Smithville
Basketball
Parent Handbook
“Bring Your Best”
Parental Guidelines
We trust you will be an asset to our program regarding our efforts in promoting a positive attitude, strong character, and a
persistent work ethic in your son. These three traits are expected of our players if they are going to be a part of our team. Please
review the following information for more details about how we run our program and how you can become involved!
Selections
The worst part of being a coach is telling kids they did not make the team. It is our wish we could keep all the outstanding
young men who try out, but unfortunately there is simply not enough spots for us to do that. If your son is not selected, be
assured he was heavily considered and his efforts are respected and appreciated. If he still would like to be a part of our
program, he may apply to be a student coach or manager. These positions are of great importance to our program and provide
students with an interest in basketball the opportunity to earn a letter and be a part of the team.
Playing Time
We have many players coming out for our team, and they are all competing for the same five spots on the floor. Obviously, we
cannot play everybody the same amount of time, but we do want to reward our players for their hard work with as much playing
time as we can. However, our primary concern as coaches is to have the five players on the court we think give us the best
chance to win. It would help our program and your son immensely if you kept a positive attitude about our decisions. We do
not want anyone coming out for the team if they are content with primarily sitting the bench, but we also do not want anyone
coming out for the team if they put themselves before the team. If your son wishes to increase his playing time, he needs to
show us why in practice and/or games!
If your son wishes to discuss his playing time with us as coaches, he is welcome to at any reasonable time. We will be happy to
tell him why he is not playing as much as he would like and what he needs to do to increase his playing time. If you as his
parent want to discuss his playing time with us, we will only do so if your son has come to us in a respectful way and had a
conversation about it with us first. He can then tell you what he needs to do to earn more playing time. If you still feel you
would like to talk with us, we will be happy to meet with you and your son privately in a respectful manner. We hope you will
keep in mind that there are other students on the team, so please be respectful of all our players when discussing our team in the
community.
You are welcome to discuss any of the following with us:
-Concerns regarding the treatment of your student athlete
-Concerns regarding the health of your student athlete
-Concerns regarding your student athlete’s academic or athletic performance
We will not discuss the following with you:
-Issues with other students that may involve confidential information
-Play calling or in-game strategy decisions
-Playing time of another student athlete
When communicating in person, over the phone, or over e-mail, please refrain from:
- Rude, profane, or disrespectful language
- Threats or attempts to be intimidating to a coach
We will not speak rudely or disrespectfully to you, so we appreciate the same in return.
Meetings
-Do not attempt to confront a coach about a disagreement before, during, or after a game
-Contact the coach or school to set up an appropriate appointment
-If you are not satisfied with your meeting with a coach, you can contact the athletic director to further discuss the situation
Again, we are very excited that your son and the rest of your family are going to be a part of our program this year. We
encourage you to be involved in the most active and positive way possible! We as coaches are very grateful for all you do for
our program and for your son. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns about anything. We are always willing to
listen and help however we can!
Our Philosophy
Play HARD + Play RIGHT = Play WELL
1) Offense
-Transition—attack every chance we can
-Motion Offense
-Player movement, ball movement
-Pass and screen
-Insideout
-Work for a GREAT shot (Paint Shots, Free Throws, Clean 3’s)
-Run “sets” only as needed
2) Defense
-Man Defense
-Contain penetration
-Great help-side
-No layups
-Charges emphasized
-“Gambling” discouraged
-Contest ALL shots
-Utilize “zone” only as needed
3) Zone Offense
-Inside, Out
-Ball fakes (use eyes)
-Crash weak-side rebounds
-Work weak spots of zone (gaps, corners, high post)
-Be ready to shoot
4) Pressing
-Defensively, we do not give up layups; therefore, we only press as needed
-May press more depending on our team, our opponent, and/or the situation
-We want to make the offense work for every shot
5) Substitutions
-First priority: we want to win as many games as possible
-Second priority: we want everyone to play as much as possible
-Players earn playing time; coaches only evaluate
-Respectfully communicate at all times
Get Involved!
