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Leave The Basketball Refs Alone

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Leave the Basketball Refs alone

Leave the Refs Alone!

Youth basketball players must learn to leave the referees alone.

Somehow complaining verbally, making faces and hand gestures, and even talking back to referees in response to calls has become a part of youth basketball culture. On top of that, players are now deciding to emulate some NBA players by flopping and baiting referees to make foul calls. These practices do much more harm than good, and they should not be a part of your game as a youth basketball player. Although you may not be able to change those around you, you can make the quality decision to stop complaining and flopping today. Here are the reasons to stop complaining and stop flopping, i.e. to leave the refs alone.

Reasons to Stop Complaining

• Complaining is disrespectful plain and simple. Are you going to be able to aggressively complain to your future boss every time he makes a decision you don’t like? No. Or if you do, you may not keep your job for long or leave the door open for promotion and future success. So get in the habit now of respecting the decisions of those in authority over you, even if you don’t agree 100% of the time.
• Referees are human. If you are constantly complaining about calls you don’t get or calls made against you, are you going to get the benefit of the doubt from the ref later in the game? With a lot of refs the answer is no. On the contrary, you may get on a referee’s bad side and create an officiating bias against you, even if it is an unconscious one.
• You risk the chance of a drawing a technical foul when you complain. In youth basketball this means 2 free throws and possession for the other team. In a close game, this is a huge difference maker. Also a technical foul puts you a step closer to being disqualified from the game, whether that comes via ejection or fouling out.
• You start worrying about the refs instead of the opposing team. When you become a complainer, you began to put some of the responsibility of winning and losing on the referees. When you feel like you don’t have control on the basketball court, you begin to get disheartened and may not give full effort for your team. I’ve seen this happen plenty of times. Stay focused on beating the opposition, even if the refereeing IS poor. You can overcome poor refereeing with your play. You can’t overcome a lack of focus or a defeated attitude.
• You give up points in transition. Players who stop to complain about getting fouled spend a second or two complaining to refs and don’t get back immediately on defense. That second or two is all the advantage the opposing team needs to get an easier transition basket.

Reasons to Stop Flopping

• It’s dishonest. Players who flop to draw foul calls are violating the integrity of the game. Integrity is something that players need on the court and in their lives. You should not get in the habit of violating your integrity to gain an advantage, as in many areas of life that can get you into real trouble.
• You leave your success in the hands of the referees. When you are looking for the whistle you are walking by faith in something you can’t control. You want to be in complete control of your game on the basketball court. Leaving YOUR success in the hands of anybody else on the basketball court is essentially weakness.
• Flopping takes energy. And flopping is misdirected energy. It takes work to “create” a foul when there is none there. Players who flop are not using all the energy they can to score a basket, even when the potential to score is there.
• Flopping creates the potential for a turnover or score. What happens when you try to sell a foul call and you don’t get it? More often than not, a turnover is created. This happens when you let the ball drop to the ground while you are acting out exaggerated contact, or the ball sails out of bounds while you are flailing your arms in the air. Flopping is a risky proposition; if you don’t get the foul call, bad things usually happen. On the defensive end, a flop to sell a charge that is not whistled can result in a clear path to the lane for the man you are guarding.
• Have you ever read the Boy Who Cried Wolf? If you are in the habit of trying to sell a foul when it is not there, you are at risk of not getting the call when it is there. When a referee begins to look at your reactions skeptically, you lose the benefit of the doubt when it is not 100% clear to him if you were fouled or not. This can hurt you late in games when you actually are fouled and it is not called. We see this happen frequently at the pro level.

Young players, stop complaining. And stop flopping. It is hurting youth basketball and it is hurting you as an individual. Remain strong in your effort to score the basketball and continue to give full defensive effort on the other end. If you do these things, not only do you build positive habits for yourself, but you remain in control of your success and you make the world of youth basketball a much better place.

How Do You Handle Basketball Criticism?

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Tips On Handling Basketball Criticism A big part of the growth and development process for players is getting critical feedback from a team coach or basketball trainer. It is sometimes hard for players to accept criticism, but without it they are limiting their potential. We don’t want you to fall into the trap of rejecting or reacting strongly against criticism, so here are some tips on how to accept and grow from criticism.

Four Tips To Handle Basketball Criticism

1.  Delay Your Response

Criticism can be very hard to hear. It can shock you. It can hurt. And it can make you angry. Criticism can even rob you of the confidence you’ve built in a certain skill you’ve developed, or on your overall ability as a basketball player. A natural, human reaction to criticism is to lash out at the person giving it to you, or to instantly defend yourself against it. Try delaying your response to the criticism, as this will do a couple of things for you. First, it will give you time to ponder what your coach or trainer is saying to see if it is true. After the initial hurt or anger wears away, did the criticism have any merit? Sometimes with a little time to reflect you may see that it does. Secondly, if a response to the criticism is warranted, a delayed response will allow you to respond without anger. Although you may very well want to express a feeling of anger towards the giver of criticism, that anger may cloud the clarity of the message you want to get across.

2.  Ask Questions

Nobody has a perfect command of the English (or any other) language. Maybe your coach is meaning to say one thing, but you are hearing another thing because of how it is communicated. When it comes to criticism, this can happen often. Ask your coach or trainer questions about things you don’t understand or may not agree with. This may give your coach or trainer the opportunity to give examples that can help you see what he is saying, or it may give him an opportunity to change the wording of the criticism such that you can understand it better. Players who deeply care about their development may also ask “how can I improve in this area”, turning the conversation from a hard one to one that ends emotionally positive for the player.

3.  Get a Second Opinion

Getting a second or third opinion on a coach’s or trainer’s criticism can be helpful for you as a player. This does not mean to go find someone who is going to tell you that your coach doesn’t know what in the world he’s talking about. It means finding a trusted buddy, a parent, or other knowledgeable basketball person and asking them, “Hey, my coach said [fill in the blank] to me. Do you know why he would say that? Do you see it like that?” Sometimes hearing the same criticism from a different source can help you accept it better. Also, if you are receiving criticism that you simply don’t agree with and can’t understand, maybe hearing someone else validate your feelings can be helpful for you. If you are receiving criticism you don’t agree with, you can simply have a later conversation with your trainer or coach, and ask questions about why it was given.

4. Consider the Basketball Source Consider the Source

From the outside looking in, you may understand the value of constructive criticism. But when you are receiving it, criticism may not seem so constructive. And it actually may not be constructive in delivery. For that reason, try considering the source. If you have a coach who you believe both knows the game of basketball and wants what’s best for you as a player, you might be very well be able to trust his intentions. If he gives you criticism that hurts you on delivery, it is likely for your good and will help you in the long run. If you have a coach who is tough and hard nosed but good at heart, you might assume the same. Maybe the delivery wasn’t optimal, but you can see the good in it. However if you have a coach you do not trust, criticism can feel like a personal attack and you might want to disregard it. But the aforementioned tips may help you deal with this. Even if the criticism is not given constructively, you may still take the message and grow from it. Mature players learn how to do this because they know that every team coach they have may not be on their side. For instance if a coach tells you, “I’m not going to play you because you’re the worst shooter on this team. I would hate to have to ever put you in the game” you can internalize a response like “okay, I may not be in a good situation on this team, but I know I can work on my shooting. That will help me in the future whether it’s with this team or not.” Negative criticism has actually fueled the fire of many a great player as they have looked to prove doubters wrong. You can do the same thing with the negative criticism you receive. Criticism is a critical part of youth basketball, player development and life in general.

Learn how to deal with and accept criticism to better yourself as a basketball player. Whether it is given constructively or not, we’ve given you methods here to either validate or qualify criticism, understand criticism, as well as considering using some negative criticism for your own good. Take everything in stride, and don’t let any piece of criticism steal your love for and drive in the game. Allow criticism to be one of the things that helps you become great in this great game of basketball!

