Basketball Coach Chris

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COACH’S NOTEBOOK #9 📝🏀Last weekend I got asked to step in and coach an U16 team I’d never coached before.It’s a strange...
05/10/2026

COACH’S NOTEBOOK #9 📝🏀

Last weekend I got asked to step in and coach an U16 team I’d never coached before.

It’s a strange experience.

I didn’t really know the players. They didn’t really know me — other than perhaps knowing me through social media.

Suddenly I’m responsible for rotations, timeouts and decisions based almost entirely on what I’m seeing and feeling in the moment.

And I’ll admit, there were times when I wondered whether I was getting it right.

But something happened as the game went on.

I gave them instructions. They trusted me enough to try them.

They worked.

That built a little more trust.

Later, we drew up two plays on the board. The players went back onto court, executed them and both worked.

That’s a good feeling.

Not because drawing something on a board makes you a good coach.

But because a group of players who barely knew me were prepared to trust what I was asking them to do.

And, if I’m completely truthful, moments like that give you a little reminder as a coach:

Maybe I do know what I’m doing.

We’re always learning. Always questioning. Always reflecting.

Sometimes it’s nice to get a little bit of evidence back the other way too.

📸 Josh Rackham | Josh Rackham | UFO Media

Now the games have started, training has stepped up a gear. 🏀Not because we’ve suddenly changed everything we’re doing.T...
29/09/2026

Now the games have started, training has stepped up a gear. 🏀

Not because we’ve suddenly changed everything we’re doing.

The players are starting to see why we’re doing it.

The problems and challenges we’re trying to recreate in training are now the same ones they’re experiencing for themselves in games.

That’s starting to change training too.

We keep the rhythm of skill development on a Monday, then Thursday gives us the opportunity to bring those skills into team situations and work on what the games are showing us.

Train. Play. Reflect. Go again.

For me, that’s where the learning really starts to connect.

📸 Josh Rackham | UFO Media

🏀 Basketball IQ #4If you can see the back of your defender’s head, go to the basket.We were working through some of our...
11/09/2026

🏀 Basketball IQ #4

If you can see the back of your defender’s head, go to the basket.

We were working through some of our team structure last night when this became a really simple teaching point.

If your defender has turned their head away from you, they’re watching something else.

They can’t see you.

And quite often they’re expecting you to still be where they last saw you.

So don’t stay there.

Go to the basket.

Once we highlighted it, the players started recognising it for themselves — and suddenly we were getting easy baskets from it.

That’s the kind of Basketball IQ I want them to develop.

Not remembering another instruction from the coach.

Seeing something. Understanding what it means. Making a decision.

The plays give us some structure.

But the players still have to play basketball. 🏀

YouthBasketball BasketballTraining

🏀 Coach’s Notebook #8The play isn’t the answer. It’s a starting point.Yesterday I found myself saying something to the ...
04/09/2026

🏀 Coach’s Notebook #8

The play isn’t the answer. It’s a starting point.

Yesterday I found myself saying something to the players that probably sums up how I want us to play basketball.

We were working on some of our team structure and plays, but I wanted them to understand that what’s drawn on the board isn’t something they have to follow blindly.

A play gives us structure.

It can give us spacing, movement and a starting point.

But then we still have to play basketball.

If the defence gives you an opportunity — take it.

If something isn’t there — don’t force it just because that’s what the play says should happen next.

Read what’s in front of you. Make a decision. Trust your skills.

Because if I teach players to simply remember where they’re supposed to stand and where they’re supposed to pass next, I might get better ex*****on of a play…

…but I’m not necessarily developing better basketball players.

The structure should help players make decisions — not make the decisions for them.

Give them a starting point.

Then let them play. 🏀

PlayerDevelopment YouthBasketball BasketballCoach BasketballTraining

🏀 A weekend of progress.Two games. Two defeats.And I’m absolutely fine saying both of those things.Saturday against Roth...
01/09/2026

🏀 A weekend of progress.

Two games. Two defeats.

And I’m absolutely fine saying both of those things.

Saturday against Rotherham Hawks Rotherham Hawks Basketball was another step forward. We did a lot of things better, competed better and showed that we’re continuing to move in the right direction.

Sunday brought another challenge against Sheffield Arrows Sheffield Arrows Basketball Academy . We were giving away size and age in a lot of match-ups, and there were moments where that showed.

But there were also moments from every player where I could point to something and say:

“That’s it. That’s what we’re looking for.”

