I'm sure you remember November. You selected your team. All your players were enthusiastic and optimistic about the upcoming season. Parents were on board.

When the season started, most if not all of your players had high expectations for themselves for the season. Most expected to be a big part of your team's rotation, playing major minutes.

You probably met with your players in the first weeks of the season. This is a common and important coaching practice. This allows you to tell your players how you evaluate them at that time. You can also give them feedback on where they can improve and hear their expectations for the season.

If you're like me, in some of those meetings you told players that they may not play a lot once games start. In November, a lot of players will tell you they are okay with that. As coaches, we love hearing that and figure everything will go smoothly.

That was November... this is January. For many of us, those preseason conversations seem like a distant memory. With the calendar turning to 2024, reality has set in for many of us (and our players).

Everyone's situation is different. Some may be having a great season. Others may be struggling. However, one thing everyone likely has in common is unspoken player issues.

Remember that player who said they were okay with not playing much in games?

They have now been practicing 2 hours a day for 2 months without getting much playing time. They are also probably hearing from loved ones that they are getting a raw deal.

The best team I ever coached was one where 6 players played 95% of the minutes.

Even though the team was winning, players 7-12 were frustrated by their lack of playing time. Because we were winning and I was a young coach, I did not do a good enough job of confronting their concerns head-on. I now know better.

However, it's not just situations like the one above that create player issues.

A couple of years later, I coached the deepest team I've ever coached.

We played 11 players and scored 91 points a game.

I thought playing 11 guys and scoring at such a high clip would keep everyone engaged and positive. I was wrong. Of those 11 players, players 4-11 all thought they should be playing more and other players in that group shouldn't be playing at all.

The point is, no matter where your team is at, there are likely to be issues that need to be addressed. Much has changed since the season began in November, and there is still a lot of time left in the season.

So don't waste any more time or think that the issues will go away if you ignore them.

Author Jon Gordon says "where there is a void in communication, negativity will fill it."

Don't allow that to happen.

This week, schedule meetings with all your players and get everyone on the same page to finish your season strong! Here are some key ideas to remember as you do this...

13 Tips For Midseason Player Interviews

• Listen first and ask questions. Be empathetic.

One of Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is seek first to understand, then to be understood. This is great advice for player meetings.

Perhaps you have a player who is unhappy about his playing time but hasn't been doing what's necessary to earn playing time. It can be easy to want to jump right in and tell them all the reasons they aren't playing (stay tuned, that will come later).

Do not start with that. Doing so will immediately put your player on the defensive and can turn the meeting sideways before it begins.

Start with questions. How do they feel things have been going? What are they enjoying? What's been hard? How can you help? Are there things outside of basketball impacting their experience on the team?

Oftentimes people just want to be heard. Starting by letting them speak and showing you care through active listening sets the groundwork for a productive dialogue.

• Make it a dialogue and let them talk first.

Your meetings have to be a dialogue. Too many times, player 1 on 1's turn into a monologue, with the coach doing all the speaking.

Your goal here is to learn about your player's experience. You can't do that if they don't speak.

At the same time, we must realize that speaking to adults (particularly voicing concerns or frustrations) can be hard for players.

• Give them questions to consider in advance of meeting.

To help your players organize their thoughts, give them questions to reflect on in advance. I have done this both on paper and through a Google form. Here are some questions you might use (players should know every question requires an explanation):

• How would you evaluate your season so far?
• How has your work ethic and attitude been?
• What type of teammate have you been?
• Do you agree with the amount of playing time you're receiving and your role on the team?
• What should we start doing?
• What should we stop doing?
• What should we keep doing?
• Is there anything outside of basketball impacting your experience?
• Are you on track to reach your goals?
• How can I help you reach your goals?

If you walk into the meeting and start asking questions the player didn't know about, they are likely to give you incomplete or unclear answers.

Giving them the questions a few days in advance and allowing them to put their thoughts on paper will get you to their true feelings.

• Don't react strongly to criticism.

You might hear some criticism in their answers. Don't react strongly, even if you disagree. Look for kernels of truth in the feedback. Acknowledging your own shortcomings goes a long way in getting players to acknowledge theirs.

If even after doing this you still feel like you aren't getting the whole story, ask more questions! A good tip is to always conclude by asking how you can better assist the player. This helps ensure your players know you are there to help them.

• Make it about them.

You don't know what players are going to tell you when they open up. Many will discuss themselves and their role. Some might use the forum as an opportunity to discuss or vent about their teammates.

Don't fall into the trap of discussing other players. This can be destructive to a team. It pits players against each other and creates division.

Keep the conversation on them and their situation. If a player brings up a teammate in a critical way, redirect the conversation back to a focus on them.

• Be honest. Don't make promises you can't keep.

