How to become a little league basketball coach

Coaching Youth Basketball -- Tips, Drills, Plays, Philosophy, Tactics

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.

You have an obligation and responsibility to teach them the right things - in both basketball and life.

When you think about it, teachers would do anything to get the enthusiasm that you get from your players. Kids actually like and want to play basketball.

Your players look up to you. They listen to you. And you have an amazing opportunity to make a POSITIVE impact on their lives!

You have a very important and rewarding job!

In this section of our website, we'll provide you with links to a variety of youth coaching tactics, plays, drills, and tips that will help you become a better youth basketball coach.

The articles discuss very important concepts to help you succeed. So read through each article, starting with the first one at the top.

If you don't have our free eBook yet, the first thing you should check out is our FREE Basketball Drills ebook. It includes 72 of some of our favorite basketball drills and it includes youth section so you can easily find the drills that apply to you.

We also offer videos with 60+ Youth Basketball Drills and Tips For Coaching Youth Basketball.

When working with young kids and running basketball drills, there are three very important concepts you need to consider:

1 - Kids need to be highly active!

Just by using fast paced drills and keeping things moving, your players will have more fun and get in better condition. Your kids should be breathing hard and their hearts should be pumping. It's good for them!

Avoid standing in lines as much as possible and keep the ball in their hands as much as possible.

2 - Kids want to feel successful!

With very youngs kids, competition doesn't always serve as a motivator. You should always provide activities that help them build their skills and confidence. Strive to focus on the learning process instead of measuring up to those around you.

You'll want to avoid adding pressure and competition until the players have developed their skills, confidence, and become proficient with the basics.

Put them in situations where they can succeed.

3 - Kids want to have lots of fun!

This is an important stage for young players and your actions could determine whether they enjoy sports or not.

It's important to make things fun so they can improve and become confident.

Youth basketball drills don't have to be boring. Almost any drill can be modified to provide high activity, high success, and high enjoyment.

Youth Basketball Offenses

I believe that using a very simple motion offense is the way to go for youth teams because it teaches them how to move and the players will begin to learn how to get open and play the game.

Motion offense also allows you to spend more time teaching fundamentals and skills (which is very important for young players).

The challenging part about motion offenses is that there are SO many options that it's hard for players to know what to do. But you can easily solve that problem by making simple rules and starting with the basics.

For example, you might want to just with just a couple simple options for your motion offense. You could start by teaching the players proper spacing, away screens, and v-cuts. Once they master those skills and get VERY proficient at cutting properly and setting good away screens, then you can start adding more options and building on your foundation.

You can add ball screens, rolling, and so on. Just don't go too fast! Make sure they have good fundamentals before you start adding stuff.

You can learn about developing motion offenses by looking at these resources: Offensive Theory & Introduction to Basketball Offense

Teaching Basketball Motion Offense

5 Out Cutters Offense - Easy to teach and it is a great building block for the motion offense.

You can also try this very simple patterned offense that you can use as a play or your entire offense:
Youth Offense - Michigan

Press Breaker Offense - Breaking the Press in Youth Basketball

3 Critical Player Development Tips For Your Offense

Youth Basketball Plays

When it comes to teaching plays to youth basketball players, it is typically better to teach them concepts on how to play the game of basketball.

• Triple Threat - How to get in triple threat position every time a player catches the ball.
• Footwork - Quick stops & pivoting
• Cutting - Basket cuts & back cuts
• Screens - Off the ball & On-ball
• Eventually, reading screens.

To read more on this topic, please read:

Youth Coaches: Destroy Your Playbook and Do This Instead

Should Youth Coaches AVOID Plays and Patterned Offenses?

Here are some very basic plays:

1-3-1 Cutters

Rolling

Swing Variation

Zone Shallow

Zone Overload

Quick Hitter Vs. 1-3-1 Zone

Best Overall Advice for Youth Basketball Coaches

1) Keep things fun!
Did you know that the #1 reason kids quit sports is because it's not fun anymore?!? It's very important to play plenty of games and keep a positive attitude.

Be positive and make things fun. Even if the kids get cut from the team or decide not play basketball at an older age, they'll still have a positive image of basketball and may continue to play it recreationally when they get older.

If you act like a drill sergeant when coaching a bunch of 10 year olds, the kid will get a negative image of basketball and have negative emotional feelings when thinking of basketball. Kids will also get sick of basketball if they play TOO many games each year. As a result, they will not likely play basketball when they get older. It can even affect their feelings towards fitness in general. If a person dislikes fitness and becomes inactive, they are more likely to be unhealthy!

60+ Youth Basketball Drills and Games

2) Be Positive & Do NOT Correct Every Mistake!
Don't be too critical and stop them to make a correction on every mistake. Let them play and learn themselves. If you stop or correct them on every mistake, you'll get a basketball player with low confidence that is always unsure of what to do, instead of a confident player that reacts to the defense.

