The Assistant Basketball Coach
Loyalty
The first and most important attribute is to be completely loyal to your head coach. You
are on the staff because of his/her invitation. This is a privilege and an opportunity
given to you. Do everything you can to learn the head coach's system. Help "sell" the
program and philosophy to the players, parents and fans. Make the head coach's job
easier.
Most of us have seen examples of a young assistant trying to undermine the head
coach in an attempt to advance his/her own coaching career. This usually results in
disaster for the current team and players, and is almost always detrimental to the
assistant as well. Remember that oftentimes when you are applying for your own head
coaching job, it's usually your head coach that can help you get that position, and will
recommend you to others.
This is not to say that you should just be a "yes man" and never disagree with your
head coach. You should always be looking for new things that might help the team,
and discuss these ideas with the head coach. Sometimes the head coach will agree and
adopt your idea, and oftentimes he/she will not. Many times I have submitted what I
thought might be a pretty good play, only to have it "filed away". You have to be
willing to check your ego at the door and accept that he/she is in charge. Discuss your
ideas with the coach, but never behind his/her back, or with parents or players. Be
humble and don't make the mistake of trying to impress others that you are smarter
than your head coach.
Keep an open mind and always be willing to learn
Be a student of the game. Being an assistant is an excellent opportunity to learn about
coaching... like an internship. Don't come into the position thinking that you already
know about everything there is know about basketball! If you keep an open mind, you
can learn something new almost every day... not only the coach's general system, but
how to teach and conduct practices, run drills, motivate, deal with players, parents and
administration. It's not all X's and O's by any means. A good assistant coach is one
who is willing to listen more than talk, and as a result, becomes more and more
knowledgeable each year. Ask questions. Keep a notepad at practice and jot things
down.
Understand your role
Just what is your job? What does your head coach want you to do? Your role is
defined by your head coach, and the number of assistants that he has. Your role may
evolve over time as you are entrusted with more and more responsibility. Don't expect
to come in on day one and start running practices or calling the shots from the bench.
At first, you must be willing to spend most of your time listening and learning the
system. Once you have learned things pretty well, you are in a better position to teach
and discuss things with the head coach.
Your role as a practice coach will evolve. For example, if your expertise is post play,
your head coach may want to do breakdown drills with you on one end teaching and
working with post players, while he/she takes the perimeter players. In full-court
drills, get on the opposite end to help spot things and teach.
Understand your role on the sideline during games. Some head coaches will want
your input and advice, especially after you have learned the system. Others may want
you to be silent. There can never be dissension on the bench. The head coach must
make the final decision always... respect that. Help maintain a positive, upbeat
attitude with players on the bench. Encourage and teach. As assistant, you may want
to keep track of player fouls and time-outs (yours and your opponents). Look at the
opponent's strengths and weaknesses, and who are their best and worst free-throw
shooters. Be ready to help with player first aid and injuries. Your head coach doesn't
have time while coaching the game, to apply bandages, tape, stop nosebleeds, get ice,
etc.
Understand your role in the locker room before the game and at halftime, in team
meetings, and during time-outs. Don't speak unless your head coach invites you to do
so. Keep track of the time at halftime. There is little time in a time-out... have the
clipboard and marker ready, and be quiet and let the head coach do the talking.
Positively interact with coaches, players, and fans.
Respect and develop your special relationship with other assistant coaches. It's a lot of
fun if you are all on the same page and work together. It's no fun and it's detrimental
to the program if the assistants are at odds with each other.
Get to know your players. Earn their respect. Be a role model by demonstrating good
values and principles. Help teach them how to be part of a team. Sometimes players
will come to you instead of going directly to the head coach. You can serve as a
"buffer", and sometimes you get to be the "good cop". Listen, understand, explain,
encourage, teach. Help each player on the team to feel important, even the 15th man.
From time to time, take aside a player who is not getting much playing time and
explain to him/her why he is important to the team, and that it's important to you that
he is having fun. Everyone likes to feel needed and appreciated, and no-one likes
feeling ignored. Help maintain a positive, competitive atmosphere, and have fun with
your players. But still be tuned in to recognize any early signs of player dissension or
problems, and report immediately to your head coach.
Professionalism
Look and act professional. Be clean and dress neatly. Conduct yourself in a positive,
friendly manner. Get along with others. Do not be adversarial with opposing coaches,
players and fans. Be cordial to the officials. Demonstrate good sportsmanship. Always
be on-time for meetings, practices, games, etc.
Specific tasks
Below are some specific tasks that an assistant could be involved in... again,
depending on just what your head coach wants you to do, and whether there are other
assistants and managers to help as well.
Communication with the scorer's table... keep track of your time-outs, fouls, etc.
Pre-game player match-ups... while our head coach is visiting with the opposing
coach and officials, from the scorer's table get the opponent's starters, observe
them in warm-up drills, and create your defensive match-ups (assuming you play
man-to-man defense). Review these with the head coach.
Pre-game drills... some teams seem to require an assistant under the basket
barking at them to get them to work up a sweat in their pregame drills. Help get
them ready to play.
Keep stats... the shot charts, rebounds, assists, turnovers, etc. You may designate your
statisticians and coordinate their activities.
Scorebook... make sure the roster has been entered correctly, and that the scorer's
table knows your starters before each half begins.
Clipboards, markers... make sure you have them ready on the bench, during time-outs,
and in the locker-room both pre-game and halftime.
Chairs... we often have 15 players on our roster. Count the number of chairs on the
bench before the game and make sure you have enough for all coaches, players and
managers.
Uniforms, towels... help keep track of and collect uniforms. At games, we keep an
extra "blood uniform" that a player can quickly change into, in the event of extensive
blood on a uniform. Have a good supply of dry towels on the bench.
Water... make sure players have water available on the bench.
Medical, first-aid kit... make sure you have it at games and practices, and that it is
well-stocked. Know where to find ice.
Basketballs... make sure your practice and game balls are properly inflated. Collect
the balls at the end of each practice and secure them.
Scouting... your head coach may ask you to help scout other teams.
Run practices... there may be times when your head coach is unable to attend a
practice. Be ready to step forward and have a well-organized practice ready. Teach
what your head coach expects you to
Maintain a playbook...
Communication... help team communication by keeping a list of all player and
coaches phone numbers, and establish a "phone tree" for calling each other.
Being an assistant is a lot of fun... enjoy and appreciate the privilege.