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Youth
Well, you picked the right age group to start with IMO. Be sure to go over league rules (i.e. type of defense, pressing, etc.) normally they don't allow zones or pressing at that level. Here's some tips for very young ones:
-Decide how strictly you will enforce traveling and be consistent.
-Don't be too quick to call jump balls, it disrupts the flow of the game and encourages them to reach in. I'd rather call a foul on the reach and point out to them what they did wrong.(I guess I disagree with RecRef on this one)
-Ignore the parents.
-Don't let anyone create a circumstance where someone could get injured.
-Talk to the kids during the game (don't coach, but do point out things along the way much more that you would hear at a HS game i.e. never take the ball out behind the basket, wait until the ball hits. etc.)
-Use a "friendly voice"
-Let them play
-Never call the smallest kid on the court for traveling on their only basket at the end of the game!
-Make sure it is a fun experinece for the kids, never get angry with a coach or parent; walk away no matter what they say.
If the kids don't have fun at that age, they won't stay with it as they get older. Poor youth programs lead to poor HS programs because the kids had bad experiences and lose interest in the sport.
Mregor
[Edited by Mregor on Jan 16th, 2003 at 03:32 PM]
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