If you go to any bookstore’s Sports section, chances are that you will see a disproportionate number of coaching books written by basketball coaches. Seriously, check it out next time you’re in Barnes and Noble. So that got me thinking, “Why is that?” Do basketball coaches have a secret formula on great coaching? What is it about basketball coaches that make them so good at teaching other coaches how to coach?

Several factors make coaching basketball the “Latin” of coaching, My sense is that if you can coach basketball, you should be able to easily pick up and coach other team sports even if you have never played that sport. Why?

• The classroom setting: The basketball court is a fairly enclosed space that is relatively small. One coach can easily be heard within those confines. Resembles a classroom. You’re not spread out on a football field. There is 1-2 coaches per 12 players allowing for maximum communication.
• The fundamentals of basketball transfer over to other field sports where the goal is to score points/goals. Fundamentals such as the athletic position are common in many sports. The concepts of cutting, screening and switching/reversing the attack are also common. Looking for the 3v2 and 2v1’s are similar. The fundamentals of playing man to man defense, seeing man and ball, and shading towards ball side are all common with lacrosse and soccer.
• All of the players need to learn the same basic concepts, cutting, screening, shooting, and defense. Compare this to football where you have the linemen, running backs, QB’s…all learning and focusing on different fundamentals. Baseketball is pretty much the same. Of course the post players may practice their post moves while the guards practice their dribbling. However, many coaches are not labeling players as guards and forwards. There are many offenses and defenses where the players are interchangeable.

So for all of you basketball coaches out there just starting your season, realize what your teaching these players will carry over to other sports. How you teach them will help you coach those other sports as well.

Calling all coaches… is it me or are the players today lacking a lot of the fundamentals? Watching kids catch and throw the wrong way is becoming the norm. I remember my oldest daughter’s lacrosse team being very smooth, catching and throwing at ease when they were at the Midget level. Now my youngest is in this age and her teammates really struggle w/ the basics. They can’t catch. They don’t practice a lot on their own. Yet…they seem to play a lot of games, at least according to their parents. Maybe too many games and not enough practice?

Coaches all understand the balance between practice, where we build the fundamentals, and playing games, where parents get to see their children showcased.
It appears that the balance point between practice and games has shifted way over to playing games rather than practicing. Who has time to practice with so many opportunities to play in elite leagues and tournaments? There must be a reason why 10 year olds need to play 30 games a year? We’re too busy playing games to be able to practice.
As a result, our kids are lacking in the proper fundamentals.

Please note that Tiger Woods spent most of his youth practicing on the range than actually playing rounds of golf. It wasn’t until he acquired a certain mastery of a shot that he would even try to play it during a round. And where did he learn that mastery? Practicing… not playing. Perhaps the Tiger-esq training would better serve our players.