Last time I shared something about my experience with working with other coaches in other sports. Think I mentioned that last week I attended the basketball team's banquet and wanted to share some random observations. I love the end of season sports banquet! Eat great food, talk with cool people and wrap up the season on a positive note. So here are my observations in no particular order with no particular agenda:
Pot luck dinner: Yum! It's funny: have people bring what they want and you'd think you'd get too much of the same thing - but this banquet had a wide variety of foods. Taco salad was a big hit.
Coaches really spoke from the heart about the players - they really understood the players. Very articulate. Sometimes when I've presented participation awards to the players, I struggle with getting the words right. These guys didn't have that problem.
Each player got a participation award.
Coach wasn't afraid to talk about what the player struggled with that season - was a challenge to them for the next season.
No trophies were handed out. Certificates were handed out for: Rookie of the Year (best first year player), Excellence in Conduct, Leadership, Most Improved, Most valuable. These were handed out for JV and Varsity.
The JV coach has a tradition, going waaaaaay back, for handing out chocolate milk after games and practices for good effort. He does it a lot and the players really work for that milk! At the banquet he hands out quart size chocolate milks for special efforts - the kids eat that up!
The coaches really track performance metrics. The players will do free throws, dribbling drills, etc. before or after practice and have the players record the numbers. The coaches track the progress and acknowledge that at the banquet. Really good idea. I keep lots of numbers, but not metrics on things that show improvement in skills. Need to do that.
Varsity coach has a quick talk on advice to seniors. He had five points: (1) Be a veracious reader, read you bible, (2) Reject passivity, don't be a spectator, (3) Serve your king with valor, (4) Find time for silence and reflection, and (5) don't just do what everyone else is doing.
Seniors have to give a speech at the end of the banquet.
Varsity coach gave the seniors two books.
Everyone loves a good video of the season. Having the right lens for taking indoor basketball pictures is key. The lens is expensive, but worth it.
Have a video of a game to play during the meal. Plan on having 1-2hrs of video.
There was a special table for the coaches and their wives. Lots of honor and acknowledgement given to the wives. These coaches have coaches for years without kids on the team. That's a lot on a family and that honor was well done.
When going for dinner, the senior got to go first, then families, then the players.
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