How to Win at Basketball
A Case Study of a Community-First Association
Summary
My twin brother, Dan Young, leads the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM). He’s a retired public school teacher and long-time high school basketball and golf coach. His primary role at BCAM is to build and lead a community of basketball coaches throughout the state of Michigan.
Associations are membership organizations, but not all membership organizations are communities. BCAM is a community-first association. It’s grounded in shared values, has a simple but powerful value proposition, and lives its purpose through active participation and ongoing learning.
This article addresses how any association can take a community-first approach to building a powerful identity, active and engaged network, and continuous culture of peer learning.
I lead the product community, a product development learning community designed specifically for associations. Let’s compare ideas and build something great.
How Coaches Learn
“I was simply the most dedicated basketball player in the world. I say this because I played continuously, from the time I discovered the meaning of the game at the age of ten, until my mid-twenties. I played outdoors on cement, indoors on wood. I played in heat, wind, and rain. I played in chilly gymnasiums. Walking home I played some more. I played during dinner, in my sleep, in movies, in automobiles and buses, and at school. I played for over a decade, taking every conceivable shot, with either hand, from every direction.”
Leonard Michaels
People become basketball coaches for lots of reasons. They love the game, they love helping others, they want to develop young people, and they believe in growth. This is true in Marquette, Clawson, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Flint, Saginaw, and Bad Axe (or any other Michigan community).
It’s also true at all levels (little league, middle school, or high school) and size and type of school (private, public, large, small, urban, or rural); most coaches don’t make a lot of money so the reward comes in community-mindedness one player and one game at a time.
Basketball coaches develop their expertise through a blend of formal training, practical experience, and ongoing relationships. Though associations aren’t the sole vehicle for new knowledge, we play an enormous role in lifelong learning. As a community, BCAM has offerings in the formal, informal, and mentoring spaces.
Formal Learning. Structured, planned learning that typically occurs within a designated institution like a school or workplace, with clear objectives and often guided by an instructor.
Coaching Certifications – Organizations like USA Basketball, FIBA, and national basketball federations offer structured certification programs with levels of progression.
University Degrees – Sports science, physical education, or coaching-specific degrees provide theoretical foundations in exercise physiology, sports psychology, and pedagogy.
Coaching Clinics & Workshops – Intensive learning events featuring presentations by established coaches on specific topics like offensive systems, player development, or game management.
Professional Development Programs – League-sponsored initiatives like the NBA Coaches Association development programs or NCAA coaching academies.
Informal Learning. Unstructured, sometimes spontaneous learning that happens outside of a formal setting, usually self-directed and without a set curriculum or assessment.
Film Study – Countless hours analyzing game footage to understand strategies, patterns, and team strengths and weaknesses.
Playing Experience – Many coaches build on their playing experience, transitioning their on-court understanding to coaching.
Trial and Error – Experimenting with different approaches, reflecting on outcomes, and refining methods based on real-world results.
Books and Media – Consuming coaching manuals, biographies of successful coaches, and digital content like podcasts and YouTube breakdowns.
The Power of Mentorship. Mentorship is transformative for coaching development. When an experienced coach takes a younger coach under his or her wing, it can create a multiplier effect that:
Accelerates learning through direct observation
Provides wisdom not found in textbooks
Offers personalized feedback on coaching approach
Creates opportunities through professional networks
Builds confidence through validation and encouragement
Many coaching trees in basketball demonstrate this impact, with assistant coaches going onto successful head coaching careers. Beyond formal mentorship, coaches learn through peer relationships, exchanging ideas with other coaches, and volunteering at associations like BCAM. They also learn by networking at events and building connections at tournaments, clinics, and industry gatherings.
The Coaches Value Journey
“I informed every player who came under my supervision that the outcome of a game was simply a byproduct of the effort we made to prepare. They understood our destination was a successful journey. Namely: total, complete, and detailed preparation.”
John Wooden
Basketball coaches learn in lots of ways, nearly all of them based in relationship-building. It becomes the job of associations like BCAM to create an indispensable learning community, which anchors a career-long value journey. Value journeys are the paths members take to develop a deep and abiding relationship with an association. Though there’s no specific prescription, the journey usually progresses through these stages:
Awareness - when someone first learns about what you offer
Interest - when they become curious and want to know more
Consideration - when they evaluate whether it meets their needs
Commitment - when they decide to engage
Loyalty - when they become repeat customers or recommend to others
The concept is important in marketing and customer experience design because it helps organizations understand how to create meaningful connections at each stage of engagement. As we can tell from this graphic, mapping the value journey for an association like BCAM is a little different.
Successful associations are communities of practice. They are rooted in ongoing engagement and strengthened by relationship-building and peer learning. It is where coaches have the opportunity to:
Share knowledge in both structured and unstructured settings
Collaboratively solve common problems
Challenge and refine each other's thinking
Establish shared standards and ethical frameworks
Create cultures of continuous improvement
These communities exist formally through coaching associations and informally through social networks, group chats, and regular meetups. The most effective coaches embrace lifelong learning, continuously evolving their practice by integrating insights from varied sources throughout their careers. The best coaches also give back helping to shape the journey for young professionals who follow in their footsteps.
Multiplying Positive Energy
“You’ve met people like this. They’re like the sun. These people walk into a room and make it glow. Everyone becomes energized, enthused, inspired, and connected. These incandescent people are positive energizers.”
Emma Seppälä and Kim Cameron
The Best Leaders Have a Contagious Positive Energy
The ultimate aim of coaching is to win games. However, I believe that winning at all costs is a recipe for shortcuts, cynicism, and negative value systems.
Winning teams are led by winning coaches who know the game, care about kids, and preach learning and development. They get the best out of their players and grow leaders. They create a culture of excellence. Associations like BCAM are invested in these outcomes because they anchor their values in the timeless practices of learning and community. To connect is to grow and to grow is to win.
Associations can be a super partner to nearly any type of professional or industry: coaches, librarians, nurses, engineers, or data scientists.
With the right investment, mindset, instincts, and relationships, winning teams become winning programs. Winning programs are sources of broader community pride and powerful examples of excellence that reach far beyond the boundaries of the court.
I lead the product community; we are a learning community because we believe great relationships help us create the value our members want. Remember, product-led growth fuels connection. Join the product community and flip your destiny.
About the Author
James Young is founder and chief learning officer of the product community®. Jim is an engaging trainer and leading thinker in the worlds of associations, learning communities, and product development. Prior to starting the product community®, Jim served as Chief Learning Officer at both the American College of Chest Physicians and the Society of College and University Planning. Please contact me for a conversation: james@productcommunity.us