Basketball Psychology Cheat Sheet

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Grow Your Basketball Game Psychologically

Tips for Psychological Growth

Basketball training works. When you’re dealing with a quality professional basketball trainer, you’re not dealing with someone who is just going to take your money because he has a decent playing or coaching resume. We can tell you stories for days of the players we’ve worked with and how they’ve achieved increased success back with their school or club teams. When we work with a player, we truly help them develop. But part of that development is, and must be, psychological. That means taking those new skills and concepts you’ve learned in training and implementing them back in your home basketball environment, where your reputation may be that of a lesser player. Players who improve must break through the mental hurdles of how they perceive themselves, and how others perceive them, to truly function as the players they’ve developed into via training. That being the case, here are some tips for psychological growth.

Personal Perception Tips 

Get It In Writing. Your basketball trainer is probably already vocally recognizing and affirming your basketball development, but ask him to put it in writing. Ask your trainer to rate you on a scale in various areas and to give you a general scouting report. Seeing positive things about you written down can do wonders for the psyche, and it is something you can revisit often to give yourself a boost.

Challenge Players in Your Area. Challenging players in your area in pickup games, or in 1-on-1 games is a good way to test yourself and flex your muscle. Performing well against players in your normal playing environment will really build your confidence. In your head you may not be “better” than these players until you prove it to yourself by playing against them again.

Play Basketball Outside of Your Normal Area. If you’re not fully comfortable with challenging other good players in your area, take this step first. Go outside of your normal playing area to a place where nobody really knows you. You don’t have to go by yourself; you can go with a friend. Showcase your new skills in this pickup or rec league environment to really start feeling what it’s like to be an improved, more skilled and more aggressive player. Being around people who don’t have a previous perception of you will make it easier for them to accept you as the new player you are, and the acceptance here can help you accept your improved self as well.

Outside Perception Tips

Go On a Challenge Tour. Challenging players around you is good for your outside perception as well. Identify some of the key guys in your area – guys who are the leaders of the school team, the social leaders, and the good players who play your position and challenge them outside of the confines of team practice. If you can generate respect from key players by playing them hard or defeating them in a 1-on-1 or pickup setting, they will spread the word about your new status as an improved player.

Perform In Front Of Your Coach. If it’s tough for you to gain respect from players around you, make an effort to perform in front of your coach. This could be in a gym period at school, at an open gym session after school, or just shooting around when he is in the gym. If you can catch the coach’s eye and make him realize that you’ve improved, he can be one of the most powerful advocates you can have. Since coaches have power on teams, even if your teammates haven’t caught on yet, the coach can do things like change your position or run new plays for you, almost forcing your teammates and other observers to look at you differently.

These are just a couple of tips to help change the personal and outside perception of you as a basketball player. Don’t let your mental hold you back while you develop your skills and understanding of the game. Get with your trainer to aid you with the psychological process of becoming a better basketball player inside and out. We can’t to see you moving and playing like a brand new player.

5 Basketball Shooting Must Haves

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Basketball Shooting Must Haves

What Qualities Must A Shooter Have?

Are you a shooter? Do you want to be a game shooter? Well, here are 5 must-have qualities you must train to develop.

 1. The ability to make shots!

This sounds silly because it is so obvious, but the ability to make shots in games is a must-have for shooters. I’ve heard a coach say “There’s nothing worse than a shooter who can’t shoot.” If you’re a shooter, your job is to not only make shots, but to carry at all times the threat of making shots on your person to space the floor for your team’s offense. If you can’t make shots in games, you’re hurting your team in two ways; your team misses out on points when you miss, and the opposition can play a more compact team defense against your team. Players who want to be shooters should practice shooting in game situations, while fatigued and in high intensity situations. Shooters should also know their range so they know from what distance their shooting opportunities should come in games.

 2. The ability to catch and shoot.

Catching and shooting means being ready to shoot as soon as you catch a pass from your teammate. No dribbles. No getting your hands and feet together after you catch the ball. Your hands and feet must already be ready on the catch. If you’re a shooter, the defense knows you’re a shooter, and they will rarely leave you open. If you do find yourself open, it won’t be for long. You need to be able to capitalize in the limited amount of time you have an open window to shoot.

 3. The ability to use screens.

Shooters have to be able to get themselves open via straight cuts, curl cuts and fade cuts off of screens. If you’re a shooter who cannot effectively use off-ball screens, you are truly at the mercy of a ball handler to get you an open shot. Los Angeles Clippers guard JJ Redick and Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver are NBA shooters who use screens well to get open. Using off-ball screens well takes practice, as you must catch and get into your shot quickly without traveling. But once you’ve got this, you can use the threat of you shooting to get your screening teammate a good shot as well.

 4. The ability to understand spacing.

Shooters must understand spacing to be truly effective. When a teammate is driving, a shooter needs to know how to drift down into the corner or up towards the wing to be in position for a great kick-out pass. Shooters also need to know how to move off of post entry passes, as this can be another way they get open for shots. Shooters who don’t understand spacing bring over an extra defender to double a driving or posting teammate, or they clog driving lanes altogether. These are not good things. Shooters must understand spacing.

 5. The ability to make contested shots.

Remember that as a shooter, the defense has tabs on you. When you are able to get free, defenders will close out and contest hard on you. A real shooter understands that he will get only a handful of really open shots, and that he must be comfortable shooting with a hand in his face. If you are a shooter and only shoot when you are “wide” open, you are not capitalizing on all the opportunities that are there, and you could be hurting your team. When you do shoot those contested shots, you still have to convert them at a decent percentage. Making contested shots takes practice, so spend the necessary practice time developing this skill

Shooting  is a scientific art form, and shooters know these five things are important for them to be effective weapons in games. To develop your shooting artform, contact your local basketball trainer today. We look forward to seeing you knocking down big shots for your team.

How To Get Out Of Your Basketball Funk

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Get Out of Your Basketball RutHow to Get out of a Basketball Funk

If you’ve been playing organized basketball for a while, you’ve probably been through periods where you’re not playing so well. It can be for a quarter, a half, an entire game, or a couple of games. These things happen from time to time. We call these periods “funks” or “shooting slumps”, as we’re usually talking about performance on the offensive end. While a slump can be hard to shake off for youth basketball players, here are some things you can do to help.

Get to the Free Throw Line

When your shot is not falling from the outside, and you also seem to be missing finishes you usually makes at the rim, one of the best things you can do is get to the free throw line. This means getting fouled of course. The best way to get to the free line is to drive hard to the basket and brace for contact as you attempt to score at the rim. After you’re fouled, you get to take a moment to relax and shoot a couple of uncontested shots at the line. Shooting free throws is good for getting out of a slump because it’s a chance for you to see the ball go through the rim. Seeing the ball go through the basket is good for your psyche and can restore a little bit of shooting confidence.

Hit the Boards

Players who are struggling to score can look to get some high percentage opportunities off of rebounds. On the offensive end, snagging a board right in the lane might give you an opportunity for a putback at the rim. Seeing that ball go through the net will help you. On the defensive end, you can get a good opportunity as well. When you get a rebound, try pushing the ball up the court aggressively for the coast-to-coast layup opportunity. You can catch defenses off guard a lot of times and get a less-contested shot at the rim. If you don’t make the shot and instead get fouled, there is still the opportunity to see the ball go through the rim at the free throw line.

 Get Out in Transition

The highest percentage shot in the game is the layup. Or for those who are able to do it, the dunk. And the best time to get yourself an uncontested layup or dunk is on the fast break. For this reason getting out in transition is one of the best ways to get an easy score and get yourself going. When you see a teammate grab a defensive rebound, turn and sprint up the floor towards your team’s basket. Even if you don’t have other teammates running with you on the other wing, if you beat the man defending you up the floor you might get a long pass that leads you right into a layup. The transition layup might be just the thing you need to help you break out of your funk.

