On a recent Hardwood Hustle Podcast, Adam Bradley and Alan Stein posed the question, “As an assistant coach how do you handle a situation where you disagree with the head coach?” Every head coach in the business has been an assistant at some point in their life. It is important to fulfill that role to the best of your ability and learn from the head coach. PGC’s Tyler Coston shared five tips/rules to live be as an assistant coach.
- ASK QUESTIONS: There’s a reason you disagree with the head coach, but you may not understand his why. Asking questions is the only way to fully understand they why of the head coach.
- SEE WHAT THEY DON’T: Great head coaches value differing opinions on the staff; no one likes a “yes” man. But understand there is a time and place for debate. These types of brainstorming and conversations should always happen off the floor, AWAY from the players.
- GET IT DONE IN ADVANCE: Head coaches love that when they need something, it is already done. As an assistant, try to think like the head coach and prepare things that they may need or want.
- HAVE A PLAN: …for any situation, including those you don’t necessarily have responsibility for. For example, if the head coach is pulled out of practice unexpectedly during a drill, you need to have a plan to continue practice and teaching that drill.
- BE ADAPTABLE: The #1 priority as an assistant coach is to make the head coach look good.
