What Makes a Good Assistant Coach?


by Randy Brown - Date: 2007-03-11 - Word Count: 318 Share This!

In this ever-pressurized game of basketball, a head coaches choice of assistant coaches is an important one. Good coaching staffs produce good results. A sold, committed coaching staff can develop a lesser talented team into a champion. As a head coach it is crucial that you have a criteria available when selecting assistant coaches.

The following is a list of attributes that your assistant coaches should possess:

1. Loyal and honest.

2. Willingness to listen, observe, and admit mistakes.

3. Open minded and eager to learn from others.

4. Knows the basketball program from A to Z.

5. Is preventative and anticipates problems before they occur.

6. Understand that no job is too small. Is a jack-of-all-trades from coaching to driving the bus.

7. Compliments the personality and strengths of the head coach.

8. Relentless work ethic and desire to help the program succeed.

9. Goal driven and works to constantly to learn and improve.

10. Loves coaching for the right reasons; help grow and develop each player.

Good assistant coaches are an asset to the head coach and the overall program. In programs that are able to hire just one assistant, choosing the right assistant is very important. Some assistant coaches desire to be head coaches. Encourage your assistants to prepare for that big step while being the best assistant they can be.

To develop good assistants, the head coach must be willing to delegate and allow others to be responsible. During practice, a staff of 2-3 can cover practice much more effectively than just one. Position work, offense, defense, shooting, rebounding, and transition are all specialty areas that assistants can handle. If they are not ready, use practice opportunities to help them develop skills and confidence.

Use this list to evaluate your assistants on an ongoing basis. Provide them with accountability and they will grow and develop as coaches. Remember, the better your assistants become, the more you can focus on important areas of the program that need your attention.


Related Tags: basketball, coaching, responsibility, head coach, assistant coach

Randy Brown has dedicated his life to the game of basketball. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Coaching positions at Arizona, Iowa State, Marquette, Drake, and Miami of Ohio fill his resume. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona, he learned the game from the best. At 39, Randy became the head coach at Division I Stetson University in Deland, Florida. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. His passion for mentoring young coaches and developing youth programs is known and respected throughout the country. Over the years he has authored over 50 articles on coaching basketball and has taught over 24,000 young players in summer camps and clinics. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. He is also an author and public speaker. For free articles and questions, Randy can be reached at coachrandybrown@yahoo.com

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