What's Ahead

Parents:
   5 Things not to ask your child
Coaches:
   Assigning Positions
Players:
   Leadership

Maine Youth Sports
www.maineyouthsports.com
P.O. Box 442
Cumberland, ME 04021
inquiry@maineyouthsports.com
(207) 415-6321

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www.maineyouthsports.com

Welcome to the first edition of the Maine Youth Sports, "Sports Ezine". Twice per month you will be recieving a new ezine with tips for Parents, Players, and Coaches. This newsletter is made possible by the sponsorship and generosity of RE/MAX Heritage.

You are receiving this newsletter because you have expressed an interest in maintaining and improving the quality of youth sports, or are currently affiliated with Maine Youth Sports, through your childs club or league.

If you'd like to remove yourself from this mailing list, please send an email to: unsubsribe@maineyouthsports.com.

Our subscriber list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy.

24 Hour Rule

Youth sports can be an emotional experience. The physical activity of the kids can often spill onto the sidelines and into the stands and create strong reactions in coaches and parents.

For parents, it is important to separate their child’s sports development from game emotions. For this reason, many leagues and coaches have adopted the “24 Hour Rule” which simply states that coaches will not discuss a game or situation until at least 24 hours after the fact. This important rule does two things. First, it moves the discussion away from the presence of the players. Second, it allows all parties to have time to put things in perspective and “cool off”, if necessary.

If parents will respect the 24 hour rule, their concerns are more likely to be fully addressed in reasoned discussion. More importantly, the kids’ enjoyment of a game won’t be marred by an ill-timed confrontation.

Playing All Your “Players”

No coach would attempt to play an entire game with only one group of players, leaving most of the players on the sidelines. Player fatigue would quickly become a problem. Yet, many youth coaches fail to take advantage of their “extended team” (the parents) and feel fatigued themselves by the end of their season.

Successful youth coaches look at their team not just as a group of players, but as a group of players and their parents. Just as coaches don’t hesitate to ask for participation from players at practice, coaches shouldn’t hesitate asking for participation from parents.

Coaches have a large burden preparing for practices and leading a team during a game. They only make it harder on themselves when they try to do everything. Asking parents to help with items such as snacks, water bottles, and parties is the best way for coaches to fully use their extended bench

Different Positions Teach Different Skills

Each sport has a position that generates more attention and is often more fun for kids to play. However, the desire to play one particular position often interferes with a player’s overall development. Only by playing a variety of positions can a player learn all the basic skills required for advanced levels of play.

For example, playing an offensive position improves speed and control. However, playing defense is a good way to improve backwards movement and understand the importance of positioning. Different positions emphasize different skills. Playing in the same position all the time doesn’t give players a good chance of learning all the different skills that are required by all players.

More importantly, playing different positions teaches players the importance of teamwork and the need for all positions to contribute to a winning game. Only when a player respects the difficulty of a teammate’s assignment can players come together in team-oriented play.

George Mikan's Legendary Layup Drill

Way before Shaq, even before Wilt Chamberlain, the most unstoppable man in the league was George Mikan. The Towering 6-11 Mikan took 7 championships in 8 years, and the League even had to change the rules to try to stop him. Both the shot clock and "The Mikan Rule" now known as Goaltending began because of this one man.

Mikan was not only big, but he had fundamentals, and he knew how to score underneath the basket. He honed those skills with his now famous drill, the Mikan drill:

Face the backboard and stand almost under the basket. Using your best fingertip control, hold the ball with your right hand and sweep your arm out and make a layup off the backboard. As soon as the ball comes through the hoop, catch it, without letting it bounce, and do the same with the left. You want to alternate right and left until you do 10 for each side.

Tips:

• Make sure you jump as high as you can when you are scoring. Work on moving your hips and pivoting, which are key for this drill.
• To challenge yourself, you can do 3 to 5 sets of 20 in a row (10 each hand) - and if you miss, start the set over.
• Improve arm, shoulder strength, rebounding, and finishing by using a 3 lb. Heavy Basketball with the Mikan Drill. More than twice the weight of a standard basketball, the 3 lb. Heavyball is perfect for making the Mikan drill into a Strength and Plyometric Exercise.
• Make sure you do not let your palm touch the ball when you are shooting! It may touch briefly when you catch the ball, but when shooting your palm can throw off your shot.

ATTENTION: You are receiving this newsletter because you have expressed an interest in maintaining and improving the quality of youth sports, or are currently affiliated with Maine Youth Sports, through your childs club or league.

If you'd like to remove yourself from this mailing list, please send an email to: unsubsribe@maineyouthsports.com.

Our subscriber list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy.