Hello everyone!

I'm new to this site but I already like the idea (that coaches have a place to swap ideas and advice!)

I was just promoted over the summer from head freshman men's coach to head men's JV coach at my alma mater (I am currently enrolled at a university about 30 minutes from home).

Upon graduation, I was offered the head coaching spot of the newly formed freshman team. I did this for the past 2 years and now find myself as a JV coach at 20 (a little overwhelming and exciting).

The players I will have this season are very familiar to me. They are now 10th graders and I have been working with them and coaching them since they finished their 8th grade season. We've taken our share of getting beaten up but over the summer we turned a corner and looked really good.

My problem is this:

I have a point guard who is extremely talented....but is hard to coach. He plays hard when he wants to and if you jump onto him for shooting "jimmer range" 3 pointers, he plays even worse. He wants to be a leader I think, but doesnt know how. He doesnt have the parental leadership to follow either. He thinks he has to score all the points and make all the plays.

Also a smaller problem that may or may not be significant:

My players generally call me by my first name. Not sure when this started or why, but only 2-3 or them call me "Coach".

Any advice for any of these would be greatly appreciated! I look forward to learning alot from everyone on here!

Coach,

I was in a similar situation that you are in now. I was a middle school coach for two years won the championship for their grade level before moving on to be the JV coach. The kids from that championship team are now my JV players. I think that since we are not far from their age that they tend to call us by our first name instead of coach. However, I think once the season starts, you need to address it early and often. You could tell them, that it is a respect factor that you want the other players to address you by coach not first name.
As far as the point guard problem, you have to mold him into being a leader by giving him leadership roles.He needs to feel that you have his back but anytime you give him criticism he needs to know that you only want the best for him. Tell him that he can shoot the Jimmer range once but he damn well sure better make it or you will be sitting on the bench. You can't make plays from the bench. Hope that may give you some insight to work from, if not sorry. Let me know if there is anything else you want to know or any ideas that you have done too. I am always looking for new ideas.