Now, if they continue to make the same mistake over and over and over, show the player a better way to do a certain thing. For example, if you see one of your players stand straight up every time they touch the ball and a defender crowds them and causes the offensive player to travel. Say to the player, "Way to hustle, Johnny! Let me show you something that will help you when the defender crowds you. When catching the ball in this position, keep your hips back with your knees bent, and pivot. Be ready to attack. Then if the defender comes to crowd you, it will be easy for you to dribble right by him!" Notice, I did NOT focus on the negative and say "Stop bringing the ball up!"

Don't focus on the negative. Focus on the way to help them. Let's be positive as coaches!

3) Allow your players to be successful!
Sometimes competition is not a motivator for young kids. However ALL kids need to taste success (and hopefully lots of it). Now this doesn't mean winning. It means getting better and succeeding in practice. Allow your players to run drills that they can succeed at and feel good about. Celebrate small accomplishments and successes with your players.

4) Teach life lessons in your practices!
Read this article about teaching life lessons and improving team bonding.

5) Don't worry about winning!
You don't have time to worry about winning. There's only time to do the right thing... If you do things "right", winning will eventually be a by-product of your actions. Be patient. True success takes time to do things right. It doesn't happen overnight.

You must first build a SOLID foundation for these kids to build on. Taking the time to build that foundation will cause you to sacrifice winning some games. Trust us. This is better for your players in the long run.

6) Avoid year-round basketball and play other sports!
There is a reason that NBA GM's don't like their ELITE, PROFESSIONAL basketball players competing in the summer World Championships and Olympics. It's been scientifically proven that playing a sport year-round leads to tired muscles and a tired muscle has a much HIGHER chance of injury. Now, if these PROFESSIONAL athletes with proper nutrition and training are supposed to avoid year-round basketball, don't you think that a DEVELOPING, young athlete (most likely without proper nutrition and training) should be avoiding it as well?!?

If you force your child to play, it can also lead to burnout, injury, and resentment of the sport or fitness altogether. People are much more driven when they choose to do something they enjoy, rather than being forced to do it. If you want your child to enjoy basketball, play GAMES with him when they want to, and watch basketball-related activities with them. 9 times out of 10, kids enjoy sports that their parents enjoy if approached the right way.

At this age, it is best to improve overall athletic ability which is done by playing multiple sports, such as gymnastics, baseball, soccer, martial arts, football, track, volleyball, softball, swimming, and so on. Keep in mind, that you want to have seasons for these sports. Avoid playing 2 or 3 sports at once and multiple practices on the same day. If you want to focus on one sport at age 16 or 17, GREAT. Not at age 10 or 11. And who knows what your child will take an interest in or show talent in at age 10? Most of the time, things change a lot in the next 6 or 7 years!

7) Don't press or play zone defense!
You can read why and get advice here.

8) Use small basketballs and lower rims!
Using rims that are too high and basketballs that are too big will RUIN your players shooting form. They are NOT strong enough yet.

Do we send 6 year olds to Yankee stadium and start throwing from the big mound? No, we start with tee-ball, then parent pitch, then little league (close bases), and move up.

It's ridiculous to throw 5-10 year olds on a full size court with 10 foot rims and youth basketballs that are way too big! It's no wonder so many kids have horrible shooting form when they get to high school!

9) Teach the right things!
Just keep in mind that if you can teach your young players the following skills, then you should feel good that about what you accomplished and know that you're teaching your player the right things (that they need to be successful)!

Your young players should be able to:

• Dribble with their left and right hands equally well.
• Make lay ups with their left and right hands equally well -- and jump off the proper foot (left foot when shooting with right hand, and vice-versa)
• Perform a jump stop without traveling.
• Pivot on their left and right foot without traveling.
• Perform accurate chest, bounce, and overhead passes.
• Perform a defensive slide (feet wide, good balance, staying between the offensive player and the basket).
• Shoot a basketball with proper form.

These simple skills should be your number priority and your goal should be to help your players master these skills. Once they have truly mastered these skills, you can start building from there.

Breakthrough Bonus: Download this "Youth Basketball" article as a FREE PDF! (Download Now!)

Questions & Answers

If you have any questions about coaching youth basketball, post your questions on our forum.

A group of very experienced and knowledgeable coaches monitor the forum and answer questions.

Recommended Youth Coaching eBooks, Books, and DVDs

Here are the books and DVDs that we recommend to youth coaches:

The Youth Coaching System (By Jim Huber)

60 Fun Youth Basketball Drills

Motion Offense

Basketball Shooting Tips & Drills

M2M Basketball Defense Tips & Drills

Simplified Post Player Development

How Do You Become a Successful Little League Coach? – Rookie Mentor

Some of the most influential people in a young baseball player’s life are in-fact their Little League baseball coach. They may look up to the Big-League players, but that’s natural. The best little league coaches not only produce the best players, but they help build children into great young men and women.

