Coaching 101: 4 Ways to Promote Leadership - by Sarah Daren
From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook
Sarah Daren
Sarah Daren is a featured writer on the Today Show website and has been a consultant for organizations across a number of industries including athletics, health and wellness, technology and education. When she's not caring for her children or watching the New York Yankees play, Sarah enjoys practicing yoga and reading a good book on the beach.
Maybe you can't play basketball at the same speed younger athletes can, but you can exemplify sportsmanship and a positive attitude. They are looking for a role model, and, as coach, you are perfectly placed to be that influence. You can teach them how to play through your words, and how to live through your actions. The term coach and leader could be used synonymously, but not all coaches exemplify leadership virtues. If you are uncertain how to be a true leader and coach, then read the following four tips and implement them in your coaching strategy.
(1) Talk the Talk AND Walk the Walk
Successful coaches use every method of communication available to reach their kids. Occasionally the only way to coach basketball is through a whiteboard, discussion, and repetition. However, there are many opportunities to teach through your approach and response to challenges. For example, the team is going to imitate your communication style. Communication between the team, the officials, and the opponent is a major component of sportsmanship - the respect to others in and out of the game.
The best opportunities to "walk the walk" is when an official makes a call you don't agree with or when the opponent is winning. It's easy to get frustrated and lose patience because you care so much, but how you lose is as/more important than how you win. This very fact is the key difference between being a true leader and simply a manager or coach. The basketball team will learn how to healthily convey their distress and frustration by observing your respect of official decisions and the opponent. Additionally, the parents and fans will follow your example which builds your basketball team's reputation.

(2) Volunteer by Officiating
Outside of competition, it's important to invest your time and passion for basketball back into the athletic community. Recently there has been a significant drop in high school athletic officials, diminishing the opportunity for interested athletes to play. Along with poor pay, interscholastic officials are claiming poor treatment as a primary reason for the decrease in officials. 85.7% have stated they will quit as well if the abuse continues. Respect needs to be rediscovered, and you can spearhead that movement in your community and in your team by working as an interscholastic referee.
Whether for a youth basketball group or another sport altogether, volunteering your time to young athletes is fulfilling, helpful, and sets a good example. When you join the ranks of athletic officials, it ties the competitive community closer together which decreases rude or negative treatment. Without officials, competitive athletics would suffer, and less athletes would have an opportunity to learn about leadership on the court.
(3) Designate Responsibility to Encourage Balance
One of the best ways to promote leadership within your team is give each athlete real responsibilities to help balance out team dynamics. Some born-leaders may jump for opportunity, but a successful coach provides the opportunity to every player. Sometimes they just need a little push. Whether it is putting equipment away, leading stretches, or acting as captain, young basketball players will step up to their duties and learn responsibility.
High school athletes are hungry to prove themselves, and their growth into future leaders is more important than a victory. Yet sometimes athletes may get so hungry to prove themselves that they burn out or become extremely stressed. This is where the balancing of dynamics will be key. By designating responsibilities, some kids will not feel pressed to take care of responsibilities all the time, both on and off the field. Leaders can also encourage balance through by telling players to take the necessary time to rest off the field. This time of rest, be it ice baths or massages, can be very essential for healing and remaining sharp on the field.
(4) Leaders, NOT Managers
This tip should be easy to understand, but may be challenging to implement. Leading and managing are similar in that they make large decisions, organize a group of people, and help them pursue a common goal. The difference lies in conveyance. Managers dictate and instruct, while leaders listen and explain. Leaders believe in positive reinforcement and respecting the team's thoughts. Managers rely on their title and don't acknowledge the team's feelings or thoughts.
If you are a genuine leader, the team will naturally gravitate towards you and respect your thoughts. They may listen to a managerial style of coaching, but it's only surface and based off a title. Successful basketball coaches focus on leading young athletes and molding them into future leaders. An athlete that is wholly-balanced will go further than one coached by someone only intent on the athletic components.
Articles by Sarah Daren
- Costs of School Athletics Is Increasing: 4 Things You Must Know
- Coaching 101: 4 Ways to Promote Leadership
- 3 Insights on the Declining Number of Athletic Officials
- 5 Reasons Why Coaches Make Great Teachers
- Avoiding Drug Abuse in Adolescence Through Athletics
- Maintaining Student-Athlete Stress Levels
- 4 Tips for Athletes Looking to Transfer Schools
- Top Sports Trends of 2018
- Importance of Athletic Scholarships
- Should You Go Back to School for Your Coaching Degree?
- 4 Benefits of Coaching Into Old Age
- The Pros and Cons of Athletes using Social Media
- The Importance of Good Health and Nutrition for Athletes
- 4 Ways to Inspire Kids to Exercise
- 4 Technology Resources That Athletes Can Utilize for Better Performance
- 5 Benefits of Coaching Youth Athletics
- 5 Ways Youth Sports can Boost Mental Health
- 5 Benefits of Playing Sports Abroad
- 6 Benefits of Playing Sports in School
- Emotional Intelligence Can Help Athletes in Sports
- How Sports and Exercise Impact Your Health and Well-being
- Sports and Exercise Tips for Students
- Best Educational Programs for Young Athletes
- Can Alternative Health Improve Athletic Performance?
- 5 Tools For Coaches Who Want Their Athletes To Do Better In Class
- How to Talk to Your Athletes About Pain Management
- What Student-Athletes Need to Know About Vaping
- Bionic Technology in Sports: Changing the Game for Sports Injuries
- How Coaches Keep Students Engaged During Online Schooling
- Do You Need an Advanced Degree to Pursue a Career in Exercise Science?