Angry Coach Problems

Speaking from my personal experiences with multiple coaches here are some of the worst things that have happened with a frustrated coach.

1. Having them throw all of their stuff at the wall, before our after game team meeting.
2. At a team meeting, having them come in and say "I was taught that if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all" and then walk out of the change room.
3. Running at practice every time you do something wrong!
4. Having the coach say in a mid-game situation that if we are not going to listen to them, than we can coach ourselves but until then we are on our own.
5. When a coach has made an unrealistic goal for a certain drill, which means if we don't meet that goal we NEED to run! 

Those dreadful practices...

As a basketball player I know how there can be those dreaful practices. Especially when you played really bad in a torunament the weekend before. I remember the worst practice I have ever had. It was a Monday after a tournament we had just had, and we did not perform to the best of our abilities. We knew right from the beginning that it was going to be an awful practice because as soon as our game was done, our coach said to us "Be at the gym at seven, it will be a two hour practice". All we did was conditioning... suicide after suicide, and a few stair case drills thrown in there. It was dreadful! It was for a full two hours of running, I don't think I touched a basketball during that practice! Have you ever had any awful practices? If so, comment one of your experiences! I would love to hear!

Staying in a Hotel

One of my favourite parts of playing basketball is travelling to different cities to play against different teams every weekend. I absolutely love staying in hotel with my teammates, staying up late (as long as we don't have a game early in the morning) and having fun and making memories. There are so many fun memories I have made in hotels. I would have to say that my funniest story in a hotel would be when we had just lost the semi-final game late on a Saturday night, and we were staying in the hotel till Sunday. Even though we had lost, which was disappointing, we still had a great night. We all ordered pizza, and just hung out, watching movies, chilling in the halls, and the best of all playing knicky-knicky-nine-doors! This was the funniest game to play in a hotel. I remember all of us running into the stair wells and splitting up from one end to the other and just running down the halls knocking on all the doors until we got back to the stairwell. This probably lasted for about 20 minutes until we got in trouble with the security. But, the party didn't stop there, we all went into one room and hung out together, laughing, eating candy and watching movies (and occasionally jumping on the bed). I have made many memories in hotels with my teammates and I hope that you will too!!!  

Quote of the Day

Tip of the Day

Defensive Tip:
When you are playing defense it is important to always help your teammates. It is called the help and recover defense. It is not only important to take care of your own man but to also help when your teammates get beat. When you hear your teammates yell "HELP" you need to immediately help them, at least in enough time for them to come to back to their. As soon as they recover to their man, that is when you recover to your man. So, playing good defense not only means taking care of your man but also taking care of your teammates mans as well. This was one of the last things that I caught onto when I was learning how to play defense.

Quote of the Day

There will always be games you lose and some you win but you can never give up because when you give up, you are automatically losing.

Tip of the Day

Defense Tip:
When playing defense whether it be in a zone or man-to-man, you need to know where your player is. It is helpful to keep contact with your man to always know where they are. It allows you to be able to feel where their going. It also makes you more aggressive when paying defense because you can stay in their face the entire time you are guarding them. Knowing where your man is, allows you to play better defense. You won't loose your player, or let them catch the ball. Always stay aggressive and keep in contact with them. 

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all dad's who support their sons and daughters while playing basketball. Driving to tournaments, late night practices, paying for hotels and for being their number one fan! Happy Father's Day!

Coaches

Coaches will always be there for you, at every practice, every game or even outside of basketball. During practices I know you might hate them because they make you do suicides or something really dreadful, but they want you to succeed. You need to always trust them because all they want is for you to improve as a player, and help you learn new skills. I have had many different coaches throughout my years of playing basketball and each one of them has taught me something new that has contributed to my game. Always trust your coaches because they have experience with the game and can help you improve. Just remember they are there for you!

Quote of the Day

Tip of the Day

Shooting Tip:
When you are shooting there is one simple thing to remember BEEF.

Balance: Make sure your feet are about shoulder with the part, this allows you to have good balance opposed to if your feet were too far apart or too close together.

Eyes: Keep your eyes on the rim. If you keep your eyes on the rim it will give you a good target when shooting the ball. Most likely if you don't look at the rim it will hit the front of the rim and bounce back. You want it to arch over the rim and into the net.

Elbow: You want you elbow to be at about a 90 degree angle. A lot of players don't do this which can affect your shot. The most common things coaches catch is the "Chicken Wing". This is when you have your elbow pointed outwards instead of tucked in at 9 degrees.

Follow-through: After you release the ball you want to have a nice follow-through. There are multiple references you could use such as "Reach your hand into the cookie drawer" or "Make it look like a goose head". This references allow you to remember to keep your hand pointed down and straight, instead of to the side which will affect the direction of the ball.  

Quote of the Day

Tip of the Day

Passing Tip:

In order to have a really successful pass you need to really put some muscle into it. When I was younger and sometimes now, I make floppy and weak passes that end up getting cut off. If you want to fix it, you always need to use your strength to get it to your teammate. When making a chest pass you wake to make sure you snap your arms straight out and have your thumbs pointed down. This will hep make you pass straight and hard to your teammate. When you make a bounce pass, it's the same thing but you want to point your arms down on an angle instead of straight out. This is a simple trick to help improve your passes.  

