A Basketball team, no matter how talented, can not attain its full potential unless they have a great coach. Players are not the only ones that can improve their skills. Coaches can also learn a lot with time. In order to be the best coach, you need to master a lot of skills such as communication with players, building trust, and encouraging players. Not to mention the actual knowledge of the game is very important too. Here are some techniques that only the best basketball coaches utilize.
1. Preparing
Just like your players, you must also keep practising. Do not think that you can rest just because you have a lot of knowledge about the game. A coach that keeps practising by taking notes and analyzing every game will always be a better coach than the one who doesn’t. There is a lot to learn in Basketball. Even as a coach, you must be motivated to learn new things and come over your mistakes. When your players see you working hard, they will be determined to work hard as well.
2. Focus on Every Little Detail
This may sound a little too insane, but great coaches can always pick out every little mistake that a player makes. You must always prioritize quality training over the amount of time your player’s train. Players can train for literally hours and still make the same mistakes again and again. If you see your players make misjudgments time and time again during practices, you will surely see them do the same during a game. Do not let this slide away. Let the players know what exactly they are doing wrong, and no matter how much time it takes, make their technique perfect. Even if their training becomes slower, it is fine, as long as they are doing it the correct way.
3. Setting High Standards
A lot of players like to think that they cannot perform better than a set standard. These players lose hope that they could ever become better players. As the famous saying says, “you get what you accept”, your skills will only improve till a point where you expect them to improve. Yes, perfection can not be achieved by anyone, however, you can always set perfection as a standard you should thrive to achieve. Let your players set their standards high and do not accept any bad performance. Make sure your players stay motivated at all times and do not lose hope in themselves.
4. Positivity
This is one of those techniques that may seem too obvious, but most coaches still manage to not get a grasp of it. Being positive and spreading positivity is vital for the team’s success. Being negative will always bring the players’ morale down and make their performance worse. Do not just point out your players’ mistakes when they make one. Try to applaud them for something that they are good at, and then tell them their mistake. Let the players know that they can do better and that you believe in them. This way, they will not take any offense and will train even harder than before. Building this positive bond with your players will make the players admire you.
Read more: 5 Crucial Lessons that Basketball Taught me about Having the Discipline
5. Being Yourself
One of the best qualities of successful coaches is that they do not try hard to imitate the normal coach stereotype. Being yourself and being truthful will always benefit you and your team. If you are not one of those people who shout, then don’t try to be one. Do not try too hard to be quiet when you are an energetic person. Bring all the positivity while being yourself and staying true to your character. Your players would also trust you more if you just be honest with them.
