Developing basketball players

I am in the middle of a 5th Grade Basketball Season. I have 15 players on my team and we play travel teams with less players but not with less talent.

I was privileged to have 29 kids try out for our 5th grade travel team and with one team had to let 14 of them go. Not an easy solution but one none the less. Fortunately those players can play basketball in the school recreation program.

My philosophy is to have hard fundamental practices including footwork, shooting, dribbling and passing . A lot of defensive drills and some scrimmage play. I believe developing players occurs at PRACTICE and not in games. Development occurs when what I am teaching in the fundamentals is being understood by the individual players. Development is creating roles and having the players evolve into those roles and have success. Development for my liking occurs when the players learn sportsmanship and learn from a lost what they need to be working on to get better.

I like to play all my players some more than others but each of them get time to earn more time. We have specific roles for our players . I do not believe in substituting a whole team of 5 players but may end up substituting for each spot on the floor at the same time. A big difference to me.

Developing players takes a philosophy that weighs player -team development greater than wins or losses .

What is developing basketball players mean to you? Please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.