How to deal with variation in coaching quality in AAU

[Anonymous]

How do you deal with the coaching variation. My DD is going to be in fourth grade this year. Her team is doing OK, but the coaching is pretty lacking. I think sort of doesn't get some of the basic mechanics and fundamentals of the game. They motivate the girls pretty well sometimes, but mostly they just beat up on weaker teams mercilessly, any time the competition is tough at all they tend to fold. Of if their daughters can't handle the pressure, they just cough the ball up over and over.

I've noticed that in AAU it is IMO more coaching issues than anything. Like I was watching a middle school tournament. There were three teams A, B and C. Team A and B played. Team A beat team B by a huge margin (20+). Then B played C . Team C was going to run away with it. Then someone affiliated with Team A who wanted to try to wear out, Team C a little, started coaching from the sidelines. "Grab the ball, look up the floor there he is." Team B started catching up. It was remarkable.

I mean does that impress anyone when your kid either turns the ball over or jacks up ugly threes over and over? I mean even if they can get away with murder on defense because of the lame AAU game formats where they don't track fouls and have short games and sort of eek out a win.

The frustrating thing is the coaches go over in plays in practice, but half the time their kids aren't there at practice, then the coaches' kids don't even run the plays they practice in the games. So, my kid is stuck standing their while their kids run all over the floor showing off.

[Anonymous]

The way to deal with it is to get a good trainer to work with your kid. The trainer will teach him how to play and which teams will be a good fit

[Anonymous]

Where should we find a good trainer?

[Anonymous]

Coaching matters. Less familiar on the girls side, but on the boys side, you usually see the difference organizationally. Better programs (not talking about the Takeovers/Durants/etc, which largely don't have good coaching but just really talented players), but organizations like Family over Fame, Nova Cavs, Nova 94, Virginia Elite, etc, usually have coaches who also coach in HS (especially as kids get older). Focus on programs that show good development and progression, and coaches who are invested. Investment is key.

[Anonymous]

As a reminder -- Avoid "daddy ball" AAU teams whenever possible, especially if coaches' kids are the point guards. (That said, I do know of a few coaches whose kids ride the bench a lot because they're not as talented as rest of team!)

This is harder with younger aged teams or smaller orgs but once your kid reaches middle school and has been playing for several years. don't put them in a position where they have to ride the bench so the 2 coaches can play their kids 90 percent of game minutes. You will likely pay more for professionally coached (e.g., HS coach) teams but hopefully your kid will play based on their skills, experience, hustle, and commitment.

[Anonymous]

If your daughter is entering 4th grade, meaning this was a 3rd grade AAU team, I dare say that in-game coaching was not the issue. Spending any significant practice time at that age "going over plays" is the bigger problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where should we find a good trainer?

What geographical area are you in?

[Anonymous]

With respect to your kid “having to stand and watch”, teaching your kid to impact the game in ways that are entirely under their control is a gift that will help them as long as they play in situations from bad ES team dynamics to HS tryouts to college recruiting camps.

- Getting rebounds, especially offensive rebounds that they can put back up
- Following a teammate on drives and putting back their missed layups (my kid used to get about 8 pts per game just from this).
- Learning to trap when a not great player picks up their dribble thoughtlessly
- Learning to come help a teammate who gets trapped
- Learning to spot lazy passers and be ready for their weak passes to get a steal and breakaway
- Learning to poke the ball away when defending, especially learning to poke it toward your own basket and recover it for a breakaway
- Stealing lazy passes in transition
- Making cuts for the obvious pass — even ball hogs have to pass to an open teammate right under the basket or they will hear about it

When you kid does this stuff, they look like a good teammate hustling for the good of the team, but it’s also helpful selfishly because they don’t need to wait for passes - they can steal and drive or shoot. They can shoot offensive rebounds. And when teammates see them getting involved, they will pass more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
And when teammates see them getting involved, they will pass more.

Not our team, our team has the Cain and Able (sibling rivalry) problem.

I get what you're saying though, and I go over that with my DD, but that is the point of going to team practice. As was pointed out by another poster spending any amount of time in rehearsing plays is a red flag, they spend quite a bit of time doing that. Then their kids ignore these plays and run around the court grabbing all of the balls. Like they try to play man and every play the coaches kids switch who they are guarding almost arbitrarily usually just guarding the ball, though if there is a bigger more intimidating player, they just won't guard them at all. Very confusing for all the other kids. The coaches' kids wrack up a bunch of steals against bad teams, but we have lost a number against good teams because they leave their man open over and over again. Ball hogs even on D. They eventually went to a gambling type zone which kind of works, but they still don't cover their area, but at least it's less stressful for the other kids who have to cover their backs.

[Anonymous]

Find a new team.

Zone is bad coaching
Z

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Find a new team.

Zone is bad coaching
Z

For his DD's age, probably. But there's nothing wrong with introducing SOME zone as long as you don't sit in it the entirety of every game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And when teammates see them getting involved, they will pass more.

Not our team, our team has the Cain and Able (sibling rivalry) problem.

I get what you're saying though, and I go over that with my DD, but that is the point of going to team practice. As was pointed out by another poster spending any amount of time in rehearsing plays is a red flag, they spend quite a bit of time doing that. Then their kids ignore these plays and run around the court grabbing all of the balls. Like they try to play man and every play the coaches kids switch who they are guarding almost arbitrarily usually just guarding the ball, though if there is a bigger more intimidating player, they just won't guard them at all. Very confusing for all the other kids. The coaches' kids wrack up a bunch of steals against bad teams, but we have lost a number against good teams because they leave their man open over and over again. Ball hogs even on D. They eventually went to a gambling type zone which kind of works, but they still don't cover their area, but at least it's less stressful for the other kids who have to cover their backs.

Wow, that’s really bad. I agree - find a new team. Arbitrary switching based on who they want to guard is… unusual. It’s weird that those kids don’t care about winning.