Outside influence

"You're  not shooting enough!"
"The coach doesn't know what he's doing!" 
"Your teammates are selfish."
"Why don't you get more playing time?!"

There are so many forces outside of the team that weigh on the shoulders of young people.  Parents, friends, family members, and AAU coaches are constantly voicing their opinions to players and that can be an added pressure outside of the normal on court ones.  How do we stop these outside forces?

The short answer is you can't.  That is the reality of the situation.  There will always be someone there to question why you aren't a better coach, player, father, husband, etc.  What we can do is teach players how to deal with outside influences.  The truth of the matter is that the only opinions that should be taken into consideration are those of the coaching staff and the other players on the team. 

Keep the circle tight and teach the players that, while they may love you and have your best interest at heart, they are not at practice nor do they fully comprehend your role on the team.  Make them feel value in their role and allow them an escape from those outside influences.  If a player feels added pressure, it is our job to alleviate this by reaffirming how important they are to the team.  No team member is invaluable.