If you’re in an offensive slump or funk, these are some of the things you can use to get yourself going. If your slump is caused by you playing against a new higher level of competition and you’re having trouble keeping up, you may need some skill development. Either way, contact a local trainer to help you develop some skills and know-how. We can’t wait to see consistently performing on the offensive end.

 

 

Train To Win In Basketball – 4 Cornerstones

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Cornerstones of Winning Basketball Training

4 Cornerstones of Training To Win In Basketball

Basketball is a fun game… training to win requires higher focus and work ethic within the fun framework.   It allows for so much creativity and a showcase of various skills. But basketball is also a competitive sport, one that pits two teams against each other to determine a clear winner. The beauty of the game is merging talent, skills and teamwork together to gain a victory over the other team. That being said, the game is won and lost on more than just skills. Here are some tips for being a winning basketball player every time you play.

Take Pride in Your Basketball Performance

This is something kids playing youth basketball all need to learn. Although you should truly be loose and free playing the game, know that how you perform while on the floor affects the outcome of the game. So you need to take pride in how you perform. Personal pride in your own performance can have more affect on your game than a coach’s instructions. For example, if the man you are guarding has scored on you a couple of times in a row, personal pride is going to make sure you start locking in, giving a greater effort and playing more soundly the next time he tries to score on you. This sense of personal pride will carry more weight to you than your coach barking instructions to you from the sidelines. And this type of attitude breeds winning. On the other hand, a player with no personal pride would not make the necessary effort to tighten up on defense no matter how much the coach instructs him to do so. A player like this is not playing winning basketball.

 Don’t Be Discouraged In Training or Games

Youth basketball games range anywhere from 24-40 minutes in duration. That’s a long time running, jumping, shooting and rebounding. There are ebbs and slows throughout the game. If things are not going well at a certain point, do not get discouraged. There’s still time on the clock to turn it around because the game is not over until the final buzzer sounds. This can be hard for young players to understand, as sometimes getting scored on a couple of times or missing a couple of shots can cause them to lose confidence. But keep fighting. There have been so many epic comebacks in the game of basketball because a team kept fighting and believing. And remember, if you are playing discouraged basketball, you are doing the other team’s work for them. Don’t help them in their cause to beat you down. Keep putting pressure on the other team by fighting until the final buzzer.

Be Selfless As A Basketball Teammate

Selfless players and teams are winning players and teams. Selfish players do things that hinder winning. Being selfless means doing little things like passing to the open man and encouraging teammates. After all, if the goal is winning you want your teammates to stay encouraged the entire game. Passing to an open teammate when you feel like you want to try to score may cause you to lose out on a shot attempt, but winning players don’t let personal stats get in the way of team success. In actuality good stats have a funny way of following winning players.

Be Fearless on the Basketball Court

An important aspect of winning in basketball competition is being fearless. You don’t want to be the type of player who looks good in practices and drills, but when it comes to games you all of a sudden freeze up. If you’re known as a shooter, in games your team needs you to shoot. If you’re a good driver and scorer, in games your team needs that from you. In competitive basketball, you can’t consistently win if you’re not giving it your all. You can practice being fearless by being aggressive at the beginning of games when you are nervous. Eventually the nerves will go away and you can focus on using your skills and talent to help your team win. Being fearless is VERY important in winning basketball, so learn to develop this quality now.

Competition, whether it is in basketball or anything else, is about playing to win. Along with developing your physical skills, work on developing a winning attitude towards the game of basketball. That includes implementing the tips here, along with some others. Get with your local basketball trainer today to help you with that development. We can’t wait to see you out there playing to win using the 4 cornerstones of winning basketball training.

 

 

Top 5 Reasons To Become A Basketball Trainer

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become a basketball trainer

Top 5 Reasons to Become a Basketball Trainer

Being a basketball trainer has many benefits especially for former players or coaches that want to build a new basketball career. Individuals that poses extensive knowledge about teaching the game of basketball and have experience developing individual players don’t just have to be coaches or volunteer their services part time. Many coaches get burnt out because of all the off the court responsibilities that come with the job. This article should lay out why you shouldn’t limit yourself to being stuck in the mindset of traditional basketball coaching. Here are five reasons why you might want to think about becoming a basketball trainer.

  1. Being a basketball trainer allows you to stay in the sport you love and help young basketball players achieve their goals. To become a legitimate basketball trainer you have to have a wealth of knowledge relating to the game. Sharing this information with young athletes can help reach their goals and have opportunities that may have been a struggle for you
  2.  You get to help young athletes improve their game and succeed on the court without all of the time and commitment that traditional coaches are required to commit to. You get to set your own schedule and train when you want to train. Plus by only seeing a player 2-3 times a week your voice doesn’t get stale in their heads. This allows you to be more affective and help players see quicker results. Also there is usually tension between coaches and parents. As a basketball trainer you will get much more positive response from parents because you won’t be limiting their kids playing time you will be helping them earn more!
  3. You can make a basketball training career doing what you want! There isn’t anything more satisfying than being self-employed and getting to do what you want every day at “work” if you want to call it that. You get to run your training, camps, and program the way you think it should be done while putting your own personal stamp on the game.
  4. You will have more opportunities to enjoy the game and improve as an instructor throughout the year. Your off season is basketballs in season. So when all the kids you train are playing in games you will have the time to travel and attend their games. You will still be training or doing “tune ups” and clinics throughout the season so don’t let that worry you. You will also have time to fine tune your teaching points and develop new curriculum for your players.
  5. Finally you get to be in a gym with basketball shorts on every day you work. In our opinion it doesn’t get much better than that.

Infinite Reasons To Become a Basketball Trainer

There are many more reasons to become a basketball trainer but these are the main reasons that you should think about modifying your career path. Also understand basketball training isn’t just hanging out on the court all day there is a lot other work needed to put in to get the clients filling up your schedule. Basketball trainer can help with this process and give you more time to plan workouts and be in the gym.  Claim your bassketball trainer listing today to connect with ambitious young basketball players.

Don Meyer Quotes Infographic

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The team here at Basketballtrainer.com are big fans of Coach Don Meyer and wanted to share some of his knowledge with the players we train and the coaches we work with.  We are so thankful for his work, his life and all that he shared.

For more inspiration from many great minds, check out this link from the Coaching Toolbox website:  Basketball Quotes

 

Don Meyer Infographic Quotes

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Basketball Training Frequently Asked Questions

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Basketball Training Frequently Asked Questions

Basketball Training Frequently Asked Questions

There are a lot of questions out there about basketball training, so I decided to take some time out to answer some common ones. Hopefully this will clear up some misconceptions and give you a clearer picture about professional basketball training.

Q: Is my son or daughter good enough for basketball training?

A: Yes. Basketball training is not only for the elite. There are certain trainers that cater to elite players, but that is by no means the case for all trainers. You can find a basketball trainer to work with your son or daughter no matter his or her skill level. Basketball training is designed to build fundamental skills as well as advanced ones, so training is beneficial for beginner or limited players as well as advanced or experienced players. If your son or daughter is a new or limited player, that is no problem.

 Q: Are basketball training sessions any different than team practices?

A: Yes. Team practices primarily focus on developing team execution and chemistry, while basketball training sessions focus on individual player growth and development. Basketball training can supplement team practices, as your young player becoming a better individual player helps him to be more of an asset to his team. When you take your young player to a basketball training session, he is given personalized attention that is designed to help him maximize his individual basketball potential.

Q: Is basketball training expensive?

A: The price of basketball training depends on the trainer, but quality basketball training is a professional service. That being the case, when you are working with a good trainer the price of training should not outweigh the delivered benefit. In relative terms, the cost of basketball training is less than the cost associated with AAU basketball when measured over the same length of time.

