High School Basketball Coaches

By: Jake Felton

I have so many things on my mind as i sit here and write this I'm very sure i will forget a few things. I want to start off by saying how many good coaches are there really out there teaching kids how to play and rise to the next level? The answer would probably surprise most but very few. Im talking about the High School level here nothing else. I go to a lot of games and have been for the past 13 years and have seen maybe a handful of coaches that have a clue on how to coach GOOD players. Sure some coaches are blessed with great players but do they really know how to even coach those players? I just struggle to watch high school basketball, i struggle to watch coaches make offense Defense subs late, I struggle to watch a kid dominate in the first half then get the ball a few times for opportunites to help his team win in the 2nd half, I struggle to hear what they say to kids, I struggle how they play favorites because they are so scared to really just let loose and coach, I struggle to watch how their assistant coaches do nothing but clap and sit there when they should be finding ways to get easy scores or recognize miss matches, I struggle to go to a game wondering is this the game they finally coach one good game, then again i think there record doesnt speak for it, they past decade holds no tradition and they dont produce many college athletes b.c they cant run a program to say the least. AAU is truly where its at, you dont go to a high school game and see 20 coaches watching kids, but when you got to a showcase tourny for AAU, there they are waiting at the bit to see who can play at the next level.

That is proof that it shouldnt take a guy who teaches at the school to lead a program, I tend to think it should be the guy working his ass of in his proffession to find enough time to coach a group of kids b.c he has passion not to collect a pay check year by year. I think High School coaches should get paid per win, not b.c they play 500 basketball all year. I just have a lot to say and im sure as time goes even minutes after this I will think of more things to say, but what get's me most is they kill a kids passion, they take how good he is, knock him all the way down and try to build him back up b.c they have no idea how to handle the fact that he can kill, they want system players. Great coaches take what they have and work with it, not try to fit a square piece in a circle hole.

I hope ppl read this and realize to cherish AAU basketball, to help their kids get to the next level, to always keep that passion in your kids, b.c one day you will be saying the same thing I am, and I told you so may not be good enough b.c it all seems good at first, until it happens.