Leadership from all positions

When we think of leaders in basketball we often think of point guards or top-scorers. Leaders can actually come from any position.

Inspiration can come from a lot of places. When your team is tired, a fiery speech from a coach or a commanding shout from a teammate can ignite a flame that helps everyone push through. Leaders keep heads from hanging when you're down and egos humble when you're up.

There are a lot of great examples of leaders in today's game from Gregg Popovich and Mike Krzyzewski to Chris Paul and LeBron James.

Yanders Law has its own great leader in Founder and Coach, Rob Yanders.

Leadership can be vocal or even just by example. Not every player has the personality to be a vocal leader for their team, even if they're the best players (example: Kawhi Leonard).

Leadership does not always come from the top

If the top player for a team is not up for being vocal, that role needs to fall to someone else. Communication is a very important part of basketball - on fastbreaks, offense, and especially on defense.

The top vocal leader on your team may even come off of the bench. Players that are engaged and helpful from the bench are much better for a team than players who quietly wait to enter the game.

The best way to be a leader - no-matter your role the team - is to lead by example. If you are a player that does not give up on plays, is always pushing the pace, and defends tenaciously, you are constantly setting a good example for your teammates. That is called leadership.

“Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It’s being able to take it as well as dish it out. That’s the only way you’re going to get respect from the players.”

— Larry Bird

You may be the last player to come off the bench at the end of the game. If you play hard and scrape your way back into the game, you can inspire others to follow.

Leadership is incredibly important in basketball as well as other aspects of life. Remember that you can be a leader by working as hard as possible and setting an example for others to follow, no-matter your position or role.

Go forth and lead

In basketball and in life, leadership is highly valuable. It is the goal of Yanders Law to turn out as many leaders as possible.

Every individual is made up of unique skills, strengths, and weaknesses. Society and teams are at their best though when leaders are able to step up and guide groups in ways that benefit everyone. Yanders Law teams make sure to do our part in creating as many leaders as possible.

On the basketball court, it is easy to point to a team’s leading scorer or point guard when picking out the leader. This of course does not have to be true. Leadership is possible at all positions.

A player that always makes sure to be a positive presence on the bench is a leader. Players that work to foster off-court relationships with their teammates are leaders. Players that outrun everyone else during practice are leaders. Players that hold teammates accountable in the classroom are leaders.

You can still have the classic leaders as well; The most vocal defender, the offense initiator, or others that lead by example.

Leadership can be a difficult aspect of life to hone. To be a leader means to be one step ahead of others by taking initiative. That can be a bit scary sometimes, and it may occasionally strike a nerve with those around you. The key is to be confident and understanding of the sacrifices it takes to help a team succeed.

“If you’re going to be a leader, you’re not going to please everybody. You gotta hold people accountable, even if you have that moment of being uncomfortable.”

— Kobe Bryant

Yanders Law understands that leadership can come from anywhere, so we make sure to empower all of our players to step up as leaders in their own way. Leadership in basketball is just one of many lessons that we want our boys or girls to take away from time with our program.

Those of you that are leaders already - Go forth! Spread your gift in any way you can that helps others, on the court or off. As our players apply their Yanders Law lessons to their high school teams and other aspects of school, we wish them the best and hope they continue to hold themselves to our high standards.

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