 Q: Why should my son or daughter attend basketball training?

A: Well, there are a lot of reasons I can give. But in general, if your son or daughter is playing organized basketball, basketball training can enhance that experience by helping him or her develop into a better player. They might end up with a cool story like this.

 Q: What makes somebody qualified to be a professional basketball trainer?

A: A good basketball trainer will possess certain must-have qualities. But in addition to those, YOU have the power to qualify the basketball trainer that will train your son or daughter by checking out the provided playing and coaching resume, and checking training references. The power is in your hand to determine who the best basketball trainer is for your young player.

Q: Can a trainer make my son or daughter good enough to…?

A: A basketball trainer’s job is to develop players to the best of his ability. There are certain qualities a trainer must have, as well as certain qualities a trainee must bring to the table, to get the most out of player development training. A trainer should not be guaranteeing lofty results for your player sight unseen. Any trainer doing so may not be able to deliver on these promises. After a proper evaluation and a buy-in from the trainee to the training process, a good trainer may be able to answer this question more specifically.

I hope this has cleared up some of the misinformation out there about basketball training and basketball trainers. To learn more, and to possibly get the ball rolling with a trainer today, let us help you find a good trainer in your area. Thanks!

 

 

Basketball Trainer Success Story

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Basketball Trainer Success Story

 My Basketball Trainer Success Story

As a basketball trainer, I get the chance to impact the basketball journeys of a number of kids every week.  The successes I and my training partners experience with young players are normally shared with our players and their parents, but I wanted to take the time out to share a recent basketball training success story.  Here is the story of Lucas.

I met Lucas a little over a year ago.  He was referred to me by another young player I was training at the time.  Lucas stepped into the gym as an impressive looking physical specimen for a 7th grader.  He was about 5’10” tall and seemed to be a physically strong athlete.  His father let me know he was a pretty decent lineman/linebacker in football at his school.

Now anytime you see a 5’10” 7th grader you automatically assume that his height would allow him to make the basketball team.  But Lucas decided to try out basketball training because he did not make his school team – not the A team or the B team.  The first night of training we threw Lucas in there with some other kids his age for a warm-up scrimmage.  He showed pretty good athleticism by rebounding and blocking a couple of shots.  But in the individual evaluation after the instruction it became clear that Lucas couldn’t consistently make a layup with either hand, and when he did make layups with his dominant hand, he was jumping off of the wrong foot.

By the end of the initial training session, Lucas was executing the proper footwork and technique to consistently make a strong-hand layup.  Soon thereafter he was consistently making them with his weak hand as well.  Lucas had never played organized basketball before basketball training, so his father and I devised a dedicated plan to help him to “catch up” with his contemporaries and put him in position to make his school team as an 8th grader.  Lucas became a faithful trainee for the next few of months, coming to training sessions 2 or 3 times per week during that time.  The bright side to Lucas having no previous basketball experience was that he came in with a humble attitude and soaked up instruction like a sponge.  He didn’t spend time fighting me about some of the hard-to-let-go bad habits he had picked up, because he had none.  He also understood the value of working on his game at home.  He treated our sessions, in which he would learn new skills and techniques, as the school classroom and he made sure to do his homework at home.  Whereas he would have a tentative grasp on a new concept in a training session, after practicing before and after school during the week, he would come back and tell me “Coach, I’ve been working on this.  I think I’ve got it.”

Mental Basketball Training

Lucas’ confidence grew over the summer (he began training with me in the spring) as he played pickup ball with buddies who were on his school’s basketball team the previous year.  Friends and parents of Lucas’ friends began to take notice of the player Lucas was becoming.  He also joined a local club basketball team to get some game experience under his belt.  Even though he joined the club team, he remained faithful to basketball training and he continued to improve at an impressive rate.  Now, the growth wasn’t all smooth.  Lucas had some up-and-down times as he struggled with confidence and attitude in some areas, as most young players do.  I did my best to work with Lucas on the mental side of the game as well as the skills portion, and overall he was receptive.  We began to attack mental hurdles like what to do when your shot’s not falling, positively receiving constructive criticism, seeing yourself from a coach’s perspective and approaching the game like the best player on the floor.

In the fall, Lucas’ school had a multiple day tryout.  After each day I was on pins and needles as I waited to get the report from Lucas’ father.  At the end of the tryouts and initial week of team practice, Lucas not only made his team – but he made his school’s A Team.  That’s right – he went from no team to the top team.  His willingness to humble himself and submit to basketball training, his willingness to put in the work outside of the training gym, and his commitment to training consistency paid off for him.  Lucas continued to train with me during his basketball season, as he realized two things: basketball practice is not the same as working on and improving your game, and you never want to stop personal player development.  After his school season, Lucas tried out for and was offered a spot on a local club team’s top traveling team for his age.  He actually declined that offer and joined a separate organization that allows him to build chemistry with some of his future HS teammates.  As his ability was growing, so were his opportunities.

Lucas’ story is a great one, and his success is what the basketball training business is all about.  Know that Lucas is not alone is achieving basketball success after initial failure, as basketball success is an option for anyone willing to commit to it.  We’d love to help you to have a story like Lucas’, so contact us today to get your very own basketball success story rolling!

 Chris Price

Austin Basketball Trainer

Do I Need a Basketball Trainer?

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Do I Need A Basketball Trainer

Do I need a basketball trainer?

This seems like a pretty simple question.  As a basketball trainer by trade, I am tempted to tell you yes and list the reasons why.  However, let’s address this on a case-by-case basis.

 

 “I’m a 10 year old and love to play basketball with my friends at the park.  I play organized football and soccer, but don’t play organized basketball.” 

Young players who aren’t playing organized basketball don’t need a basketball trainer.  If you’re just having fun with your friends, no coaching needed!

 

“I’m a 10 year old and love to play basketball with my friends.  I’ve never played organized basketball before, but I think I want to tryout for my school team in the 7th grade.” 

Yes!  A young player who is looking to play organized basketball can definitely use a basketball trainer.  A trainer can help you build fundamental skills that you may not have another way to build before you tryout for your school team.  You want to be prepared for when those skills and that basic basketball IQ is needed.

 

“I’m an 8 year old and I just picked up a basketball for the first time with my dad yesterday.  I had a lot of fun!” 

If you’re just being introduced to the game at this age, you may want to have some fun getting familiar with it first.  It may turn out that basketball is something you just do for fun outside of an organized setting.  If you play in your first organized rec season and afterwards have a hunger to get better, then seek out a trainer.  If you spend a lot of time in the driveway shooting, then definitely come see  a trainer so he/she can help you use correct form to begin muscle memory magic.

 

“I just made my 7th grade team and I’m the best player on my team.  Nobody on my school really challenges me on the basketball court.”

Yes!  Talented 7th graders don’t always ended up being talented high school players, so you always want to keep improving your game.  If you’re the best in your school, expand your horizons.  Are you the best in the district?  In your area?  Being good doesn’t mean you can’t be better.  A good basketball trainer who’s played at higher levels of the game can also push and challenge you the way your school team may not.

 

“I got cut from my 7th grade team.  I really wanted to make the team, but it turns out I’m not good enough.” 

Yes!  We work with numerous players like this.  If you didn’t make your school team, you are ripe for training.  You may not know how to improve yourself to the point of making it in 8th grade, but a good basketball trainer should be able to help.  We can tell you lots of stories of players not making it one year, then getting with a basketball trainer, improving, and making the team the next year.

 

“I just got cut after the season of my 10th grade year.  The coach says he doesn’t have a spot for me on the JV or Varsity teams next season.”

