Building a program begins by building your philosophy. Successful coaches have a philosophy or a system that is the foundation for their basketball program. This doesn’t mean that your philosophy won’t vary from one season to the next. However, the changes shouldn’t go from one extreme to another. How are you going to handle issues like discipline, playing time, as well as academic and social issues? Do you know how your practices will be organized and what responsibilities each coach has in regards to practice and the total program? Are you a fast break or a half court coach? Do you like the three-point shot or would you prefer to pound the ball inside.

Organization is the key here. A coach must understand how they can use the individual talent on the team and the resources that are available to the program to the program’s best advantage. A coach should communicate success to their players by having complete and structured practice plans, utilizing assistant coaches to help teach, and by giving timely input in all decisions.

It is imperative that teams have guidelines…basic expectations that every player should shoulder. We have three such guidelines:

• Go to class daily
• Be on time.
• Do not embarrass the program or the school.

In addition, discipline also touches upon work ethic. Do your players know that they must work harder than their opponent to win the big prize? Are you willing to let a player slide by as long as they are your leading scorer? Do the staff and you, as head coach, set the example of how important work ethic is to the program?

A team that is united and confident that their teammates and coaches truly want what is best for one another cannot be held down for long. Encourage and promote your assistant coaches. Make them feel important to the welfare of your program…they are!!! Show your players each day that you stand behind them and support them. Take an interest in their lives off of the court.

Being an effective leader requires 5 essential traits…

• The ability to communicate and be honest with one another.
• Trust that is built upon honesty and prepares you for the inevitable crisis.
• Genuine concern for your players and support staff.
• Collective responsibility…find the positive in your failures. Successful programs win and lose together!
• Pride that is developed within your program. Play for the team, not the individual.

Help your players gain these qualities while playing for you. Giving your team an emphasis of the day allows an excellent opportunity for a coach to start teaching vital leadership traits.

Positive attitudes come about when focused dreams and shared passions reach attainable goals. Do you come to practice each afternoon excited? Do you brag about your kids and go out of your way to promote your program and the direction you are headed? A head coach cannot allow negative attitudes into their program…like a cancer, those negative thoughts eat away at the fabric of the team. Make your players WANT to be a part of your program.

A challenge for any coach is to develop a program where the program is greater than any individual. How do you do this? You do this by talking about it as a team. Teach your players the importance of the word TEAM. Encourage the unselfish play, the hard work of the 12^th man. Do not blame the failures of the team on one individual just as you should not credit one player for any win. You win and lose as a team. Remember, your players should play for the name on the front of their jersey, not the name on the back.

Now that we covered some of the key ingredients to building a successful program, let’s go over some tips to help make sure that your program is the envy of the conference.

1. Always emphasize the importance of the player’s education. Make your player’s aware that their credentials in the classroom will take them farther and last longer than any success that they might encounter on the court. Praise individual and team academic achievements to anyone and everyone who will listen…including your team!
2. Promote your program to anyone who will listen. Get the local media to cover your games at every level. Speak at local clinics and service clubs.
3. Have your players and coaches work camps…your own and others. Coaches and players that can get practice teaching the game become better coaches and players once the season starts.
4. Dress up your locker room, uniforms and warm-ups whenever possible. Teams that look good play with confidence.
5. Develop fundraisers that add revenue to your program that help a program make #4 happen. Free throw shooting fundraisers, for example, are a great way to generate cash while improving skill.
6. Develop promotions that make your game the place to be come game night.
7. Get the feeder schools involved in your program. Invite coaches to work your camps, speak at your clinic and attend your practices.
8. Make the faculty a part of your program. Remember, academics are why your players are in school…a faculty that is involved in your program is a faculty that will want to help make your program the best.
9. Visit local hospitals and develop community programs when possible. We all need to be appreciative of what we have been blessed with and give back to those who haven’t been as fortunate.
10. Love what you do!!! Don’t let your ambition take away your love of the game.