Team Basketball

Playing team basketball is not an easy feat, it takes hard work, discipline, and desire. I’ve coached for several years now, and I do believe that team ball starts from the top. The coach is the leader of the team. The players play for the coach, and watch his/her every move. The coaches actions speak much louder than words.

After the coach, team play filters down to the parents. It is a very good idea to have great parents on the team. Usually if you have wonderful, disciplined parents, it will rub off on the child. Team synergy cannot be done without a great coach, and great parents. There must be discipline, with the coach, parents, and players.

In reality only the players are on the court playing. The coach, and parents are on the sideline, and in the bleachers. Over the years I have coached many different players. I have learned that some things can be taught, while many cannot be taught. When you have a player that wants to walk into the gym, strutting their basketball warm-ups, Air Jordan’s, and the stylish team uniforms, you may have a problem.

Team basketball is We, not “I”. Your players will have to be rescripted from I to We. Your boys, or girls, must truly believe in team unity. If they do not score a point all game, but they hustled, made great passes, rebounds, and steals, they must be commended. That is team ball.

Over the years, I had a few parents, that have made my job tough. When their child gets the basketball, the parent will yell (take it all the way, or shoot the ball). Now the child has a dilemma. Do I listen to the coach, or do I listen to my dad? This is a great conflict to them, and can lead to indecision.

Having team laws, can cure this problem. Tell the parents that during the game the child must listen to the coach. The parents are not to tell their child what to do. Instead, you recommend that they cheer, and motivate, and uplift. It is positive thoughts, words, and actions, that must be installed into the team. With the foundation set, your team will be ready to explode onto the scene.

During practice your team win’s and looses together. If a boy is sporting a bad attitude, or not listening, the whole team will run ladders together. This, I do believe, builds team unity. And eventually the boy will come around, as he sees hows his actions are affecting everyone.

There must be team laws, written and held accountable by the team. Because the players wrote the laws, and the consequences involved with breaking the laws, then ownership starts to take shape. Our team has a few laws. You must run from station to station, no walking. When two whistles blow, they must run to the end line just under the basketball hoop, and line up. During a water break there are to be no shots. We uplift each other, we motivate each other. All players that are a cancer to the team are removed. If there is an issue, it is talked out. These are just a few of the rules.

Once these rules are founded, and implemented, the team starts to take shape. There will still be some problems initially, but over time the team concept will take hold.

I believe that a team, plays with passion, discipline, and motivation. They are there to put their best on the court. There must be great preparation, to become a great team. There are many basketball training aids available. But, proficiency comes with consistent practice, and with improving your fundamental skills.

A great team offense to run is called the Read and React offense. There is none better. This is team ball at the best. It is a continuous offense that runs through many different layers, all with rules. This will provide great team basketball.

There will be some hard hurdles to get over for even up to two years. But overtime the team attitude will win out. You will be beating teams with far superior talent.

This is the end of part one of team basketball

Leave a Reply