The Coaching Manual
First of all, thank you for your interest in volunteering to be a part of the TYBO program.
We understand the effort, dedication and time required to be involved in our programs. The commitment that you are contemplating is not small nor is it one that we take for granted. We are truly grateful that you are considering becoming a TYBO volunteer!
Solid, Fun Basketball. No Drama. That’s All We Want.
We have always strived to create for our athletes the best programs and events that we are capable of providing. Fundamental to that is providing the best possible coaches and instruction and the best possible setting. We hold ourselves to a high standard, and we expect our parents, coaches, players and spectators to represent our program in a manner befitting us all. We expect all to promote and reinforce the same positive behavior (both on and off the court) that we are attempting to teach our athletes. We seek to minimize and hopefully eliminate negative behavior that is often present at youth sporting events.
Please always keep in mind that young athletes don’t stop looking up to coaches when the horn goes off or when practice is over. Coaches are a role model to the young athletes around them at all times. Athletes constantly look to their coach for cues about expected behavior, ethics, attitude, effort, personality and disposition. The signals that athletes receive from you will be replicated. Make sure that the athletes see you at your personal best.
We certainly want our coaches to be competitive. More important than that however, is to always demonstrate exceptional sportsmanship when interacting with players, officials, competitors and fans. It is understood that all coaches will make every attempt to be the behavioral role model for their respective players and parents.
The TYBO Coaches Manual contains rules, guidelines, advice and general information for all coaches. It is not an exhaustive list of every possible “do and don’t”. In general, TYBO expects its coaches to exhibit exemplary behavior at all times.
Situations that are brought to the TYBO Board of Directors regarding volunteer personnel will be addressed in a professional manner, ensuring that all involved will have their opportunity to be heard. All disciplinary matters will be handled by the TYBO Board of Directors in a timely manner. Improper behavior or flagrant and/or repetitive failure to follow established rules and protocol by any coach can result in suspension or immediate removal from the program.
We Ask This of Coaches:
- Understand your position as a leader. Always be a positive role model in and away from the gym.
- Understand that your disposition will reflect in the athletes. If you’re easily frustrated, if you tend to lay blame for losses on officiating, expect the same from your athletes.
- Demonstrate the ability to restrain oneself. Demonstrate the ability to control one’s emotions, words and physicality especially in moments when circumstances are volatile or provoking.
- Establish realistic expectations for the team and for players.
- Constantly recognize achievement and when achievement doesn’t occur, recognize effort.
- Motivate through encouragement, not fear.
- Be fair and consistent to all athletes.
- Be positive.
- Be patient.
- Be kind and loving, but be firm when necessary.
- Demonstrate to your athletes that you also work hard to become better, that you make mistakes, but that you actively put in the work required to become a better, more-knowledgeable coach just as you ask them to do in order to become better players.
- Be aware of how you speak to athletes. It is never acceptable to berate a child.
- Treat referees with the respect they deserve.
- Understand that the same behavior that will not be tolerated of parents will not be tolerated of coaches.
Specific Coaching Requirements:
- Demonstrate exceptional knowledge of basic basketball fundamentals.
- Understand the rules of the game and the particular rules of the Tri-County Youth League.
- Follow curriculum standards recommended by MHS/GMS/TYBO.
- Attend TYBO coaches meetings.
- Support TYBO activities and fundraising activities as needed.
- Understand that coaches are responsible for their players.
- Stress to athletes the importance of academics and that schoolwork always comes before sports. (TYBO athletes are required to maintain satisfactory grades and/or meet academic eligibility requirements as issued by OHSAA).
- Always strive to arrive early to the team’s events.
- Require your team to be respectful, courteous, and quiet when entering a practice facility where another team is practicing.
- Develop a schedule/agenda for every practice. Limit the amount of time that athletes spend standing around during drills, between drills, etc.
- Dismiss practices on time.
The Application Process and Yearly Assignments:
- In order to apply for a coaching position, an applicant must read this coaches manual and fill out the brief application below.
- All applicants will be assessed and voted upon by the TYBO Board of Directors.
- All assignments are for one season only.
- Coaches from the previous season who wish to coach again must reapply for the following season.
- An individual may only coach one team, regardless if that individual is considered the head or assistant coach.
Details of the Season:
TYBO’s normal season has three distinct segments. The first segment consists of an open recreational format and will run from mid-November through the end of December. (This part is commonly referred to as the “rec program”). The second segment is travel competition, with selected players from the rec program, within the Tri-County Youth League and the Ross County YMCA. This second segment of our season runs from the beginning of January through the end of February. The last segment of our season is team play in at least one invitational tournament, (the McDonald’s Classic), and possibly a second tournament when available.
