Good Monday Morning.
OK. In just a moment I am going to talk about something in the game of basketball I just can't stand. I mean it. It drives me bonkers. If there was one thing I could change about the game it would be this.... (read below to find out what it is)
Weekly Tip: First Step with either Leg
Skill: Being able to take a hard first step move past a defender out of triple threat with either leg leading. In other words you have to be able to take this step with the open step or cross over step- depends on the pivot foot and how the defense is playing you. (open step is taking a step with the leg closest to the direction you are traveling. Cross over step is using the back leg furthest from the direction you are traveling)
Purpose: To be more dangerous and take advantage of the situation and what the defense gives you.
Drill: Practice driving to the hoop. from all spots around the 3 point line and within the 3 point line using the open step and the crossover step. Start in a good triple threat. You can use jab steps, pause steps, fake shots, or what ever other fakes you want. The goal is to you both the open step and cross over step and accelerate hard to the hoop. Perform 5 open step moves and 5 cross over step moves from going to the right and left. Perform this at 2-3 different spots on the floor. If there is a spot you generally catch the ball, definitely practice from that spot.
This is a lot of reps and it is what it takes to become great at the first step moves.
I Can't Stand It; The FLOP!
I am ready for it. I have no doubt I am going to catch some flack on this one but I have been against this "fake" defensive play since it made it's way into our game. The flop to me has hurt our game, has changed the outcome of games, has injured players on help side because they have been rolled up on by the Flopper, and it has made officials look terrible at times.
NBA coach and current analyst, Jeff Van Gundy, has said this many times and I totally agree with him. He says the Flop should be eliminated from the game. I believe technical fouls should be handed out when a player flops and causes a the offensive player to go down and potential injury could occur. The Flop has made the pure nature of defense look bad.
What ever happen to standing your ground and playing tough the entire play. How can 225 lb athletes get knocked to the ground by 170lb guards driving past them. This is when the official look literally incompetent when they call and offensive foul because of a flop.
Let me say this. I am 100% for taking a true offensive charge like a man or women. This is when you stand your ground and don't give and inch when a player is driving to the hoop and they plow into you- like it use to be and is suppose to be. If you get hit hard enough it causes you to fall back or get knocked back from the ground you are firmly planted at- that is taking a charge the real way.
I saw a game the other night where a player from the Utah Jazz, Kirilenko, flopped on Dirk Nowitski and it was so bad and obvious I was embarrassed for the defender. When a foul was called on Nowitski my initial reaction was to have a rule that suspends officials for such poor judgement. It may seem drastic but it needs to stop.
I mean no disrespect to the sport of soccer but all I can think off when I see these flops is a soccer player flopping down like they have been shot or something when a defender slightly bumps them. I don't like it and I blame the leagues and the officials for allowing it.
The other night an offensive low post player for Texas Tech was making a low post move and the defender bodied him up. When the move was made the defender threw his head and upper body back and his hips under the offensive player and flopped. This caused the offensive player to fall awkwardly on his back and injure himself. The official called it a CHARGE. I couldn't believe it. If the defender had played REAL DEFENSE it no one would have fallen and the offensive player would have been forced into a tough shot due to the defender standing his ground.
It has to stop. I can only hope you coaches out there would take it upon yourself to stop coaching it and allowing you players to use it. Make them play tough and stand their ground. They will make better defensive plays, get more rebounds, and not injure their own teammate in help defense by rolling up on their knee.
I can go on an on and I will come back to this again but I think I made my point. Regardless of if you agree with me or not- it is running the game and causing players to sit on the bench early or foul out when they should not have. Let's play REAL basketball again and stop this foolish soft play. The game is advancing in so many ways but like an anchor on a ship it is being dragged to a halt because of the FLOP.
Play Hard
Lee
PS: I know many of you are going to say; but Lee, it is part of the game and we are just playing within the rules. There are something that better judgement needs to prevail and this is one of them. Anyway- Love to hear your thoughts. Pass this on to others and lets hear their thoughts as well.
PSS: When you get a chance check out http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ and what is coming in 2009. It is going to be awesome Baby as Dicky V says.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Have A Wonderful Week!
Well, the count down is on. I want to wish you a great Holiday. I hope your basketball teams are doing well and you are enjoying the season. what can be better...the holidays are here and basketball is in full force.
Weekly Tip: Touch Shooting
Purpose: To grove a pure pattern of shooting and follow through
Action: Start our with all shots close to the hoop. Basically the low blocks, the short corner, and in front of the hoop. Then gradually work deeper and you warm up and feel comfortable.
The goal is to shoot 5 shots from each spot with the exact same routine. Hang the follow through each time so you know how to make corrections if needed. As you move deeper you begin to involve the legs more. try to groove a shooting pattern you can reproduce every time. Try to get at least 50 shots in.
Feel Comfortable In Un-Comfortable Times:
Have you ever noticed how well players shoot and dribble during warm ups? Notice how easy they dribble through the legs with either hand and shoot the ball so effortlessly. They look like they are First Team All-Stars.
