The Complete Idiot's Guide to Coaching Youth Basketball

by Gutman, Bill; Finnegan, Ph.D., Tom

• ISBN13: 9781592570560
• ISBN10: 1592570569
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-05-06
• Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.

Summary

Here's the guide for current and prospective coaches that covers every aspect of effectively coaching youth basketball: teaching good sportsmanship, running an effective practice, coaching to a player's age and skill level, teaching offensive and defensive skills and drills, rules of the game, executing winning plays and strategies, dealing with parents.

Author Biography

Tom Finnegan, a record-holding college athlete himself, was the winningest b-ball coach in Washington College history. He took his team to the NCAA Final Four in 1990, and has earned Middle Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year honors twice.

Bill Gutman has written more than 200 books, most of them in the field of sports.

Table of Contents

Part 1: What a Coach Needs to Know	1	(84)
1 You Are Coaching an Evolving Game	3	(10)
The Inventor, James Naismith	4	(1)
What Kind of Rules Were These?	4	(2)
Gives Kids Some History	6	(1)
The College Rules Were Different	7	(1)
The Similarities: Then and Now	8	(1)
The Women's Game	9	(1)
Player Characteristics: Then and Now	10	(1)
Coaching Styles: Then and Now	10	(3)
2 Coaching Responsibilities: Knowledge, Communication, and Fun	13	(14)
Rules and Fundamentals	14	(2)
Additional Basic Rules	16	(3)
Rules on Offense	16	(1)
Rules on Defense	17	(2)
What Is and Isn't a Foul	19	(1)
Those Nastier Fouls	20	(1)
How About the Penalties?	21	(1)
Communícation Is Always the Key	22	(3)
Organizational Skills and Communication	23	(1)
Explain, Explain, Explain	24	(1)
A Winning Attitude	24	(1)
Above All, Let It Be Fun	25	(2)
3 Coaching and Sportsmanship	27	(12)
Good Sports Are Good for Everyone	28	(2)
The Best Route to Take	30	(2)
Can Anything Be Better Than Winning?	32	(1)
Evaluating a Win and a Loss	33	(4)
How Do You Strike the Proper Balance?	34	(1)
Where to Draw the Toughness Line	35	(2)
Keep a Consistent Routine	37	(2)
4 Dealing with Problem Players and Problem Parents	39	(14)
Let's Look at the Problems	40	(1)
How About the Solutions?	41	(5)
Freeing the Free Spirit	41	(1)
Whiners and Complainers	42	(1)
Breaking the Rules	43	(1)
Stellar Performers	43	(1)
The Most Serious of the Player Problems	44	(1)
Burned-Out Players	45	(1)
Time to Deal with the Parents	46	(1)
Sending a Letter to Mom and Dad	47	(1)
Problems Arising During the Season	48	(1)
What You Can Do	49	(4)
5 Keeping Your Team Healthy	53	(14)
The Need for Some Training	54	(2)
Watch for Changes and Signs of Trouble	56	(1)
Gender Differences and Injury	57	(2)
The Little Hurts and the Big Hurts	59	(2)
Signs of Serious Injury	61	(1)
Keeping Your Team Healthy	62	(1)
Starting the Correct Way on the Court	62	(2)
Two Sets of Rules Apply Here	64	(3)
6 Knowing Your Age Group	67	(10)
Decide Beforehand Where You Want to Be	68	(1)
The Youngest Players	69	(5)
Moving to the Next Level	71	(2)
The Upper-Level Age Croup	73	(1)
Satisfaction at Any Age	74	(3)
7 The Making of a Team	77	(8)
Make the Concept of Team Clear Immediately	78	(1)
The Older Kids Are Tougher to Convince	79	(2)
Creative Ways to Encourage Teamwork	81	(2)
Reward Team Play	83	(2)
Part 2: Teaching the Game	85	(202)
8 Running a Good Practice	87	(8)
Make Practice Convenient for Everyone	88	(1)
A Routine That Has Purpose	89	(1)
Have a Schedule, but Don't Set It in Stone	90	(1)
A Typical Practice Session	91	(4)
9 Teaching Individual Skills	95	(12)
Make Your Presentations Clear and Concise	96	(3)
Make Adjustments Based on Age	97	(1)
Always Provide the Proper Demonstrations	98	(1)
Ensure That Execution Is Accurate	99	(2)
Execution Through Drills	100	(1)
Execution Through Positive Reinforcement	101	(1)
Kids Who Don't Get It	101	(1)
Bring in Some Help	102	(1)
An Ongoing Process	103	(4)
10 The Basic Fundamentals	107	(28)
Dribbling	108	(5)
Here's How to Dribble	109	(2)
Players Should Walk Before They Run	111	(1)
Advanced Dribbling Moves	111	(2)
Passing	113	(7)
The Two-Hand Chest Pass	114	(1)
The Bounce Pass	115	(2)
The Overhead Pass	117	(1)
The Baseball Pass	117	(2)
Other Ways to Pass	119	(1)
Shooting	120	(11)
The Layup	121	(2)
The Jump Shot	123	(4)
One-Hand Push Shot	127	(2)
The Hook Shot	129	(2)
Rebounding	131	(4)
Go Get That Ball	131	(2)
Offensive Versus Defensive Rebounding	133	(2)
11 Running Drills	135	(24)
Dribbling and Ball Handling	136	(3)
Slaps and Squeezes	136	(1)