Yes!  I’ve actually been there.  When a coach cuts you after a season, it’s because he doesn’t believe in what you can develop into that next fall.  You have the choice of either believing what he says about you or fighting back and improving as a player and teammate.  Sometimes getting cut is the wake-up call a player needs, and it is the perfect time to get with a quality basketball trainer and improve upon all aspects of your game.

 

“I’ve just received a football scholarship to my dream school.  I’ve enjoyed basketball training up to this point, but I’m done playing.  I’m strictly a football player now.”

Basketball training is generally designed to help you be the best player you can be in an organized basketball setting.  If you’re not longer competing in that setting, by all means give that extra time and energy to something else.  You’ll have fun taking what you’ve learned in basketball training up to that point to be a great recreational basketball player for the rest of your life.

 

“Coach, I just won District MVP and just got a full basketball scholarship to my dad’s alma mater for the fall.  I made it!”

Yes!  You’ve succeeded at one level and will start on a new journey to succeed at the next one.  You don’t need to stop improving – you actually need to improve more now!  Keep training and never take on the attitude that you already know enough.

 

“Coach, I just signed my first NBA contract.  This is a dream come true.  Thanks for all you’ve done for me.  I’m in the big leagues now!”

Yes!  The best players in the world still work with basketball trainers.  Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James and Kyrie Irving are some of the guys who still work with basketball trainers in the offseason.  And yes, they are better players than their trainers ever were, but they never stop learning from and being pushed by them!  Even successful professional players understand the benefit of constant player development.

 

For the serious basketball player, basketball training gives you a leg up on your considerable competition.  It is almost a must for those wanting to maximize their full potential.  Every player and family has their own budgets and time constraints.  Decisions are absolutely a family matter and this really only serves as a basis for some talking points.

Contact a basketball trainer in your area to get started with basketball training today!

Basketball Trainer vs. Basketball Coach

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Choose Between Basketball Trainers and Coaches

What does a basketball trainer provide that a basketball coach doesn’t?

That is a great question to ask, and as a parent of two boys (age 4 and 9) about to become basketball players themselves, one that I have thought about for a few years now.  I am a former Professional Basketball Player, a former Division I college coach, and a current NBA scout.  I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to basketball coaches, basketball trainers, and so called “basketball people” as I put it.  I have watched the AAU games all summer long, and watched Middle and High School coaches at work during their seasons.  So let me tell you that your son or daughter should work with a basketball trainer for the following 2.1 reasons.

  1. A basketball coach cares about the entire team more then the individual!

When you are a coach, your main job is to make the team the best it can be.  Working with each player to make them the best they can be is important, but it really doesn’t matter which 7, 8, or 9 kids become the best.  All that matters as a coach is that the best players play in that game to help you win that day.  Many players get limited playing time on AAU teams, Middle School teams, and on High School teams because the coach wants to win today.  The coach isn’t always focused on the long term development of each player.  A Basketball trainer’s only goal is the development of each individual player.

  1. Individual skill development isn’t being taught at practice!

In today’s sporting environment, all kids do is play games.  Even in practice, most of the time is spent on scrimmaging, or concepts, not individual instruction.  Players need to learn the proper techniques of how to dribble, shoot, pass, and rebound the basketball.  Players need to learn the proper footwork techniques on how to shoot a lay-up and how to be ready on the catch.  Players need to learn how to use screens and how to get open.  Players need to learn how to guard their man but still be in helpside defense.  These individual skills can’t always be taught in a team practice setting.  For example, coaches can’t stop practice when they have 10-15 kids on a team every time someone doesn’t use the proper technique in the lay-up line.

       2.1   Youth basketball players are not getting enough shots during practice!

Coaches are working on so many things to get a team ready for games.  They have to work on setting up offensive plays, out of bounds plays under the basket, and sideline out of bounds plays.  They have to work on defensive concepts like man to man, zone, and the full court press.  Coaches also prepare to play the other team and the game strategy to beat an opponent.  Practice ends up being all about the team and very little about the individual.  Not enough time is spent in practice shooting the basketball.  The most important skill in basketball is scoring and putting the ball in the net.  In one 1 hour training session with a basketball trainer kids can get more shots up than a full week of practice in most cases.

When considering if a basketball trainer is right for your son or daughter remember this, “Many experts say that to master a skill it takes 10,000 hours of practice.”  While your kids are actually practicing with their basketball coach, how much skill work is actually getting done?  How much individual attention is really being given to your son or daughter?  If you have a quality basketball trainer who provides individual or small group workouts, I know that those questions will have a much different answer.  Find a basketball trainer here.

What We Can Learn From The NBA Playoffs

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What You Can Learn From The NBA Playoffs

5 Things Youth Basketball Players Can Learn From the NBA Playoffs

Are you enjoying watching the NBA playoffs?  I know I am, and I hope you are too.  As a lifelong fan of the game of basketball, I watch basketball all the time merely for the excitement of the game.  Watching the playoffs as they go along, and finding out who will be the season’s champion is fun for me.  However, along with watching for fun, youth basketball players can learn a lot from watching NBA playoff games.  If you are a player, here are five things you can take away from the NBA Playoffs.  Where do you take them?  You take them into your next  basketball training session and identify what skills you want to work on with your trainer.

 5. Basketball Truly is a Team Sport

The NBA loves to market individual players.  Great players sell tickets, jerseys and get people watching games.  Truthfully great players are exciting to watch.  When I was a kid, Michael Jordan was the big superstar the NBA pushed as its main draw.  Today, that player is Lebron James.  But look at the teams in the playoffs, and look at some of the stars who are not there.  Kevin Love and Anthony Davis are not in the playoffs this year.  Even though these guys were 2 of only 5 players to average 20 points and 10 rebounds this season, their teams were not good enough to make the playoffs.  Another notable name missing this year is Carmelo Anthony.  His New York Knicks did not make the playoffs, even though Carmelo was the league’s 2nd leading scorer and became just the first player in 11 seasons to average at least 27 points and 8 rebounds in a season.  On the flip side of things, the Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks both pushed championship contending teams to 7 games in the first round of the playoffs without an identifiable superstar on their rosters.  Although great individual players can really make a difference in the game of basketball, at the end of the day one player doesn’t override team chemistry and overall great team play.

 4. Champions Don’t Stay Discouraged

We generally think of the team that wins the playoff series to be “better” than the team that lost it.  And that is generally true.  But what does that “better” really mean?  In the first round of the playoffs, only one series was a sweep, meaning one team won every game against the other one.  Every other team that ended up winning lost at least one game in the series.  Teams are so good in the NBA, and basketball is such a dynamic sport in general, that it is rare for one team to beat another team every time they play each other.  But championship teams don’t stay discouraged.  They know that just because they lost last night doesn’t mean they can’t win tomorrow night.  In the history of the NBA, no team has completely swept through the entire playoffs without a loss, although some teams have gotten close.  Good teams, and especially championship teams, are able to lose and shake the memory of that loss right off.  As a youth basketball player, you should be the same way.  Learn to not let the losses hit you so hard, and also don’t let the wins lift you too high.  Stay even-keeled and keep fighting through your team’s schedule.

3. Winning Intensity is High Intensity

Teams in the NBA playoffs all have the same goal, and that is to win the NBA championship.   When you watch the playoffs, watch how hard the players are playing.  I want you to notice that winning basketball is played at a high intensity.  To beat a team in the playoffs, you really have to beat them.  Teams are not just going to lie down, as they’re all fighting to stay alive and advance.  This being the case the winning teams have to pay hard and at their best.  If you notice, a lot of the star players in the playoffs will increase their scoring and rebounding averages because they know this is true.  Winning intensity is something all youth basketball players need to see and understand

2.  Execution is Super Important!

As the playoffs get deeper and more teams get eliminated, teams become more evenly matched and you see less blowout victories and more close games.  This year we even saw that in the first round.  When you watch these close games, watch how important execution is at the end of them.  Talented individuals playing erratically normally don’t win championships, because you can’t count on erratic behavior to win a close game.  Teams that execute at the end, and talented players that execute, are the ones usually holding up the trophy in June.  Things like getting a high percentage look at the basket, finishing defense possessions with rebounding, protecting the ball (no turnovers) and making free throws can be the difference between celebrating a championship and suffering ultimate heartbreak.  You can ask the 2013 San Antonio Spurs about that – that one hurt me to watch.  Youth basketball teams can see the importance of team execution, and also individual players can see the importance of being sound when it counts by watching the NBA playoffs.

