| The main goal for a professional, collegiate, or even | | | | Dribbling is one of the key fundamentals for basketball |
| high school varsity coach is to win games. As one | | | | and should be developed at this stage. Skills like these |
| climbs higher in the coaching ranks, this goal becomes | | | | might seem basic, but middle school athletes need to |
| increasingly imperative. Professional coaches are not | | | | spend time working on them. |
| given much leeway and often fired quickly for not | | | | A great way to combine the large picture and the |
| fielding competitive teams. | | | | details is to allow your team to scrimmage, either |
| If you are coaching a middle school team, however, | | | | intra-squad or with another local team. This will enable |
| winning should not be your primary goal. Yes, it is nice | | | | your middle school athletes to develop skills in |
| when it happens and should not be intentionally | | | | real-game situations. As a bonus, scrimmaging goes a |
| avoided, but it should not be your basis for determining | | | | long way towards helping the children have fun, which |
| success. At this level, your primary concern is to | | | | is the primary objective for a middle school coach. |
| develop a program and have an eye on the future. | | | | Developing Healthy Communication |
| Keeping this in mind, there are several key areas in | | | | At this level, there is no need to ever yell or berate an |
| which to focus. | | | | athlete for a mistake. If a middle school wide receiver |
| An Enjoyable Experience | | | | drops the ball or goalie lets in a shot which costs the |
| The major goal for a middle school coach is to ensure | | | | team the game, he or she is already going to be |
| the kids are having fun. One cannot deny the fact that | | | | feeling down about the mistake as is. The last thing |
| our society continues to grow increasingly competitive. | | | | anyone needs is a coach yelling on top of the |
| Following this trend, more pressure is being placed | | | | self-criticism. |
| upon children at earlier ages. Sports need not be an | | | | In your role as coach, what you need to do instead is |
| additional avenue of stress for a middle school student. | | | | calmly explain why it happened ("You took your eyes |
| By keeping the focus of your middle school practices | | | | off the ball."), say what to do next time ("Look the ball |
| to be lighter in nature, you can help sport be what it | | | | all the way into your hands."), and provide a little trust ("I |
| should: an outlet for releasing stress. Sports are | | | | know you will do it next time."). If you handle mistakes |
| intended to be enjoyable. They certainly can provide | | | | like this, your team will develop confidence in you and |
| great exercise and offer opportunity for sense of | | | | be eager to go out there again. |
| accomplishment, but children do not typically sign up for | | | | Talent Evaluation |
| sports over reasons like these. They want to play | | | | To be a successful middle school coach it is important |
| because it is fun. | | | | to recognize strengths and weaknesses in your |
| If, as a middle school coach, you elect to run a "boot | | | | players. If you are coaching a girls' soccer team and |
| camp"-style program, you will risk losing athletes. A | | | | realize one of your players reacts quickly, try her as |
| defining characteristic for a successful middle school | | | | your goalie. Or if you have a quarterback who is |
| program is a high rate of athlete retention. Pushing | | | | extremely elusive behind the line, but doesn't throw |
| young players too hard raises the possibility of turning | | | | particularly well, give him a chance as running back. |
| them off to the sport and thereby losing them. | | | | By recognizing individual talents at this level, you give |
| Teaching Rules and Skills | | | | the athletes more time to develop at respective |
| Beyond keeping the sport enjoyable for the athletes, it | | | | positions. This will be quite valuable once the team |
| is also crucial to make sure your middle school team | | | | moves into the more-competitive scene of high school |
| learns. Start out the first day with an overview of the | | | | sports and beyond. |
| sport. This is especially vital for a sport which is not | | | | Being a successful middle school coach is more than |
| quite mainstreamed, such as lacrosse or water polo. | | | | having lots of victories or a great record. Success at |
| Even for the more popular sports, though, it is still | | | | this stage comes from allowing your athletes the |
| important to provide insight into the big picture. | | | | opportunity to have fun, while learning the sport. It |
| After your middle school athletes have a general | | | | comes from developing positive communication and |
| understanding of the game, it is time to focus on | | | | evaluating talent. If you can succeed at these coaching |
| individual skills. At this level, consider the very basics. | | | | functions, you will foster an environment which enables |
| Throwing and catching are important, rudimentary skills | | | | your team to grow. This is how you find success while |
| for a wide array of sports, such as football or baseball. | | | | coaching your middle school team. |