How Do You Become A Successful Little League Coach? It requires patience, appropriate team setup, preparation for practice, an understanding of the rules, the ability for athletes to play multiple positions and above all else, your players have fun and love playing the game each and every week.

It doesn’t take much to become a little league coach, all you need to do is call your local little league and ask to volunteer. Most little leagues require a formal application and an interview, but each one differs. Applicants that have a history of baseball and can offer more knowledge and are more likely to be accepted as volunteer coaches.

Once you get the call from the little league, you’ll get the information to come down and draft your team. After that, you’ll be ready to call the parents, introduce yourself, and set up practice times.

If you’re coaching an age that requires tryouts, you’ll need to watch the tryouts to evaluate which players you’ll want to draft. After the tryouts, the coaches will need to get together and have a draft to decipher which kid goes where.

The Team-Set Up

Setting up your baseball team and the practice times will be the most important part. Tryouts will give you the chance to get to know each player’s strengths and weaknesses. Understanding where each kid thrives will help their experience and with setting up practice.

It will be important to give your team some time to get to know each other, I had some coaches that would have a day where we go down to the field for an hour just to meet each other and interact.

The team will be together through thick and thin, so it is important to encourage them to create relationships and to allow them to bond with each other. Some of my best friends now are kids I played little league with.

Getting the kids together to meet is also a perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to them and don’t forget to include your history with baseball if you have any. You’ll also be able to tell the kids what they should expect in the upcoming season and how you intend to help them not only become better baseball players but people too.

Setting up practice dates twice a week will help ensure the kids get enough time to hone in their skills.

Don’t be too hard on the kids, but it’s important to push them to become better athletes. Constructive criticism will help the players understand what they are doing wrong and how to do better, without putting them down or shying them away from trying.

What Does it Take to Be A Successful Coach?

What does it take to become a successful little league coach? It takes patience, understanding, some baseball knowledge, organization, and an attitude centered around fun and not winning.

Having a team of young kids can be a handful, but with the right attitude and inspiration, even the shyest kids will be willing to come out of their shell.

What player doesn’t dream of winning the championship game or hitting the game-winning homerun? With the right techniques and enough practice, you can drive your players to be the best they can be.

All coaches need to remember, the most successful coaches may not be the ones who win the championship game, but the ones who inspire kids to love something.

Steps to build your successful baseball team include:

• Organization of practice
• Rotating line-ups
• Reading the rulebook
• Understanding your team
• Moral support

How to Structure Practice

“Practice makes perfect,” we’ve all heard it, but it’s true! The practice is the most essential part of having a good baseball team. There are tons of different exercises to do, but the most effective practices follow some simple guidelines.

When the players all arrive, they’ll need to stretch and do a light warm-up / jog to warm up and loosen their muscles. Following that, they’ll pair up and play catch to loosen their arms, remind the players to start closely and slowly step further back as their arms start feeling warmed up. For the older players (10+) we recommend starting on one knee to isolate the muscles in the arm and fully let it warm up.

Once the players have finished stretching and warming up (15-20 minutes), call them over and have them take a knee around you, give the team a structure for the practice and what they’ll need to work on for that day. Finally, you’ll be ready to start the practice.

You need to find out what position players want and break it off from there. In the infield, a coach should be working with the infielders by hitting ground balls and going over mechanics, while another coach should be working with the outfielders, hitting them pop-fly’s and going over outfielder mechanics.

This will help break the entire team into smaller groups and give kids the individual attention they need to grow, while also making every kid feel included (the parents will also love that). After going over the mechanics and the importance of fielding (30-40 minutes) you’ll want to go into hitting exercises.

When breaking off into hitting, there should be different methods. One of the most popular with the players is live pitching. You’ll be behind an L-screen pitching for the players to hit while the other players are shagging the balls in the outfield and infield.

This is effective because it can help simulate games for both hitters and fielders but having everyone on the field while someone hits can be dangerous, so make sure the kids are all paying attention.

Other days have the kids work on hitting off a tee to help with mechanics and focusing on muscle memory. Professional baseball players like Bryce Harper still train off the tee as it’s one of the most essential parts to learn how to properly hit. it is important to give instruction during all aspects of the practice and give each player specific things to work on for each day.

You’ll also need to incorporate giving the pitchers and catchers work in the bullpen. Teach the kids who want to learn how to pitch but stick to pitches like fastballs and changeups; their arms are still too young and developing to twist or flick while in the motion as it can cause damage.

[VIDEO] – National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) with their take on how to run an active practice

The Importance of Rotating Line-Ups

Every coach wants to have the winning team, but it’s important to rotate the line ups and give kids chances in different places. Don’t leave the same kids batting 7th, 8th, or 9th.

