Is a private coach worth it?

I'm a player and I was wondering if having a private coach is worth the time and the money.

Assuming you get a good coach, this is the fastest way for you to improve! It's faster than anything else you can do -- which includes working on your own, getting DVDs/books and working on your own, traditional camps, clinics, and playing games. When you play games, how many shots do you actually takes? How much dribbling do you do? If you practice with a ball in your hands for one hour, you can get 10 times more done. The same is true for most camps where you sometimes play games and share time with other players. Not to mention it's "cookie cutter" for the group, not tailored just for you.

With that said, you should do everything for the best results -- work with a skill development coach privately, get books and dvds, work on your own, play games, and go to camps. That will give you the full experience and learning opportunities.

I would just add this... do your homework here... make sure you are getting a good coach, someone who has YOUR best interests at heart... not just someone looking to make a buck. Check around with several people and look for reccomendations....

Everything else Jeff said is spot on!