Let the Children Play
Swen Nater

In 1996, I coached a 5th grade boys basketball team. One game, we played the team that had won the league five years in a row. Both teams were undefeated at the time. The rule was, all players had to play the same number of minutes. When that is the case, there are periods of time when a team is weakest because most of the better players are on the bench. There is no way around that. When that happened to the other team, believe it or not, the coach told them to go into a stall. The score was close and, had he made his players play, we would have developed a lead because it so happened, we had our good players in. For ten minutes, his players did nothing but pass the ball around. They never took a shot.

The number one reason children quit youth sports is, “It’s not fun anymore.” There are two key words in that statement: “fun” and “anymore.” When children start sports, they do so because it’s enjoyable. Somewhere along the line, for some, the fun stops. The question is: Why does it stop? What happens that takes the fun out of sports? The answer is: Coaches make “winning” the objective. Having fun gets second place. 

Is it possible for a coach to try and win and keep the game fun for the children? Yes. I’m going to show you how. But before I do, let’s define “fun.” Children have fun when they play. In the midst of creating a team and developing it so it can compete to win, we need to maintain play. There are three components to play. We’re going to talk about all three and then we’re going to suggest ways that play can be part of teaching and coaching. That way, children will have fun while learning.  

1. Play is Fun Because It’s Pure Enjoyment 
Remember when you used to go to the baseball field and just throw the ball back and forth? That’s play. Nobody loses; nobody wins. My brother and I used to spend hours at Spud Field in Long Beach, California, throwing the ball to each other as high as we could. The one who threw the ball always said, “High and far!” real loud. It was fun trying to catch those balls that were coming down out of space. We rarely competed because we knew, as soon as we did, it was not going to be as much fun. 

2. Play is Fun because It’s Intrinsic not Extrinsic
“Mom, can I go out and play?” When we want to play, it’s generated from within. That’s when we have fun. When you mom is sick and tired of you riding your bike in the kitchen, and she says “Why don’t you go out and play?” it’s extrinsic because it wasn’t your idea. When you “want” to play, it’s a lot more fun than when you “have” to. 

3. Play is Fun Because You Accomplish Something
When my brother and I played “High and far,” each time we threw the ball into the air, we tried to throw it higher. It was a blast. And, each time I tried to catch one of those baseballs coming out of orbit, I tried to catch it. My brother and I got stronger and more skilled with each throw and catch. When a boy builds a Lego structure, he accomplishes something. When a girl cooks a cake in her toy oven, she makes something. Play always results in progress. It’s fun to make stuff and get better at things.

Conclusion
I can’t speak for every UCLA player that was in Coach Wooden’s program, but, for me, practice was always fun. Actually, I can speak for one other person because I heard him say it. Bill Walton said practices were a blast. I can tell you from personal experience, Coach Wooden’s practices had all three of the above principles. He taught the fundamentals but many of the drills were turned into competitive games. His 3-on-2 conditioning drill was so much fun, we didn’t want it to end. He broke the offense and defense into small-group teaching. We absolutely loved playing 2-on-2, 3-on-3, and 4-on-4. In short, practice was basically playing games. If that is possible at the highest and most competitive level of amateur basketball, it’s possible at the youth sports level as well. And Coach Wooden proved that you can win and have fun at the same time.

Do you think those players that stalled and were wasting time had fun? Do you think they were looking forward to the next game or practice? Winning should never take precedence over what the game is really about—having fun. Besides, we won the game. Let the children play.