Being the Parent of an Elite Basketball Player

Being the Parent of an Elite Basketball Player July 2015 Welcome

Overview • Canada Basketball – Long Term Athlete Development – Gold Medal Profile – Pathways • Periodization • Daily training environment • Culture of training • Practice /comp • Over use injuries/ burnout • Decision making on post secondary school • Parent’s role

If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together - African Proverb Future of Basketball

Canada Basketball’s Vision Striving to be World Leaders with consistent Podium success World Class: • Players • Coaches • Officials • Administrators Aiming to be the best means that all levels benefit; CIS, CCAA, Clubs, Schools, Recreational, facilities high performance etc. Future of Basketball

Canadian Sport For Life Train to Win GMP Learn to Win

Canadian Basketball System – Elite Athlete Pathway Senior National Team NBA, WNBA, International Pro Canadian Pro League Development National Team NCAA CIS & CCAA Junior National Team US Prep, High Schools & AAU High Schools / Clubs Cadette National Team Targeted Athlete Strategy Provincial Teams RTC/CP Elite Development Programs SNYB ONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

Our Teams CWNT 2014 DWNT 2014 JWNT 2014 SWNT 2014 ONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

Senior (Open) Big Girls Development (17 -25 post Sec. ) Junior WC FAQ WC ID U 15 U 17 Even birth years (1998) Cadet odd birth years (1999) WC ID U 15 Cycle repeats (2000, 2001) ONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

Pillars of Development a. Basketball Skills b. Physical Development c. Mental/Social/Emotional Development d. Life Skills e. Professional ONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

Basketball Four Factors Control Scoring Rebounds Fouls ONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

Physical Development • Health/Wellness • Functional Movement Capacity • Physical Work Capacity ONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

Mental/Social/Emotional Development • Perspective, Focus, Imagery, Energy • Leadership • Environment ONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

Life Skills Leading Others • Leadership • Relationships • Communication Follow Others Giving Energy Leading Self ONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

Professional Lizanne Murphy Pro team –Angers in LFB (France ) ONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

Targeted Athlete Strategy • Identify targeted athletes from the national team program’s depth chart • Provides athletes with support for their development • Focus on personal improvement in development: § § Basketball Academics, Physical Development, Mental/Social/Emotional/Life Skills THIS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE GAME. ONE NATION. 100% CANADIAN.

How many legs? If we call the tail a leg, how many legs does the dog have? FOUR! Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg

What is Elite? Elite sport – this means when we have cut players from participation. We usually travel to play other elite teams outside of our immediate area. Elite developmental sport • The major goal is to improve the player for the next stage. • Competition is used as a test to see where players are in their developmental pathway. • The coach ensures that the players have a season that includes: general prep, specific prep, pre-competitive, transitional and an off-season. • There is a premium placed on training the physical, mental, social/emotional and technical/tactical skills of the player. • They are more practices than games. Concerns

Winning vs. Developing Focus on improving weaknesses DEVELOP WIN Focus on avoiding weaknesses Developing Winners

Risk Reward High Reward Low Risk High Reward High Risk Low Reward Low Risk Low Reward High Risk

The Myth of Competition The value of the experience is in the game. If I pay for my child to play sport I want to see games. The further the game is from my home the more valuable the experience. The more stuff my child gets from the program the more valuable the experience. The more games will “expose” my son or daughter to recruiters who will help pay for their college education.

Vern Gambetta There is a distorted emphasis on competition to the exclusion of training. This just reinforces the Darwinian process that favours the early developing athlete. The strong survive and rarely thrive. We tend to focus on the few who thrive because they are stars.

