Do you mind posting and sharing it? We've always just done virtual meetings, but a few of our coaches have asked for a 'script.' Our AD will just ChatGPT it, but if there's already a ready made script to reference a second source wouldn't hurt.
Parents Guide St. Mike’s 4th Grade
This is an informational guide to our 4th grade season. This will help explain my approach to coaching the boys as well as my philosophy and thinking. My goal for this is to improve communication and ensure as smooth and enjoyable season for both the boys and the parents. Please read and reach out with any questions.
24 Hour Rule: My one big ask for parents is that if there is ever anything that you would like to discuss with me, please do but if it is something that you are unhappy about or would like to see a change or anything along those lines, please wait 24 hours before reaching out. This helps keep overheated emotions from having a positive conversation with the best interests of the kids as the primary goal from turning negative.
Priority. My approach to coaching the boys is based on following priorities:
- Above all teaching and instilling life lessons using sport as a way to communicate them.
- My secondary focus is the boys long term development for success in playing basketball as long as they want to play.
- Winning is important to me because it is important to the kids so we will try to win games as much as possible. Winning is more fun.
- This isn’t the NBA, so having fun along the way and letting them be kids is important. My bigger goal beyond ‘fun’ is helping the boys learn to enjoy the game and the process of improving in the game. My belief is that learning to enjoy the game above having fun in the game will keep long term engagement for the boys in the sport.
Buy in: To begin the season, I ask the boys to choose what they want to do. I give them the options of either A) Have fun and hope they win along the way or B) Work hard to get better and aim to win as much as possible and have fun along the way. I will make sure that they understand that if they choose B then there are much higher expectations of them in terms of their effort at practice and games as well as on their own.
Challenge: I will challenge the kids throughout the season to work hard both in practices, games and at home. I communicate this to them often with a mantra that “games are won at practice and championships are won at home.”
At the end of each season, I send a ‘review’ for each child which will include my thoughts on their progress and pick one thing that I think if they focus on will help them the most progress as well as ways to help them improve in that area.
Working on their own: Basketball is a sport that technique is crucial to develop. It is impossible to truly develop a basketball player with just practices and games. They must work on it at home. Whether you have a basketball hoop or not, everyone can work on their skills. Dribbling can be done anywhere.
Homework: At this end of each practice, the boys will be given a ‘homework assignment’ which typically is them doing an exercise or drill. This should be encouraged alone with them generally just working on their basketball skills.
Watching: Basketball IQ is crucial to development and it is extremely hard to develop basketball IQ without watching the game. Encourage your son to watch full basketball games. College games are best but watching NBA is helpful as well.
Offense: I typically try to favor a fluid offense that helps the kids understand the game better in development but will also have some set plays for them to run. I choose the offense based on the roster.
Defense: I believe that for youth, man to man defense is the best to learn as it is best for development. We will man to man defense through the season most likely exclusively. It is much easier to play zone or junk defenses if someone knows and understands man to man defense much more so than the other way around.
Playing time: The goal is to get each kid playing equal time. This equal time in my mind is over the season and not per game. Some games may see unequal playing time based on the needs or flow of the game. I do keep this in mind and make every effort to make up that time in other games. In my view, this is both about the development of each boy as it is winning individual games. This is largely based on the skill level of the team we are playing. If a boy is severely over matched, it can be damaging for their own development to continue to play a lot of minutes of being dominated.
Attendance: We will have the ability to select “going”, “maybe”, or “not going” for each practice and game. I pay for the upgrade on teamsnap for this as it is helpful to know who will be able to make the practices to best prepare the practices but it is absolutely crucial to know who will be at games. Please do your best to make as many practices and of course games as possible. If marked going and something changes, please communicate that to the coaching staff as soon as possible. If we are short players and know in time, we can ask for other players from the other team.
Leagues: In 4th grade we now play in two leagues. The first league, for those returning players, is the league we played in last season. That league is a developmental league with no standings or playoffs. This year, we add one of the two leagues that the kids will be in throughout their SMS basketball playing. This league does keep standings and there are playoffs with a championship.
Tournaments: The school will pay for one tournament per season. We can enter more than one if we wish but need to pay on our own. We will communicate tournament opportunities as they come and based on interest from the team potentially enter more than one tournament.
Communication: My goal is to err on the side of over communication than under. I will communicate mainly from Teamsnap.
Teamsnap: I will update Teamsnap as appropriately and communicate mainly through Teamsnap. I set up Teamsnap with the first parent listed in the signups. Please add another other parent or other family members as appropriate. Again, please update availability in Teamsnap to assist me in properly planning.
Expectations: We all represent St. Mike’s. I do expect the boys, the parents, coaches and myself to hold a high standard in how we all act. Keeping the following in mind:
Let the players play, Let the coaches coach, Let the officials officiate, Let the fans cheer ENTHUSIASTICALLY
Extras: It is a long season and the boys love being around each other. So, any extra times after games or in celebration of wins etc is encouraged and helps with team spirit and unity. All parents are welcomed to put together things and communicate to the rest of the team.
I am looking forward to a great season with the boys. GO WILDCATS!!!