The following are ways you as parents can become involved with our program. None of the ideas are mandatory or
expected, but we would much appreciate it if you could do as much as you can!
Parent Coordinators
If you are interested in assuming a leadership role in regards to parental involvement with our program, please let us know!
Having parents be active and involved in our program is a huge asset for our kids, and we as coaches greatly appreciate your
efforts in making your son’s basketball experience as memorable as possible.
Snacks/Drinks
On road games, we could have different parents create snack packs for our players to eat/drink before or after games on the bus.
For example, brown bags with a sandwich, apple, granola bar, Gatorade, or any other snack you can think of.
Team Dinners
Team dinners are a good way to improve team chemistry and cohesiveness. If you would ever like to host a team dinner, let one
of our parent coordinators know.
Team Banquet
At the end of the season, our team holds a team banquet to honor players for their accomplishments over the season. Parents are
encouraged to participate through decorating, providing desserts, sharing pictures, or any other ways you may think of.
Youth Teams
If you have a younger child who plays on a youth team, tell their coach to contact me about having them get a “behind the
scenes” pass to one of our home games this season. Their team will get in free, see the pregame speech, and sit right behind the
bench during the entirety of the game.
Pictures
If you take pictures of our team during games, feel free to e-mail me them. I can then post them on our website or forward them
to other parents who may want them. Professional photographers may attend our games, so I will let you know how you can
view and purchase their photos when applicable.
Team Travel Gear
Our team will be purchasing some travel gear this year to wear as a team. We will be using the money we gain from our
fundraising efforts to help lower (or eliminate!) the costs.
Nike Team Store
There will be an online team store our players, parents, and fans will be able to access to purchase quality Smithville Basketball
apparel at a discounted rate with a portion of the sales coming back to our program. The store will only be open during a certain
window of time. More information to come!
Washing Tips
Please help your student take care of our uniforms by adhering to the following:
-Use cold water and do not wash white and colored garments together
-Please hang dry our garments. If you must machine dry, dryer should be set on lowest setting
-Launder uniforms immediately after they have been used.
Transportation Policy
Our team will travel to and from games as a team using the transportation provided by the school. If there is a specific reason
you need to sign your player out after a game, you will need to discuss this with the coach prior to the game and sign the “signout sheet” before he can leave with you. However, we do expect all players to travel with the team unless there is an unusual
circumstance. When picking up your son after practice or games, please try to be punctual as a courtesy to our coaches.
SPORTS PARENTING IN 10 SENTENCES
1 word: Hi.
Greet your child when they get in the car before you ask about their day.
2 words: Have fun.
70% of kids quit sports before they turn 13 due to not having fun. Encourage and remind your kids to have fun.
3 words: Tell me more.
Before forming an opinion or giving advice, ask for more information from your child. This will force them to tell
more of the story and give you more information as to what is actually happening.
4 words: Good job. Keep working.
Doc Rivers, head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers and parent of an NBA player suggests these four words. Rivers
notes that as parents, we are often tempted to say more and analyze our kids’ performance, but saying only this might
be what’s best for the kid who simply needs support.
5 words: What’s new in your world?
Ask your kids general questions that are not about sports. Even if the reply is “nothing” it gives you the opportunity
to share something about your day.
6 words: I love to watch you play.
College athletes were asked what their parents said that amplified their joy during and after a game. Their
overwhelming response: 'I love to watch you play.’ Best six words ever.
7 words: So what do you think about that?
You know your opinion, so before you jump to tell your child what it is, ask what his opinion is. You are not only
learning more about what your child thinks but are also helping develop critical thinking skills.
8 words: Is there something I can do to help?
Before you give a solution or an action plan, ask if that is what the child really wants. Sometimes all the child wants
to do is blow off some steam, and we jump directly to “solving” the problem.
9 words: You are more important to me than your achievements.
