ok I will keep you posted.

Today I did well i thought I did a good job of being a coach, telling people where to go and communicating. I hit some shots and didnt try to force things. I thought I did well.

I'm glad that you did well.... being a leader is a great thing ... some do it by their actions... others by talking / suggesting things helps with some people.

If the other guys see you working hard they will probably follow suit... especially IF you are experiencing success. Remember to play to your strengths and in practice work on your weaknesses.
If you have any. :-)

Did your coach have you do any shooting drills or was that in your scrimmaging?

It was in the scrimmage and we did a pick & roll drill.

Good luck today in practice and have fun.

Something else... there is a fine line between leadership skills and being bossy.... coaches can be bossy LOL ... players have to lead, you don't want your buddies getting ticked at you. As long as you come across as being helpful.. I think everything will go ok for you.

Here is a little something for you to think about Ben -

Bob Knight says that discipline is "Doing what has to be done, when it has to be done, as well as it can be done, and doing it that way all the time."

Leadership on and off the court can be tricky. You have to find that right balance of being helpful and not being too bossy like Coach Sars mentioned.

When I played, I was little bit intense. I'd get after a player if I thought wasn't hustling or focusing. At the same, I was the first guy to congratulate them when they did something right. I think the players respected me because of this. It didn't hurt that I also spent a ton of time in the gym and worked my butt off. They saw that.

Have you ever watched Steve Nash play? I think he holds the all-time record for 'most high-fives & fist-pounds' He is constantly telling people when they do something right. If you are constantly congratulating them on good plays, I think this also makes the players more willing to listen when you do get on them a little bit.

Joe, You INTENSE????? No way! :-)

Funny thing.. one of Ben's players that he really likes is Steve Nash so that is a great point to bring up for him. And IF Ben can get his friends to work as hard as he is working now.. they should have a good team.

I was one of those "animated" coaches on the sideline... I would never wear out a chair if I had the same one from day 1. My coaches box was from baseline to half court so you might say I was a little intense. When I took off my sport coat my assistand would say... oh oh... he's going to work now!

Here is something I found out there Ben.... talks about leadership and how to go about it.

So what makes a good "Basketball Leader"? How do they rise above the rest and more importantly, how do they inspire their teammates to turn it up a notch and play at levels they didn't know they could?

They Work Harder than everyone else. You must show up early and leave late. There is no substitute for hard work and there are no short cuts. You must have a plan, you need to know where you want to go and what you must do to get there. It's been said that Kobe Bryant will take as many as 2000 jump shots a day in the off-season. Could this be a factor in him leading the league in scoring?

They Are Excited to be playing basketball. Enthusiasm is contagious to all that are exposed to it. Love what you do and inspire others to have fun. Your heart must be in it in order for you to strive to improve and learn more.

They are in Great Mental And Physical Condition. Your mental condition is of extreme importance because it'll determine how hard you're going to work and how enthusiastic you'll be about playing the game. You must believe in yourself and you must believe in your teammates. If you believe you're a champion, then that's what you'll become!

They've Mastered The Fundamentals. Although we all love the "show time" part of basketball. It's the fundamentals that win games. As a basketball leader, you must constantly strive to master the fundamentals of the game; then constantly help your teammates improve in those areas as well.

The basketball leadership heroes have an outstanding Team Spirit. You must encourage teamwork and unselfishness at every opportunity. You must be eager to sacrifice personal glory for the welfare of the team. Encourage your teammates, motivate them, help them to achieve their goals. You must be the bigger person and in the end you'll be rewarded.

The bottom line? It's who you are that makes you a leader among your teammates. Are you someone that your teammates would want to be like? Do you encourage and motivate your teammates?
How are your work ethics and attitude? Are you constantly pushing up people or knocking them down? Do you do as you say or expect other people to do as you say? Do you accept your teammates' weaknesses and reward their strengths?


If you do all these things and more, then you're on track to becoming what we all want to be - A Champion on the inside and out!

NOW, with all that being said.... you are young and ALL of this is a work in progress...... YOU should be having FUN! :-) DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE WEIGHT OF THE TEAM ON YOUR SHOULDERS. This is a great game and you are way ahead of others your age.

Here is a thought for you Ben....


Ability is what you're capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it.
(Lou Holtz)

But above all.... please make sure you are having fun.... we have discussed a lot of things... and I have sent you a lot of materials... the last thing I want to do is to turn you off of the game... I know you are a hard working kid and are very serious about the game... just remember... it IS a GAME

Ben: every thing you are now reading is coming from years of trial and tribulation. Years of making mistakes and rectifying those mistakes so they don't happen again. I have coached against Steve Nash when I was the Ontario Provincial Coach in Canada and of all the great players on the British Columbia Team Steve was the kid. I as a coach. feared and concentrated on the most. He not only had a truck full of skills but his intensity on the court, his ability to motivate players and make them better was a joy to behold.

If i can add one piece of advice to you about success, and this comes from one of the greatest minds in the game John Wooden. He says,

"Success is a piece of mind which comes as a direct result of knowing that you did the best you could, to be the best you are capable of becoming."

Good luck young man. My only regret is that this site was not going when i was playing the game it would have made me not only a better player, but a better person. Coach Mac

Coach Mac,

You have a lot of insight and given some great advice. I have met some excellent coaches here that really know the game and how to talk to kids and impart that knowledge. I might add that most of us give this knowledge straight from the heart.

I agree Mac, I only wish sites like this were around earlier in my coaching career... I KNOW I would have been a much better coach and person.

Ben,

Right now I think you might be feeling a little frustrated with things... but - one thing you have to remember is that the 8th graders will get the first shot... I know I always let my Seniors have first shot at starting, they paid their dues. After that, they either played themselves into or out of that position. So be patient, the cream always rises to the top.

There are a lot of things I want to tell you right now, but I will try to keep this list short..... these are things that will help get you noticed by the coach.

* Be the HARDEST working player on the floor.

* Be a SHUT DOWN defender on the ball.

* Be good at helping and recovering to your man.

* Make every loose ball yours.

* Take charges whenever you get the chance.

I hope these five things help you right now...and IF I am throwing too much stuff at you, just let me know..... good luck!

Coach Sar