Quote of the Day

Top 10 Reasons to Love Basketball

Here are what I believe are the top ten reasons to LOVE basketball.

1. It's Fun!
2. You get to meet new people every year.
3. You stay in shape (Conditioning, strength, endurance etc.)
4. It is cheap to play (Don't need to buy a lot of equipment)
5. Hearing the sound of the swish.
6. That moment during a tie game, where each pass counts, feeling like everyone is watching you.
7. Being at the foul line and knowing it's your time to shine.
8. Making a crazy assist that nobody can predict.
9. Coming off the floor, and having your coach and teammates both tell you that you did a great job.
10. And most of all, I love the fact that every time I step onto the floor whether it be a practice or game, I know that I am doing something I love!

Tip of the Day

Free Throw Tip:

When you get up there to take a foul shot you need to block out everybody else. What I do, is I get up to the line and all I think about is me, the ball and the basket. During a game you will have distractions such as fans, players, and coaches, but you need to block them out. Another thing to remember is that when you get to the foul line you are most likely going to be tired. A good thing to do to prepare yourself for this is to practice. All you need to do is run a suicide, a down and back or even a lap (Basically anything that will make you tired). Then you should take ten foul shots and see how you do. This practice will prepare you for a game when you are tired and need to take a foul shot. Practice, Practice, Practice! 

Offense Terms

Cut: The action of moving towards an open area, towards the ball or towards the basket. This allows you to get open and away from your defense to receive a pass.

Flash: A flash is when you move directly to an open area towards the ball. It should be a quick cut, to receive the ball.
 
Jump-Stop: This is an quick stop, of the dribble. While doing a jump stop you should land on both feet at the same time, so you don't establish your pivot foot. This gives you more options after the dribble is picked up.
 
Pivot: A pivot is when you pick one foot to stay on the ground, and move your other foot either forwards or backwards. This motion allows you to protect the ball, give yourself options to pass, shoot or dribble. You want to pretend that your established pivot foot is nailed to the floor, so you can't lift it up. (This avoids travels)
 
Triple-Threat: Triple threat means having three options that potentially threat the defense. In order to be in triple threat you hold the ball firmly and hold it to your side almost on your hip. The three options: triple threat gives you are: Shoot, dribble and/or pass.

Some tough stuff...

This is just a list of a few negative things about playing basketball.

1. Coming off the court out of breath, wheezing and trying to explain which water bottle is yours.
2. The feeling when you think you let your team down.
3. Having knees covered in floor burns.
4. Getting mad because you know you could have played better
5. Those dreadful suicides...

Quote of the Day

"Talent wins games, but team work and intelligence wins championships" -Michael Jordan

Quote of the Day

"I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game winning shot" - Kobe Bryant

Teammates are Always There For You

One of the things I love about playing basketball on a competitive team is that I get to meet new people every year. Although, each year you move up a division with most of the same players you still get to meet the new people who try-out. I have met some of my best friends while playing basketball, and I hope that when you play basketball you do the same thing. I am still best friends with someone who I have been playing basketball with for six years. I love the social aspect of playing basketball, which makes the game that much more fun. We are more than just a team, we are a family. We spend two to three days a week at practices and mostly every weekend together. My teammates are always there for me and I hope that when/if you play basketball they will be there for you too.

Different Types of Violations

Traveling: The most common way for someone to travel is when you establish your pivot foot, but when you go to dribble you lift up your pivot foot without dribbling first. Traveling can also occur by dragging your foot after you pick up the ball. Each player is allowed two steps as the ball is picked up, any more it is considered a travel. 

Double-Dribble: A double dribble is anytime a player dribbles the ball, picks it up and then resumes dribbling again. Sometimes when you are playing in a game you forget that you have already dribbled, and get called for a double-dribble. (Trust me, it's happened)

Ten-Second Violation: The ten second violation rule is called when the offensive team cannot get the ball over half court before ten seconds is over. This call often happens when the opposite team presses the offensive team making it difficult to pass half court.

In-Bounding Rule: The in-bounding rule is when you are given the ball out of bounds, you are given only five seconds to pass the ball to a teammates. If you fail to get the ball in bounds before five seconds is over, the other team receives possession.  

Fun Fact

The basketball hoop is approximately 18 inches in diameter. 

Tip of the Day

Defense Tip:

When you are playing defense you need to move your feet. You get five fouls in the game of basketball, but you shouldn't waste them on reaching in and getting fouled. Using your feet on defense will allow you to out play the offensive team. The offense shouldn't be able to go anywhere if you use your legs. While on defense, try and stay wide and balanced allowing the offensive players options limited. You need to have a wide base, balance and active hands. Active hands means taking away the lane to pass or dribble, but not reaching in an fouling. If you always use your feet then you will be a great defensive player!

Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

"Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard!" - Kevin Durant

What's Your Position?

