Coaches Playbook: Advice

for New Basketball

Coaches
Successful coaches have a combination of experience, skill,
education, and practice. They are organized, prepared, and passionate
about what they do. They are motivated and inspired by their athletes
and want to see them succeed and get better. Every day Basketball
Camp directors working with players of different ages and levels, all
working hard to help build their confidence and grow as athletes and
people. Coaches are largely responsible for creating a healthy long-
term relationship between sports and the youth. Being a new
basketball coach can be a daunting and intimidating task, but it is also
one of the most rewarding tasks out there. Here are three tips to help
guide you during your new role as a basketball coach.

1. Have a Practice Plan

Being organized as a coach is imperative to your team’s success. In

order to progressively overload your players and ensure that they are
learning optimally, you should go into every practice knowing the
exact layout of each hour. For most youth basketball coaches, you will
be allotted very limited practice time each week and it is best if you
map out your practice schedule to maximize your time.

Always arrive early and set the example of being on time for your
athletes. Start practice with a fun warm-up to get everyone’s morale
and heart rate up. Try to incorporate drills that keep everyone engaged
and take your time to explain it effectively, making sure everyone gets
equal time at each station.

2. Teach to Play

A lot of new coaches make the mistake of spending a lot of practice

time creating and teaching an abundance of set plays. This is not to
say that plays do not have a place in basketball, but when coaching at
the youth level, you will get more bang for your buck if you focus on
teaching the fundamentals of shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding,
etc.
This type of instruction will create athletes who are prepared for game
situations and know how to react appropriately, rather than players
who can only follow plays. Once you feel you have mastered the
fundamentals, you can then spend time on creating plays for specific
scenarios like inbounding, fast breaks, quick baskets, etc.

3. Inspire Confidence

Part of your job as a new coach is to give criticism to your players so

they can improve their skills. Although this is a very critical part of an
athlete’s progression, your role is also to instill confidence in them by
pointing out what they excel at. This will not only build confidence but
also allow your team to trust you and respect your opinion.

Come to every practice and game with a positive, enthusiastic, and

motivated demeanor. Ensure that your feedback is constructive and
not negative or destructive. Teach your players how to lead, empower
them and give them responsibility. Hold them accountable when they
fall short and reward them when they succeed.

Basketball Tip - Footwork

One crucial aspect of basketball that is often overlooked is footwork.
Players that excel on defense typically spend countless hours on and
off the court advancing their technique. Having a solid footwork
foundation allows you to stay in a beneficial position on defense
making it challenging for your opponent to score. Consistent practice
of on-ball and off-ball movement can take your defensive game to the
next level. Here are three footwork tips that are frequently taught to
help set yourself apart from the competition.

Defensive Slides

Practicing your defensive slides adds an element of conditioning that

will give you an edge over your opponent. For this drill, you will need
an area that is similar in size to the key. Beginning as a defender at
the high post on either side, you will start in an athletic stance and
side shuffle to the opposite high post, then drop-step and slide to the
opposite low post and side shuffle across to the other low post area.
From there, the player shuffles diagonally back to the high post and
repeats for a minute or as necessary. This drill will make you tired, but
the more you do it, the more in-shape you will be and the better you’ll
be able to stay in front of the offensive player.
Z Drill

The Z Drill emphasizes proper sliding technique on the defensive end.

Place a marker, either a cone or basketball at the top of each key, half
court line, and at all four corners on the baselines. You will start at
one corner of the court in a defensive athletic stance and slide/shuffle
to the marker at the top of the key. Then, pivot and continue to the
half court line diagonally. Repeat this on the opposite end of the court,
mimicking the “Z shape”. This drill will help you focus on staying low
and having active feet while you slide to each position. Remembering
these movements during a game, will help you to stay in front of your
offensive opponents without causing a foul.

