On this episode of the Canada Basketball Coaching Podcast, Coach Mike sits down with Betsy Butterick, coach, communication specialist, and author of Kids These Days, to discuss how coaches can better connect with and coach today’s athletes. The conversation explores co-creation, communication, emotional regulation, failure recovery, and the importance of care and connection before challenge. Betsy shares practical strategies for coaches who feel like what used to work no longer works, and offers ideas to help coaches communicate more effectively, build stronger relationships, and create environments where athletes can perform and grow.

For coaches interested, there is a 15% off discount link for the purchase of "Kids These Days" here: Canada Basketball Podcast Discount Link

On this episode of the Canada Basketball Coaching Podcast, Mike shares another Point to Ponder. This time, on his observations watching a Youth 3x3 event. Listen and consider some of the benefits that 3x3 can provide your basketball programs!

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On this episode of the Canada Basketball Coaching Podcast, Coach Mike and Brandon dive into the concept of motivation through a practical coaching lens, exploring how everyday coaching decisions can shape, shift, and sometimes unintentionally disrupt athlete motivation. Building on ideas from self-determination theory, they unpack the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and introduce the concept of “motivational displacement”, how drills, constraints, and coach behaviours can redirect what athletes are actually motivated to do.

Through real coaching examples, they explore how environments can either foster autonomy, confidence, and connection, or create fear, compliance, and short-term thinking. The conversation challenges coaches to reflect on their own motivations, the impact of reward and punishment, and how to design practices that truly support athletes in learning, adapting, and performing in the storm.