Periodization

Five Phases of a Single Periodized Plan CS 4 L Long-Term Athlete Development 2. 0

PODIUM PATHWAY PLANNING No Conflict Periodization T 2 T T 2 C ONT Sep Oct Dec Jan Feb Mar High school Apr Club High school TAS Nov JUN Jul Exposure P/TSO Club May Exposure P/TSO Aug

Maintenance vs. Training Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Morning Game Afternoon Game Practice Evening Practice Game Sun

Red Flag There are very few elite developmental basketball programs being run at the T 2 T and T 2 C stages. The reason is because the athletes are playing on too many different programs; therefore the athletes do not have the proper time to go through a general prep, specific prep, pre-competitive, transitional and off season. Coaches are not taking responsibility for the accumulative impact. Don’t work together with the other program. Your daughter is the only common denominator. Insert Car sharing analogy Concerns

What makes a good club? • Club displays a commitment to development • Club has clearly established policies and are reviewed/updated periodically • Club is appropriately insured for its participants, staff, board of directors, facilities, and activities • Transparency in budgeting and financial expenditures • Club’s Mission, Vision, and Values are CS 4 L inclusive and LTAD appropriate • Open reciprocal communication between coaches, athletes, parents and club officials • Proper periodization – organized schedule, understand promote rest an recovery, seasons of play • Planned practices – warm up, cool downs, individual player development • Trained in first aid – emergency action plan • Coaches are NCCP trained

German Olympic Study

Burn out and Overuse Injuries and Burnout in Youth Sports: What We Know And What We Don't By Lindsey Barton Straus, JD "We do not know how many children and young athletes are affected by overuse injuries. Adolescent girls may be at the highest risk for overuse injuries.

Burnout Risk factors Enviromental Extremely high training volumes Extremely high time demands Demanding performance expectations (imposed by self or significant others) Frequent intense competition Inconsistent coaching practices Personal characteristics Perfectionism Need to pleases others Nonassertiveness Unidimensional self-conceptualization (focusing only on one's athletic involvement) Low self-esteem High perception of stress (high anxiety)

What We Don't Know Effect of tournaments and showcases. Despite the absence of data to link these activities with overuse injuries, longer rest periods between matches and games have been proposed in an effort to improve athlete safety and performance, enhance recovery, and minimize the "carryover" effects from previous competitions. In terms of overuse injuries, scheduling may simply be a marker for a high ratio of workload-torecovery time.

Overuse injuries - risk factors Intrinsic • Prior injury: • Adolescent growth spurt: • Menstrual irregularity: Extrinsic • Workload: Higher training volumes have consistently been shown to increase the risk of overuse injury in multiple sports. A study of high school athletes found a linear relationship between hours of sports participation and risk of injury, with training more than 16 hours per week associated with a significant increased risk of injury requiring medical care.

Overuse injuries - risk factors • Year-round play. 42% increase in self-reported overuse injuries in high school athletes who participated all year versus 3 or less seasons per year. (Cuff, 2010). • More organized sports/less free play. One study (Jayanthi, 2012), for instance, found that the athletes who suffered sport-related injuries spent an average of 12. 6 hours per week in tennis and only 2. 4 hours per week in free play or recreation, while the uninjured players spent only 9. 7 hours per week in organized tennis and 4. 3 hours in unstructured free play.

Rest and Recovery

Rest and Recovery

Rest and Recovery

Rest and Recovery

It is all relative VS. Concerns

Traps of Success - You think you have arrived – coast or stop working - Expect to make the next team - Wary of people, groups or organization who want to use your daughters success to enhance their success – Eugenie Bouchard – distractions, play through injuries, poor periodization

Choosing a Post Secondary School

Canada vs. USA • Either pathway can lead to National teams and the pro’s • Which one leads the goals you and your daughter have for her future in and outside basketball

Advice to Parents • Expose your daughter to as many schools as you can. Information can be gathered from college guides, visiting schools, meeting with admission counselors and professors. Remember, early exposure will make the recruiting experience less stressful for everyone. • Accompany your daughter on the school visits, if possible. You may also try to have her stay overnight with a student-athlete, which should provide a great opportunity to get a realistic picture of college life. • You can learn more about the coaches by talking to them. (Would I want my daughter to play for this person? ) You can check the training and weight room, and ask questions about the facilities and programs, plus: • What kind of care is given to injured athletes? • Do parents attend the games? • What is the geographic distribution of the team?

