Information for Coaches

Expectations of Coaches

A. Game Management

  1. Be on time for practices and game. Instruct your players to be there 5-10 minutes early and please set an example.
  2. Bring a whiteboard/paper & pencil in order to do game prep or game-time coaching.
  3. Only the coach should bring basketballs to a game.  One or two balls should be sufficient.  Please make sure your players do not bring basketballs to games.  Please make sure that your players are not dribbling balls on the sideline and do not on a court during another game. 
  4. Have your scorebook and substitution form completed before you arrive at the facility.
  5. The 4-minute mark is for substitutions; it is NOT a timeout. Keep the game moving.
  6. Half time should be 2-3 minutes long.
  7. After the game, shake hands with your opponent, clean up your bench area, and talk to your team away from the bench area so that the other game can start on time.
  8. Stay on your half of the court; do not wander up and down the sideline during games.
  9. Treat the officials with respect.  Technical fouls are unacceptable. You are an example of how we want our players to act.
  10. Clock: It keeps running except for the last two minutes of each half when it stops on all whistles and it stops for foul shots if your division shoots them.


B. Other Items

1. Teach the basics such as the pick-and-roll, give-and-go, backdoor, proper defensive positioning, the rules of the game as they pertain to your division, out of bounds plays, how to line up for a jump ball, where to stand when a foul shot is taken, and so on.  Refer to Basketball Fundamentals.

2. Communicate with players/parents at least once/week via email. Let them know when and where the next game/practice is. After each game remind the players when you will meet again. Remind them to let you know when they can’t make it. Parents/players need to be reminded. Also, if you have a change in schedule, email and phone calls should be made! Make sure all have received notice of the change.

3. Pick up your bench area; maybe give your assistant coach this responsibility.

4. Find a scorekeeper and a time keeper; hopefully you have mentioned this at the first practice when you met all the parents.

5. Develop a love of the game in your players. It is unreasonable to expect that you will be helping to send one of your players to the NBA/WNBA (including your own son or daughter), BUT it is our goal and expectation that you will develop and help to nurture the love of the game of basketball in each of your players. Your greatest accomplishment as an AYB coach will be to have your former players love the game of basketball and at some point pass that feeling onto someone else.

6. HAVE FUN!!!  This is a community-based instructional/recreational league!