Before you start playing basketball on a team, whether in a competitive league or for fun, you need to know what position you play. For me, I play in the point guard or wing position. If you are not sure as to what position you play, here is a description of the different spots. If even after reading the descriptions, you still are not sure, just try them out and see which one best fits you.

Point Guard: The point guard is the person on the team who brings the ball up the floor when their team is on offense. This player is able to see the court and how the defense is playing, which allows them to decide what play to call. The point guard should have good ball handling skills and be able to react to whatever the defense throws at them.
 
Wing Position: When playing the wing position, you are located on each side of the floor, close to the sideline (allowing the floor to be spread out). This position involves lots of cutting, which allows you to get open for a pass. The "Wings" are the players who normally first receive a pass to start a play.

Post Position:  A player who plays in the post position is normally tall and can rebound really well. This player is located inside the key, on the block or elbow. In the game of basketball this player is the most likely to have a high scoring average because all their shots are taken within the key.

Tip of the Day

Rebounding:
When you see the shot go up, find a player! When you are on defense, always know where your player is, that way when a shot goes up you can easily find them. There are three easy steps to rebounding:

1. Find a player and make contact (Stick)
2. Seal your player (Seal)
3. Secure them from the basket (Secure)

Always remember the three S's- Stick, Seal, and Secure!

Quote of the Day

You get five fouls, don't be afraid to use them!

Knowing the Court

The Key: The key is the painted section that is located underneath the basket. Players sometimes call this area, "The Paint" or while defending it we sometimes say "Protecting Our Home". While you are on offense, you are only allowed to stand in the key for three seconds before you need to get out of the key. Some officals (or refs) will let this rule go, but only if you are in for no more than four seconds (they will give you a warning). Most of the baskets made in the game of basketball are made inside the key.  

The Block: The block is the place where the highest percent of shots are made. It is also the easiest shot you can take in the game of basketball. It located on both the right and left side of the basket inside the key, and gives you a direct angle into the hoop. In order to have the best accuracy from this place, you should use the backboard allowing in the shot to go in the hoop without a problem.

Knowing the Court

Foul Shot/Line: The foul shot is giving to you when you are fouled while shooting the ball or about to shoot the ball. If you shoot and get fouled but it misses the net, you will receive two foul shots, but if you shoot and make the basket while still getting fouled, your two points will be counted and you will get one foul shot. (Just remember each shot is worth one point.) If you are fouled during a three pointer you will be rewarded three foul shots , you will only get one if you make it. The foul line is 15 feet away from the hoop.

Three Pointer: The three point line is the farthest shot you can take in the game of basketball. It is exactly 19.9 feet away from the basket. The three point line is in a semi circle formation that connects to the base line on each side of the basket (still 19.9 feet away), and intersects with the semi circle that is connected to the foul line. In order for your three pointer to officially count, your feet must not cross over the line.

Field Goal: A field goal is any shot, other than a foul shot or a shot taken outside the three point line. In can be in the key, or between the key and three point line. These shots are worth two points during a game.

Quote of the Day

"The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in BATTLE" -Kevin Durant

Today's Tip

Attitude Tip:

Always cheer on your teammates. If you become negative on the bench or in practice in can make them not perfrom to their best ability. When they do something wrong, try and help them but saying what they can do to fix it, but don't be negative to them. On the bench during a game make sure you CHEER! It motivates the players on the bench and the court. If you haven't been playing a lot during a game and you are upset, still cheer. I know you might not want to, but I have been in those situations and you still need to be there for your teammates. There is no 'I' in T-E-A-M!

Quote of the Day





Quote of the Day

"Ask not what your teammates can do for you, but what you can do for your teammates" - Magic Johnson.

Today's Tip

Shooting Tip:

When you are shooting you need to remember to use power from your legs. I remember when I was young and all I would do was stand there and shoot the ball towards the basket. Finally, I learned that you need to use your legs in order to reach the basket. You still need your arms to shoot but just remember that in order to successfully shoot a basketball you need to use your legs! If you find that you cannot get to the basket or it is hitting the front of the rim, just add some leg power. If you still cannot reach take a step in towards the net and work your way farther out. But, never give up! Eventually you will hear the SWISH!

It's all up to you...

"I can accept failure, but I can't accept trying" - Michael Jordan.

There is two simple things you need to do in order to succeed in basketball and that is try and work hard. The message of this quote is simple: you need to be able to accept failure, but you have to at least be willing to try in order to succeed. The key to playing basketball is to practice, and give it your all during games. You won't always make your shots or have perfect passes, but if you don't try to be your best than you cannot control your own game. Before you start worrying about your skills, or how good you look on the court you need to decide whether or not you are willing to put in the time and effort it truly takes. It's up to YOU to decide...

       I am going into my sixth year for playing basketball in a competitive league. My life practically revolves around basketball, and I don't what I would do without it. I am always looking forward to learning more about the game, and will do anything to improve. I hope that when you read this blog, you will learn more about the game, tips and helpful advice on how you can become a better basketball player both physically, mentally and skillfully.
"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, and others make it happen," - Michael Jordan.