Fast forward to the fourth quarter of a tight game. This same player seems like they don't even have a left hand if they are right handed. They dribble like it is their first day and they pick the dribble up at the first sight of defense. This is a common site.
What separates the great players from the not so great players is the confidence and comfort they posses in stressful times. They have so much confidence in their abilities they don't panic in the tight moments with basic skills like dribbling with the left hand. If they want to go to the basket by 2 defenders with 5 seconds on the clock and the game tied- they do.
The purpose of this is short article is two fold: first, young players need to drill and drill the basic skills of handling the ball so it is second nature to them. Secondly, unless they eventually play one on one, two on two, and five on five and use the skills in pressure situations they won't get comfortable. It is all about experiences. They have to know they are capable of doing it when the pressure is on.
Here is some advice. When working with players on skills, as they are getting comfortable with the basics put them in situations they have to use their skills against pressure. So, set up 2 on 2 situations where the player has to dribble to the left, if right handed, and force the defenders to help and trap. This will make the ball handler use the dribble correctly and learn to kick the ball to the open teammate quickly. Use this philosophy with many other skills. The goal is to put the athletes in difficult situations and make them react. This is a great time to coach the athletes on what to do. If their skills are not up to par it is a great time to tell them that. Let them know unless they get their skills to a higher level they will struggle in tough situations every time.
So don't just teach skills without having the players use them in live settings. You, as the coach, can set up drills that force what you want to see, but make it as live as possible.
Once again have a Great Holiday Season!
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: If you have friends that might like the information in this blog please pass it on. Have them check out www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com to take a FREE ride in one of the best basketball memberships in the industry.
Weekly Tip: Touch Shooting
Purpose: To grove a pure pattern of shooting and follow through
Action: Start our with all shots close to the hoop. Basically the low blocks, the short corner, and in front of the hoop. Then gradually work deeper and you warm up and feel comfortable.
The goal is to shoot 5 shots from each spot with the exact same routine. Hang the follow through each time so you know how to make corrections if needed. As you move deeper you begin to involve the legs more. try to groove a shooting pattern you can reproduce every time. Try to get at least 50 shots in.
Feel Comfortable In Un-Comfortable Times:
Have you ever noticed how well players shoot and dribble during warm ups? Notice how easy they dribble through the legs with either hand and shoot the ball so effortlessly. They look like they are First Team All-Stars.
Fast forward to the fourth quarter of a tight game. This same player seems like they don't even have a left hand if they are right handed. They dribble like it is their first day and they pick the dribble up at the first sight of defense. This is a common site.
What separates the great players from the not so great players is the confidence and comfort they posses in stressful times. They have so much confidence in their abilities they don't panic in the tight moments with basic skills like dribbling with the left hand. If they want to go to the basket by 2 defenders with 5 seconds on the clock and the game tied- they do.
The purpose of this is short article is two fold: first, young players need to drill and drill the basic skills of handling the ball so it is second nature to them. Secondly, unless they eventually play one on one, two on two, and five on five and use the skills in pressure situations they won't get comfortable. It is all about experiences. They have to know they are capable of doing it when the pressure is on.
Here is some advice. When working with players on skills, as they are getting comfortable with the basics put them in situations they have to use their skills against pressure. So, set up 2 on 2 situations where the player has to dribble to the left, if right handed, and force the defenders to help and trap. This will make the ball handler use the dribble correctly and learn to kick the ball to the open teammate quickly. Use this philosophy with many other skills. The goal is to put the athletes in difficult situations and make them react. This is a great time to coach the athletes on what to do. If their skills are not up to par it is a great time to tell them that. Let them know unless they get their skills to a higher level they will struggle in tough situations every time.
So don't just teach skills without having the players use them in live settings. You, as the coach, can set up drills that force what you want to see, but make it as live as possible.
Once again have a Great Holiday Season!
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: If you have friends that might like the information in this blog please pass it on. Have them check out www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com to take a FREE ride in one of the best basketball memberships in the industry.
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Strong Will Survive
Hello,
Only a couple weeks remain and 2008 will be in the books. I am so looking forward to 2009 and all the events that will come with it. I hope you are preparing yourself for a great 2009 as well.
Weekly Tip: Condition with the Ball:
Skill: Handling the basketball with great control under fatigue
Drill: Full court dribbling
Execution: Each trip up and back equals one repetition. You will perform 5 repetitions. Start off by doing a right hand up and left hand back dribble at a high controlled speed, go into crossover dribbles up and back, then spin dribbles, followed by pull back dribbles (at the foul lines, and 1/2 court stop and perform 2 pull back dribbles and then go forward), and finish with around the back and through the legs combo. So, you will perform each of these dribbles up and back to make one set. You will take a 2 minute break and shoot foul shots and perform again. Your goal is to work up to 5 sets. Initially you may need to only perform 2-3 sets and gradually add. The key is to go hard all the time.
The Strong Will Survive:
If you look at today's player you can obviously see that most of them spend quality time in the wt room. It is so important to have strength in the game of basketball. You are able to defend better, dribble past defenders with great control, rebound better, and of course shoot better.
The real key to strength for a basketball player though is to have usable and applicable strength. In other words if the strength you have in the wt room can't be applied will on the court then it won't help you.