Even if you know they may strike out or struggle, they deserve the chance to shine. Let some players who usually play the outfield play the infield for a few innings. It is imperative to allow the kids to try each position and learn from each one.

The parents will start complaining, too and who wants that? We all have heard stories of crazy sport-parents who will say just about anything to get their kids on the field, so if you want to avoid that we highly recommend rotating the players and giving each kid a fair chance.

The best coaches are willing to give each player their chance to thrive and push them to come out of their shells and be the best that they can be. You don’t need to be Joe Girardi to be a good little league coach, you just need to be willing to teach kids, have patience, and encourage the kids to enjoy the environment.

The Best Coaches Have Fun

The most successful little league coaches have fun with what they do. Players will feed off the positivity and excitement of the coach, especially if they struggle.

The coach’s attitude helps the kids in tough times and keeps them levelheaded. Baseball can be a stressful sport; when the action comes to you there’s a lot of pressure. There is a lot of room for error in baseball, too, a hitter can do everything right but still get out. After all, we’re only human, they’re only kids, and that’s baseball.

“It’s supposed to be fun, the man says ‘Play Ball’ not ‘Work Ball’ you know”.

Willie Stargell

Patience and understanding are two of the most important factors that coaches should take into account. Pushing the kids during practice is essential to their growth but overdoing it is a common mistake. Having your team run laps or sprints is perfectly fine, especially if they aren’t doing everything they should. It is important to teach the kids to pay attention and show respect for the coaches and other players; sportsmanship is essential to little league and life in general.

Driving the players to want to be successful is the key to winning teams, happy players, and parents. When the players have the personal drive to be the best that they can be, there is nothing that can stop them.

Summary: How Do You Become a Successful Little League Coach?

Before and even after you get the little league coaching position, continue to build on your knowledge of the game. Create an environment where every child has the opportunity to thrive in each position whilst keeping the atmosphere fun, supportive and motivational.

Did we miss anything? What else can little league coaches do in order to be successful?

Cheers,

Daniel

How to Become a Basketball Coach • BUOM

By Indeed Editorial Team

February 22, 2021

All professional athletes rise through the ranks under the guidance of a coach. Regardless of the sport, a coach has a unique ability to improve players' skills and help them become more confident in their game. A basketball coach can help a player through the season or prepare him for the professional level.

In this article, we will explain what a basketball coach is and what he does, explain the average salary of basketball coaches in the country, explain how to become a basketball coach, and answer some frequently asked questions about the job.

What is a basketball coach?

A basketball coach is a person who guides a player or group of players during a game of basketball. They teach students how to play the game, strategize with them during competitions, help build skills and inspire. A basketball coach can work with players of different levels, from very young to professional athletes. Basketball coaches need to be excellent communicators, be patient, have strong leadership skills, and know the game of basketball well.

Most basketball coaches who work in the school system also teach a school subject, but it is possible to work as a basketball coach part-time in elementary or high school, or full-time without additional responsibilities at the college level and beyond.

What does a professional basketball coach do?

Being a professional basketball coach is a lot and has a lot of responsibilities. A basketball coach at any level is responsible for:

• Teaching your team how to play basketball, including basic skills, rules and various strategies.

• Make sure all players work together as a team and that everyone values ​​the team more than their own individual accomplishments.

• Organization of training sessions so that players can improve their skills

• Training of players who may need individual assistance outside the team environment

• Create strategies to use on the court based on the skill level of the players and the team they are playing against.

• Being a motivator and leader for the team and all players

• Identifying each player's strengths and weaknesses and addressing them accordingly

• Making quick decisions during the game for things like changing players

Prevention, assessment and treatment of injuries

• Promote teamwork and good sportsmanship and share the importance of friendly competition.

Average salary for basketball coaches

The average national basketball coach salary in the US is $48,590 per year. This salary may vary depending on your years of experience and the city and state in which you work as a basketball coach.

For example, in Atlanta, Georgia, the average salary of basketball coaches is $61,480 per year, and in New York, New York, basketball coaches are reported to earn an average of $44,843 per year.

Access to the recreation program

How to become a basketball coach of the basketball

1. Get a high school diploma

Depending on the level at which you intend to teach, you may only need a high school diploma or equivalent to be a basketball coach. If you do not have a high school diploma, a GED will be sufficient in most cases.

2. Get a bachelor's degree

Most employers require you to have a bachelor's degree in order to be a basketball coach. A degree in education is preferred, but you may want to consider additional physical education or athletic training if available. You can also specialize in areas such as physical education, exercise or sports medicine.

While in college, try to play for the high school team to gain experience and develop your skills. This will help you save the position later. You may also aspire to become a team manager, which will help you develop your leadership qualities.

