December 05, 2019   |   Tagged Coaching

Empowering Assistant Coaches

Basketball determination

Having been a part of multiple college basketball programs, one thing I know is true: a head coach is only as good as his assistant coaches! Assistant coaches have such an impact on the programs they invest into, the student-athletes, as well as the campus communities that they serve. I had the great fortune of starting my coaching path directly upon graduation from Lehigh University. This ground-floor entry to the coaching world provided the opportunity to learn each and every aspect of running a basketball program as I progressed along the way. Along that journey I was able to benefit greatly from the head coaches I served under: Billy Taylor (Lehigh 2003-2006), Jim Christian (Kent State 2006-2007), and Brett Reed (Lehigh 2007-2011). Fortunately for me, those experiences and the ways in which those head coaches empowered their assistant coaching staffs were a transformative period of my professional development and preparedness to be successful as a head coach.

I would like to share a few ways in which assistant coaches can be empowered within your programs. Not only will empowering them serve to enhance their impact on your team, it will also provide valuable training ground for their professional development. Most assistant coaches don’t make a ton of money for their services. In fact, many volunteer their time and serve because of their love of the programs they serve and the student-athletes they work with. One sure fire way we as head coaches can pay that back is to provide them with growth opportunities. Here are a few ways in which the head coaches I worked for helped to empower me as an assistant coach:

1. Delegate Scouting Reports & Game Plan Together

While at Lehigh University we had a full-staff rotation of scouting responsibilities. Each assistant coach would take a third of the scouts. This provided the staff with more time for each scout to be delved into, a more detailed analysis and game plan was the result of breaking down each opponent in this manner. After the assistant coach had produced his scouting report and video analysis, he would then present this information to our head coach and begin discussing the proper ways to attack the opponent. The final aspect of this valuable process was when the assistant coaches would present to the team leading up to the game. Our head coaches left it to the assistant coaches to introduce to the team each opponent’s personnel tendencies, offensive & defensive actions and thus grow their voice within the locker room. This was hugely impact for me developing my voice as a coach.

2. Carve Out Practice Time for Assistant’s to be in Charge

One of the more frustrating experiences for assistant coaches is going to practice and not having an opportunity to, you know, coach! Unfortunately there are certain head coaches that have a harder time delegating and/or allowing other voices to be heard during practice. Whether it’s a control thing or a trust thing, this can really be a wasted use of staff resources. Fortunately for me I was always in places where the head coach trusted his staff and allowed for multiple voices and leadership opportunities within practice plans. One of the things we do at Whitworth is take one-day per week to focus simply on skill development and our assistant coaches design the entire program. Not only does it show our players that our assistant coaches care about their personal development, but it also allows our assistant’s to take charge and lead a full practice. Even within a traditional practice plan, I believe it’s very valuable for assistant coaches to have opportunities to lead.

3. Engage in the Planning Process

Each off-season provides an opportunity to evaluate your program, what worked and what didn’t, as well as plan for next year’s team. These off-season months provide the opportunity for you as a head coach to receive valuable feedback from your staff. It also provides them with an opportunity to share ideas for the future, take part in critical decision making processes as well as shed some light on the depth of detail that planning for a season actually requires. Having been privy to these conversations and processes during my time as an assistant coach I learned so much about what a head coach really thinks about and how to better assist him in my role as an assistant coach.

Ultimately, as a head coach one of our greatest responsibilities is to those that assist us. As head coaches, the success of our programs depend so greatly upon their contributions. I am eternally thankful for the opportunities and investment that the head coaches I worked for were able to make into me. I would like to pay that forward to my coaching staff and hope that you will too!