When basketball concentrate on developing size and not really focusing n movement that is when they get in trouble. In other words; bicep curls are not a bad exercise and do serve a purpose of elbow and shoulder health but if they are only being performed to improve the size of the bicep the exercise won't help basketball players. But if the player performs squats with dumbbells, go into a bicep curl on the way up from the squat and finishes with a push press... now the player will get some use from this exercise. It is a total body combination lift that's emphasis is on strength through the movement pattern.
I think of someone like Rip Hamilton of the Detroit Pistons. He is not a big man but he is a strong player on the court. He uses his strength to get open and to get shots off quickly. His strength allows him to defend well and stay healthy.
When you are working on strength be sure that it has a purpose, or I should say a few purposes. First, to stay healthy. Second, to increase physical play and be able to hold your own, and thirdly, be able to use it to help your style of play.
Get Strong, Get Better, Get Results.
Play Hard,
Lee Taft
PS: Make sure you pass this blog along to friends who will benefit from the information. Plus, If you and your friends want to get monthly information delivered to your door go to www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com and take a FREE ride for one month to check it out.
Only a couple weeks remain and 2008 will be in the books. I am so looking forward to 2009 and all the events that will come with it. I hope you are preparing yourself for a great 2009 as well.
Weekly Tip: Condition with the Ball:
Skill: Handling the basketball with great control under fatigue
Drill: Full court dribbling
Execution: Each trip up and back equals one repetition. You will perform 5 repetitions. Start off by doing a right hand up and left hand back dribble at a high controlled speed, go into crossover dribbles up and back, then spin dribbles, followed by pull back dribbles (at the foul lines, and 1/2 court stop and perform 2 pull back dribbles and then go forward), and finish with around the back and through the legs combo. So, you will perform each of these dribbles up and back to make one set. You will take a 2 minute break and shoot foul shots and perform again. Your goal is to work up to 5 sets. Initially you may need to only perform 2-3 sets and gradually add. The key is to go hard all the time.
The Strong Will Survive:
If you look at today's player you can obviously see that most of them spend quality time in the wt room. It is so important to have strength in the game of basketball. You are able to defend better, dribble past defenders with great control, rebound better, and of course shoot better.
The real key to strength for a basketball player though is to have usable and applicable strength. In other words if the strength you have in the wt room can't be applied will on the court then it won't help you.
When basketball concentrate on developing size and not really focusing n movement that is when they get in trouble. In other words; bicep curls are not a bad exercise and do serve a purpose of elbow and shoulder health but if they are only being performed to improve the size of the bicep the exercise won't help basketball players. But if the player performs squats with dumbbells, go into a bicep curl on the way up from the squat and finishes with a push press... now the player will get some use from this exercise. It is a total body combination lift that's emphasis is on strength through the movement pattern.
I think of someone like Rip Hamilton of the Detroit Pistons. He is not a big man but he is a strong player on the court. He uses his strength to get open and to get shots off quickly. His strength allows him to defend well and stay healthy.
When you are working on strength be sure that it has a purpose, or I should say a few purposes. First, to stay healthy. Second, to increase physical play and be able to hold your own, and thirdly, be able to use it to help your style of play.
Get Strong, Get Better, Get Results.
Play Hard,
Lee Taft
PS: Make sure you pass this blog along to friends who will benefit from the information. Plus, If you and your friends want to get monthly information delivered to your door go to www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com and take a FREE ride for one month to check it out.
Monday, December 8, 2008
What Kind Of Speed?
Hello BBall Fan!
I hope you had a great weekend and are looking forward to a super week ahead. I know for me, every time I have basketball practice I get excited. I always have been a practice coach. I love working the game during practice. I hope you do to. Have a great week of hoops.
Weekly Training Tip: Lateral Speed
Skill: Lateral Speed and Quickness
Drill: 555 Shuffle
Purpose: The purpose of the 555 shuffle drill is to increase lateral speed and change of direction ability. This is a great drill for coaches to evaluate the movement ability of the players. You want to see a smooth but powerful action. The power leg (rear leg) drives hard while the lead leg pulls at the same time. You want to see the hips level and when the player changes directions you want a quick change of direction with no hesitation or "swaying" of the shoulders. You should see a nice wide plant leg of the outside leg.
How to perform: You can mark off a 5 yard area or simply use the foul lane. The athlete starts with both feet outside the right land and shuffles across to the other foul lane line having just the outside foot cross. Immediately change direction and go across the starting line with the outside foot, change directions and finish crossing the opposite line.
Perform 3 sets starting on the right and 3 sets on the left. Alternate each time.
What Kind Of Speed?
A common question I get is what kind of speed training would I use for basketball? An example is the weekly tip above. Doing drills such as UCLA's or 17's are not an example of a speed drill. They are examples of metabolic or conditioning drills.
When you want to improve your players ability to be more explosive and quick in all directions you have to train them with skill training. Take a speed skill like lateral speed or retreating speed and train it. Break down what it looks like and how far you want the athlete to cover and do multiple reps at 100% effort. Remember you are training the nervous system to fire more efficiently so you have to train it at the speeds you want it to fire the muscles.