• When coaches call, ask questions. Try to get to know them. When decision time comes around, be up-front with the coaches who have been recruiting your child. The coaches will always respect a student's final decision. • Financial aid: Once the packaging has been received, don't be afraid to call the financial aid office. If you have concerns about the loan amount or lack of funds, it does not hurt to ask them how they arrived at these figures. • How much is tuition for 4 courses per semester? • Can you put me in contact with an academic advisor?

Questions to ask coaching staff What positions will I play on your team? It is not always obvious. Most coaches want to be flexible, so you might not receive a definite answer. • What other players may be competing at the same position? The response could give you an idea of when you can expect to be a starter. • Will I be redshirted my first year? The school's policy on redshirting may impact you both athletically and academically. • What expectations do you have for training and conditioning? This will reveal the college or university's commitment to a training and conditioning program. • How would you best describe your coaching style? Every coach has a particular style that involves different motivational techniques and discipline. You need to know if a coach's teaching style matches your learning style. • When does the head coach's contract end? How long does the coach intend to stay? Do not make any assumptions about how long a coach will be at a school. If the coach leaves, does this change your mind about the school or the program? • What are preferred, invited and uninvited walk-on situations? How many do you expect to compete? How many earn a scholarship? • Who else are you recruiting for my position? Coaches may consider other student-athletes for every position. • Is medical insurance required for my participation? Is it provided by the college? You may be required to provide proof of insurance. • If I am seriously injured while competing, who is responsible for my medical expenses? • What happens if I want to transfer to another school? You may not transfer without the permission of your current college’s athletics department. Ask how often coaches grant this privilege and ask for an example of a situation In which permission was not granted. •

Academics Questions to ask admissions staff How good is the department in my major? How many students are in the department? What credentials do faculty members hold? What are graduates of the program doing after school? What percentage of players on scholarship graduate? • The response will suggest the school's commitment to academics. You might want to ask two follow-up questions: • What percentage of incoming students eventually graduate? • What is the current team's grade-point average? What academic support programs are available to student-athletes? • Look for a college that will help you become a better student. If I have a diagnosed and documented disability, what kind of academic services are available? • Special academic services may help you achieve your academic goals. How many credit hours should I take in season and out of season? • It is important to determine how many credit hours are required for your degree and what pace you will follow to obtain that degree. Are there restrictions in scheduling classes around practice? • NCAA rules prevent you from missing class for practice. Is summer school available? If I need to take summer school, will it be paid for by the college? • You may need to take summer school to meet academic and/or graduation requirements. College life • What is a typical day for a student-athlete? • The answer will give you a good idea of how much time is spent in class, practice, study and travel. It also will give you a good indication of what coaches expect. • What are the residence halls like? • The response should give you a hint of how comfortable you would be in your room, study areas, community bathrooms and at the laundry facilities. Also ask about the number of students in a room, coed dorms and the rules governing life in the residence halls. • Must student-athletes live on campus? • If the answer is “yes, ” ask about exceptions.

Financial aid How much financial aid is available for both the academic year and summer school? What does your scholarship cover? How long does my scholarship last? What are my opportunities for employment while I am a student? • Find out if you can be employed in season, out of season or during vacation periods. Exactly how much will the athletics scholarship be? What will and will not be covered? • It is important to understand what college expenses your family is responsible for so you can arrange to pay those. Educational expenses can be paid with student loans and government grants, but it takes time to apply for them. Find out early so you can get something lined up. Am I eligible for additional financial aid? Are there any restrictions? • Sometimes a student-athlete cannot accept a certain type of scholarship because of NCAA limitations. If you will be receiving other scholarships, let the coach and financial aid officer know so they can determine if you may accept additional dollars. Who is financially responsible if I am injured while competing? • You need to understand your financial obligations if you suffer an injury while participating in athletics. Under what circumstances could my scholarship be reduced or cancelled? • Coaches should be able to give you some idea of how players are evaluated from year to year and how these decisions are made. The college or university may have a policy governing renewal of athletics aid. Ask if such a policy exists and read it. Are there academic criteria tied to maintaining the scholarship? • Some colleges or universities add academic requirements to scholarships (e. g. , minimum grade-point average). What scholarship money is available after eligibility is exhausted to help me complete my degree? • It may take longer than four years to complete a college degree program. Some colleges assist student-athletes financially as they complete their degrees. Ask how such aid is awarded. You may have to work with the team or in the athletics department to qualify for this aid. What scholarship money is available if I suffer an athletics career-ending injury? • Not every institution continues to provide an athletics scholarship to a student-athlete who can no longer compete because of a career-ending injury. Will my scholarship be maintained if there is a change in coaches? • A coach may not be able to answer this, but the athletics director may

