For most coaches, winning is always one of the goals of every game and a win by one point or by ten points counts the same in the record books. However, if a team wins by more than a few scores, a coach has often missed an opportunity to help the team grow even more.
Youth games are team practices as well as competitive tests. When coaches have a game comfortably in hand, they should start thinking about the other things that players can learn in the time remaining. In these situations, coaches can improve team skills by setting certain rules for the remainder of the game, such as asking players to:
- Play different positions.
- Pass more between players to set up better shots.
- Implement new defensive or offensive strategies.
- Attempt more challenging shots or plays.
When winning is almost certain, coaches can use the time remaining to help their team gain skills and the right kind of confidence. To keep things the same and run up the score can give players a false confidence in advance of the next game against a tougher opponent.