If I want to improve my offensive players to be more explosive in their first 3-4 steps I will design a drill that replicates what I want. I then talk about body position and how I want them to start and finish and then go with it. The key is to not go over 7-10 seconds and give a decent rest so they can go 100% effort with close to full energy again. Otherwise I am training more conditioning.
Now, Conditioning is incredibly important for basketball. I some cased with certain athletic teams I might concentrate more on conditioning (more on that in a moment) because they are already fast on the court. Remember...You must evaluate your team and see what they bring to the table and then design a plan of action.
Conditioning. I am not going into a big conditioning talk for this article but most of my conditioning for basketball players is done with the ball in hand and where they must make basketball decisions. Example; Have them perform one on one full court or half court but not stopping or breaks for a pre-determined time. Or 3 man weave drills. I will use UCLA drills and other drills on occasion but I want to combine basketball playing with conditioning as much a possible.
Back to speed. The next time you run a practice allot 3-4 minutes to devote strictly to speed and quickness. You will be glad you did.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: If you have friends that would enjoy this blog please forward it to them. Also, Let them know about www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com so they can get the latest information on basketball development.
I hope you had a great weekend and are looking forward to a super week ahead. I know for me, every time I have basketball practice I get excited. I always have been a practice coach. I love working the game during practice. I hope you do to. Have a great week of hoops.
Weekly Training Tip: Lateral Speed
Skill: Lateral Speed and Quickness
Drill: 555 Shuffle
Purpose: The purpose of the 555 shuffle drill is to increase lateral speed and change of direction ability. This is a great drill for coaches to evaluate the movement ability of the players. You want to see a smooth but powerful action. The power leg (rear leg) drives hard while the lead leg pulls at the same time. You want to see the hips level and when the player changes directions you want a quick change of direction with no hesitation or "swaying" of the shoulders. You should see a nice wide plant leg of the outside leg.
How to perform: You can mark off a 5 yard area or simply use the foul lane. The athlete starts with both feet outside the right land and shuffles across to the other foul lane line having just the outside foot cross. Immediately change direction and go across the starting line with the outside foot, change directions and finish crossing the opposite line.
Perform 3 sets starting on the right and 3 sets on the left. Alternate each time.
What Kind Of Speed?
A common question I get is what kind of speed training would I use for basketball? An example is the weekly tip above. Doing drills such as UCLA's or 17's are not an example of a speed drill. They are examples of metabolic or conditioning drills.
When you want to improve your players ability to be more explosive and quick in all directions you have to train them with skill training. Take a speed skill like lateral speed or retreating speed and train it. Break down what it looks like and how far you want the athlete to cover and do multiple reps at 100% effort. Remember you are training the nervous system to fire more efficiently so you have to train it at the speeds you want it to fire the muscles.
If I want to improve my offensive players to be more explosive in their first 3-4 steps I will design a drill that replicates what I want. I then talk about body position and how I want them to start and finish and then go with it. The key is to not go over 7-10 seconds and give a decent rest so they can go 100% effort with close to full energy again. Otherwise I am training more conditioning.
Now, Conditioning is incredibly important for basketball. I some cased with certain athletic teams I might concentrate more on conditioning (more on that in a moment) because they are already fast on the court. Remember...You must evaluate your team and see what they bring to the table and then design a plan of action.
Conditioning. I am not going into a big conditioning talk for this article but most of my conditioning for basketball players is done with the ball in hand and where they must make basketball decisions. Example; Have them perform one on one full court or half court but not stopping or breaks for a pre-determined time. Or 3 man weave drills. I will use UCLA drills and other drills on occasion but I want to combine basketball playing with conditioning as much a possible.
Back to speed. The next time you run a practice allot 3-4 minutes to devote strictly to speed and quickness. You will be glad you did.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: If you have friends that would enjoy this blog please forward it to them. Also, Let them know about www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com so they can get the latest information on basketball development.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
What Does That Mean???
Hello Basketball Fan,
I hope you are enjoying the start of the season. I really enjoyed watching the early season college tournaments. It is going to be a fun season.
Boy! I would like to know if ANYONE can beat North Carolina Men. They are TOUGH! I can't believe the speed they have on both ends of the floor. I will say though- they need to play tougher defense all the time and I don't just mean in your face. I mean get more quality stops all the time. Last year that was a kink in their armor. It is going to be a fun season.
I love watching the NCAA women's games as well. I love the consistency of the top teams. Tenessee, UCONN, UNC, Duke, Texas Tech, just to name a few. The thing I love about the women's games is the purity of the fundamentals. They really do a nice job of breaking down a defender of offense. They use the triple threat position well, and can flat out shoot. Should be another exciting year.
Weekly Tip: This weeks tip is from "The Speed Guy"
RE: Single Leg Strength
Purpose: To increase performance and reduce the potential for injury
Drill: Multidirectional lunge
The ability to lunge in all directions (forward, angular forward, sideways, angular backwards, and backwards) not only strength the legs and hips but it also increases stability and balance. In order for the basketball player to perform the multidirectional lunge correctly they must improve hip mobility, stability, balance, and strength/power.