 1.  It Is Hard Work to Achieve Basketball Success!

When is the last time your favorite team won the NBA Championship?  My Houston Rockets last won 19 years ago, and they’ve only ever done it twice.  When is the last time your favorite player won?  If your favorite player is Lebron James, he’s won the past two seasons.  But before that, he got to the Finals twice before and lost, and he didn’t win a championship during his first 8 seasons in the league.  He’s considered to be one of the best players to ever play.  The point to that is its hard work to achieve basketball success.  Youth basketball players should notice how many teams have great players, great chemistry, are bouncing back from adversity, are playing hard and executing…. and still don’t end up as champions.  Don’t forget that whoever ends up being champion is playing an extra two months of basketball past the end of the regular season as well.  However, the team that does win does do the foundational things to win.  They may have just executed better, had better chemistry, had the better player when all other things were equal, etc.  Basketball is a fun and competitive sport, but just as with many things in life, it takes hard work to achieve success, and success is not guaranteed.  But success can be achieved!

Youth basketball players, enjoy the NBA playoffs, and good luck to your team!  Happy watching and ask your neighborhood basketball trainer any questions you may have on this.

 

 

Basketball IQ Training

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Develop Basketball IQ

How To Train Your Basketball IQ

A common phrase used all the time by coaches is you need to improve you basketball IQ. When you break it down basketball IQ encompasses a lot of skills and areas of the game that one can improve to increase their IQ. In reality it is probably too broad of a term and should be broken down and explained to each individual relating specifically to their game. We want to share with you some areas of focus that will help you improve your basketball IQ as well as help you understand when a coach tells you to improve your IQ but doesn’t clarify which area of your IQ you should focus on.

When we talk about basketball IQ we aren’t referring to how smart you we are looking at your overall basketball knowledge and how you apply it to playing the game. There are a few areas you can focus on to improve your IQ.

Basketball IQ Space and Movements

Learn and study what basic movements and spacing should look like in the game of basketball. What do we mean by this? Understand all the basic skills and be willing to use all of them at any time like shooting, passing, ball handling, attacking the rim, rebounding, and screening. Understanding spacing is crucial to you being efficient on offense and a good teammate. Learn to drift to corner on drives, fill open spaces around the perimeter, cut back door when your dribbled at, and understand when to get out of the way.

Basketball IQ & Your Team System

Understand your teams systems and what your coach wants you to do in it. Try to learn your teams system inside and out. You want to be able to know every position in your teams offenses and defenses. Not only can you fill in for any position on your team but you can also help out lower basketball IQ teammates do their job more effectively. Make sure you understand your role in your teams systems and you apply yourself to being a master of that role. It doesn’t mean that your role can’t grow and change but master what you are given now and then watch how your coaches trust grows with you as your IQ increases.

Basketball IQ and Homework

Finally study the game. Watch NCAA and NBA games to learn from the top players in the world. Try not to get caught up in the flash and entertainment side of the games and watch the offenses/defenses they use. Watch players that play similar positions as you or watch players that play the same style that you want to emulate. When watching teams like Duke, Kentucky, and Wisconsin watch how their offenses are effective but very different. You may not ever run these offenses but you may play against teams that do. As you play more and study more you will learn that there aren’t that many different styles of offenses and they copy each other in some way or another. Don’t just watch video of games… go and see them in person. It will give you a different perspective and allow to appreciate the athleticism and skill it takes to get to the next level.  Your coaches and basketball trainers are uniquely qualified to help you train your Basketball IQ.

 

 

Defy Basketball “Limits”

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Defy Your Basketball Limits

 

What Are Your Limits And How Can You Defy Them?

Limits are for the birds when it comes to the game of basketball.  Limiting yourself can come from a lack of confidence or a lack of current skills.  The limits others place on you can come from the current perception they have of you and their lack of belief in your ability to improve, grow, or mature.  Both types of limits are for the birds.  I want to take a second to talk about the limits others can put on you, and how you can throw those limits to the wayside and achieve success.  I hope it inspires you to do the same, and to throw away some negative limits you may have put on yourself because of listening to others.  Here are the real-life stories of three guys I’ve known in my basketball life who defied the expectations of others and achieved basketball success.

Three Basketball Players Who Defied Their Limits

I have a buddy who attended the same college as me.  We weren’t teammates, as he came after I was done playing, but we’re friends nonetheless.  In high school he was considered undersized for a shooting guard, but he was and still is an outstanding shooter, and a good overall basketball player.  He was a good player in a small town and had a breakout senior year to really put his name out there on the recruiting map.  The scholarship offers he received were to some pretty decent sized Division 1 programs, but he wasn’t satisfied.  He told me that his plan was to get to a bigger university in a bigger city so that he could network and build a life for himself in that new city after he graduated.  He was thinking ahead – smart man.  My buddy did something pretty risky; he decided to play junior college basketball instead of taking a D1 scholarship offer.  He did this to have another chance at showcasing himself for top college coaches.  He bet on himself.  And his bet paid off.  After his freshman year of junior college, in which he averaged 18 points per game and was named an all-conference and all-region guard, he was offered a full scholarship to my alma mater, a school that did not offer him a scholarship out of high school.  He parlayed the college degree he received and his visibility as an alumnus player into a successful dual career (one sports related, one non sports related) in the city after he graduated.

I went to high school with a guy who is currently in the NBA.  He has actually carved out quite the career, as he’s been in the league since graduating from college in 2005.  We were cool in high school, and I remember him vividly telling me that he was going to be 6’2” when he got older.  He had a growth chart mapped out.  He told me this while he was 5’7”, the height at which he graduated high school.  He was also known as a good player in our area, having been a 4 year Varsity player, but because of his size he wasn’t offered a college scholarship to play basketball.  He accepted a walk-on role at a program in a neighboring state and averaged 11 points per game his freshman year.  After a year there he transferred to another school across the country and continued to improve as a player.  By his senior year in college, he was the third leading scorer in the nation.  Oh yeah, and he was also an athletic 6’2”. After going undrafted in the 2005 draft, he had a successful NBA summer league showing and was signed by the Sacramento Kings.  He has been a point guard in the NBA ever since, while also racking up more than a few “dunk of the year” level highlight dunks in the process.  This man is now an athletic, dunking NBA veteran, whereas he was barely dunking his senior year of high school and not one Division 1 program offered him a scholarship.  But he always believed in himself and always kept working towards his dream of playing in the NBA.

Another guy I know from back home I met through playing club basketball when I was a senior in high school.  He actually wasn’t a teammate of mine, as he was two years younger than me and wasn’t “good enough” to move up and play with our older team.  He played on the younger team in our program, and we would all practice at the same time and our teams would scrimmage against each other.  After practice, this guy and I would hold mini dunk contests against each other.  He would tell me that he could out-dunk me and I would tell him I could out-dunk him.  In all honesty, at that time I thought we were about the same, but of course I could be biased.  His game wasn’t there yet but he could really get off the floor.  This guy was in a tight situation entering his junior year of high school because his coach was contemplating sticking him on the JV team again.  Well, his junior year came and he ended up breaking onto the Varsity team, and by the end of the season was its best player.  He transferred schools following that season and blew completely up… in a good way.  This guy averaged 33 points a game his senior year and was rated as a Top 3 national basketball recruit in his high school class.  He was a McDonald’s All-American and was recruited by some of the top schools in the country, but he didn’t attend any of them… because he jumped right to the NBA out of high school, in 2005.  This guy is currently one of the most exciting and high flying shooting guards in the NBA, and he is a former NBA slam dunk champion.  This guy went from not being sure if he had a Varsity spot the summer before his junior year to jumping to the NBA a couple years later.  He soared over the limits people had set for him.