3. Decide what level you want to coach

Basketball coaches can work directly with many age groups, from elementary school to professional level. One of the first steps to becoming a basketball coach is knowing what your ideal career path is. You may find that your love of the game means that the level of your athletes doesn't matter, or you may prefer to work with players who are a bit more experienced and willing to try their hand at the professional level.

If you're talking about a certain level of skill, it might help you choose a career or open up some opportunities for extra learning outside of your main job, like in a sports league.

4. Play Basketball

Many basketball coaches love the game and become basketball coaches because they grew up playing the sport. While many may have formed teams with neighborhood kids in their youth, many others played at school. While not required to be a successful basketball coach, you must be able to demonstrate knowledge of the game and demonstrate certain skills that you can teach others, and probably the best way to do this is to experience the game in person.

5. Become a Volunteer Coach

When you get your degree, look into volunteering at local schools or sports leagues as a second basketball coach. This will give you experience and help you connect with those who work at the school. These same contacts can connect you to post-graduation employment opportunities either at the same location where you volunteered or at a nearby school.

6. Take education-related courses

Your employer may still hire you without a bachelor's degree in education, but without it, you may have to take education-related courses if you want to work in the school system. These courses will prepare you to work in an educational environment, including how to create and manage a curriculum, and the different ways your student base can learn.

7. Get certified in your state

Each state has specific rules it must follow before certifying professionals as teachers and coaches. Contact your state Board of Education to determine what you need to do to get approved to teach and coach. You may have to work a certain number of hours at school under the guidance of a mentor and demonstrate that you have certain skills and knowledge.

In addition to teaching certification, you may be required to be certified in CPR and first aid to help students with medical emergencies.

8. Working With Experienced Coaches

You may want to ask experienced coaches to guide you as you begin your basketball coaching career. They can provide valuable insight into the training of players in the sport. Get guidance and ask them questions so you can get different perspectives on the job and how they were able to succeed.

6. Apply for a job

Search online for basketball coach jobs. You can search the Internet for job boards or even visit local gyms or recreation centers to see if they need a coach. Youth or senior basketball leagues often need coaches during the season, so you can look for jobs in the leagues in your area.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on Becoming a Basketball Coach

Here are some frequently asked questions about becoming a Basketball Coach:

Are basketball coaches required to wear suits?

Whether or not you need to wear a suit to work depends on your employer. At the professional level, many organizations require coaches to wear a suit or sports jacket with a tie during games. The same is usually done by college coaches. For junior players, coaches must follow the dress code of the school where they work.

Are basketball coaches paid?

Most basketball coaches are paid, although there are many opportunities to volunteer if you want to gain experience, have fun, or coach your child's junior sports team.

How can I become a better basketball coach?

To become the best basketball coach, you can study different games to see how other coaches train their team and cope with the game. You can watch past games on video or attend games in person. Learn their defensive moves, how they change players in the mid game, and see how they encourage their team. You can also customize your communication style depending on your player and their needs, stay positive and trust your team.

"If you become a national team coach but don't want to help others, what's the point of your success?" / Student Basketball Association

An assistant coach at Montreat College, in an exclusive interview with ASB, spoke about the specifics of the American work, the development of mental strength, the responsiveness of top NCAA coaches and much more.

Daria Sharova eight years ago she changed her residence permit from Russia to American and has been working as a coach in the States for five years now.

- Tell us when you moved to America and how did your career develop?

– I started playing basketball from a small town, Norilsk, back in Russia. She was in the RUDN team, and then she began to help coaches at Sparta & K, in Vidnoye. I started looking for options to go overseas, and then it was not very popular, and I had to figure everything out myself, study what, how, where. As a result, I entered Bryan College, where I played for three years, but in the last season I got injured, the coach offered me to become a Student assistant - there is such a position in the USA. After graduating, she completely went into the coaching profession. At first she wanted to work as a fitness coach, became an assistant coach in Tennessee, a strong program in the NCAA Division I. But after six months of working there, observing the work, I realized that I wanted to be a basketball coach. Finished the season, went back to my university, worked there for two years, and then got a job here in North Carolina at Montreat College.

- Your team competes in the league NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics). What is the level of this tournament?

– NAIA level is very high! We have players who play for the national teams of their countries. We are in the first division, in a very strong conference, next season the guys will play three teams against the first division of the NCAA. If you compare by level, then in general the NAIA is the second division of the NCAA, but there are teams that beat the first. It must be understood that the choice of a league in America depends on various factors. Many universities decide to move to NAIA or vice versa, depending on the goals of the university. Our league is freer in terms of recruiting, we do not have a restrictive period when coaches cannot contact potential players, this gives more opportunities.

– Are there any serious organizational differences?

