Coaches love a player who has a habit of arriving early for everything. There are so many opportunities that you can benefit from, if it is your habit to be early. You may get some individual instruction from the coach; you may get a chance to develop your relationship with a teammate; often just being there impresses the coach, who will later decide if you make the team.
9. SHOW APPRECIATION
After a practice or tryout, be sure to thank the people who made it possible. Someone invested their time in putting the event together. It is amazing how an athlete can leave a lasting impression by saying a simple ‘thank you’ to the coach. Coaches value an appreciative player. They believe them to be coach-able and possessing a great attitude.
8. ORCHESTRATE
An athlete can easily stand out if they make it a habit to “orchestrate” every time they recover down the floor on defense. Orchestration is simple, but most athletes don’t do it. It merely involves pointing and talking. Wave your hands like a conductor in an orchestra and say something about who is guarding whom. At the very least - every time - say which player you’re picking up. The next step would be directing other players to stop ball, pick up an open threat. This is skill that makes you a standout to a good coach.
7. CONDITIONING
Do not come into any tryout without being in impressive shape. There are few things that will get you cut from a team faster than being out of shape. If an athlete wants to make a team, they should win every sprint, be the most conditioned athlete on the floor, and never stop moving.
6. VOLUNTEER
Make an impression. Get noticed. Any opportunity to volunteer to demonstrate a drill, carry a water cooler, or sweep a floor is an opportunity to get noticed. Find ways to stand out, look special, and most of all - show how badly you want to be on the team.
5. HUSTLE
Be the hardest working player on the floor. Coaches love players that expend maximum effort at all times. Make it your habit to dive for loose balls, battle for boards, run the floor on the break. Hustle is something much easier to control than how well you shoot or if you can beat your man.
4. NOD
Coaches like to talk. Coaches like to talk a lot. When a coach is talking they really want to be heard and listened to. Be sure to give great eye contact and nod intermittently as a coach is speaking. It will do wonders.
3. BE THE TOUGH KID
Coaches love tough players. They love scrappy, hard nosed, screen setting, ball diving, defense loving, elbow shoving, in your face, I-won’t-back-down, eat-your-cake-and-steal-your-cookies, types of athletes. Be that kid. Compete with all the strength you have.
2. DISPLAY BASKETBALL IQ
Be the smartest player on the floor. If an athlete studies every play on their own time and not only can run it themselves, but can help their teammates run the play, few coaches will cut this player from the team. Be the athlete that is the coach on the floor.
1. BRING SPIRIT
Discover how you can inject excitement in the atmosphere of a practice. If an athlete can noticeably enhance the competitive level of a practice by bringing spirit to a gym, coaches will want to keep them around. Bring spirit through your infectious enthusiasm, through your competitive effort, and through you constant encouragement. Bring sound with a loud leadership voice. Bring energy by having active feet in drills, and bring excitement through clapping and shouting encouragement. I have seen a gym change when a spirited athlete steps into a practice, it is an amazing transformation: be the change, and a coach will keep you around.
OPEN GYM for all gr 7-9 athletes
Nov 9 & 10 3-4pm
Coach tips
Shooting practice
Dribbling Relays
Scrimmages
Team Tryouts Nov 16-19