Most players have encountered some sort of adversity in their basketball lives, and the players who overcome it don’t allow others to have the final say-so on their basketball success.  Because limits, especially the ones that others put on you, are truly for the birds.  Start break through your basketball limits today.  Basketball Trainers can often help you break through limits – find a basketball trainer today.

*Note: The players are JD Lewis, Ronnie Price and Gerald Green in the order of the story.

This article was written by Austin Basketball trainer Chris Price who still loves watching both young and accomplished players defy their limits.  Austin Basketball Trainer Chris Price

Basketball Training For Free Throws

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Free Throw Basketball Training Basketball Training & Free Throw Tips

The free throw (n) – a rather unexciting part of the game of basketball, yet a very important one.

If you want to win close games, you’ve got to make free throws.  If you want to lose a close game, and subsequently wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it a year or two later, miss a late free throw.  There are so many reasons that free throws are important that I could write a book about it, but I want to skip that for now and give you some tips to aid you in converting your precious, valuable free throw opportunities.

Free Throw Routine

One thing that all players need is a free throw routine.  A free throw routine is something that you do every single time you take a free throw.  For me, its dribble the ball three times, spin the ball, and shoot.  It’s been that way since I was 12 years old.  Your routine eventually gets stored in your muscle memory, and helps tell your body “Oh okay, I’m shooting a free throw again.  I know how I’m supposed to do this”.  Your routine aids you in getting mentally and physically ready to shoot regardless of gym location, game situation or crowd noise.  This is a very important component of the free throw.  If you don’t have a routine, see if you can develop one that you’re comfortable with next time you go out to practice.

Relaxation and Visualization at the Free Throw Line

Good free throw shooters relax and visualize the “make” at the free throw line.  You can see relaxation when players take a huge breath before they get ready to shoot.  You always want to get into a relaxed state and start thinking about the shot you are about to make instead of the hard foul you just took, the shot you just missed or the game situation.  Some players really do a good job of visualizing by shooting an imaginary shot at the basket before they get the ball from the referee.  Sometimes it can look funny, but you shouldn’t laugh at these players.  Do you know why?  Steve Nash, who is #1 in NBA history in free throw percentage, makes a practice of this.  It’s a proven system that works.

Follow Through On Every Free Throw, Even An Air Ball

I ask my players all the time these two questions.  “Is anybody rushing you at the free throw line?”  “Is anybody trying to block your shot at the free throw line?”  The answer to both of these is no of course.  Then I ask, “Then why not follow through on your shot?”  Sometimes in a game you’re not able to fully follow through because of being off-balance while shooting, but at the free throw line there is no excuse.  You want to finish your shot by following through and giving yourself the best chance to make the shot.  You should hold your follow through until the ball hits or goes through the rim.  There’s no need to rush and truncate your trajectory by not following through at the free throw line.  The follow throw here can only help you, not hurt you.

We just gave you three great tips for the free throw line.  The best way to get better at free throws is to practice, practice, practice and to get with your basketball trainer to work out the kinks.  Good luck with your basketball training at the free throw line and happy shooting!

 

 

Basketball Trainer – Have You Found One Yet?

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Basketball Trainer Wisdom

Basketball Trainer – Have You Found One Yet?

You’ve taken a big step as a basketball player once you decide you need personalized basketball instruction.  Many players don’t see the need, let alone possess the desire, to go and get another basketball coach.  As a player who is looking to work with or is already working with a trainer, you’ve shown a special level of love for the game, humility, passion and work ethic.  You’re on the right track.  But all basketball trainers are not created equal, and all of them are not worth your precious time as a basketball player.  How do you know when you’ve found a good trainer?

 

Basketball Trainer Experience

A good basketball trainer will have some experience playing high-level organized basketball.  They don’t have to be the greatest player in the world (many of the best trainers are not), but they should have at least played high school Varsity basketball, and preferably college basketball or some level of professional basketball.  If your trainer played college basketball, that probably puts them in the to 5% of all basketball players.  The reason for this is that they can offer you tips and expertise that quality high-level players are using, because they’ve been around them and played against them.  They have also been exposed to high-level basketball instruction from high-level coaches that help inform their training.  There is nothing wrong with an inexperienced trainer doing his or her best to help you, but be mindful that his or her ability to develop you into the player you want to be may be limited.

 

Trainer Knowledge and Basketball  Communication

It’s been proven that the best players don’t necessarily make the best coaches and trainers.  The reason for this is that as a player sometimes you can get away with natural talent, athleticism and instinct to guide you to success.  However a basketball trainer is responsible for transferring his knowledge and skills to you the trainee, so he must be knowledgeable and able to communicate.  You want a trainer who can break down important concepts to you, and communicate to you why critical adjustments need to be made.  Your trainer can’t give you his instinct and athleticism, but he can give you knowledge, tips and anecdotes from his basketball life to help you grow.  Don’t spend your precious time or resources with a trainer only because of his playing resume.  If he is not able to build your IQ and skills through effective communication of basketball knowledge, he is not worth your time.

 

Motivation

A good basketball trainer cares about you improving as a basketball player.  He may care about building his training operation also, but that should never stop him from keeping first things first.  And that first thing is helping you to become a better player.  There are trainers out there who are more concerned about you being one of the foundations of their training business than them being one of the foundations of your basketball development.  If you are a good and well known player in your area, make sure that you are not being used as a promotional tool for a lackluster trainer.  There are a couple of ways you can tell if your trainer’s motivation is in the right place.  Is he giving you good feedback on a consistent basis?  Has he helped you add anything to your game recently?  Is he introducing new skills, drills or tactics to help you improve?  Is he tracking your development and communicating that to you?  Proper motivation is key in a trainer you are going to invest your precious time and resources in.

 

Is Your Basketball Trainer Invested In You Or Himself?

Your basketball trainer should be invested in your basketball journey.  If you have a trainer who is not, you are missing out on not only a great experience but a key part of the development process.  Invested trainers are committed to seeing you in game action with your school or club team or at least on tape if they are very busy trainers.  This is in part to see your hard work pay off but also to get gameplay feedback to help you improve further. An invested trainer will know when your school or club tryout date is and build a training plan designed to help you peak at the right time.  A trainer may send you written feedback or encouragement before that big day as well.  What you don’t want in your training experience is to just show up and go home, show up and go home once or twice a week.  If that’s all you are getting from your trainer, you may be getting the short end of the stick.  The best trainers we’ve seen attend games, provide constant feedback and encouragement, prepare players for tryouts and even connect players with club and college coaches.  Trainers like this understand that development is constant, and it is not just confined to the training gym.  This is the type of trainer you want.

 

 

You’ve made a quality decision to seek out a basketball trainer.  Now don’t short yourself in the execution – find yourself a good one.  Connect with a trainer in your area who is experienced, knowledgeable, properly motivated and invested, and you will be making one of the best decisions of your basketball life.  Here at www.basketballtrainer.com, we’re pleased to help you with that process.

Basketball Training: Body Language

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basketball body language training

Basketball Trainer wants to know:  Do you know what body language can tell us about your game?

Combining all the youth, high school, and college basketball games I watch live in a year I think it is safe to say I watch over 100 games a year. This allows me to not only watch what athletes do as basketball players but it allows me to see how they act before, during, and after the game. By just watching a players body language I how confident or unconfident they are, if they are a good teammate, if they are coachable, and if they a good kid in general. Like your game itself you need to work on your body language and use it to communicate to everyone in the gym who you are.

