Youth Basketball

Any one that knows me, knows that one of the things I enjoy most in life is coaching youth sports. I have coached soccer for the past 6 years, I have also coached flag football, Baseball, and now I am coaching basketball.

I started coaching basketball this year, as an assistant for a 3rd/4th grade team in a church league. I never considered basketball to be one of my strong points, as far as coaching went. I didn't really play much organized basketball when I was younger. Probably due to the fact that I was not all that tall, and didn't have the luxury of having a great spot to shoot hoops around the farm.

After the first couple of practices with the church team, I said to myself that I can do this. I have watched enough basketball in my life to know how to put together a simple motion offense. I understand the High post pick & roll, and I understand that the best scoring opportunities are to get the ball low on the block to your big men, and let them have free reign at the basket.

I requested a team for the City league we have and I was given the opportunity to coach for the first time. We have had 5 practices thus far, and I honestly think the boys are understanding what I am trying to teach them. At this age, it's really about the fundamentals, and understanding the flow of an offense, and where to be. We are not running anything too complicated, and we are basically working on getting the first steps down of each play. I have yet to get too deep in the plays. The boys understand the first movements, and the basic concept of where they are going. I think once the first games are done, we will know more about what we need to work on, and I will incorporate some further progressions to each play. Don't want to throw too much at them too quick.

We play our first games in the morning, and I am looking forward to getting them out there under fire, so to speak. I will try to update here on our progress over the next few weeks.