I am sure this has been done many times before, but as I start my career as a basketball coach (for 4th grade boys in a church league, no less) I was reminded there are a lot of lessons a basketball coach can give to us that relate to living a good life. I ain’t no Mike Krzyzewski (or Steve Alford, since I’m a Lobo), but I’ve played a fair amount of ball and have watched even more of it over the years, so I thought I’d share a few of the nuggets I came up with…

Time management is important. Always know where you are in relation to the game clock.

You have to have some offense to score.

You have to have some defense to stop being scored on.

It’s always best to avoid getting into foul trouble early. It’ll take you out of the game and put you on the bench quickly.

To score, you have to always know where the goal is.

iI’s important to remember that you need to take timeouts, you have some time outs to take, and it’s wise to know when best to use them.

Avoid trash talking. Learn to let your game speak for itself.

Channel your frustrations into effort.

Don’t depend on trick plays to win. Develop your fundamentals, and always work on using and improving your basics.

A lay up is a lot easier to make than a 15-footer, and both are worth the same amount of points.

Make your free throws.

When you foul, don’t cry to the ref about it. Acknowledge it, and get your mind back on the game.

When you are being fouled, you can bring it up to the ref, but don’t cry about it. Keep your head in the game.

Learn to pass and let others score. Everyone loves the assist guy.

High five your teammates pretty frequently. It keeps their spirits up, and helps keep your team encouraged around you.

Learn how to take a charge. It may hurt a little, but it gives control of the ball back to you.

Take time every quarter to assess what is working for you in your game plan, what is not, and be willing to make adjustments. Often you have to change your game plans to get the shots you want, and to make the shots you need to.

Stay hydrated.

Use what you learn in practice. You learned it for a reason.

Talk to your teammates. The only way you can develop chemistry, camaraderie, and consistency with one another is through constant communication.

When you are riding the bench, keep practicing on your own, and keep your head in the game. Your next substitution may win you more playing time. No one likes being on the bench. Don’t sulk. Just ask for help and work on improving your fundamentals.

Know the rules. Fouls and turnovers put you on the defensive more often than you need to be.

It’s good to monster dunk once in a while. It celebrates what you can do, and what you have accomplished so far. Just try not to hang on the rim too long.

Feel free to add your thoughts to this list.