This is my first year coaching basketball. 5th graders, 10 year olds. We drew a team that has no ballhandlers whatsoever. I have one kid who can dribble around. No one else. I have 3 first timers out of 10. No one that can create offense.
Ive been working hard on drills to address deficiencies and also play up strengths...so far, Ive gotten us competitive, but not over the hump.
I'd say we are probably a good defensive team, a decent rebounding team, a bad shooting team, and a bad ballhandling team (all of these are relative to the league as a whole).
That said, aside from the first game, where we were clearly overmatched (and outcoached), we have been in every game, losing by 2,3, 1, and 2 in the last 4. So we are RIGHT there. Last week was a brutal loss because the team that beat us by a bucket was also 0-4. The kids really felt it was their best chance to win.
My big concern is not wins....its keeping the kids motivated. The one thing I have going for us is that its a 6 team league where ALL teams make the playoffs. Ive been pushing the whole ...."Let's get our 2-3 wins towards the end of the season and then win 2 or 3 more in the playoffs" angle....
But I can see the kids starting to get disheartened.
Anyone have any advice how to:
a) Get a victory?
b) Keep the kids engaged?
For what its worth....this is my first ever "head coaching" experience in any sport after a number of years assistant coaching baseball. Losing suuuuucks.
Ive been working hard on drills to address deficiencies and also play up strengths...so far, Ive gotten us competitive, but not over the hump.
I'd say we are probably a good defensive team, a decent rebounding team, a bad shooting team, and a bad ballhandling team (all of these are relative to the league as a whole).
That said, aside from the first game, where we were clearly overmatched (and outcoached), we have been in every game, losing by 2,3, 1, and 2 in the last 4. So we are RIGHT there. Last week was a brutal loss because the team that beat us by a bucket was also 0-4. The kids really felt it was their best chance to win.
My big concern is not wins....its keeping the kids motivated. The one thing I have going for us is that its a 6 team league where ALL teams make the playoffs. Ive been pushing the whole ...."Let's get our 2-3 wins towards the end of the season and then win 2 or 3 more in the playoffs" angle....
But I can see the kids starting to get disheartened.
Anyone have any advice how to:
a) Get a victory?
b) Keep the kids engaged?
For what its worth....this is my first ever "head coaching" experience in any sport after a number of years assistant coaching baseball. Losing suuuuucks.