Of course this is true but remind your child of it. In the absence of hearing it from you, your children might think one
of the reasons you love them is because of what they do, not because of who they are.
10 words: No matter what, I’m glad I am your parent.
To be loved wholly and completely for exactly who we are—flaws and all—is the greatest gift one person can give
another. Please give that gift to your child.
POSTED BY ANNE JOSEPHSON (HTTPS://ANNEJOSEPHSON.WORDPRESS.COM/)
Athletic Diet
Good things to eat/drink:
Before a game/practice: (2-3 hours before activity)
-Eat: carbohydrates (breads, cereals, pasts, grains, fruits, vegetables,
yogurt)
-Drink: waters, sports drinks
After a game/practice:
-Proteins (meats, eggs, peanut butter, nuts)
-Drink: chocolate milk, milk, water, whey protein mixes
Avoid:
Before a game/practice: (1-3 hours before activity)
-Eating proteins and fats (meats, burgers, etc.), which take a
long time to digest and can driain your energy.
-Drinking soda, shakes, malts, etc.
Rarely or never:
Eat: Excessive amounts of junk food (candy, cakes, etc.)
Drink: SODA or ENERGY DRINKS (hopefully hardly ever)
NEVER consume tobacco, alcohol, and drugs (obviously!)
Always:
Eat Breakfast
Stay hydrated (drink water, avoid soda!)
Get plenty of sleep!
Student Coach Responsibilities
Requirements:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
7)
Follow team expectations set forth in basketball players’ handbook
Must have signed parent permission
Turn in job application and interview with coaching staff
Fulfill duties and communicate with coaching staff
Be committed to the job for at least as long as the season lasts (November-early March)
THERE IS NO MONETARY PAYMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VOLUNTEER POSITION
Duties:
1) Oversee managerial responsibilities—
camera work/set up, statistic tracking in games/practice, getting things loaded/unloaded from the
bus, sweep the floor, help keep the gym clean
2) Coaching responsibilities—
share ideas with coaching staff on how we can improve as a team, help with drills during practice, be
encouraging and helpful to players, be available to assist with coaching errands, sit in on coaching
meetings (unless stated otherwise), keep anything spoken about confidential
3) The following are NOT your duties—
disciplining or yelling at players, making individual personnel decisions, communicating with parents,
discussing coaching strategies and information with others, being bossy and/or overly demanding of
managers, arguing or being disrespectful to coaches
Why apply?
-love basketball and want to be a part of the team
-gain coaching experience
-receive a varsity letter in basketball
-be a part of something bigger than yourself
-learn about life through basketball
-attend and sit on bench of all basketball games for free
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Coach Hammond. Thanks!
“A good leader gets people to follow them because they want to, not because he makes them.”—Tony Dungy
Student Coach Application
Name__________________________
Grade Level__________
Phone Number___________________
E-mail___________________
Parent’s Name(s)________________________
Phone Number(s)______________________
Questions:
Are you passing all of your classes?
Have you been a coach or manager before?
What is your experience with basketball?
What is your Grade Point Average and what are your favorite subjects in school?
Have you ever had ISS, OSS, been expelled, or been arrested? If so, please explain why.
If you take this job, would you be willing to commit to working for at least as long as the season lasts (November
through early March)?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please sign below affirming you were the one who filled out this application.
Signature x_____________________________
Have your parents sign below affirming they know you applied for this voluntary position.
Parent’s signature x_____________________________________
Please turn application into Coach Hammond as soon as possible. Thanks!
Parent(s): Please sign below acknowledging the Basketball Parent Handbook:
Son(s):________________________________________________________________
Parent Information:
Printed Name: _________________________________
Signature: X_________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________
Email: ______________________________________
Printed Name: _________________________________
Signature: X_________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________
Email: ______________________________________
Printed Name: _________________________________
Signature: X_________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________
Email: ______________________________________
Printed Name: _________________________________
Signature: X_________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________
Email: ______________________________________