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Small College Basketball & The USCAA

April 20, 2014 By basketballtrainer

Small College Basketball & the USCAA For prospective student-athletes in basketball looking for more options to pursue their dream of playing collegiate basketball the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) offers another option to the NCAA and NAIA.

USCAA College Basketball History

Athletic directors from the Lake Erie (Ohio) Conference and the Eastern Shore Basketball League established the National Little College Athletic Association (NLCAA) on July 29th, 1966 in Charleston, West Virginia.  The organization began with men’s basketball and featured an eight team national tournament to give NLCAA members the opportunity to compete athletically on a national level. In the mid-70s the NLCAA added three sports: Baseball 1975, Wrestling in 1976 and Soccer in 1977.  In 1989 the association changed its name to the National Small College Athletic Association (NSCAA) and then again changed to the now present day organization, the United State Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) in 2001. As of the 2013-2014 athletic seasons, the organization includes 84 members nationwide from Maine to Washington State.  The USCAA awards All-Americans, names scholar-athletes and hosts national championships in baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, volleyball and has a wrestling invitational.  In 2013 the USCAA sponsored their first year of football with 11 participants.

Small College Basketball Scholarships & The USCAA

Basketball continues to be a driving force for the growth of the USCAA.  Many current member schools have joined and have flourished by attracting top notch players with academic and athletic scholarships.  The athletic scholarship piece is something which gives USCAA schools an edge over NCAA division three schools who are not able to offer athletic money.  In addition, many USCAA member institutions are able to compete as duel members affording the opportunity for their teams to compete in more than one national championship.  The 2013 USCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Champion Rochester College (MI) traveled and competed in the NAIA Division II National Championships as an NAIA Independent, a week after taking home the USCAA title.  The USCAA allows schools this luxury that NCAA and NAIA full conference members prohibit, making the USCAA even more appealing to schools and student-athletes.

USCAA Small College Basketball National Championship

Perhaps the USCAA’s most valuable asset is the annual Basketball National Championships which gives participating members each year a very special, memorable experience.  Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus in Uniontown, Pa. has hosted the men’s and women’s championships since 2009 and in late September of 2013 agreed to host the basketball championships through 2018.  The USCAA and Penn State-Fayette team up to host 34 teams in two divisions of men’s and women’s basketball during four days of competition.  The tournament kicks off with a banquet at the incredible host hotel, Nemacolin Woodland Resort.  Nemacolin, situated on 2,000 acres of land in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, provides participating teams a unique experience during their stay.  The resort features items like live safari animals on site, a spa, 36 holes and fly fishing just to name a few of their on-site attractions. The National Championships provides two games guaranteed, as teams that are knocked out in first round play, have the chance to play in a consolation game and end their seasons on a high note.  The tournament also holds a skills competition at Penn State-Fayette the night before the first day of competition.  Players have the opportunity to compete in a two person shooting challenge as well as a three point and dunk competition in front of all teams in the tournament inside the spacious 1,500 seat main arena.

Is USCAA Small College Basketball For You?

In summary, USCAA basketball provides a great alternative to the NCAA and NAIA for prospective student-athletes.  Member schools have the option to offer athletic scholarships and to compete as duel members in more than one organization.  The annual national championships gives teams a great avenue to compete at a very high level of play and earn national recognition playing the sport that they love.  Check out the USCAA Basketball today.  As their motto states, they truly are “Leveling the Playing Field for America’s Small Colleges.” Click Here For More Info About Your Future and Small College Basketball in the USCAA. 

 

University of Maine At Fort Kent BasketballEric Werntgen is the Head Basketball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at the University of the Maine at Fort Kent.  He is also a former small college basketball player himself at the University of New England / Westbrook College.  Eric is a contributing writer for www.BasketballTrainer.com.

Filed Under: Basketball Trainer Blog Tagged With: small college basketball

What Basketball Coaches Look For

April 15, 2014 By basketballtrainer

What Coaches Want In Basketball PlayersOn an almost weekly basis I have young basketball players ask me what is a coach looking for? Almost all athletes I have coached or  worked with as a basketball trainer have made this question more complicated than need be.  Yes coaches want every player to be as skilled as possible but coaches also want other traits that are essential to every team and increasing your playing time. Many of these traits are obtainable for every basketball player regardless of talent.