- No, in principle. Of course, we will not compare with Duke, they have a completely different budget, but many universities in different divisions of the NCAA have more financial problems than we do. Of the significant differences were scholarships. NCAA I gives 12 full scholarships per team, the second division - 9. We had 7 for a long time, but now also 9. And so, halls, equipment - everything is the same. When I first arrived after Sparta & K, my jaw dropped.

– What is the fundamental difference between working as a trainer in the USA and working as a trainer in Russia?

– A lot of people don't really understand how big the work of a coach in college is, we almost don't have a free minute. We must understand that we are not only training. We have 28 girls in the program, so they come, we are fully responsible for them. For their studies, for their behavior on campus… Plus applications, scouting, recruiting… It's a never ending job. We have two coaches and student managers and assistants, the guys have three coaches. Someone has five, and, of course, it would be easier, but, on the other hand, there are pluses: if you decide to go to the first division of the NCAA, you will be as prepared as possible.

– What is the fundamental difference in the training process?

– Our trainings have a different structure. Students have a very busy schedule and we don't like wasting time. Training is faster, we do not walk around the site at all. If the training starts at 5, then at 5 you are already ready. We just have different standards, the players know our pace of basketball.

– How often do you exercise?

- If this is the pre-season, then, for example, three days a week we will have individual training or group work in the morning, and in the evening, as we say, an open gym where we give the players some tasks and sometimes play 5x5. Gym and strength training three days a week, plus throwing workouts twice a week. Sometimes, if the girls come after a break in not very good shape, we additionally work on their physical condition. The pre-season is a great time to work on the specific skills you need, separately for the guards, separately for the “big ones” ...

– Is the training process the same for boys and girls?

Absolutely. Even in the pre-season, sometimes boys come to training, to sparring. It's just that America is one big family. Although in fact we have two basketball programs, in fact - one. They are all our children. For me, the boy from the men's team is as important as my girl. And if, for example, a guy comes to an individual training and asks: “Coach, can I join?”, then always yes, of course! His success is as important to me as the success of my daughter. In principle, the same story in coaching life, everyone somehow tries to help each other, even if we play in the same conference. For example, we went to recruiting - saw each other - approached, talked. Rivalry on the court, but off the court everyone is trying to develop each other.

– About the community – is the team popular in your city? How is attendance?

- In general, basketball is the #1 sport in North Carolina, everyone has basketballs in their blood! We have a principal rival - Milligan University. We call it "Battle of the Neighbours". And there are no tickets for a week! Issued only for students, one ticket in hand, and then you need to order in advance. And when we have double games - first girls, then guys, then by the end of our game the hall is already full! And now we have an office near the hall, and after our game I can’t sit on the podium, and I can’t even sit on the floor. (laughs) And I watch the game from the office.

– Is the college somehow involved in the promotion of the team, or is it just historical?

- When we took this program, we had a goal - perestroika. And one of those big challenges is building a community. And we do a lot of things: children's camps, posters of girls all over the campus ... Our city is small, there are many tourists who come to camp in the mountains, but the people who live here live a very long time. And it's just very important for them to support the team, and we try to involve them. Sometimes people can call themselves and say that they want to invite the whole team to dinner. And it's not just us. I sometimes come for recruiting, and I have nowhere to sit! And my husband grew up in Tennessee, I love to go to their games, especially football. And I was rooting for UConn back in Russia, he re-educated me for a couple of years. And it’s cool at matches, everyone is in equipment, I myself have already become a fan. Or we have in North Carolina: half UNC, half Duke, and God forbid someone in the family is sick of the wrong people. (laughs) It's just a song, and it's very cool!

– One of your most important tasks is recruiting. How is this process structured in NAIA?

- This is the most important task in college! If it weren’t for the virus, we would now go to different tournaments, summer leagues, look after players. Whenever possible, we always watch the games, they send us videos, because we can’t always come. It's also important to build relationships with high schools so you know who you can trust and who you can't, and that coaches recommend their players.

– Do you have foreigners in the program? And are there Russians?

- We have a girl from Cameroon, the guys have guys from England and Brazil. There are no Russians in our teams, but there are in NAIA. I always, when I see Russian guys, I try to approach, offer help if it is needed. Because someone adapts easily, and someone very hard. For example, it was not easy for me, it's just a different style of basketball. So sometimes it's good to go to a two-year college just to get used to it.

– Is physical condition the main difficulty in adaptation?

- Definitely. To be honest, it's hard for me to watch Superleague-1, everything seems very slow. And here the girls are powerful, we have 50% African American, 50% white. And they are such that they will devour on the site. It's just a different system. For example, even France or Spain, they also have smart basketball, but they are still physically stronger. And here everyone knows that if you want to play in college, you have to be physically strong. We have those who are physically unable to play sit on the bank or leave.

