Coaching Youth Basketball - Chapter 32

CHAPTER 32 - Is there life after the regular season?

So there are a few of you that I didn't scare off with my last chapter. I admit I was OUT THERE with my Super Coach approach. The thing is I bored myself with the previous several chapters, so I know I had to have bored you. Sometimes you just have to say what the heck, it's time to have some fun. Chapter 30 was fun for me. Thanks for staying with me.

In all honesty, I have given you everything you need for your first year. Some of it will work for you, some of it won't. I started out trying to make it so you didn't seem like a pocket protector toting dweeb. I wanted you to have enough confidence that you could actually teach your kids the fundamentals, without stuttering or becoming an alcoholic. I have tried to give you enough info so that you could become a teacher.

I have never hidden my second agenda, I have tried to influence your present and future definition of coach. COACH = TEACHER AND ROLE MODEL. With all my heart I believe that this is the perfect definition of a coach. I have tried to instill my belief system. Whether I have succeeded, only time will tell. I believe that this is a game for the kids and should always remain FOR THE KIDS. They don't sign up to be yelled at or picked on. Kids sign up to play a game, and games are supposed to be fun.

So what is left for me to teach you - HOW TO AVOID THE POST-SEASON BLUES! Yes, Susan, there is a Santa Claus! And there is basketball life after the regular season ends. This section is definitely not for everyone. At the end of your regular season, you may get down on your knees, face Mecca, and be thankful that it's over. But there are some of you that will be sad. Your will visit your local shrink at O'Rileys Pub, and cry in your beer. Some of you will want it to go on, and on, and on, and ..... You will be living proof that I am not the only sick puppy in the world.

After the regular season ends, you need to find out about the post season local leagues and tournaments. Here's how you find your info:

Check your local and city newspapers
Ask the league coordinator of the league you just played in
Throughout your regular season, make friends with the coaches you play against and ask them if they know of any.
Network - get the name and phone # of every coach and player you can
Ask you high schools Athletic Director and coaches if they know of any
These will get you started. A lot of them require you to do some homework throughout your regular season. Oh well, no rest for the weary. Just keep asking everyone you meet, if they know of any spring, summer, and fall leagues. Sooner or later, you'll find some games.

Then there's AAU. AAU is a set of national and regional tourneys. It is not a way to play a lot more games. You play a 2 or 3 game qualifying tournament, and if you don't qualify, the AAU is over for you. The exception to this is the older AAU traveling road teams. These teams play in tourneys all over the country. At the 3-8th grade levels, it's just not worth the money to travel.

Once you find a place to play, then you need to figure out who you want to play for you. Do you want your regular school team? Do you want to put a select team together of the better players from different teams? Do you want to keep part of your team and just fill in the holes with other players? This is all up to you. I won't tell you what to do, this is 100% whatever you want to do.

The hardest part about off season is finding gym time for your LS's. Go back to the beginning of this book to the chapter that dealt with finding gym time. Re-read this chapter and then hit the phones.

Who is the off season for? It's for the kids who want to play. It's for the kids who want to get better. It's for the kids who want to play ball in high school. BASKETBALL PLAYERS ARE MADE IN THE SUMMER. TEAMS ARE MADE IN THE WINTER!

My girls started in 5th grade and have played ball 11 months a year ever since. At times this seems like it's going to overwhelm me and the girls, but I wouldn't trade these times and memories for anything. I have spent quality time with my own daughter, that I probably wouldn't have spent with her otherwise. Is the off season for everyone, no! The off season is only for those brave souls who have already had their lobotomy. Before you commit to the off season, make sure you are not prone to alcoholism. AND - make sure your marriage is on a firm foundation because this will sorely test you and your marriage.