The Idiot's Guide to Coaching
"There was an old women who lived in a shoe, she had so many children she didn't know what to do..." Sympathy for this, fictional, women is easily given. The reason is because I sometimes feel the same way as she did when I am coaching the rambunctious fifth grade basketball players of Rockwell Elementary School. Although it is only my first year coaching I have quickly acquired a methodology for coaching which has severed quite well. I feel it is important to know how to appropriately deal with children without scaring the emotionally, hence the systematic method of coaching a group of fifth graders was devised. Also, I hope this method, or process, take the children, who won only one game last year, to a more prosperous season. There are three major steps necessary to accomplish this process. If practice is structured, rewards or punishments are given, and a relaxed environment is maintained any group of young children can be coached. The first step in this task of coaching children is that a well organize plan must be made. In making this plan many factors must be taken into consideration. The first of these is that the plan must be stuck to at all cost. Times for each drill must be assigned. I caution, however, that
children have very short attention spans. This means that each drill cannot be too long. It may be beneficial to include different games related to the sport into the planning. This will help keep the attention of the children focused on the practice. The plan must be made ahead of practice times; this will allow for the finding of any flaws within. When running the different drills makes sure to evaluate the effectiveness of each. This is done so the next time a practice plan is made one knows what to include or exclude. If the coach is organized the team will be more organized as well. The last and possibly most important step in coaching is to provide a relaxed environment. To do so all the kids on the team must be befriended. If this is done a bond will be formed with the kids thus they are more likely to listen to instruction. They will also show respect to the coach, because the coach gives them respect. As a coach for children an attitude of a drill sergeant must be done away with, it is important that the children enjoy the all the aspects of the game. One must remember at this age winning should not be the main point of focus. The children must learn how to play the game, hence fundamentals must be taught. Also, when it comes game time separate all playing time equally and rotate starters, this will lift the kids' spirits in practice and not leave them dejected because they are not one of the best players. This will also keep all egos in check, thus the children can continue working as
Some common words found in the essay are:
Elementary School, , relaxed environment, coaching fifth graders, fifth graders, coach children, respect coach, coaching children, coaching fifth, process children, practice plan,
Approximate Word count = 1024
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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