The great thing about a lunge is you have to improve power in order to get back to the starting position. This is important for basketball players to be able to recover in all directions.
Perform: Do 2-3 sets of 3-4 reps in each direction.
Tips: Keep the torso in great posture by not flexing the spine. Keep the lead heel in contact with the floor- don't lift the heel so pressure goes to the knee. Finally, don't take too long or short of a lunge- it should be comfortable for you to maintain proper positions.
I am a Defensive Coach??
I recently had a discussion with a friend and a BB coach at the boys 8th grade level. He was telling me how he instructs defense. He said, "I am a defensive coach." I thought, "hmmm." He went on to tell me that he likes only man-to-man and in your face defense at that. He then went on to tell me how he coaches his players to position themselves on defense when guarding the ball. I had no problem with his technique except you better have an underlying foundation of defense and not just rely on this one technique- especially with 8th graders.
Here is my opinion on this conversation. First of all. I consider myself a defensive coach and probably so does ever coach on the planet. But make no mistake about it, I coach my players to put the ball in the hoop. Defense just happens to be a way for me to do that better than my opponents.
Often I hear coaches say- AHH! I am a defensive guy...there is too much shooting in today's game. Players only worry about offense. Well, Yeah! I did too when I played. I loved playing hard defense because I was quick and could really hawk an offensive player. But don't think for one second I didn't want that ball in my hand trying to create some offensive move for myself or my teammates.
The complete coach comes in with a realistic approach that the game is won on the scoreboard. The team that scores the most wins every time. Doesn't mean the losing team wasn't successful but a higher score means a win in the books. You should be a defensive-minded, offensive-minded, and situational-minded coach all the time. Don't overthink the game. Rick Patino is known for being one of the toughest defensive pressure coaches, but he is also the coach that took a small providence team to the final four based off the 3 point shot- he did it for years with Kentucky and is now doing it with Louisville.
I have a ton of respect for my friend and other coaches who say they are defensive-minded coaches. I just don't buy the rationale that defense comes first. Like I have said many times- You have to evaluate your situation and make plans accordingly. If you have a great hustling team that scraps all over the court and plays great defense, but can't shoot the ball in the ocean- you are not going to win many games without finding scoring opportunities.
My advice is- Be a coach to your team. Don't just go in with a blind philosophy because you think it gives you an identity as a coach. Do what your team needs and be willing to make adjustments all the time to help your team.
For all you coaches out there I want to wish you a great season and hopefully you are off to a great start. If you are not off to the start you hoped for there is lots of time to evaluate and adjust. You can do it!
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: Hey, if you have a friend, coach, player, or parent that would benefit from getting great basketball information each month and throughout each month then send the to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ so they can enjoy being an insider.
I hope you are enjoying the start of the season. I really enjoyed watching the early season college tournaments. It is going to be a fun season.
Boy! I would like to know if ANYONE can beat North Carolina Men. They are TOUGH! I can't believe the speed they have on both ends of the floor. I will say though- they need to play tougher defense all the time and I don't just mean in your face. I mean get more quality stops all the time. Last year that was a kink in their armor. It is going to be a fun season.
I love watching the NCAA women's games as well. I love the consistency of the top teams. Tenessee, UCONN, UNC, Duke, Texas Tech, just to name a few. The thing I love about the women's games is the purity of the fundamentals. They really do a nice job of breaking down a defender of offense. They use the triple threat position well, and can flat out shoot. Should be another exciting year.
Weekly Tip: This weeks tip is from "The Speed Guy"
RE: Single Leg Strength
Purpose: To increase performance and reduce the potential for injury
Drill: Multidirectional lunge
The ability to lunge in all directions (forward, angular forward, sideways, angular backwards, and backwards) not only strength the legs and hips but it also increases stability and balance. In order for the basketball player to perform the multidirectional lunge correctly they must improve hip mobility, stability, balance, and strength/power.
The great thing about a lunge is you have to improve power in order to get back to the starting position. This is important for basketball players to be able to recover in all directions.
Perform: Do 2-3 sets of 3-4 reps in each direction.
Tips: Keep the torso in great posture by not flexing the spine. Keep the lead heel in contact with the floor- don't lift the heel so pressure goes to the knee. Finally, don't take too long or short of a lunge- it should be comfortable for you to maintain proper positions.
I am a Defensive Coach??
I recently had a discussion with a friend and a BB coach at the boys 8th grade level. He was telling me how he instructs defense. He said, "I am a defensive coach." I thought, "hmmm." He went on to tell me that he likes only man-to-man and in your face defense at that. He then went on to tell me how he coaches his players to position themselves on defense when guarding the ball. I had no problem with his technique except you better have an underlying foundation of defense and not just rely on this one technique- especially with 8th graders.
Here is my opinion on this conversation. First of all. I consider myself a defensive coach and probably so does ever coach on the planet. But make no mistake about it, I coach my players to put the ball in the hoop. Defense just happens to be a way for me to do that better than my opponents.