There was one point guard, very good in terms of skills, she would have played in Russia without any problems, but she was sitting on the bank with us. Because I just couldn't keep up. For example, we go to South Carolina, Allen University, it's every season, sorry, pain in my butt. They are all black, pressuring the whole game! And she can't handle the pressure. Everything is in the shoulder, everything is in contact, and the girls have known this since high school.

- Is it laid in children's basketball?

- I think so. They offered me here in the fall to train at the summer league, I never usually took it, because it's June. And then a friend called, offered to take the seventh grade. Well, I agreed, I had the idea to prepare local girls, so that later they would be signed when they grew up. And I made sure that this is the most important age, 11-13 years old, to teach them this manner of playing. Indeed, often the problem is not that the girl is physically unable, she simply does not have enough skills.

A simple example. If a little girl takes two steps, then everyone is taught to jump on two legs and make hard contact. If you don't teach it at school, then it becomes a habit. And so she goes to high school or college, and there, under the basket, the players are higher. Nobody needs a lay-up: block shot, goodbye! Even the judges teach us this, and if a girl takes two steps and she is “blocked”, no one will whistle. Don't even turn around and argue. We say, well, what do you want? Stop two steps, jump out, and you will be whistled 100%! She taught my little ones a lot how to be tough. If you are under pressure, you have no balance, then goodbye.

– How do you teach them to be mentally ready to play like this?

- We are working very hard on this. There are special exercises for mental readiness. In principle, we do not have exercises that we do just to do. We always have a goal. If it’s a throw, then you need to score so much, if you don’t score, it’s a punishment. If we divide into teams, then everyone is always in competition. Either we count by goals scored and offensive rebounds, or by stoppages in defense, the losers are punished. And they are so messy with each other!

One of our most favorite exercises, which the girls hate: two teams 5x5, exercise - 3 minutes. You line them up: offense-defense-attack-defense. They make passes to the shield and, at the signal of the coach, begin the attack. This exercise is for defense. If they scored, then the timer is unscrewed again for three minutes, we start again. Scored? Three minutes. Have you scored yet? Three minutes. If the protection stopped, then time stops, then we continue. If we crossed in a minute, then we return it when it is scored for two minutes, then for one. And so - until we finish. It's insanely difficult, and the defense girls work hard! There is a theory that batting three times in a row on defense can turn the game around. And we want to teach them how to defend in a row. And this exercise can take 40 minutes! We try not to keep them in the hall for more than two hours, but if we started to do this, then until they finish, we will not leave the hall.

Or there is a closeout drill: attackers in the corners, defense on a signal from the center, at a frantic pace, this works great for communication too, some went into defense, the next are ready, and there the fight is crazy, I love it very much!

- How long does it take to play just a 5v5 game from practice?

- We play for the last 20 minutes, but very rarely play 5x5 without any goal. Because the collective farm begins. As an example, sometimes we play 5x5, the girls themselves collect timeouts and decide everything, so they can show their leadership qualities. And we are with Tim are the referee and we can decide to whistle every touch because there will be a goal to prepare them mentally for that. See how they will cope when there was no foul and I whistled. And if the girls start something like: “Yes, coach, why are you helping her?” Then everyone immediately runs, we don’t deal with such conversations. We can, for example, decide to whistle offensive fouls. Someone starts to argue, but if you do this in the game, you will sit on the bank! We can give a game when the starting five have "-5" or "-10", put them in game situations.

- In one of your speeches recently, you talked a lot about communication, about how much time you devote to this issue in a team. Why, in your opinion, is it important to work on this so much, and why do many players in Russia have communication problems?

- We work very hard on communication, it's true. We have such a rule - one said, everyone repeated, everyone! And we in Russia, firstly, have such a mentality that our people are open, but closed. We love to judge. Like, Vanya is loud, Vanya is a fool. For the first two years in America, I also got used to it, it happens that people come and greet me, and I think: “What are you saying hello to me? I do not even know you!". (laughs) This barrier has to be overcome.

And secondly, our coaches simply do not teach this. It is our responsibility to educate the players. Girls come different, they are from 18 to 24, they are from different families, different states, grew up in different conditions. How can I expect her to immediately be able to do everything I say, if she is not used to it, if she was not taught at school, mom and dad were not taught? My job as a coach is to teach her and it's not easy. We have a point guard, Taylor, when she came in the first year ... She runs and whispers a combination there. We tell the girls that at the game, sometimes we don’t hear ourselves! Here you are buzzing something, it’s not like the player is nearby, you won’t hear yourself! But they don’t teach us, my brother played in the SDUSHOR, they didn’t teach him. So where do the players and at home behave there!