Role of Parent

Negative Parent Behaviours • A pressuring demeanor and treating the child differently depending on the result of the match. – might have been apparent only through a relative lack of positive and encouraging behaviors by the parent. • Making basketball too serious. – – Treating basketball as a job and losing perspective of the sport. overreactions to positive and negative outcomes on the court getting caught up in the draw, removing the fun from the game. More competitive parents often do not allow their child to socialize with others at tournaments. • Often controlling and overinvolved. – attempted to do everything for their child, making them overly dependent on the parents – Often a major reason why coach will stop recruiting.

Positive Actions of Parents • Drop off and leave • De-emphasize the outcome and focus on things child can control • Development of the whole child – morals values behaviour other sports – well being • Emphasizing work ethic, and holding the child accountable for his or her actions • Parental support – emotional, financial, time

• Having a balance • Being supportive but not overbearing, staying calm and controlling emotions, and unconditional love and caring. • Staying calm and controlling emotions, especially during matches, was an interesting other positive parent behavior. • Coaches felt that positive parents were able to maintain a calm and professional demeanor.

Parents Role Important to have an appropriate perspective • Positive parents do not compare their child with others and instead compare their child against their own performance. • Deemphasized the outcome of a game and focused more on things the child could control. • Just drop the kids off and the kid does her thing on the court and afterwards (the parent) just kind of pats her on the back. It’s like “okay back to work” or whatever else; it is not like “okay what happened? ”

Emphasizing the development of the total child • Disciplining the player for poor on-court behavior and handling this effectively was important. • Expect their kids to have good sportsmanship over everything. Whether it’s a win or a loss, they are loving and caring, but if that kid doesn’t have good sportsmanship, then that was unacceptable behaviour. • Reinforce morals and values that they want their child to develop through basketball. • Encouraging other activities and sports and allowing the child to do them. • Made an effort to facilitate their children’s social life and did not allow their child to become more important than those around him or her. • Doesn’t let the success separate the child from the rest of the community of other kids because they’re just another kid in everything else they do. • Were able to emphasize to their child the importance of working hard (and not wasting money) and yet were able to avoid pressuring to win as a return on their financial investment.

Promoting healthy self-esteem and character development • • • Encourage your daughter to talk about her favorite aspect of the activity. Invite your child to retell the story of a particular personal success or achievement. Acknowledge the details and successes they had and why it was important remember that what is important to them is what should be most important to you! Discuss values which may be “challenged” during your child’s participation. Reinforce values of discipline, pride, class, accountability and responsibility. Attend sessions and cheer enthusiastically for all players, not just your child. Praise each player’s efforts. Encourage your child to take part in all activities and do her best. Do not carry bad feelings toward other players because of incidents that may have occurred between players. Help to ensure your child arrives on time, healthy, well-rested, and ready to participate. Ensure healthy habits by consulting with your child’s coach or instructor to see if they have any recommendations for eating and sleeping regimes around training and competition.

Next Steps • You have to become involved in the system we have allowed the system to be hijacked. No flight plan, no long term vision. – Avoid peer pressure – that you must put your daughter in every program that wants her to play • Not to be critical of what your current club/team is doing. – Asking the questions – Build a plan - Take an inventory – what is available locally - Help to find solution don’t demand it

Have a meeting with all partners who work with your daughter. Do not do it seperately.

Questions ?