• Started coaching when I took my nephew to a basketball practice and a friend of mine who ran the youth program asked if I would like to coach.
• Another program director (Terry Tiedt of the Northeast Side Youth Basketball Organization) asked if I would like to coach with his program because he liked the way I coached and handled the kids.
• According to Terry Tiedt,"You are the youngest coach to win 60 games"
• I was good at what I did because I took the time and effort to get to know these kids and know what they can do and cannot do on the basketball court.

•  I will now tell you some of the elements it takes to become successful in coaching basketball.
• First, of course, make sure you have a complete list of all the players trying out. Explain your rules, policies, and goals, not only for the try-out, but what you expect for the entire season.
• Steve Sliverman will comfirm that: "Often, tryouts are indoors because many youth leagues and schools will conduct tryouts during the winter months."  
• These try-outs may take a week or two, but once it's done you can now begin to actually teach the kids the fundamentals of the game of basketball.  

Have you ever wanted to do something that was rewarding?  Have you ever thought “What can I do to give back to my community?”  Ever wonder about what you can do about keeping kids healthy and in shape?  Well allow me to inform you about one of the things that you can do that is rewarding while giving back to your community and also helping our youth stay healthy.  Coaching basketball is one of the more rewarding contributions you can do for your community.  I know because I did it for eleven years.  There a lot of elements that goes into coaching basketball like selecting a team, teaching fundamentals of the game, being a leader and a role model for kids.  Also you have to prepare your team to play well and comfort them when they don’t.  Let’s focus on three of these elements; selecting a team, teaching the fundamentals, and being a leader for the kids.  But first let me give you a little background of my coaching history.

• Depending on the player’s height, you can teach that player what his role in his position is.

• Jeff Haefner says "You'll be teaching habits that will stick with these kids for the rest of their lives. And whether you like it or not, you'll be setting an example and teaching kid's lessons about life (good and bad). Kids are impressionable. They pick up on things." 

• What to do with a mistake--recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.

  Dean Smith (Former University of North Carolina Basketball coach)

•  Teaching kids the basics of basketball will allow them to be comfortable with you and you can not only teach the things that they will be doing on the court but off the court as well.

• Youth basketball coaching means doing more than teaching basketball technique. It also means being a mentor, a leader, a counselor, and sometimes a discipliner. 

   

• Youth basketball coaching means doing more than teaching basketball technique. It also means being a mentor, a leader, a counselor, and sometimes a discipliner. 
• Coaches must be comfortable assuming different roles with a youth team because athletes are going to look to them for many different kinds of needs.
• According to basketball coaching legend John Wooden, "A leader's most powerful ally is his or her own example."
• When you lead by example it’s hard not for a child or children to look up to you, especially those who don’t have a mother or father figure in their lives. 
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  You don’t have to be in their lives on a daily basis but when you are with them, show them that you care and have concern for them.  You can gain their trust just by asking how their day was, helping them with their homework, or even buying the team a meal or ice cream.  That may be all that that a child needs from a coach outside of basketball.

• Leadership, like coaching, is fighting for the hearts and souls of men and getting them to believe in you.  
• With just a little more than being a coach to some of these kids, boys or girls, will definitely keep them away from the street life that has claimed the lives of so many of our youth.  Remember your players look up to you. They listen to you. And you have an amazing opportunity to make a POSITIVE impact on their lives!

To conclude, coaching youth basketball has its rewards.  You are involved in the improvement of the community by being a leader to the youth.  You are giving back to the community by giving your time and effort to the youth.  You are keeping kids active by teaching them a game that requires a lot of running and jumping.  Thank you for time.