Unselfish Basketball Players

One thing every coach wants in a basketball player is unselfishness. Many young athletes want to shoot the ball or be the scorer on the team. Not many want to be the rebounding specialist or the defensive stopper because they are less glorious positions but they are 2 of the most important. Also many athletes don’t realize to be a good scorer it is extremely hard and takes more individual work that any other specialist on a basketball team. Players that are willing to make an extra pass, take charges, or set screens are essential for every team. If you watch any varsity basketball game in the country every team has a guy who all he does is set screens and rebound. That player doesn’t score every possession but because of their unselfishness they get rewarded with passes for layups and lots of playing time.

Controlled Aggressiveness

Controlled aggressiveness is something every coach wants. Players that crash the boards on every shot, dive on the floor for loose balls, and always make good rotations on defense will always stand out to coaches. This isn’t a special skill it is a trait that every player can acquire through making a decision to do those things listed above every day in practice and every opportunity in competition. Once you consciously make an effort to commit to these habits they will become muscle memory and you want think about them in games you will just do them and your coach will see you as a very important asset to the team.

Gym Rat Basketball Mentality

Gym rats! A gym rat is a basketball player that is always in the gym. They are the first one to the gym and the last one to leave. They usually are begging to get in the gym and often times get in trouble for being in the gym when they shouldn’t be. Unfortunately this is a dying breed of basketball player. Coaches love these kids because they are hungry for coaching and then they are willing to put in the needed extra time to perfect the skills they receive coaching on. Gym rats aren’t just practicing they are searching for every open run they can find in the city or planning one.

All of the skills listed above are desirable to coaches but being good at only one of them or not combining them with other basketball skills won’t do you any good. Also if you are very skilled and think you don’t need to have these skills you are also misunderstanding this message. Coaches want all players on a team to possess great skills and do the little things we talked about in this article. I have seen kids get college scholarships because they do these little things and fill up the stat boxes in other areas than points scored. The more competitive your basketball career gets the more there is a need for teams to have players with these “glue” guys. Why can’t it be you?

Connect with a quality basketball trainer today to start working on building these intangible skills that will help you develop on and off the basketball court.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Your Basketball Trainer and Preparation

April 11, 2014 By basketballtrainer

Basketball Trainer PreparationPreparation is the key to being a great basketball player and having a great basketball team. You have the opportunity to prepare every day. What does it mean to you to be prepared?  How can a basketball trainer help you prepare to meet your basketball goals?

Basketball Trainer Recommends Preparation In The Classroom

I have heard hundreds of people talk about the importance of working hard both on and off the basketball court. I have even used that saying from time to time as I have worked with young players over the years. If you want to be anything more then a playground legend, you need to work on your game off the basketball court as well as on. Preparation starts at school and you need to take your studies as seriously as you take your skills. The basic skills taught from elementary school through college prepare you for not only life during and after basketball, but the actual game of basketball itself.  Ask your basketball trainer to help you prepare properly for your basketball goals.

Working in the classroom and exercising your mind is a key component to being the best basketball player you can be. The best players at every level are the smartest players and have the best feel for the game. They understand every aspect of the game from years of preparation both on and off the court. You can not always be the most talented player on the court, but you can always be the most prepared player on the court.

Examples of Basketball Preparation Off The Court

Some of the things needed to succeed on the court come directly from your studies and preparation off the court. They include:

  • Being able to read, memorize and understand the entire playbook. The playbook only gets bigger and more complex the higher the level of competition you play.
  • Communicating with other players and your coach throughout the game on both offense and defense. This requires you to know the proper language used by players and coaches to get your team ready at all times for anything the other team may throw at you.
  • Studying the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents and your team and yourself. Including both video/film study of practices and games, and preparing and understanding the game plan for each opponent.
  • Quickly making decisions on the move and in transition. You could easily make an argument that the game of basketball is the fastest moving sport played with the best athletes on the planet.
  • Understanding words such as angle, arc, trajectory, rotation, speed, footwork, length, height, blocks, steals, and screening as these are just a few of the basic terms used everyday in the sport. Some of the more advanced concepts include the triangle offense, matchup zones, pressure man to man, full court press, motion offense, secondary break, sidelines out of bounds, points per possession, and double team rotations. The list of terms and concepts could go on and on.

Everyone that plays the game of basketball wants to succeed on the court. A winning desire burns in the heart of every player or we wouldn’t play the game, but the desire to prepare just as hard off the court as on the court burns in the heart of every champion. You have the opportunity to prepare each and every day, and preparation means working hard both on and off the court. Be the greatest player you can be and don’t ever miss an opportunity to be prepared!