Often I hear coaches say- AHH! I am a defensive guy...there is too much shooting in today's game. Players only worry about offense. Well, Yeah! I did too when I played. I loved playing hard defense because I was quick and could really hawk an offensive player. But don't think for one second I didn't want that ball in my hand trying to create some offensive move for myself or my teammates.
The complete coach comes in with a realistic approach that the game is won on the scoreboard. The team that scores the most wins every time. Doesn't mean the losing team wasn't successful but a higher score means a win in the books. You should be a defensive-minded, offensive-minded, and situational-minded coach all the time. Don't overthink the game. Rick Patino is known for being one of the toughest defensive pressure coaches, but he is also the coach that took a small providence team to the final four based off the 3 point shot- he did it for years with Kentucky and is now doing it with Louisville.
I have a ton of respect for my friend and other coaches who say they are defensive-minded coaches. I just don't buy the rationale that defense comes first. Like I have said many times- You have to evaluate your situation and make plans accordingly. If you have a great hustling team that scraps all over the court and plays great defense, but can't shoot the ball in the ocean- you are not going to win many games without finding scoring opportunities.
My advice is- Be a coach to your team. Don't just go in with a blind philosophy because you think it gives you an identity as a coach. Do what your team needs and be willing to make adjustments all the time to help your team.
For all you coaches out there I want to wish you a great season and hopefully you are off to a great start. If you are not off to the start you hoped for there is lots of time to evaluate and adjust. You can do it!
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: Hey, if you have a friend, coach, player, or parent that would benefit from getting great basketball information each month and throughout each month then send the to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ so they can enjoy being an insider.
Monday, November 24, 2008
First Ever Basketball Speed Seminar Just Took A Huge Step...
Hello,
I am really excited to announce that the Basketball Speed Seminar is moving really quickly now. I just returned home from a meeting with 2 outstanding individuals that are helping me confirm a location in Indianapolis for the first ever Basketball Speed Seminar. It is going to be a great location.
The two people involved in helping are top level basketball coaches. They have coached at the highest levels down to the foundational level (I will be giving out there information in later blogs so don't miss out). The key thing for me is that they absolutely love helping coaches get great information so they can run better programs. I am now in the process of solidifying other presenters so this will be a the best clinic I can offer.
Stay tuned for more details as we move along...
Here is another great Tip from TJ:
Skill: Ball Handling
Drill: Spin Dribble
Action: - Dribble ball up the court in right hand
- after 3 dribbles, plant and pivot with your
left foot and spin while keeping the dribble
with your right hand
- upon completing the spin, switch the ball
over to the left hand and continue dribbling
down the court
Workout: dribble 3 times with right hand, spin
dribble 3 times with left hand, then spin
repeat that drill up and down the court 5 times
(you should be able to get in 3-4 spins each trip)
Why Coaching Makes The Difference
You might be one of these basketball junkies that absolutely loves the game. One that knows everything about it, but has really never learned the art of coaching. You never really understood what it takes to gain the respect and attention of the players you coach; therefore, your message really never gets across.
When you look at the best programs, youth to the pros, it is no mistake that the coach understands how to get players to buy into the program. The coach can teach the most basic skills and the most intricate systems to anyone. It is because they understand how to get players engaged.
Part of being a good basketball coach is showing your enthusiasm for the players and the fact that you would rather be with them for the 1-2 hours then at any other place. Show them that you are their biggest fan. Let them know you care and they will respond, they will buy into you and your program. Now the teaching gets easier because you have a captive audience.
Another important part to being a successful coach is understanding how your players learn. Not all players pick things up on the first explanation. They need to hear it again, see it again, and do it multiple times. And sometimes it only makes sense when they feel how it works in live action. The good coaches accept this and use different teaching styles to get this across.
One of my college coaches was big on doing skeleton drills (no defense). Personally, I understood the sequence of the offense or defense in this manner but until there was live defense I wasn't able to get the real timing down. So I learned through live action.
I played for one coach that was the loudest most in your face coach ever. He ruled by fear and by negative application. He even told us that rarely will he give compliments, but he will pick on our faults ever time. This didn't work for me at all. I was the type of player that gave 100% all the time and would do what ever the coach asked. So when he got in my face it was a complete turn off and negative response. I already bought in why turn me off.
You have to really look at your coaching style and be able to adapt to your players. Now, I can just hear some of the old time coaches saying- Like heck! the players are going to do it my way or the highway. That is all fine and good. But if you really want to get the best out of your players you need to have various approaches for the players. I am not saying you have to have 10 different practice plans but be willing to adapt to someone not getting it the way you are delivering it.
The bottom line is we as coaches have a chance to impact the lives of many people. If we choose to be pig headed and not listen to what they need we will not have a great impact on them. But if we can learn to get all players to buy in and help each player the best we can the chances of a positive impact will be made.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: I am so excited about the Basketball Speed Seminar. Don't forget that Basketball Speed Insiders get 50% off the seminar fee. If you want to become a member of the BBall Speed Insiders go to www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com and join for 1 month FREE!
I am really excited to announce that the Basketball Speed Seminar is moving really quickly now. I just returned home from a meeting with 2 outstanding individuals that are helping me confirm a location in Indianapolis for the first ever Basketball Speed Seminar. It is going to be a great location.
