Viking Coach

One of the things I really look forward to as a coach is receiving my monthly basketball magazines. I have subscriptions to "Winning Hoops" and "Scholastic Coach". A lot of the excitement of getting these periodicals is the possible opportunity to learn something new about the game I love.

In the current issue of "Winning Hoops"(January/February 2007. Vol. 21, No. 3) there was a short little editorial that I totally thought made a lot of sense to me as a coach and as a dad.

Managing Editor Michael Podoll relayed a story about how coach Bill Salyers poses the following question to his parents each year:

"What are the 5 most important minuts of a game?"

The parents, the article goes on to say, usually call out answers like; first 5 minutes of a game, last 5 minutes of the first half, half time, etc. . .

But this coach goes on to tell these parents that the most important 5 minutes of a game are the first 5 minutes that occur when the player and the parents are alone after a game - - most of the time on the ride home.

The questions asked, the comments made and the attitude projected either reinforces the comments made by the coach or totally undermines them.

Here are Coach Bill Slayers suggestions for these crucial 5 minutes:

•If you can't say something positive, don't say anything at all.

•The success of the next practice (and the one after that and then the next game) may hinge on the attitude the player has after the game. That immediate attitude has tremendous carryover.

•Recognize that a player's attitude is as important as any other aspect when determining playing time and a role on the team. Parents greatly impact this.

•If the parents had wanted to coach, they should have taken the team!

BELOW ARE MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Parents role in our program is vital to our success year in and year out. What we ask of you is that you take on the role of being a mentor for your child in the area of problem solving.

Your daughter's emotions and problems will at time be very intense being this is a competitive sport and because your child is a teenager. These emotions and problems offer opportunities for the girls to learn how to handle themselves in an adult manner. It is our job to help them along in this “problem solving / emotion handling” process.

I feel that it is important for both the coaching staff and parents to work together in helping the athlete react in a positive and constructive way to their emotions.

DEALING WITH ISSUES:

As a parent it will be very hard not to step in and solve the problem for your child. It is natural for parents to “make things all better”. However, in order to help your child grow as a person I ask that you encourage your daughter to work through problems on her own whenever possible. At the same time discuss with them how to handle problems in a positive manner.

If your child is having trouble with her teammates or with her coach, sometimes the only thing that is required is a little time. When a cool-down period doesn’t solve the problem, encourage your child to talk to a coach about the situation. Remind your child to remember that good timing and a respectful attitude always brings about better communication and understanding. When your child is an adult and in a working environment I believe they will face many similar situations. Teaching them the right approach will show them how these types of situations can be worked out.

If you feel that a meeting with the coach is the only way to work to solve an issue than you should understand that a coach can not talk about these subjects:

#1 – Playing time.
#2 – Offensive and Defensive Strategies

*Before or after games is NOT an acceptable time to talk about problems or issues
*Calling the coach at home is NOT an acceptable time to talk about problems or issues
*Visiting a coach at his/her home is NOT an acceptable time or place to talk about problems.

THINGS TO UNDERSTAND

---You will feel a lot of the same emotions as they do during this season

---Things are not always going to go the way that they would like

---Your child will sometimes come home hurt, frustrated, sad, etc...

---Some of the frustration, anger or sadness that they will experience occur as a natural part of being out for a highly competitive sport.

---We tell our athletes that they do not have to like everything that happens when it comes to playing time and rules but they must accept them if they want to be a successful part of this program.

---It is important to be very supportive of their daughters. But I also ask that you be very supportive of the TEAM.

---At times the coaching staff has to make some difficult decisions that are based on what, in our professional opinion, is best for the team and the program. Although we strive to keep each player’s individual concerns in mind we must also think of the program and the team.

---We ask that you help your daughter accept the situation at hand and react to her emotions in a positive manner. Continually encouraging your daughter to work hard to improve her present situation and staying upbeat and positive will not only help her but will improve the team and its chemistry.

Finally, We think it is important that you know that we care a lot about your daughter. We really do want our players to feel that they are an important part of our program. We feel we play a very important role in your daughter’s life and we respect that position greatly. We do not see them as just basketball players but we see them as young girls who are becoming young women. We believe that if they become a better person because they were a part of our program than our program is truly a success.