Why body language? Won’t my game just speak for itself? Honestly you probably need all the help you can get whether it is getting college scouts to notice you or just trying to get a starting spot as a freshman. I had a conversation with a college coach a few weeks ago and asked, “What is the first thing you look at when watching a specific player at a game?” He told me that the first thing he watches is how the kid warms up. He wants to see a kid with a focused “game face” on while at the same time having positive communication with coaches and teammates. Then he said I want to see what he does the first time he is subbed out of the game. Does he communicate with his teammate? Does he show disappointment if coming out after a mistake? Does high five his coaches and teammates on the bench? Then the coach told me he looks at how the kid comes back into the game. Do they pop up and hustle to the scorer’s table? Do they communicate and talk as soon as they step on the floor so they are on the same page defensively and offensively?  Finally the coach said he wants to see a kid that has some fire in their personality to win, exudes confidence but cockiness, and is even keeled in pressure situations.

You see these body language skills when watching elite high school players, college games, and many NBA athletes.  Another area that you will notice it is when watching Triple Crown horse racing events. You are probably thinking what can horse teach me about basketball? Horses are the best athletes there are in the animal kingdom so why not learn from them? Watch all of the horses before the race and then look at the winner after. They are usually calm, cool, and collected. These horses enjoy being in front of over 100,000 people and competing against other horses. People base million dollar decisions on how a horse carries himself to the starting gate. Just like how you should carry yourself with some swagger walking into a gym and warming up for the game.

So what can you do to improve your body language? Be aware of it in practice, ask your basketball trainer for feedback on your body language during your sessions, make an effort to carry yourself with confidence “swagger”, still be humble when you succeed, and attack every opportunity you have on a court because you never know who is watching.

College Basketball Decisions & Questions

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Do You Want To Play College Basketball

College Basketball Decisons

Do you want to play college basketball? It’s okay to answer yes. Most people will tell you that it’s a long shot to make it to the college level, but it’s not up to most people whether you get there or not. It’s largely up to you. If you want to play college basketball in the near future, there are some questions you should be asking yourself now to get yourself ready. Here are a couple of questions to help get you started.

Do I love the game of basketball?

This is an important question because no matter what college you attend, you will be dedicating a lot of time to team practice, individual practice, film study and travel as a part of the basketball team. You don’t have to love the game of basketball to play at the college level (I knew guys who didn’t), but you have to be willing to commit the time to being what I like to call a “full time student athlete”. This means sacrificing some of the recreation time non-athlete students get and dedicating it to basketball. If you don’t love or at least really like the game of basketball, that time can quickly start to feel like a burden and college basketball may not be a fit for you.

Am I good enough to play college basketball?

It is important to gauge whether you have what it takes to seriously pursue playing college basketball. There are a couple of ways to determine this if you’re not sure. You can attend local college basketball games and look to see if you’d be able to play with the guys on the court. Be honest with yourself. Also, do a little research and identify the players being recruited by colleges in your area. Watch their games, and also see if you can go to open gyms where they are playing so you can compete against them. In so doing, you can determine where you’re at in relation to other college basketball prospects and players in your area.

What can I do to improve my chances of playing college basketball?

If you determine that you aren’t good enough to play college basketball, is there anything you can do to get good enough? Is there a skill you can develop into being “college level”? Maybe this is something like shooting, rebounding, or perimeter defense, three things that every college program needs.

How are my grades?

It is a common misconception that it is all about skills and not about the total student athlete at the college level. If you are a high school All-American player, it may not matter if you barely do enough to get by in the classroom. That may be good enough. For everybody else, grades can be a bigger factor. At smaller colleges and universities if you are a good student you may be eligible to receive financial assistance based on your grades. If you don’t need financial assistance, good grades can still be a draw for a college coach. Schools that are members of the NCAA, for instance, are required for their teams to achieve certain academic standards. If the highly recruited players on the team are not contributing positively to holding those standards, the rest of the team can pick up the slack. An opportunity to join a quality team as a good student and a decent basketball player could be your ticket in. Conversely, being a poor student may keep certain doors closed to you.

What college do I want to attend?

A lot of kids don’t think about this question, and they should. Every college or university may not be a fit for you, and you might want to think specifically about it. Is there a school in the city or state I’d like to be in? Is there a school that offers a perfect degree program for me? Will I have a chance to get playing time at this school? Does the team play a style that I can be successful in? Thinking more specifically can help you to make not only a good basketball decision, but also a good life decision. Also, the benefit of identifying the school you want to play at is that you can make a concentrated effort of getting into that school and onto that team. Making contact with the head or assistant coaches, researching the roster and seeing where you fit in, and training with a more specific purpose are all things you can do once you identify what school or schools you’d like to attend.

These are just a couple of questions you should be asking yourself if you are thinking about playing college basketball. Get with your local basketball trainer, who should have experience playing at the college level, to help you answer these and other important college basketball-related questions.

College Basketball Players: Offseason Training

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Basketball Training for College Player

Your College Basketball Season is Over – Now What?

Get Better

Somebody out there is working harder than you to take your spot.  It is your coaches’ job to replace you and your job not to be replaced

Meet with your Head Coach

The first step to getting better is finding out what your coach believes are your weaknesses and how you can address these weaknesses.  If you coach is meeting with your 1-on-1 following the season, seek him or her out and ask what you can do to get better.

Individual basketball workout plan

Develop a daily plan that includes on-court skill work as well as strength and conditioning.  One of the most common things that a player says they need to address in the off-season is to become bigger, faster and stronger.  The best way to do this is to make a plan and hold yourself accountable.  Chart your makes and misses in your individual workouts.  Time your sprints.  Chart you bench press totals.  Once you start doing this, you now have numbers to beat each day, week and month.  This is a great time to find a basketball trainer. 

Competitive Leagues

Be careful here … pick-up basketball can often be a waste of time and a place to practice bad habits.  Sometimes, a game of 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 can be more beneficial than 5-vs-5 with no defense, around the back passes off the backboard and fast break lay-up after fast break lay-up.  Nobody gets better.  If you are going to play 5-vs-5 the best thing to do is to get into a well-organized structured league with officials and players that are BETTER THAN YOU.

Stay in contact with your teammates

Just because the season is over doesn’t mean you should stop communicating with your teammates.  With social media it doesn’t matter if your worlds apart.  Make it a point to drop a teammate an e-mail, text, tweet, etc… to stay in touch and keep communication lines open year round.  Everybody loves a great teammate.

Reach out to new recruits

Shunning new recruits is a sign of weakness and jealousy.  Welcome the new guys with open arms no matter how you feel about them.  Trust your coach and use the new guys as motivation while helping them at the same time.

Give back

The summer is a great opportunity for you to not only work on your game but also to give back to younger players.  Working at a summer camp can afford you to do both.  During the camp session you can teach skills to young hungry players, referee their games and maybe even get the opportunity to coach a team for a week.  During your “down-time” you can work out with a teammate or by yourself, play competitive pick-up at night, go for a run, hit the weight room, talk to a College of High School Head Coach and just spend a week around the great game of basketball in a different environment.  Anohter great way to give back is to visit with your old high school program.  Most if not all programs no-a-days runs a summer program.  Contact your old high school coach and ask him or her if you can come help out, work out with the team or simply visit with them get better.

Don’t Wait

The video games, movies, malls, theme parks, oceans, lakes, and all those fun things will be there once your college career is done.  You only get once chance to play and that window closes very fast.  Your playing days will be over before you know it and you don’t want to regret the fact that you didn’t constantly try to better yourself.

 

 BasketballTrainer.com would like to thank Coach Eric Werntgen of UMFK for this insightful contribution.

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