If I Coached U10 Basketball Again, Here's What I Would (and Wouldn't) Do

My first coaching "job" was as a 20 year old volunteer coach of a U10 team – Go Snipers!!!

If I went back to coaching U10 players today, I'd do it very differently than most people expect.

Not because I'd load the kids up with complex drills. Not because I'd simplify the game into a rigid checklist of shooting "fundamentals." But because I've spent 20 years learning what actually builds skill — and what often holds it back.

Here's what I would do… and what I absolutely wouldn't.

What I Would Do

I'd start the first practice with a jump ball and scrimmage all of the first practice, stopping occasionally to show them something.

Then I'd…

• Let them play. A lot. Most kids this age don't get nearly enough time playing real basketball. I'd spend the majority of practice in full or small-sided games (like 2v2, 3v3) where they get more touches, more decisions, and more chances to figure the game out.
• Teach _within_ the game. I wouldn't stop play constantly to explain technique. I'd pause at key moments, ask questions, and help players start to see opportunities for themselves. Learning would come from the game, not from me talking.
• Adjust the game to meet the players. I'd modify space, defenders, rules, or goals to create the right challenge level. Make it hard enough that kids have to adapt, but not so hard that they feel lost.

What I Wouldn't Do

• I wouldn't dissect the game without purpose. There's this idea that "good coaching" means breaking things into isolated drills. But unless you _really_ know why you're isolating something, you're likely just removing valuable context. Young players don't need more drills. They need _more game._
• I wouldn't over-correct technique (and I might not even mention it). Beginners don't need to "fix" their shot every rep. They need to explore, adapt, and find coordination patterns that make sense to _their_ body. I'd give light guidance, but I wouldn't obsess over form.
• I wouldn't obsess over control. Chaos is part of the game. Missed passes, double dribbles, confusion — that's how learning happens. My job wouldn't be to prevent mistakes, but to guide kids through them.

The Big Idea

Even to the extreme – if you are a youth coach that is volunteering your time and don't really know what you are doing… AMAZING!!! Thank you! And in this case, the smartest thing you can do is just let them play.

For most youth coaches, _more play, less drill_ is the better path. Especially if you're still learning the game yourself.

Because when you strip away the structure, the cones, and the clipboard… you're left with the real teacher: the game itself.