Kathy Giegel has successfully coached basketball for over 25 years and loves every minute of it! She creates programs for all ages to anyone who wants to learn about basketball. Check out her newest creations at
Every player on teams looks for specific signs in order to be sure that they are being the most effective in their game. One of the major signs that every player is going to look at is the coach.
If you are a coach, you will want to make sure to use all of the signs that you can in order to make game time more effective and fun for your team players.
Communication as a coach is more than just telling the players what to do. It involves responding to the players at an individual level. It is taking the time to get to know your players as people.
One of the major ways that you as a coach can communicate with your players is by sending out verbal and non-verbal messages. For example, if you see that a player has done something right, but you cannot run onto the courts and tell them good job, then you can always let them know with your body language.
You can clap, give them a thumbs up, nod in acknowledgement, and smile. Give them some type of sign so when the player looks to the bench for acknowledgement, they are getting it. Affirmations with players, especially at the elementary level are vitally important.
You can use this same process in order to communicate plays, how well individual members are playing, and to help motivate them when you cannot be right by their side.
While you are communicating with your players, you will want to make sure that you keep everything in perspective.
It is always best to combine the idea of character to win the game, with other aspects of coaching. Teach your players that how they act and think counts just as much as how they play the game on the court. Combine this with affirmation towards the efforts that the players are making while they are performing. Sometimes showing affirmation and compassion towards their efforts will be the best motivation to keep the players in the game.
More than coaching players on the next move that they need to make is being a coach that is open to the possibilities of knowing what the team needs. By expressing this through your character, you will have the ability to make sure that all of the players are able to respond by playing a better game. And they will respond by playing a great game because they will feel your confidence in them and the right message sent from you, the coach.
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