Communication – The Basketball Coaching Roadmap

Every step of our Basketball Coaching Roadmap revolves around building relationships with your players and coaches. It only seems fitting to start with communication. In coaching and in life, communication is the foundation for success.

Communication is about listening even when you’re the only one talking.

Your ability to speak, connect and listen are essential in achieving success as a coach. Something as simple as learning each player’s name at a clinic can have a tremendous benefit in fostering positivity and connection on your team. Over time, consider getting to know your kids as people not just as players. Every day I make a point of asking each player about school or specific personal issues they’ve mentioned. There’s a mutual benefit in the exchange – players feel empowered in the experience of being known by their coach and you get to learn about your players’ personalities (e.g. what motivates them, their responses to stress) and use that information to achieve success on the court.

When you get to know your players, you develop a greater sense of trust. Trust is a necessary foundation, given that coaches need to have some uncomfortable and challenging conversations. It’s not pleasant having to tell kids that despite their commendable effort, they didn’t make the team or that they aren’t going to get as much playing time as they think they deserve. I tell my kids that they might not like what I say but I will always be honest and transparent with them. If you develop a sense of trust and get to know kids personally beforehand, these conversations can be easier; avoiding a crushing impact on their identity as a “player.”

“Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it.” – Unknown

Another aspect of communication is timing; knowing when to say something, and equally as important, knowing when not to say something. Not all mistakes warrant a response. The human brain is naturally wired with a negativity bias. It detects negative information faster than positive information and it’s known that negative leadership drains energy and motivation. Therefore, as a coach, it’s essential to understand that the brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones (Rick Hanson). Players respond to positive communication and it needs to far outweigh the negative communication.

I always caution coaches about noticing when they are putting in more effort than their players. When players feel listened to and included THEY also take ownership of their own development and the team’s success…and magic happens.

The year we won our National Championship I remember the specific practice when I felt the magic. We had spent five months getting to a point where I believed everyone clearly understood and accepted their roles. In the bigger games we had clearly established our rotation and we were only using seven or eight guys on a regular basis. That didn’t stop the others from working their butts off every day for the betterment of the group. By this point everyone had been told what the coaches’ expectations were for them and how valuable those roles were regardless of the amount of minutes they may or may not play. Trust had been earned in both directions and that made acceptance of the roles more palatable. Though some roles may or may not have been what was best for the individual, it was best for the group.

We had three games remaining in the season and we were preparing for a game against Niagara College. There was a different energy in the gym that night and a bounce to everyone’s step. Early in practice we were going through a routine full court shooting drill and there was so much positive energy. As the drill was going on I walked the circumference of the court and had a one sentence conversation with almost everyone. “Do you feel it Manny”? “There is something happening here tonight, Aminu”. “We are in a great place right now, Cupido”. Yes sir was the frequent response to all my comments or queries. Driving home that night with Mike Woodburn, one of my assistant coaches, I told him I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t lose again. We didn’t. Ten game winning streak. First Ontario Championship for the school in 40 years and the school’s first ever National Championship.

Related: Listen to the podcast episode about Communication.

Next item on the Basketball Coaching Roadmap is Organization:

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