Just for a little background I am currently a teacher within the school district I coach. I am a 26 year old who is the head coach for my districts boys 9th grade basketball team and also is an assistant coach for the JV and varsity team. A lot of my time and effort is put into coaching. Of course after my hours of being a teacher. I have also coached girls AAU teams and have attended many of the national tourneys such as Boo Williams Nike tourney. I was brought into this because my love of the game and my father coaching, but quickly became the head coach at the age of 20-22. Our team was quite good and many of my girls have gone to respectable D2 colleges and thrived.

In the position I am in now the coach I am working under was only hired last year and is a young guy in his late 30's. His current JV coach is not as young, but a very good coach. I enjoy working with them very much and have learned a lot. They respect my input and I truly feel a part of a team. Reading this you're thinking ok whats the problem. Well. I don't want to just be a 9th grade coach. I have aspirations of coaching in college as an assistant or better, but do not see room for advancement in my current position. I understand this is only my second year in this position, but I'm the type of guy that is always looking to advance myself and push myself to become the best I can be. A trait I try to instill into my players on and off the court.

My question is...does anyone have any advice on how to move up through the ranks as a coach? What are some things that need to take place to become a college coach? What can I do to better myself and try and reach the highest peaks of my own development?

I would spend a few years with the coaches / program you are in right now...learn as much as you can and. get your name out there. Go to clinics... maybe working some college camps.in the summer. That way you will get a chance to network and then you never know what will happen.

What about talking to the coach at the college you attended? He might have some ideas for you, even have some sort of assistants job available. Those jobs start at the very bottom and are not very glorious, but you have to start somewhere.

Chris Collins just got the Northwestern job, he spent a lot of years at Duke as an asst. Having a father that was a pro coach didn't hurt hiim either, but he has a lot of knowledge and experince now.

Good luck, I hope things work out for you.

Many coaches stared by volunteering for their local college programs. Brad Stevens did it with Buttler. Good luck.