Halfway Through Basketball Season

So we are about halfway through basketball season right for now for the Youth team that I am coaching. That's right, I was crazy enough to be wanting to work with 13 to 15 year old girls...but I loved the sport growing up and still do.

I personally didn't find out about the Women's team that the base we are stationed at had...or I might have ended up playing verses coaching.

Coaching has been an experience in itself to say the least...I have always heard that it is different being the person behind the clipboard...verses the player on the court. And I totally agree...simple things whether its positions, plays or even instructions of what they need to do next in a drill (which includes running). Oh yes, my girls do run...the only way for a team to able to get up and down a court is they have to be in shape.

Anyways, this season has been an interesting one so far. I have seen improvements here and there...though sadly our record isn't exactly the best...1-3. We won our first game of the season..and it seems as though we are taking a few step backwards before we can go forward again!

Pics of my Girls

I wish it would be easy to say, we are a good offensive team...verses defensive...but I believe we need improvements across the boards. We had a team meeting at the beginning of practice this past Monday, as our practices are Mondays and Wednesday evenings, and I asked the girls what did they think we needed to work on more. As I being the outsider with the clipboard know exactly what needs to be done...but it's always nice to see if them being on the court what needs to be done.

Everyone agreed that for defense, since we opt more often for playing man to man that they need to know who they have. And that when someone is subbed in there is better communication amongst the players of who one person has.

They also agreed that they need to work more on Boxing out the other team on defense after a shot has been taken and fight harder to get the rebounds.

Pictures during some of our games

Thinking back to this past weekend, we commuted down to a base about hr and 20 minutes away from our home base. The final score was 10 to 24....however thinking about the game now...I know that at least half of the other teams score came from cleaning up the boards on offense. As their guards who shot from outside of the key weren't accurate, however their whole team would crash the boards in order to get the rebound to shoot again. Sadly, my girls are afraid to put their butts on the other players and push them out of the way to get the ball.

The last and final thing the girls agreed they had to work on was Free Throws, at the beginning of the season I set up some goals for the team. One of the biggest ones, which honestly I stress about continuously besides boxing out and rebounding is Free Throws.

Our goal as a team is to be 50% or better from the Free Throw line during their games. Sadly the girls are struggling to make one free throw during the game.

I hope that with the last half of the season to go they continue to improve...because I can supply them with the tools and knowledge of how to do a lay up, improve their shot, or plays to run during the game that will help them score. It's up to them to work together as a team to change things up...cause I'm just on the sidelines with the clipboard...not on the court.

Some pics while riding in the van to away games