Around the Legs	137	(1)
Around the Waist and Head	138	(1)
Let's Start Dribbling	139	(2)
Standing Crossover	140	(1)
Advanced Dribbling Drills	141	(3)
Stop and Go on the Whistle	141	(1)
Changing Directions on the Whistle	141	(1)
Speed-Dribble Relay	142	(1)
Dribbling Around Cones or Chairs	143	(1)
Follow the Leader	143	(1)
Basic Passing Drills	144	(2)
Two-Player Passing Drills	144	(1)
Two-Line Passing	145	(1)
Side by Side Down the Court	146	(1)
More Advanced Passing Drills	146	(3)
Passing Around the Square	147	(1)
Star Drill with Two Balls	147	(1)
Pass and Cut	148	(1)
Basic and Advanced shooting Drills	149	(5)
Layups, Layups, Layups	149	(1)
Layup Relay	150	(1)
Around the World	150	(1)
Shooting on the Move	151	(1)
Catch and Shoot	152	(1)
Working off the Pivot	153	(1)
Rebounding Drills	154	(5)
One-on-One Block-Out	155	(1)
Three-on-Three Block-Out	155	(1)
Let the Younger Kids Just Move for the Ball	156	(1)
Try a Tip-In Drill	156	(1)
Rebound and Outlet Pass	157	(2)
12 Who Plays Where	159	(8)
Let's Talk Positions	160	(2)
Play Young Kids Everywhere	162	(1)
Long-Range Benefits for Young Players	163	(1)
Fitting Maturing Players into Positions	164	(1)
Offense and Defense Doesn't Have to Be the Same	164	(1)
Coaching Cooperation Can Help with the Young Kids	165	(2)
13 Basic Offensive Tips	167	(18)
You've Got to Move Without the Ball	168	(2)
Setting Screens	170	(2)
Working Off the Post	172	(1)
More Tips for Offensive Players	173	(4)
The Pick (Screen) and Roll	173	(2)
The Back-Door Play	175	(1)
The Give and Go	176	(1)
Getting Good Shots	177	(2)
Driving to the Basket	178	(1)
The Quick Release	179	(1)
Getting the Jump Shot Off	180	(2)
Be Sure to Follow Every Shot	182	(1)
A Word About the Inbound Pass	183	(2)
14 Basic Defensive Tips	185	(20)
Start with the Stance	186	(1)
Guarding a Player One on One	187	(2)
Defensive Movement	189	(1)
Individual Defensive Situations	190	(8)
Overplaying Your Man	191	(1)
Stealing the Ball or the Pass	191	(1)
Swiping the Pass	192	(1)
Denying the Ball	193	(1)
Defending the Post	194	(1)
Dealing with Screens	194	(2)
Blocking Shots	196	(1)
The Run-By	197	(1)
Time to Run Some Drills	198	(3)
Stance and Stand	198	(1)
The Basic Slide Step	198	(1)
One-on-One Movement	198	(1)
Help and Recover	199	(2)
Fighting the Screen	201	(1)
Defending Away from the Ball	201	(1)
Defending on the Ball	202	(3)
15 Types of Offenses	205	(16)
A Quick Look at Offenses	206	(1)
The Principles of the Motion Offense	207	(2)
Let's Check Out Some Specifics	209	(1)
Perimeter Play	209	(2)
The Inside Game or Playing the Post	211	(1)
Running the Basic Offense	212	(2)
More Options	214	(2)
What About the Side Triangle?	216	(1)
Running it as Box High or Box Low (Shell)	217	(1)
Why These Are Great Youth Basketball Offenses	218	(3)
16 Types of Defenses	221	(10)
Let's Talk Defense	222	(1)
Which Defense to Choose	223	(2)
Man-to-Man Defensive Matchups	225	(1)
Principles of the Man-to-Man Defense	226	(6)
On-the-Ball Defense	226	(2)
Off the-Ball Defense	228	(2)
More Tips on the Man-to-Man Defense	230	(2)
Time to Check Out the Zone	232	(3)
The Box and One!	235	(1)
A Final Word	236
17 Offensive Strategies	231	(26)
The All-Important Fast Break	238	(2)
Player Responsibilities During a Fast Break	240	(3)
Combinations of Breaks	243	(3)
When the Break Doesn't Work	246	(1)
Secondary Breaks	246	(1)
Another Secondary Variation	247	(1)
Inbounds Plays	247	(7)
Full-Court Inbounds Against the Press	248	(1)
Inbounds Plays from the Sidelines	249	(2)
Inbounds Plays from the Baseline	251	(3)
Last-Second Plays	254	(3)
Last-Second Half-Court Play	254	(1)
Last Second Out of Bounds	254	(1)
Full-Court Last-Second Play	254	(1)
A Sideline Last-Second Play	255	(1)
A Final Word	256	(1)
18 Defensive Strategies	257	(20)
The Full-Court Press	258	(1)
When Do You Order a Press?	258	(1)
Some Presses and Traps	259	(14)
The Run-and-Jump Defense	259	(3)
Run and Jump Defensive Responsibilities	262	(1)
The Run and Trap	263	(1)
The 1-3-1 Trap	264	(6)
The 2-2-1 Press	270	(3)
Defending the Fast Break	273	(1)
Defending Against Inbounds Plays	274	(3)
19 Coaching a Game	277	(10)
Know the League Parameters	278	(1)
Getting Them There safely and on Time	278	(1)
Setting Up the Bench	279	(1)
Timeouts, Halftime, and Afterward	279	(2)
What About Timeouts?	280	(1)
Halftime	281	(1)
After the Game	281	(1)
More Gametime Advice	282	(3)
Communicating Plays	283	(1)
If You Have an Assistant	284	(1)
Substitutions	284	(1)
A Word About the Jump Ball	284	(1)
Wear the Label of Coach Proudly	285	(2)
Glossary	287	(6)
Index	293