I'd like to get coaches' opinions on what you'd prefer to see in a female player at age 11/12. Would you rather have a player with excellent fundamentals and athleticism, but with a need to develop more confidence and aggression in a game setting, or would you prefer a naturally aggressive player who isn't as technically sound?

Thanks in advance.

I would prefer all of them - athleticism, fundamentals, and aggression. If I had to choose I'd probably pick athleticism and fundamentals. But it really depends on the degree you are talking. If the confidence and aggression is so bad that they can't perform on the court, the abilities won't matter. So you really have to take the player as a whole into account. And bottom line, you want the best player possible, which is a mix of many many things (skills, aggressiveness, heart, leadership, decision making, attitude, quickness, etc, etc, etc).

As a "team coach" going into the season, I can usually build confidence and some aggression in the average player. However, I can't make much progress in fundamentals and athleticism in a couple week. Those are long term things that take time and dedication and smarts.

As much as I believe in the fundamentals, at that age I would take the aggresiveness. That is much harder to teach, especially in girls. The fundamentals can always be taught. Especially since she isn't afraid to get after it.

BTW, why are you asking the question? What is the situation?

Thanks for the quick responses.

The reason that I ask is that my daughter started playing on a club team recently, and the coach is very critical of her level of aggressiveness. Her fundamentals are exceptional for her age and her experience level (1 1/2 years of rec ball, and one season of middle school ball). However, I guess he expects more aggression given her athletic ability.

We have heard the same criticism of her from one other coach at the rec league. However, the criticism has not come from any other coach, either rec or middle school. In fact, she recently got a call from the Varsity coach from one of the local high schools, asking her to come play for his JV team during fall league (she just turned 12). She had played for him during HS summer league, and her aggressiveness while playing at that level never was an issue.

It seems that when she is playing "up", that is, with other talented players, she plays with an appropriate level of aggression and confidence. But when she is with players who cannot get themselves open for passes or play any sort of defense, etc, she is not aggressive enough to singlehandedly make a play happen. The two coaches who have criticized her confidence level have been with teams that have very little talent on them, and the court is chaos.

We've been told she has D1 potential. She by nature is very reserved and at times unsure of herself, not just in basketball. I think the confidence is something that will develop as she gets older. We've decided to pull her off of this new club team to concentrate on the HS league, b/c I think she will develop more there.

We were at a tournament this weekend with the club team, and one of the other mothers called my daughter "timid" for not throwing elbows, but didn't have any criticism for the girls who took shots that were so off that they went behind the backboard.

I would not be too concerned. She is very young. The biggest thing is to keep the game fun for her and possibly find a good coach for her to work with.

Here's an article about the importance of developing a passion (for what ever it is you do):
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/blog/index.php/8-secrets-to-sucess-how-they-relate-to-youth-coaching-parenting/

Here are a few coaches that offer long term player development regarding skills and the mental aspects of sports. I know that when I work with local players I work very hard on building confidence and an aggressive mentality. It's all done in a very positive manner (no yelling or screaming, positive reinforcement and setting them up for success).
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/regional-training.html

I would also be careful about burn out. Don't be one of those parents that put her in 100 games a year. Make sure she takes time off for other things and takes a break from basketball.

I'm late on this issue.... but Jeff has given you some great advice here! Of course as a coach we would like the whole package, skills and aggressiveness... but she is very young and a lot of kids aren't that aggessive then. IF I had to make a choice, I would take the skills any day. Frankly I would take the word of a high school coach over the club coach.... and that is where she is going to play soon. He MUST be seeing something in her that the others don't.

I would be very proud of her if I were you..... the Varsity high school coach already has his / her eye on her and has had her playing in summer games with the JVs..... and she cant make the club coach happy - ( I wonder about that ) as for throwing elbows... thats cheap shot stuff.... she doesn't need to hear that or do it..... parents that encourage that are people your daughter doesn't need to be around.

Not everybody has the same level of aggressiveness... I had some of those kids on my varsity boys team.... but most of those kids played decent D and could really shoot the ball...... that can make up for a lot of negative things. Put your daughter in a position where she can learn skills / fundamentals,, learn how to play the game ... and at this age ... HAVE FUN! It will get a lot more intense as she moves up to the varsity team.

I hope this helps.

Thanks--I feel better about the whole thing now.

Coach Jeff--thanks for the links. I wish we had a player development coach near us--that sounds like something that would really work for her. And RE: burnout--yes, we are very cognizant of that issue, and are trying very hard to avoid it. She just started playing club ball literally this past weekend--this tournament was the first one she'd ever done, and frankly, I'm not too eager to do that again.

She does take private lessons once a week with a great guy who played D1 and who is the son of a former NBA player. She gets lots of positive reinforcement from him, fortunately.

I talked to the club coach today, and he doesn't want her to quit. He said he expects more out of her b/c she's the most talented one on the team. I guess he just has a harsh way of coaching. He did say that she could skip the practices and just come to the games (I'd told him I was concerned about her being overscheduled). So we'll see--my daughter was so frustrated with the team at the tournament that she doesn't want to keep playing with them. Like you both said, it has to be fun to make it worth it.

Coach Sar, thanks for your input, too. RE: the HS coach--funny enough, this HS isn't even the one she'll be attending. She did a summer camp there, though, and the Varsity coach was so taken with her that he's wants to develop her even though she'll be going to a rival HS. Since the HS she'll be going to doesn't play off-season, we jumped on the opportunity. He said he thinks she'll be ready for starting on Varsity as a freshman.

And I agree that elbows are cheap shots. I told that mom that my daughter was too nice a girl to do such a thing. And she is--she plays with a lot of integrity. As I was sitting at this tournament watching the other girls take horrible shots and fling themselves about in a disorganized manner, and listening to the mothers complain about my kid being timid, it got me thinking that sometimes parents confuse aggression with good basketball. But then I got worried that maybe she was missing some sort of killer instinct that the others had or something.

So thanks again--I appreciate the feedback!!

Nash,

I don't like the no practice - play situation at all .. that would really set her up for some peer problems..... le this be her decision unless you feel that she is really overscheduled and going to be stressed out.

That even says more about your daughter - the varsity coach at an opposing high school wanting to help her out and get better.... maybe he hopes she will transfer lol ........ your daughter sounds like she is going to be a very good player.... encourage her without pushing. ( I like your style with her )

WTG, putting that mom in her place... she is so out of touch when it comes to what sports are all about. IF your daughter is being called timid beause she takes good shots and tries to play an organized game vs their helter skelter style.... then ler her be called timid.... the agressive ones throwing the ball up from wherever would never sit well with me....... then again, that coach needs to give them some direction. I see and hear a lot of this from guys working with younger players. An X manager of mine wants me to speak to the coaches, parents and kids of their league.... 5-8th graders. I told him that I doubt the parents would like my message.

They want to play a ton of games with few practices.... that is a recipe for disaster....... the goals for coaches that work with young kids should be... teach fundamentals, let them have fun and prepare them to play at the next level. Who cares if they go 30-0 and cant play in high school. JMO

I think that you and the high school coach are on the right path.....