Find A Basketball Trainer To Help Your Preparation

Filed Under: Basketball Trainer Blog

Basketball Trainer Bucket List: The Final Four

April 10, 2014 By basketballtrainer

Basketball Trainer Bucket ListBy Basketball Trainer Contributor Mike Vandegarde

The Final Four, what a great weekend of basketball for anyone that wants to be a part of the action. Whether you are learning the game at an early age, a fan who just enjoys watching basketball, or you are actually playing in the Final Four itself, what a exciting sporting event to be a part of. The Final Four is the culmination of a years worth of work by college staffs, players and coaches. I think it represents everything good about the game of basketball. I have been to the Final Four for 20 years and counting, I started as a Fan 1st, then as a Coach 2nd, and even as a scout for the NBA for a few years. I wanted to share some of the great things I have learned with you about the experience.

As a fan it is the best way to have an experience that I can only describe as basketball, basketball, basketball. On Thursday everything gets going even though the games don’t start until Saturday. You can start by strolling over to the convention center and seeing all the booths where people sell everything basketball related. I even saw basketball related furniture for sale one year. Products designed to help the top basketballl trainer in your city. If being hounded by vendors isn’t your thing then you should stop by the Coaches Hotel to see Coaches from the junior college level up to the best coaches in all of college basketball talking shop and sharing thoughts about the game. I always wish I could be a fly on the wall to all the great conversations and stories the coaches have to tell. Next I suggest stopping by the FanFest and participating in or watching all the kids playing games and working on all the basketball drills the festival has to offer. Basketball courts in the convention center that have shooting and passing activities galore. You can go check out some of the stations in the FanFest that include a hand, foot, and height measurement mural of the greatest players to have ever played. It is really cool to see how you stack up against the greats. You could try out your vertical on the vertical jump machines over in the corner. It is just a huge gathering of basketball related activities for children to adults. Anyone gets to listen to some of the brightest basketball minds share their thoughts during a seminar or lecture session. After a day of basketball at the conference center, you can set your sights on the actual teams playing in the tournament the next day.

So after a good nights rest, it is Friday, a day before the first two games even tip off. I will always go over to the Arena to watch the Final Four teams practice. Then following that have an All Star game with some of the best college players in the country showing their stuff. They even have a free concert in the Arena following the game. Most fans spend the day at the arena and it is a special experience that you can only get at the Final Four.

I have failed to mention the 3 point contest for both Men’s and Women’s players and the dunk contest involving the best athletes in the college game. Those have both happened in the last few days another great event. I think even the great woman’s player Candice Parker won that dunk contest a few years back. After going to the Final Four weekend for many years as a fan, I became a Division 1 coach and things during the weekend didn’t change a whole lot.

The biggest thing in coming here this weekend as a coach was that I got to finally exhale for a few days and reflect on all the hard work our group had done throughout the season. The practices, the games, the study halls, the airplane trips, the highs, the lows, and everything that goes on during the season can be exhausting when you are almost always judged on wins and losses. I got to catch up with other friends in the business that I have not had time to call over the course of the season. Maybe even dinner and drinks with a few of my best friends from outside the coaching fraternity that have made it to town. I know some coaches even use it as a vacation for their families as they have not spent enough time with them for the last six months or so. Many others decide to talk to the NCAA executives about new ideas and possible rule changes in the coming years that should only make the game better. I will go to a few seminars and listen to some of the best coaches in the business talk about strategies and habits they use in their programs to be the best teams they can be. Maybe I will learn the secret to defeat the dreaded matchup zone or find a cure for a loss from a last second shot. Myself and all coaches from the lowest to the highest levels get to look forward to a great weekend of everything basketball, basketball, basketball.

You can go as basketball crazy as you want during a Final Four weekend. The two Semi-final games are on Saturday and the Finals are on Monday. You could never have a better trip that is all about basketball for one weekend a year then the Final Four. Like I said before, I have been both a coach, a fan and a scout during this weekend and I loved all sides. If you like basketball, and I think we all do, make sure a weekend at the Final Four is on your bucket list.

Filed Under: Basketball Trainer Blog

Thank You For Your Support

April 1, 2014 By basketballtrainer

Basketballtrainer.com would not be possible without the support of many of our friends.  This list can serve as an ongoing token of gratitude to our supporters.

Austin Startup Attorney Natalie Lynch

The Pitman Family and Independence Title

Denver Youth Basketball Trainer Erik Buehler

Miami Youth Basketball Trainer Mike Gamez

Filed Under: Basketball Trainer Blog

March 29, 2014 By basketballtrainer

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Filed Under: SLIDER

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