teach in a way that will be hella fun for the kids.

Wish me luck!

I put this in the wrong forum, sorry people!

Edit: Maybe I didn't.

I wish you luck coach... and I think if you were to ask the same questions here regarding m2m or zone Ds.... and Ws & Ls vs teaching the fundamentals... you would be getting the same advice.

Teach fundamentals... let them have fun... and its too bad they don't let you teach them how to play the game... meaning m2m defense. That league is NOT doing those kids any favors.

Ken

Bummer about the zone only situation, can't understand why a league would create that rule especially at that age. Like you said though, it is what it is. Have you ever asked them why they chose to make it zone only? I'd be curious to know the thinking behind that decision.

I applaud you for taking a new direction this season. It's not an easy task to play in rec leagues that promote fun and player development while feeling the pressure to win and remain competitive. It never ceases to amaze me how coaches use their better players to try and win, even at the lower grade levels. The result is more ball touches/playing time for the better players and lower touches/playing time for the developing players.

Every season I have to remind myself, coaching staff, and parents why we're doing this whole gig (currently 5th grade rec). I have dads who hold me accountable to our philosophy and boards like these with coaches who also hold me accountable.

Good luck coach! Keep us updated.

CRob

Thanks Ken, and CRob.

I did ask why it was a zone only league and the answer I got was because kids running m2m tend to "bunch up", they're afraid of 5 guys swarming the ball at all times.

Regarding the zone situation within your league. I am not going to comment on this as I am sure that many other coaches have submitted their philosophies on zone offenses for youth. However, i must elude to reason someone from your league gave for NOT using man to man. To simplify their reason for NOT using man to man as and i quote "all five players will bunch up and attack the ball" could possibly happen without proper teaching. Fortunately, there are many drills to teach correct man to man positioning. Drills such as Shell, one on one (teaching the ball you man concept).

Several years ago, I did a basketball camp with Roly Massemimo and we worked into the nite on developing a drill that teaches good man to man positioning we called it "search the ball" the coach stands at center court with a ball. Place four offensive players on the court, two in the corners and two at the wings. Also you have four defensive players. The coach yells "search the ball" the four defensive players run to the coach. The coach then passes the ball to any of the four offensive players on the floor who remain stagnate, the player who receives the ball simply holds it. The four defensive players who have been assigned a man go to the position on the floor where their man is located. This is the teaching begins at first they will all go to their men leaving the key wide open. At this point, you begin to teach ball side help side. the drill continues until all teaching points have been covered. Keep it basic.

Coach Mac

Hootch,

Thank you for sharing your experience. It's good to hear stories like yours because that's a big reason we started this website -- to have a positive impact on coaches and young players. We're glad to hear that we might have had a little bit to do with it!

Good luck!!

Thanks coachmac,

I think the issue is that not all coaches are willing to put the time in to learn about these techniques. From limited experience I feel comfortable saying that it's much, much easier coaching kids at this level to win rather than coaching to teach. My "expertise" lies in the fact that I've played under many coaches and I'm an avid fan of the game, given that limited knowledge I was able to coach to win fairly easily with no practice plan. All I needed was to understand weaknesses in the games of 8-9 year olds and teach my kids to exploit them better than other coaches taught their kids to exploit weaknesses. On the other hand, it takes real effort and patience to teach kids how to play the game.

I don't think my rec league is run by guys who don't know anything, actually it's quite the opposite, I just think they've decided to cash their chips and control the game as much as possible while knowing full well that they won't find 10 coaches who are willing to put the effort in.

Why don't you suggest to the higher ups to have a coaching clinic held by the high school coaches? Thats a win win for them... the coaches get the knowledge they need, the kids get better which will help the high school program.

Maybe you can get a liason (coach) from the high school to be an advisor to your league. Those little rec league players of today are the high school stars of tomorrow.

Ken

Now that's solid advice. I think I will contact the HS coach. Come to think of it, I'm a bit surprised the HS coach has never contacted the league on his own...wouldn't you think that'd be automatic?