A simple example. There is a girl, the first year, she broke up with a guy. We bring her to the office, we have a sofa there, she sits down, her eyes on the floor. We ask what happened, and she tells us nothing. This is the first drama on campus and she can't even talk about it. They tell me, well, they say, Russian children just sit in computers. Everyone is sitting! This is such a generation, and they need to be put in situations so that they get used to hearing their own voice. Then they grow up, family, children, the husband did something unpleasant, and she will never tell, because she is not used to it!

– Do coaches have many opportunities for development? How is the training process for specialists structured?

– We have a lot of seminars. When COVID-19 started, everyone started doing free seminars, and generally for everything: basketball, leadership, seminars for assists... And coaches who work at the top level are always ready to help a young coach, they are always happy! Nothing is hidden here. Russian coaches tell me that in Russia it is very difficult to get to training. Now, if there were no quarantine now and I would want to go to training in Tennessee, I would write to the coach now, and she would answer: “Okay, come tomorrow. ”

Or another example, it happened just recently. Kelly Graves is one of the top professionals in the country, an Oregon coach who should have won the women's championship this year. We had a seminar with him, and he gave his number, they say, if you need anything, write. After the seminar, I think they won’t take money from me, I’ll write. And I don't think he will. 40 minutes have passed, I have already decided that I will not write. And then we texted all evening! And he didn’t just unsubscribe to me for show, we discussed it, he sent the video, then he wrote, they say, thanks for the communication, good luck, happiness and all that. And this once again proved to me that people of high status do not have this ego here. And when someone calls me from Russia, I will always help, to find a child or something else, because I know how difficult this path is, no one helped me. And we have this ego in Russia.

I was born in Norilsk, I know that people from small towns often do not have the opportunity, and how can you not help if you have such an opportunity? And here everyone is open, this is a real community where everyone is together. I realized this after a while, and my life has completely changed. Everyone here says they're in the same boat.

– Can you single out the top coaches with whom you had the opportunity to communicate and whose thoughts especially influenced you?

– Gino Orimma I have been a fan of his since Russian times, and once I was lucky enough to talk to him. Do you know the song by Tim McGraw "Humble and kind"? Should be our anthem in Russia. (laughs) There is a phrase in this song that once you reach your goal, don't forget to turn around and help the next one behind you. And when I talked with Gino, I was convinced of this. For 4 years on recruiting, I saw almost all the coaches, but I never crossed paths with Orimma, and then one day in Charlotte, in an old such hall, at a small tournament, I go in - there are Gino Orimma . I write to my head coach: "Tim, Gino Orimma in the gym. " Tim writes: "Come!". I say: “What am I going to go like a fool, he is recruiting, I am recruiting.” In short, it didn't fit. As a fan, I'm afraid of being pushy. And at recruiting there is a room for a coffee break for trainers. And I go in, and there is only him. It was a sign from above. (laughs) I approached, they say, hello, coach Orimma, I am such and such ... And so we talked for 20 minutes, and I had the feeling that I was talking with my grandfather. He is very open, very friendly, always with a smile, he asked me so many questions: where am I from, how is it in Russia, what do I do ...

After this conversation, I told Tim that one day when I am successful, I will always remember to be down to earth. This is one of the biggest life lessons. Each person has their own path, and it is special. My path is no better than yours. If I work in America, this does not mean that I should not respect the young Russian coach. We all have a story, we all have something to share. My story is special, yours is special, and you have to stay humble and simple. If you become a national team coach, but don't want to help others, then what is the point of your success? Do you think that you are better than some young coach from Syktyvkar? Yes, we have so many chic coaches from the outback who simply did not have the opportunity to prove themselves and rise!

I also have a good friend, one of the top personal trainers. And so he made it clear to me that no matter what level you work at, you will have emotional burnout, and this is normal. Last summer I had some kind of severe fatigue, we worked at the camp, and in the last days I told him: “Listen, I can’t anymore. But you work with top NBA players, have you ever felt that? Do you know what he answered me? "Dasha, every day!" And he earns a lot, a very cool specialist! Then in March I applied for an assist position in the first division, they didn’t take me. I sit upset, writing to my other coach friend. He says: "Dasha, be patient." But I can’t already, I ask if he had ever had enough of everything? The answer is the same: every day.

- Does the head coach in Montriit support your desire to move to the first division?

– Tim? Yes, he always supports. Coaches who don't support assists are not respected here. And they don't want to work with them. They say they want to train their assists so that they can go to the NCAA Division I or become the main one. And I am very grateful to Tim that we have such an open relationship, I always tell him if I submit something, and his support is always important.

- In the ASB, the championship structure is now much like NCAA. And everyone has blue dreams to reach a similar level. It is clear that it is too early to talk about this, but if you dream - what is missing, in your opinion, and what is quite feasible?

- I generally follow the CSA, they are great. They started when I was still living in Russia, and now there are already many divisions, a national tournament ... It seems to me that the problem is not even in the ASB, but in the system.

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