| I wound up volunteering to coach basketball, a | | | | coaching sports before, but from my reading I |
| game I new nearly nothing about. Shortly after I | | | | began to get familiar with the topics and ideas. I |
| wound up with the job, a parent approached me | | | | quickly learned that basketball was about more |
| and asked what sort of coaching style I was | | | | than just putting a ball through a hoop. |
| going to use. After I managed to clear up the | | | | As part of my research I began reading articles |
| blank look on my face and stammer out some | | | | that focused on building skills and confidence level |
| lame answer, I drove quickly to the privacy of | | | | in young athletes while coaching. I did my best to |
| my own home to avoid any more questions, and | | | | absorb everything, but still felt that I might be a |
| thus, not let my inexperience be known, for I | | | | little out of my element coaching a basketball |
| knew after that question that I was in way over | | | | team. I had to constantly reassure myself that I |
| my head. | | | | could do it. The whole experience ultimately |
| At the time I was probably more suited to coach | | | | taught me that before you can coach other |
| football, but basketball was what I was dealt. A | | | | people you must be able to coach yourself, but |
| buddy of mine who had played basketball in high | | | | I'm getting ahead of myself. |
| school told me that his coach had used a | | | | I've been coaching for six weeks now. I feel I've |
| hands-on coaching style. The coach played with | | | | done a fair job of helping my players build skills |
| the athletes, showing them the different | | | | and confidence levels they can use on the court |
| techniques to use, and what situation to use them | | | | and in the real world. This experience has taught |
| in, etc...However, he also pointed out that coaching | | | | me much about myself and about coaching. In |
| basketball is more than just playing basketball with | | | | regards to coaching, I have learned that it is not |
| the kids like his coach did, but coaching is also | | | | all fun and games, but a huge responsibility; |
| about teaching fundamental skills that the players | | | | however, I think I've prepared myself for the |
| will use for life, as well as team work. | | | | challenge. After all, my team is 5 and 1. |
| Feeling even more hopeless and confused after | | | | While coaching a team might seem a very |
| this conversation I set out to do heavy research | | | | attractive job to many a sports fan, it is not |
| on the topic of coaching basketball. I immediately | | | | easy. I only coach at the Junior High level and it's |
| realized that a large list of references existed to | | | | exhausting and stressful. I can't imagine what it is |
| help me, which gave me a great feeling of relief. I | | | | like at the professional level, and I don't want to. |
| had never thought of such concepts as team | | | | If you are interested in being a coach, make sure |
| play, sportsmanship and sharing in regards to | | | | and give it some serious thought. |