Basketball is considered to be one of the most popular team sports that our world currently has to offer. Many countries around the world are currently producing world-class talent. Players all around the world are embracing the sport of basketball, which means that more players are wanting to grow in talent to reach the top. The need for coaches is currently higher than it will ever be at an all-time peak.
Should I Become a Basketball Coach?
The question some may ask themselves is whether or not they want to become a basketball coach, especially in today’s world.
The truth is that becoming a basketball coach requires patience and dedication. In the past, this may have been hard to find, but currently, thanks to the wealth of resources we currently have, it has never been any easier than it currently is now. Everyone needs to start somewhere, and with enough hard work, dedication, and focus, you may find yourself coaching someday.
If you truly want to become a basketball coach, you need to know if this is something that you truly desire. You need to be all in. You need to have a passion for the sport of basketball.
What Do Basketball Coaches Do?
Basketball coaches teach their players how to play the game of basketball and how to work together as a team. Their job is to do whatever it takes to help your team win games. You could say that coaching a basketball team is like directing or even strategizing basketball with your team. When coaching a basketball team, your job is to improve the skills of both team and individual offensive and defensive skills. As a coach, you are responsible for helping to improve your team through player development, strategy, and in-game management. Your job is to inspire your team and teach the team in ways where they can reach their peak.
Basketball coaches organize team practices, analyze individual players and the team, create strategies for the team, supervise physical conditioning, and also have the responsibility of guiding and motivating your team toward success.
When you are a basketball coach, you work with teams through various different levels. This includes high school, college, and professional leagues such as the NBA for example. It may sound like an easy job but it truly isn’t. You need to realize that there are many other coaches around you in the NBA all fighting for the same goal. If you were a coach in the NBA, you are fighting against 29 other coaches, all fighting to reach the same goal. This profession can be physically demanding, and without any sort of success, it does not guarantee any sort of job security. You may find yourself coaching one team for a month, but then another team a month later. This job can truly be physically demanding.
Coaches are often asked to help their players learn good sportsmanship. This job is typically known to be part-time in high school but can reach the full-time level once you reach the college or professional level. It is all about reaching a higher status where you can be recognized. Experience and connections are key in a job such as this one.
What Can I Do To Become A Basketball Coach?
1) Study The Game
To start it off, you need to understand the game of basketball. Watch a lot of basketball to familiarize yourself with the game. Study the game and learn everything you can. If you want to become a basketball coach, you will need to actually study the game like any other normal coach. It is crucial that you pay close attention to how other coaches manage timeouts, substitutions, the game clock, and different situations throughout the game. You will already notice from the very beginning that the best coaches are most vocal, yelling instructions and making play calls.
Most coaches often earn coaching roles through experience. Former basketball players are often found to be coaches. However, even if you aren’t a former professional basketball player, you can still find yourself with a coaching job.
It is very important that you take note of the important decisions that coaches make throughout the game. Take note of any plays that you see and the decisions coaches make with matchups and plays.
If you need experience, make sure to do some research on your own. Research different offensive and defensive strategies. Offensive and defensive schemes, zones, and motion offense are very key. You need to understand the basics, and from there learn more complex schemes such as the triangle offense or full-court defense.
Do not be afraid to ask for help. This means that you should look to talk to experienced coaches for advice on how to start.
2) How To Find A Coaching Position
One of the first things that you want to do when finding a coaching position is to be willing to take on anything. This means that you need to be willing to volunteer for potential job openings. Most experienced and professional coaches actually started out as volunteers. It is highly unlikely that you will find yourself with a paid coaching job without any sort of experience. The best way to get experience is to be willing to volunteer. Experience is key. Although it sounds easy, it may be hard to find. It may take some time or work but never give up. Look up openings online or go ask your local schools or recreational centers if they need a coach.
3) Education and Certification
If you are truly interested in becoming a basketball coach, one of the first things you need to do is to consider how much education you truly need. Some statistics show that over 50% of basketball coaches have a bachelor’s degree. Although most basketball coaches have a college degree, it is possible to become a basketball coach with only a high school degree. However, it is recommended that you find yourself with a bachelor’s degree that specializes in coaching.
It is also important in choosing the right major. Make sure to do some research on the major that best fits you. It is important that if you decide to go through this path, you volunteer for a local basketball team.
You will also need to fulfill some certification requirements depending on where you live. The Board of Education has its own regulations for each different state in the US. They have their own regulations that high school and college coaches need to fulfill before receiving certification. You will need to demonstrate your knowledge of basic coaching skills.
4) Advancing & Climbing Through The Ranks
After you gain certification, you should now be able to work as a head coach at public high schools. Most of these coaching positions at school are often part-time and do not offer much pay or benefits compared to full-time positions. If you want to be able to coach in a full-time career, you should consider coaching college or professional basketball. However, in order to advance through the ranks, you need to start from the bottom and climb through the ranks. The requirements in order to coach professionally often involve years of experience and a winning track record for the teams that you have coached previously. It will be a journey, but in the end, if you work hard, you will get what you want. Sometimes, it isn’t always about the money, if you truly want to work and live a life where you get to do what you want to do, that is all that matters.
5) Follow The Greats
The best thing that you can do in order to become a better basketball coach is to learn from the greats and some current coaches as well in the NBA. Study some of the greatest coaches in the NBA such as Phil Jackson, Greg Popovich, and Pat Riley. You should also study some of the current head coaches in the NBA such as the 2020 NBA Coach of the Year, Nick Nurse, or even Doc Rivers, Erik Spoelstra, and Brad Stevens.
In the end, you need to develop your own coaching style over time that works best for you and your team. All of these head coaches have their own style of coaching, and although you can study what they do, you need to develop a style that works best for you.
Create a relationship with your players and get to know them, adjust a style of play and training level complexity that best fits the players in front of you, set your expectations, and provide meaningful feedback. These are just some key components of how you can work better with your own team.
Salary:
The average salary for most coaching jobs is between $40,000 and $45,000 USD.
The median salary for an NBA coach is approximately $7 million USD with the lowest paid still securing a minimum of $1 million USD
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