The two people involved in helping are top level basketball coaches. They have coached at the highest levels down to the foundational level (I will be giving out there information in later blogs so don't miss out). The key thing for me is that they absolutely love helping coaches get great information so they can run better programs. I am now in the process of solidifying other presenters so this will be a the best clinic I can offer.
Stay tuned for more details as we move along...
Here is another great Tip from TJ:
Skill: Ball Handling
Drill: Spin Dribble
Action: - Dribble ball up the court in right hand
- after 3 dribbles, plant and pivot with your
left foot and spin while keeping the dribble
with your right hand
- upon completing the spin, switch the ball
over to the left hand and continue dribbling
down the court
Workout: dribble 3 times with right hand, spin
dribble 3 times with left hand, then spin
repeat that drill up and down the court 5 times
(you should be able to get in 3-4 spins each trip)
Why Coaching Makes The Difference
You might be one of these basketball junkies that absolutely loves the game. One that knows everything about it, but has really never learned the art of coaching. You never really understood what it takes to gain the respect and attention of the players you coach; therefore, your message really never gets across.
When you look at the best programs, youth to the pros, it is no mistake that the coach understands how to get players to buy into the program. The coach can teach the most basic skills and the most intricate systems to anyone. It is because they understand how to get players engaged.
Part of being a good basketball coach is showing your enthusiasm for the players and the fact that you would rather be with them for the 1-2 hours then at any other place. Show them that you are their biggest fan. Let them know you care and they will respond, they will buy into you and your program. Now the teaching gets easier because you have a captive audience.
Another important part to being a successful coach is understanding how your players learn. Not all players pick things up on the first explanation. They need to hear it again, see it again, and do it multiple times. And sometimes it only makes sense when they feel how it works in live action. The good coaches accept this and use different teaching styles to get this across.
One of my college coaches was big on doing skeleton drills (no defense). Personally, I understood the sequence of the offense or defense in this manner but until there was live defense I wasn't able to get the real timing down. So I learned through live action.
I played for one coach that was the loudest most in your face coach ever. He ruled by fear and by negative application. He even told us that rarely will he give compliments, but he will pick on our faults ever time. This didn't work for me at all. I was the type of player that gave 100% all the time and would do what ever the coach asked. So when he got in my face it was a complete turn off and negative response. I already bought in why turn me off.
You have to really look at your coaching style and be able to adapt to your players. Now, I can just hear some of the old time coaches saying- Like heck! the players are going to do it my way or the highway. That is all fine and good. But if you really want to get the best out of your players you need to have various approaches for the players. I am not saying you have to have 10 different practice plans but be willing to adapt to someone not getting it the way you are delivering it.
The bottom line is we as coaches have a chance to impact the lives of many people. If we choose to be pig headed and not listen to what they need we will not have a great impact on them. But if we can learn to get all players to buy in and help each player the best we can the chances of a positive impact will be made.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: I am so excited about the Basketball Speed Seminar. Don't forget that Basketball Speed Insiders get 50% off the seminar fee. If you want to become a member of the BBall Speed Insiders go to www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com and join for 1 month FREE!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Simply Amazing- Did You See It?
I recently saw the most raw athletic display by LeBron James the other night- did you see it? He was on a break away and took off from the foul line and dunked the ball like it was a simple lay up. Wow! Because we see things like this more and more from these college and NBA players, we start to take it for granted. Just think about this; LeBron is 6'8", 250 pounds, and took of from the foul line (15 feet from the hoop) dunked it like nothing, landed, turned around and got back on defense. That is insane!
There is often the argument of what athletes are the best in the world. I really don't think it is a fair question, because I feel each sport has an area of athleticism that is unique to itself. Take a baseball player or softball player. They have to hit a 90 plus mile an hour fast ball with a relatively small surface. Michael Phelps showed incredible athleticism in his sport. But what I would have to say is if you consider what a basketball player has to do throughout a game it is hard to argue that they display the most variety of pure athleticism all the time. They have to have great hand eye coordination, great leaping and jumping ability, incredible multidirectional speed and quickness, a high level of strength and power, reactive ability, body control, mobility, and the ability to display all of these on the same play. Plus, they are sometimes huge individuals.
I remember taking my daughters to a WNBA Indiana Fever game and watching how agile and explosive Tamika Catching is. She handles the ball like a point guard, passes incredibly, rebounds and defends better than anyone, and is graceful while she plays.
Please don't misunderstand me, I think sports like soccer, tennis, volleyball, skiing, baseball, football, you name it- have incredible athletes and they are all fun to watch.
OK, Here is your weekly Basketball Skill Tip by TJ
Skill: Ball Handling
Drill: Spider Drill
Action: -Set feet shoulder width apart
and bend your knees
- take the ball and dribble it as low as you
can with one hand, then immediately switch
and dribble it with your opposite hand
- keeping the ball as low as possible dribble it
through your legs, then still facing forward quickly
move your hands behind your legs and dribble the ball
once with each hand
- on the second dribble, push it forward through your
legs and repeat that pattern
Workout: - dribble the ball 50 times in front of you and 50 times
behind you - remember to switch hands and put it
between your legs after every two dribbles
This is one of those drills that make the ball become a part of your hand- really important concept. The ball should feel so natural in your hands that you can do anything at any time with it.
