6 Tips to Optimize Player Development
Young players, it’s great that you’ve chosen to get with a basketball trainer. But make sure you are optimizing that relationship! You don’t want to waste your precious resources (double entendre, pun intended). Here are 6 tips to optimizing your player development.
1. Show Up On Time For Your Basketball Trainer / Practice
This sounds simple, but it can be a real issue in basketball training. Showing up on time can add 10 quality minutes to your training session. Showing up on time does not meaning running through the door at 5:59 for a 6:00 session. Because you still have got to put on or tie your shoes, stretch and get warmed up. Showing up on time means coming into the gym 10-15 minutes early, getting yourself stretched and warmed up so that you are ready (mentally and physically) for action at the beginning of your session.
2. Don’t Fight Your Coach or Basketball Trainer
Your coach is there to teach you and mold you, and you are there to learn. Don’t fight your coach. The players who show the most improvement in basketball training are those who are open to trying to new things, who listen well and don’t have a problem receiving and reacting to constructive criticism. Remember, your player development coach is there to help you, not to beat you down. Trust his expertise and his motivation for being your basketball trainer, and don’t fight him.
3. Be Consistent About Basketball Training
Ding ding ding! If you can do this one, you are going to get results. Don’t treat your basketball training as a luxury item in your basketball growth plan. Don’t treat it like a dessert. Think of basketball training as a vital part of your diet, like meat and potatoes. Players who show up to training on a consistent basis are able to build basketball skills on top of skills. Players who skip weeks at a time or have sporadic attendance sometimes have to spend time re-learning things and getting rid of bad habits. It’s simple to think of it like this… If you show up to training consistently, you are going to get consistent results. If you show up inconsistently, the results will show up the same.
4. Take Your Basketball Training Beyond the Gym
Think of basketball training sessions as a basketball classroom. What happens after you leave most classrooms? You have homework to do. Think of this the same way. The players who learn a new skill in a training session and practice it on their own time at home are going to come back with a decent handle on that skill. The players who don’t pick up a ball between training sessions are going to have slower growth because they are only growing in the handful of ours they are in the training gym. If you want to get better faster, you’ve got to do your homework on your personal time. Here is a great resource to bring online basketball training to your driveway.
5. Set Basketball Training Goals
Goal setting is very beneficial in basketball development. In player development, it keeps trainees motivated and enthusiastic. For this reason, I always want to know when my players have tryouts, whether it is school ball or club ball. We build towards that date. If you don’t have a tryout date, set dates on your own to do certain things, like hit a certain amount of 3 pointers in a minute, execute a dribble move in a game or scrimmage, or grab a certain amount of rebounds in a game. Fresh goals every couple of weeks or months can keep you from getting lethargic and unfocused as a basketball player.
6. Repeat… Dilligently
If you are willing to put these 6 tips into your basketball training and practices, you will be optimizing your experience with your player development trainer and with your basketball development overall. Contact your local trainer for expert skills training and more tips on how to get the most out of your personal player development.