The rec program is a “come one, come all” program. The program provides the ability for all interested children to participate, to form their own experience with the sport, to learn, improve and have equal opportunity to try out and play in (competition) travel basketball. It is required that head coaches of travel teams also participate in the recreational portion of the program.
The rec program consists of 1-2 practices per week, scheduled and managed by the coach, plus weekly Sunday activities, scheduled and directed by TYBO. The format of play/instruction for Sunday events will be determined on a week-by-week basis and will include inter-squad scrimmages, scrimmages against other schools and (group) camp-style practices.
The rec season serves as the “try-out” for competition basketball. However, during the rec season, coaches are to avoid the discussion of travel ball with individual players, the team or with parents. During the rec portion of the season it should be clear to all that the coaches’ focus is to build the skills of the entire rec group. It is unacceptable for a coach to use the threat of not making a travel team as motivation to “work harder”, “pay attention”, “run faster”, etc.
During the second segment of the season teams compete in the Tri-County Youth League, (TCYL) and the Ross County YMCA league. The TCYL consists of girls and boys teams for grades 4th, 5th and 6th from McClain, Fairfield, Hillsboro, East Clinton, Wilmington, Clinton Massie, Washington Courthouse and Miami Trace. Games are played every Saturday and Sunday for 7 straight weeks. The same schedule typically applies to every weekend. On Saturday’s, boys play first (4th, then 5th, then 6th), starting at 10:00 AM (with all games starting at the top of every hour), and on Sunday’s, girls play first, (4th, 5th, 6th), starting at 1:00PM.
Some TCYL schools have 3rd grade travel teams. When McClain plays one of those schools the TYBO 3rd grade teams will also play. Typically, those games will take place at the same campus in a different gym, during the same time other TYBO teams are playing. Due to the inherent nature of scheduling one-off games with other schools, TYBO will communicate directly with 3rd grade coaches regarding the scheduling and location of all games. At the end of the regular season, the 3rd grade teams will also compete in two invitational tournaments (at McClain and at WCH).
Competition play in the Ross County YMCA league will occur simultaneously with TCYL play. This league will serve a critical element to our mission: to keep all kids engaged in the sport and to provide an opportunity to experience consistent competition play.
Competition travel teams are limited to 12 players per team. In the event that more than 12 rec players apply to be considered for travel ball, the coach will be responsible to make TCYL team roster recommendations to the TYBO Board of Directors. The TYBO Board of Directors will give final approval to all team lists/player selections.
When informing players of the selections for travel teams, and especially when communicating to a child that they were not selected for the travel team, it is imperative that coaches undertake the process with the utmost of attention and care to the feelings and emotional well-being of the athlete. It is not acceptable to announce up/down selections to an entire group of players when some children present are not selected to play.
Typically, each TYBO team will be given one confirmed practice slot per week at GMS. It is usually possible for each coach to also schedule one weekly practice at Buckskin or Rainsboro. Weekly practice slots are 90 minutes each. Non-TYBO athletes are not permitted to participate at any practice. It is recommended that all coaches discuss practice attendance with players and parents. It is also recommended that coaches institute a discipline plan for players missing practice without an excuse and/or for failing to notify the coach that they will not attend practice.
Due to the fact that unexcused/no-call absences are oftentimes a parent issue, it is not appropriate to use physical punishment, such as running sprints, as a disciplinary measure for those infractions. Fair and appropriate measures may include being withheld from participating in a fun team drill/activity or having playing time reduced in the game immediately following the unexcused absence. During practices, it is acceptable to use sprints and other conditioning drills as a means to regain player/team focus after improper behavior, poor attention or lack of effort.
All coaches will have full access to the all-call system that TYBO uses. The phone numbers for all team parents will be preloaded into the system. The all-call system is a very efficient method for group texting team parents and for reaching the parent group (through one voice message to all). Access information and user instructions will be given to all coaches.
Coaches are also required to assist in concessions-volunteer staffing. For every home game day, each team has to provide two adult volunteers to work in concessions for a period of one game, either immediately before or after their own child’s game. TYBO will work to create the easiest sign-up method possible. However, coaches are responsible to ensure that the team’s volunteers arrive to complete their shift. Coaches are the automatic fill-in should volunteers not show.
Athletes will be provided TYBO uniforms to wear during travel ball. These uniforms will remain the property of TYBO and will be returned (for re-use) at the end of the season. Athletes, parents or coaches may not make any cosmetic alteration to TYBO uniforms, practice jerseys or shooting shirts.