Great Expectations G Advice for coaches to create better relationships with feeder programs By Rick Elia, Union Township, PA reat Expectations is a novel written by Charles Dickens. Expectations-great or otherwise-are what every high school varsity basketball coach should have for the middle school coaches in their program. These should be clearly spelled out, be based on the head coach's philosophy and school policies, and be tempered with an understanding of coaching boys or girls in that age group. But the gate should swing both ways, and it can be a frustrating season for a middle school coach if his or her expectations of the varsity head coach aren't met. Think about it. Most workplaces list some kind of expectations for their employees, but the employees often are given no insight and have no input on what they expect from their bosses to help them do their jobs. Experience may show that these concerns should be raised during the interview process when one is seeking a position as a middle school coach and that if the answers aren't to 32 COACH & A.D. | WINNING HOOPS COACHES PLAYBOOK 2024