Training Room

The iHoops Guide to Coaching Basketball

New to coaching basketball? You're not alone. Use this guide to get you started and prepare you for any hiccups you may come across.

• Coach's Guide: Introduction

  According to Doc Rivers of the NBA and Nell Fortner of the WNBA, most people -- especially parents -- vastly underrate the effect that coaches have on young players

• Coach's Guide: Getting Ready to Coach

  As the coach, you want to build a solid rapport with each youngster. This can be quickly and easily accomplished by getting to know each child’s first name as quickly as possible

• Coach's Guide: What About Sportsmanship? Does the Coach Teach That?

  Coping with winning and losing is, of course, an essential part of playing sports, and basketball is no exception. Ideally, kids first learn about how to deal with victories and defeats from their parents even before the youngsters lace up their first pair of sneakers.

• Coach’s Guide: Focusing on Health and Safety

  One of a coach’s major responsibilities is to be prepared for any medical situation. In basketball, the most common injuries are skinned knees, turned or sprained ankles, perhaps even a banged head. To cope with these injuries, always have a fully-stocked first aid kit handy

• Coach's Guide: Running an Efficient Practice

  All the best coaches, from youth leagues to the NBA, will tell you the best way to run a practice is to make sure it is well organized. Keep it moving so the players are engaged and on the go.

• Coach's Guide: Warming Up

  Get your players into positive habits right from the start. Explain the concept behind stretching their arms and legs before they pick up a ball. They can’t play the game if they have a pulled muscle

• Coach's Guide: Teaching the Fundamentals of the Game

  The first fundamental to instill in young players is that basketball is a team game. If there’s one lesson you want to leave with them, it is this — no team is going to win unless each player contributes

• Coach's Guide: The Most Important Aspect of Coaching the Game - Playing Time

  The most important rule to bear in mind is that every member of your team wants to play in the game. That’s why the players joined in the first place. You must never ever lose sight of this reality.

• Coach’s Guide: Working with Parents

  Unlike coaches in the NBA or WNBA — where the parents of the players aren’t much of a concern — coaching kids does involve consideration of the Moms and Dads.

• Coach's Guide: Dealing with Parental Behavior During Games

  Unfortunately, there are more and more reports of parents exhibiting poor sportsmanship at kids’ games. Whether it’s verbally abusing officials, or taunting other players, or even trying to coach players from the stands

• Coach's Guide: The Coach's Troubleshooting Guide

  It doesn’t make sense to have a long list of rules. The best coaches make a few rules stand out. For example, be on time for all games and practices. If a player can’t be there, they must call several days prior to the game or practice