Coaches Guidebook: 2024 - 2025

Coaches / Parents Meeting

• When contacting player parents to inform them that their daughter is a member of your team, advise them that

          there will be a mandatory 15 minute meeting for parents before the start of the first practice. You may want to give

           them a brief overview of yourself to make them feel comfortable but confirm that one parent must be present at the

           parent meeting.

Meeting

• Provide a brief introduction about yourself and an explanation of how and why you became a coach. Communicate

          the League Philosophy and our Core Leadership Values as well as your own. After your intro, have parents introduce themselves and point out their daughters

           so you can match up parents to players.

• Discuss the practice days and times.

Coaches Responsibilities

           1.Provide a safe and positive environment for the girls

           2.Girls should have fun

           3.Develop teamwork, team spirit and a commitment to one another

           4.Instill good sportsmanship and fair play

           5.Challenge the girls. Create in each player the desire to be the best that she can be

           6.Teach the fundamentals of basketball and leverage the tools on this website.

Players Responsibilities

          1.Be courteous and respectful of coaches, teammates, opponents & referees

          2.Have fun

          3.Be positive

          4.Challenge yourself to try something new every practice

          5.Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

          6.Be prepared to play basketball at practice or games

          7.Enjoy the season with your teammates

Parents Responsibilities

          1.Have fun and enjoy the season with your daughter

          2.Be a positive role model. Be the fans in the stands during games. Cheer!

          3.No coaching from the stands or sidelines during games! If you want to coach, apply to be a coach, otherwise, be a spectator.

          4.Inform coach/coaches if your child has special needs. Coaches will keep this information confidential if requested to do so.

          5.Problems  - Contact coach if needed

This is an overview of the Coaches/Parent meeting. Please use it as a guide. This is a great time to communicate your individual team rules to the parents and later to the girls. Please refer to the WHGBL Introduction and to the Coaches Code of Conduct for further assistance. Please remind parents that two coaches (or a coach and a parent) must be present at every practice.

Coaches, Parents and Players Gym Use Guidelines

1. Coaches and players should remember they are guests in the schools and that use of the gym is a privilege. You should always leave the gyms as you found them. Do not remove items from the bulletin boards, erase backboards, remove gym equipment, etc.

           1.Vandalism or other misconduct by the leagues teams and individuals could result in the loss of use of the school gyms.

           2.All coaches should introduce themselves to the school staff and custodians before their first practice if possible.

           3.Sneakers only in the gyms - no street shoes.

           4.Coaches need to arrive before their players and not leave until all their players have been picked up, The custodians and school staff cannot be

           responsible for supervising the players in their coach’s absence.

           5.Remind parents not to drop off their children early. They should always be sure their child’s coach is there before they leave. Parents should pick up their children on time at the end of practice. Again, the school custodians and staff cannot supervise the players in a coach’s absence.

           6.Coaches need to supervise their players at all times. The league, coaches and players may be held responsible for any damage or vandalism resulting from their use of the gyms.

           7.Coaches should inspect their gyms when they arrive. If you find any problems, damage, anything broken, etc., you should report it to the school custodian before you begin your practice or at the very least, take pictures with your cell phone. This will help determine when a problem or damage happened and who is responsible for it. You should also immediately report any gym problems to your league president.

           8.Practices are cancelled when schools are closed for inclement weather

Court Decorum

1.Lead by example. The actions and statements of coaches and players should be above reproach.

2.Coaches are responsible for the actions of their players, assistants and fans.

3.Profane language is forbidden.

4.Coaches are not to argue with referees nor are they to physically demonstrate challenges to referee calls. Referee judgment calls should not be challenged.

Protesting Games

Should the need arise to protest a game, the following procedure should be used. Calmly notify the game official of the intent to do so. Notify the League President of the protest in writing via e-mail within 24 hours. The protest will be reviewed and adjudicated by the WHGBL Board of Directors.  Referee judgment calls are not a basis for protest. Protesting of games should be avoided.

Player Discipline

Suspension or discipline of a player is an extreme action and is only allowed with prior approval of the WHGBL Board of Directors. Unexcused absences from previous practices or games may be used as a reason for loss of playing time. Please consult the League President before addressing any major player behavioral problems.

Team Equipment

Each team will be supplied with uniforms, practice basketballs, pinneys, practice cones a basic first aid kit and ice packs. Players are required to wear their entire team uniform for games. A WHGBL Team Roster and WHGBL Equipment Inventory (provided separately) must be submitted to obtain the necessary equipment. Coaches must safeguard WHGBL equipment during the off-season. New head coaches will be responsible for obtaining team equipment from the previous coach.

Postponements/Cancellations & Make-ups

Games postponed or cancelled due to inclement weather are not rescheduled.

Games postponed due to peculiar circumstances will be rescheduled on a best effort basis depending on available gym space. The affected coaches will contact the League President to obtain date and time for make-up game.

Games will not be rescheduled due to insufficient players available. This situation will  result in a forfeit. If this should occur, the teams should be combined and an exhibition game should be played between all players available. Games must be started with 5 players but can end with 4 players.

Sportsmanship Award

One player from each team will be selected as a recipient of the Kathy M. Doyle Sportsmanship Award. The coach(s) shall make the selection upon or near the completion of the season and will report the selection to the League President.

The criteria for this award is as follow:

1.Supportive and encouraging of teammates

2.Demonstrates respect for opposing players

3.Demonstrates respect for game officials

4.Displays enthusiasm for the game of basketball

5.Displays loyalty to the team

6.Player is coachable and demonstrates a willingness to learn

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