Organizing your Team

Coaches need to spend their time coaching the players, and not worrying about jersey sizes, or calling about hotel rooms for the team, etc.  The information presented here will help youth basketball coaches become more organized, worry less about trivial things, and concentrate more on getting the team prepared.

First and Foremost - Every Head Coach must be responsible for the following: 

1. Coaches must prepare and plan out each practice in advance!  Coaches must never show up to practice unprepared!  CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR PLANNING PRACTICES PAGE

2.  Coaches must consistently update and communicate schedule information on a weekly basis.  All my teams get a copy of an updated practice / game schedule on a weekly basis.  Use this form as a template for your teams schedule  CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE PRACTICE / GAME SCHEDULE   

3. The Head Coach must be on time - on time means 15-20 minutes early to practice to ensure that the gym and equipment is ready to go for practice.  If you are to be late, make sure one of your assistant coaches can be at the gym to get the players started.

4. Wins and Losses - The head coach is going to get all the credit for all the Wins, and all the Losses.  Parents will love you when you win, and may not even acknowledge you after a loss...  Set your team goals for the season, discuss these goals with your assistant coaches, then the parents and players (don't keep this information to yourself).  

Delegation of Tasks: The most important thing a coach can do!

Coaches must learn to "delegate" tasks to others.  There is no reason why your assistant coaches and parents cannot help out with certain tasks. Here is a short list of tasks that if assigned to others would take some of the load of the head coach.

Suggested tasks for Assistant Coaches: 

1. Help call around to other teams to set up scrimmages

2. Assign parents the task of taking "team stats" during the games and/or the official scorebook at the tournaments you go to (if required).     CLICK HERE FOR TEAM STAT FORMS    The asst. coach should also provide training on the stats and how to do the official scorebook in case there is a need.

3. Equipment - make sure the basketballs are pumped up, all equipment is periodically checked.

4. Role Call - Attendance:  Have your asst. coach take role at every practice - use this helpful form   CLICK HERE FOR ATTENDANCE / ROLE CALL FORM     

5. Sweep the gym floor - I always rotated with my asst. coaches and took turns sweeping the gym floor (it is important that the players practice on a clean floor, free of debri, trash, etc).  Most of the time a parent would walk in and offer to sweep the floor, so this could be a shared responsibility for everyone.

Suggested tasks for Parents:

1. The main function that you want a parent to volunteer for is "Team Manager" - every team must have this position, and it should be a parent.  Take a look at the team manager form to see the job description of the team manager.  Even if a couple parents divide up the tasks, and the tasks get handled properly, then the coach can sit back and coach the team with less worries.

   CLICK HERE FOR TEAM MANAGER FORM    

2. Fundraising - Ask one of your parents to head up the teams fundraising activities.

3. Tournament activities - Have the parents organize the concession stand, admission table, etc.

4. Website - Have a parent volunteer to set up and coordinate your teams website. There are plenty of FREE team websites out there:  CLICK HERE FOR LEAGUE LINE UP   or  CLICK HERE FOR ETEAMZ.COM  both organizations provide professional looking websites for FREE!

Other Helpful Forms that will help keep coaches organized:

1. Team Information Log - A very good form that will show all the information you will need when signing up for tournaments, AAU, YBOA, and other events that require player information, etc.  All the information you need is on one form, just print it out and send it in as needed.  Don't rewrite all this information over and over - use the form.    CLICK HERE FOR TEAM INFORMATION LOG   

2. Team Roster Form - Use this form for tournaments and scrimmages. Just hand the completed form to the official scorebook keeper and they may write the names and numbers in the book for you.   CLICK HERE FOR TEAM ROSTER FORM  

3. Phone List / Cell Phone List - Have one of your parents (or the team manager) gather all the teams phone / email / cell phone numbers and enter all on one form.  Our team made a short form for just cell phone numbers (the size of a business card), and had them laminated.  It was very useful when the team travelled, etc.    CLICK HERE FOR TEAM PHONE LIST FORM

4. Player Rotation Chart - Help keep track of playing time.  If your goal is equal playing time, or you just need a way to get all your players in the game, this forms can help.   CLICK HERE FOR PLAYER ROTATION CHART 

5. FAX Cover Sheet - Just a simple blank fax cover sheet that may be useful.  CLICK HERE FOR FAX COVER SHEET!  

The main job of the coach is to focus on the team. Get your assistant coaches and parents involved and watch how it makes your job a little less demanding, and makes others feel like they are helping the team be successful. Hopefully the information and forms provided above will help make the job of the coach easier, and allow the team to be more organized.