This sounds obvious but it's not. As a young coach, this is a mistake I made. We are really vulnerable to it with good kids.

You probably have a player who is a great kid but limited ability wise. If this player isn't playing much, it's easy to feel for them

When they express their frustration to you, it's human nature to want to give them hope. While that is not a bad thing, make sure it's true.

If one of your players isn't playing much and that's not going to change, don't promise them more minutes. All that does is make the issue bigger going forward. As stated above, listen to them and be empathetic. That alone will minimize many issues.

After listening, tell them the truth. It may just be that the players ahead of them are better than them. Whoever backs up Nikola Jokic or Joel Embiid is one of the best basketball players in the world, but they won't play much because they are behind two of the best players in the world. No matter how hard they work, that's unlikely to change.

This doesn't mean you are negative. You can and should give them areas to focus on to allow them to get better. (It is then critical to notice and celebrate these players when they do those things in practice.) Just don't promise them something you can't deliver on because you like them.

• Take notes of the meeting.

You should absolutely take notes of your meetings. We have all had conversations where we quickly forget what was said. We have all had conversations where you remember the talk one way and the other person remembers it differently.

Taking notes can prevent this from happening. It makes sure there is no ambiguity once the meeting ends.

To ensure that, you should share the notes with the player.

• Review notes with the athlete in the next day or two.

Print a copy of the notes and review it with them a day or two after the meeting. This only takes a minute or two but ensures you are on the same page.

Your notes are also good to have when talking with parents of players. It is helpful to be able to show them what you and their child discussed. Many times parents' frustrations are magnified when they don't get the entire version of events. Having notes of your meeting can help head that off.

You might even consider sharing the notes with parents proactively. While there is some risk in this (it might be perceived as an invitation for parents to voice their concerns), many parents would be grateful to know what was discussed.

Whether you choose to share with parents or not, having notes ensures the record of your meetings. It also provides a good starting point for your next meeting with that player.

• Have something for everyone and give happy players new challenges too.

So far, these tips have focused on players who are unhappy. Hopefully, that's not everyone! You should make sure you meet with everyone, including those having a great experience.

Give your happy players ways to improve. At your preseason meeting, you probably discussed areas you'd like them to improve. Now is a great time to formally follow up and give them feedback.

If they are doing great, now is a good time to challenge them with something new. This keeps them hungry and growing as a player.

• Have players seek out potential locker room issues.

You can also challenge them to lead and help look for issues with teammates. Make them your ally as you look to protect your culture.

Players often know more than we do about the locker room. Use your best players as a sounding board.

When you do this, make sure you're not jeopardizing your player's trust with their teammates. You are not asking for them to tell on their teammates or gossip. You are asking them to let you know if an issue could negatively impact the team.

• Use quick follow-ups for the remainder of the season.

Midseason 1 on 1's are a great starting point. But they are just that - a starting point. They alone will not solve all issues.

Make sure you follow up with players through the remainder of the season. Your notes are a good starting point for this.

These follow-ups don't have to be as formal as the 1 on 1 you're going to have now. They could be quick two-minute conversations before or after practice. The goal is to keep the topics you discussed at the meeting at the front of

• Talk to parents on alarming issues.

If you hear anything alarming in the meeting, you may want to follow up with parents, too. This shows your care for their child and want to partner with them in creating the best experience.

• Recognize and celebrate growth with players.

As the season progresses, revisit what you discussed. Recognize their growth. Sometimes that's all a player is looking for. It's easy for coaches to overlook the contributions of players who don't play much in games. Make an effort to celebrate them in practice. That simple act goes a long way towards bettering their experience.

If they are struggling with what you discussed, revisit that as well. The bottom line is that the meeting is the starting point of communication, not the end point.

You are a good coach who cares about your players.

If you weren't, it's unlikely you would have read this article. That alone gives you a leg up in helping your players.

No matter where your season is at, you can make it better. The best way to do that is to get all your players focused on the right things as the season progresses. And the best way to direct their focus is to meet with them.

Yes, some of these meetings might be challenging.

Yes, some might lead to difficult conversations. Do it anyway!

The short term discomfort is well worth the long term benefit.

You will be a better coach. You will have happier players. And, you will have a better team. Meetings that produce are meetings worth having!

What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First Julia says: 1/12/2024 at 4:19:14 PM This is a very helpful article. We are often on the back foot when players request a meeting and go straight to the stats sheet to prove by numbers. I also find it helpful to have players bring their script, if they find it hard to talk as in a discussion, they may feel comfortable reading their thoughts. If a player wants to bring a parent I allow them to bring one but only as an advocate with strict rules about who speaks. It can feel like stepping into the abyss for a young coach but like any skill it takes practice and it is constructive and rewarding for both player and coach. Players want trust and honesty. Like     login   register

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