Effort: How to Evaluate Effort Level & Enthusiasm

Before we review specific examples of what constitutes effort and enthusiasm, please make sure you’ve reviewed this exact excerpt from our Parents – Expectations: Game to 21 Common Questions.

[learn_more caption=”#8 How is Playing Time Determined? (Attendance/Effort/Same Page)”]

Coaches keep attendance and effort level reports for each practice and determine playing time accordingly. Players must abide by style of play rules as well – meaning players must be on the same page as the coach and team. Do not count your child’s minutes. We do not award equal playing time. We offer reasonable playing time (per game and cumulative) for those who are showing up, putting in the time and following the rules on the floor. If your child gets fewer minutes for one game, but is meeting expectations as far as you can see, note that the coaches sometimes can’t make things perfect each game and that they are told to adjust minutes according to our standards in the next game. For more exact details and examples of effort, please read Effort: How To Evaluate Effort & Enthusiasm. [/learn_more]

STEP #1: Your job requirements as a parent may be satisfied if you simply do the following:

A) Drop your child off on time for as many mandatory team events as possible.

B) Encourage your child to participate in as many optional events as possible.

C) Make sure your child reads: Players – Expectations – Best of 10 (Score a Perfect 10)

If you still are unsure as to why your child’s coach feels your child could be giving more effort, please sit down and review the following examples of effort level and enthusiasm with your child:

1) Showing up on time (or few minutes early), in proper attire, ready to go, water bottle set.

2) Running into and out of drills.

3) Regular eye contact and

nodding of your head to assert focus, attention span and willingness to learn.

4) Sprinting end of sprints as hard as possible so that one is breathing heavy at the end of the sprint.

5) Touching all lines in sprints and doing all drills properly.

6) Cheering for others whenever possible.

7) Doing what is asked by the coach, which often means DOING THINGS PROPERLY over making shots.

8) Knowing to take care of the basketball and contain your defender IN EVERY PRACTICE and GAME.

9) Accepting that scoring doesn’t solve everything. Doing what coach is asking – running wide on the break, knowing your spot on offense, containing your player, knowing good spacing, practicing your lay-ups perfectly, doing things with proper form and discipline are far more important than scoring AND in fact will lead to more scoring in the short-term and long-term.

10) Saying hello, goodbye and thank you to everyone in the gym, including parents who were kind enough to sign their child up for a thorough and serious program and for taking their children to each event.