Close Outs

Close outs are absolutely vital to your game on the defensive end. An
effective close out forces your opponent to take a contested shot,
which significantly lowers their shot percentage. Also, a good close
out puts you in great position to defend if your opponent pump fakes or
decides not to shoot. For this drill, all you will need is a ball and a
partner. One partner starts with the ball a few feet away from the
other partner and passes the ball. Once you pass, you close the
distance on your partner, while remembering to chop your steps when
approaching your partner so you do not foul them. While this drill may
seem basic, it is extremely important to master the art of a good close
out to minimize your opponents chances of scoring.

Basketball - 5 4 3 2 1
Shooting Drill

The 5-4-3-2-1 Drill helps players enhance their shot quality while
fatigued, shot readiness and conditioning. This drill is for beginner to
advanced players looking to hone in on their field goal and layup
shooting skills and consistency.

Set-Up
 Place 6 cones on the court as show in the video. Two under the
basket, on the right (4) and left (5) side, one on the free-throw line (0),
one on the 3-pointer line above the free throw line (1), and one cone on
the right (2) and left side (3) of the 3-pointer line.

Goals

 Run as hard as possible to each spot.

 Be low and ready for each jumpshot.

 Make all 5 shots.

The Drill

The player will start at cone 5 and shoot a layup. After that they will
sprint around cone 0 and shoot a layup at cone 4. From there they will
run to cone 3 and shoot a jumpshot and then sprint to cone 2 and
shoot a jumpshot and finish at cone 1 and shoot a jump shot.

Basketball -
Ironman/Ironwoman
Competition
Here is a fun way to improve your skills in a competitive drill. You can
compete against your friends or yourself. At camp we call it the
Ironman or Ironwoman Competition. Here’s how it works:

Pick several skills you want to work on (from four to seven works
best). Complete each skill in order without stopping between. Fastest
time wins, or if you are by yourself, try to lower your time each time
you compete.

For example:

 Make three shots from each elbow (getting your own rebound)

 Dribble the ball 100 times with each hand

 Throw ten passes off a wall from behind a set distance

 Make ten layups from each side

 Do 20 defensive lane slides, touching the line with your hand

 Dribble full court (or up & down your driveway) two times
 Make a free throw

This example would probably take most players around five minutes
(when you’re tired, that last free throw can be tough!). You can pick
any skills you want and any number of reps you want, depending on
the areas of your game you are looking to improve. Remember to do
the same number of reps, in the same order, so you can compare and
keep track of your improvement. After a while, you can come up with
new skills & rep numbers, in a new order.

Basketball Tip - Nutrition

and Hydration
Nutrition and Hydration

Basketball is a physically demanding and high-intensity sport that

takes a toll on the body. As you develop and grow as an athlete it’s
important to learn and practice healthy behaviors. Establishing good
hydration and fueling habits will support your performance on and off
the basketball court. Nutrition and hydration are a small piece of a
much larger picture when trying to become a successful athlete and
can take a very long time to master. It is important to start developing
these behaviors early on. Here are three nutrition and hydration tips
commonly taught at our Nike Basketball Camps.

Hydration

The purpose of hydration is to restore any fluids that may be lost

through sweating during a game or practice. You should be drinking
half your body weight in ounces of water per day. If you are a 100-
pound athlete, focus on getting 50 ounces of water daily. Severe
dehydration can impair endurance performance, result in a higher
sweat rate, and can cause muscle cramps or soreness. Dehydration
takes over 24 hours to fully recover from, so make sure you are staying
properly hydrated before game day.

Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are the main source of your energy used

during a game or practice so they should be a big portion of your diet
(approximately 3.0 grams per pound of body weight daily).
Incorporating foods like whole grains, vegetables and beans will allow
you to reach your potential on the court. It is best to consume
carbohydrates before and after any exercise to fuel your body.

Protein

Getting an adequate amount of protein in your diet is essential for

muscle growth and recovery. You should be eating about .08-1.0 grams
of protein per pound of body weight daily. Great protein sources are
foods like meat, poultry, eggs, yogurt, etc. Try your best to consume
protein from nutrient-dense food sources before utilizing protein
supplements. It’s best to consume moderate amounts of proteins
gradually throughout the day rather than in one sitting.