If you run a club and you have coaches, how do you keep them from leaving and taking half your team with them?

When people asked me what I thought was the most important quality of an assistant coach, I told them it was LOYALTY..... hands down... that is the most IMPORTANT.

So, surround yourself with GOOD people. coaches that have the same vision you do - WHATS BEST FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR PROGRAM.

Make them feel important, make sure that they have a lot of input to your program and make sure you listen to them.
There were several years ( boy high school program ) that I had 4 coaches that were head coaches at one time. We had some "heated" meetings but I did listen and made some adjustments because of them.

You have to find a way to make YOUR program the one that everyone wants to caoch in....that EVERY KID wants to play for..... that everyone looks up to. Know all of the kids in your program.... find time to talk to them, find out whats going on in their lives and IF they are happy playing in your program. Listen to them... sometimes all you have to do is to be around them and listen to them talk to each other.

I lost several other assistants because they moved on to become head coaches at other schools... I was happy for them while I hated losing them... but its the right thing. Not sure if thats the same with you.

As for taking kids out of your club to follow them, to me thats low. Thats why I say that loyalty is the most important quality that you can have with your coaches or assistants. I've seen it happen at the high school levels too.... public schools where recruiting is illegal.

Great ideas, Coach Sar.

Along with that, create value. What can you do that these kids won't find elsewhere? Make it a program thing, not a coach thing? Make the parents and the players see the value in your program.

I coach in a program where they have made the program name bigger than the coaches who help. They've developed a system and are still refining a system that mentors coaches and trains them how to coach. They focus on character development every week. They have a word of the week that focuses on character development and every coach must address this with the team. They send the emails to the parents and the players about the word of the week and what it means. They create a family feeling. They also pay their coaches more than any other program.

As Coach Sar mentioned, make every coach feel wanted and valued!! This program needs to do a little better at that, but they still are great.

Also, maybe you want to have different coaches at each age level. That way, the kids don't get attached to one coach too much.

Thanks Joe.... great thoughts yourself.

One thing I did with my teams was to have THOUGHTS for the DAY....... One at the beggining of practice an one at the end... I read the first one and picked a player to read the one at the end. There were times they would ask me what that meant ...... of course, I turned it back to them..... what do YOU think this means? What does it mean to you?

I really like the idea of sending e mails to the parents & players, keeps them informed and makes them feel important.... someone special. Make YOUR program SPECIAL.....

Good luck, I hope our thoughts have helped you.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I appreciate them. I definitively try to leave coaches alone as far as what they want to coach. I basically have a blue and a red team of 2nd grade girls. Its my first year, and I started with a single team of 9 girls. Our first season we did good only lost one game out of 7. The next time around we didn't lose any games. I didn't think the season was a success based on there was no team ball played, let me explain. My first coach I struggled with because he had no discipline, and especially with his daughter. She would never pass, and when she didn't win in a scrimmage or in a fun game she threw a fit. She was disrespectful to everyone, and at one time called a girl out because she didn't pass the ball to her, blamed her for losing the scrimmage because the other girl wouldn't give her the ball. This same girl lost he ball all the time in games, she would be double and tripled teamed and wouldn't give up the ball. It didn't take other teams very long to understand she didn't give up the ball and did what good coaches should do. We would have open girls sitting on the block or just waiting and still no passing. Anyhow i put pressure on him to have his daughter involve the other teammates and to teach them some defense. I was not happy with how things were going and I had parent complaints. No one wants their daughter to never take a shot or never dribble the ball, only play defense to give to one girl. Also the coaches daughter played no defense. Anyhow he left and and took my three best players, He was going to form his own team. I believe he is unable to find people to play with him so that has gone by the wayside. Anyhow that's why I ask that question. We have rebounded and actually gotten enough girls for 2 teams. A tourney team and a developmental team. We will play in different divisions. This is how I run my program now.

We have a conditioning coach come in for the first 20 minutes. (her daughter plays on the team)n She works on foot speed, jumping and conditioning. Does speed ladders, mini hurdles and uses very light medicine balls (2.2) . She runs a program called "focus on the female athlete" , she herself was a college track star at a division 1 school. She does great with the girls and we have a lot of parent involvement now. So she takes the lead and directs whats going on both coaches help along with myself and a parent.

On to drills, we do drills together as a club. Both coaches help and they get along very well. Seem really focused on having fun, but there is discipline. And our girls have learned more in 3 weeks then we had in the last 6 months. So I am happy. Typically we have 2 coaches and 4 parents assisting the drills. Its been a great change to see the parents get involved in this program now.

The last 20-30 minutes we break up into our teams. And each team focuses on whatever that teams needs to focus on.

The tourney team will invite one to two players from the developmental team to tourneys so they can get the necessary experience at a faster paced type game.

I have what I would consider a head coach who sets the drills we are going to run during drill time and the tone of the practice. I want both teams to understand basic concepts of defense and offense. If they decide to run plays, I want them both to run the same basic type plays, so when we call a girl up she knows whats going on. But they have freedom to run additional type stuff.

I have been asked to add a third team this summer a 1st and 2nd grade team for the siblings. My 2nd graders will then be 3rd graders. I love the fact the parents are buying into this new program but I worry it will be to much for me to handle.

My job is to provide admin services. And to keep an eye on the girls development. If I feel a team is needing more concepts on defense or ? I will speak with the coach. Collect fees, enroll in leagues/tourneys, Order uniforms, I provide water and water bottles for each girl at games. I sit on the bench as an assistant. I get what equipment the coaches need and I get gym space.

Does this sound like a good way to run a club, am I missing something?

It sounds like the changes are going in the right direction... IF you are goin to add another team.. make sure you have a coach in place before you start announcing it.

Its a shame about that one girl, her dad did here NO favors by allowing that type of behavior.... but that is in the past now. You know what direction you want to take your program - so set yourself some goals.

First and foremost it should be all about FUN at that age.... then fundamentals...... dribbling, passing and catching the ball... shooting will be tough beause of their age and strength. The better you plan the practices the less you will have to run them just for the sake of running. You can condition them using a ball - passing & dribbling drills.

I'm sure that there will be some trial and error for awhile... just be flexible and as things go forth.... make the changes that you and the other coaches think are necessary.

Take a look at Bob Bigelows tapes - that should give you a better idea of what to teach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kjZhJvmHAE&feature=player_embedded

http://coaching.bobbigelow.com/