A good decision.
A strong drive.
Getting back defensively.
A rebound.
An extra pass.
Good movement.
Competing against someone bigger.

We’re nowhere near the finished article. There’s still a lot for these players to learn and plenty for us to coach.

But we’re getting better.

And at this stage of the season, that’s what I’m looking for.

Sunday was also about far more than our game.

We were privileged to take part in the Ava Harding Invitational, bringing junior basketball teams together in Ava’s memory and raising funds for her family’s chosen charity, YoungMinds YoungMinds

A huge thank you to everyone involved in organising the day, to all the teams who took part and to everyone who supported the fundraising.

We were proud to be a small part of a very special day. ❤️🏀

In memory of Ava.

📸 Josh Rackham | UFO Media

SheffieldSharks BasketballFamily

🧠 Basketball IQ #3I really enjoy watching Masters basketball.In some ways, I think it’s basketball almost in its purest...
28/08/2026

🧠 Basketball IQ #3

I really enjoy watching Masters basketball.

In some ways, I think it’s basketball almost in its purest form.

That’s not to say athleticism and fitness disappear — they don’t — but when some of the speed, explosiveness and physical advantages of the younger game are reduced, you start to see other parts of basketball much more clearly.

Timing. Spacing. Angles. Screens. Movement. Footwork. Passing. Decision-making.

Players creating advantages because they understand the game.

Athleticism can get you out of trouble. It can allow you to do things other players simply can’t do physically.

But it won’t last forever.

Understanding how to play the game can stay with you for a very long time.

And that’s probably one of the reasons I enjoy watching Masters basketball so much. You see experienced players finding different ways to solve the same problems they’ve been solving on a basketball court for years.

As a junior coach, there’s something in that for me too.

Of course I want players to develop their skills and physical abilities now. But I also want them to understand the game they’re playing.

Because ultimately, I want them to love basketball and still be involved with it when they’re my age. 🏀

Athleticism creates advantages.
Understanding the game does too.

YouthBasketball MastersBasketball

A week ago we played Manchester Magic and came away with a lot to learn.Yesterday we played them again.The scoreline? Ve...
17/08/2026

A week ago we played Manchester Magic and came away with a lot to learn.

Yesterday we played them again.

The scoreline? Very similar.

The performance? Better.

We got up the floor with more purpose. We attacked the basket with more intent. We were more consistent getting back on defence and started to apply some structure that suits where we are as a team right now.

There’s still loads to work on.

We gave up too many fast-break layups. Too many second chances. We need to get better at forcing the ball down the wings, attacking the basket consistently and BOXING OUT.

But that’s development.

After the first game I told the players I wasn’t expecting miracles in a week — I was expecting their actions to match their words.

Yesterday I saw some of that.

The scoreboard didn’t reward the improvement.

That doesn’t mean the improvement wasn’t there.

Now we go back to work. 🏀

One of the nicest things that happened to me recently had nothing to do with winning a game.I saw two players I’d coache...
03/08/2026

One of the nicest things that happened to me recently had nothing to do with winning a game.

I saw two players I’d coached previously, who had also attended 1822 Basketball, training with another coach.

My first thought wasn’t…

“Why aren’t they training with me?”

It was…

“Brilliant… they’re still playing.”

Basketball isn’t about collecting players.

It’s about keeping people in the game.

That’s one of the reasons I’ve invited coaches like Eddy Brownell and Mac to guest coach at 1822 Basketball.

Different coaches bring different experiences, different ideas and different perspectives.

If players are willing to learn from everyone around them, they’ll become better players than if they only ever listen to one voice.

Basketball isn’t a competition between coaches.

It’s a community.

If players improve…

Coaches learn from each other…

And more people stay involved…

Then basketball in our area gets stronger.

I don’t want players to stay with me.

I want them to stay in basketball. 🏀

1822 Community Match Night 🏀❤️What a fantastic evening at Canon Medical Arena.A huge thank you to everyone who took part...
03/08/2026

1822 Community Match Night 🏀❤️

What a fantastic evening at Canon Medical Arena.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part, supported from the sidelines, officiated and helped make our first Community Match Night such a success.

It wasn’t about the final score.

It was about bringing people together, creating opportunities to play, and celebrating the game we all love.

This is exactly what 1822 Basketball exists to do.

Basketball is the vehicle.
People are the reason.

Here’s to many more Community Match Nights.

📸 Special thanks to Josh for once again capturing the evening perfectly Josh Rackham | UFO Media

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95 Norfolk Road
Sheffield
S2 2RU

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