Train Basketball Speed Every Day The Right Way.
If you approach speed and quickness as a skill, which you should be, you can make huge improvements on how fast your athletes move on the basketball court. But if you always say. "I can't find time to teach speed during practice," you might lose games because your team isn't athletic enough at the key times.
The system of implementing speed is easy. Think of speed just like foul shooting. Every day you allot a few minutes at a time throughout the practice for your players to practice the skill of foul shooting. You should do the same thing with multidirectional basketball speed.
Day one you could set 3 minutes to do 5-6 reps of lane shuffles for 7 seconds. But you are focusing on how well they move, not conditioning (that is for another time), it is speed/skill development. Another day you could do first step explosive acceleration from the baseline to the same side foul line (18 feet). On another day or time in the practice you could focus on retreating or hip turn type explosive skills. See what I mean... you don't need a lot of time, you only need small (3-5 minute) highly focused blocks of time to coach speed.
The problem is that most coaches view it as conditioning. It needs to be taught separately and with great focus on technique. You will be amazed at how your players get faster!
I hope you implement speed training into each and every practice so you set your team up for success!
Play Hard
Lee
PS: If you want to be a part of the best Basketball Information Program than you need to check out the Basketball Speed Insider Membership Club. There are Lot's of exciting events coming in 2009 and you don't want to miss out. Go to www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com
There is often the argument of what athletes are the best in the world. I really don't think it is a fair question, because I feel each sport has an area of athleticism that is unique to itself. Take a baseball player or softball player. They have to hit a 90 plus mile an hour fast ball with a relatively small surface. Michael Phelps showed incredible athleticism in his sport. But what I would have to say is if you consider what a basketball player has to do throughout a game it is hard to argue that they display the most variety of pure athleticism all the time. They have to have great hand eye coordination, great leaping and jumping ability, incredible multidirectional speed and quickness, a high level of strength and power, reactive ability, body control, mobility, and the ability to display all of these on the same play. Plus, they are sometimes huge individuals.
I remember taking my daughters to a WNBA Indiana Fever game and watching how agile and explosive Tamika Catching is. She handles the ball like a point guard, passes incredibly, rebounds and defends better than anyone, and is graceful while she plays.
Please don't misunderstand me, I think sports like soccer, tennis, volleyball, skiing, baseball, football, you name it- have incredible athletes and they are all fun to watch.
OK, Here is your weekly Basketball Skill Tip by TJ
Skill: Ball Handling
Drill: Spider Drill
Action: -Set feet shoulder width apart
and bend your knees
- take the ball and dribble it as low as you
can with one hand, then immediately switch
and dribble it with your opposite hand
- keeping the ball as low as possible dribble it
through your legs, then still facing forward quickly
move your hands behind your legs and dribble the ball
once with each hand
- on the second dribble, push it forward through your
legs and repeat that pattern
Workout: - dribble the ball 50 times in front of you and 50 times
behind you - remember to switch hands and put it
between your legs after every two dribbles
This is one of those drills that make the ball become a part of your hand- really important concept. The ball should feel so natural in your hands that you can do anything at any time with it.
Train Basketball Speed Every Day The Right Way.
If you approach speed and quickness as a skill, which you should be, you can make huge improvements on how fast your athletes move on the basketball court. But if you always say. "I can't find time to teach speed during practice," you might lose games because your team isn't athletic enough at the key times.
The system of implementing speed is easy. Think of speed just like foul shooting. Every day you allot a few minutes at a time throughout the practice for your players to practice the skill of foul shooting. You should do the same thing with multidirectional basketball speed.
Day one you could set 3 minutes to do 5-6 reps of lane shuffles for 7 seconds. But you are focusing on how well they move, not conditioning (that is for another time), it is speed/skill development. Another day you could do first step explosive acceleration from the baseline to the same side foul line (18 feet). On another day or time in the practice you could focus on retreating or hip turn type explosive skills. See what I mean... you don't need a lot of time, you only need small (3-5 minute) highly focused blocks of time to coach speed.
The problem is that most coaches view it as conditioning. It needs to be taught separately and with great focus on technique. You will be amazed at how your players get faster!
I hope you implement speed training into each and every practice so you set your team up for success!
Play Hard
Lee
PS: If you want to be a part of the best Basketball Information Program than you need to check out the Basketball Speed Insider Membership Club. There are Lot's of exciting events coming in 2009 and you don't want to miss out. Go to www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com
Monday, November 10, 2008
Make em do what you want....
Hey Basketball Fans,
Just a personal heads up. This is the start of the intramural program for the girls 5th and 6th graders at my daughter's school. Now I wanted to be more involved with both my daughters sports programs so I am the director of it this year. The reason I am sharing this with you is to let you in on how I am a planner. I was at a 4 day business marketing event this weekend and during the breaks I was outlining the skills and foundational plan to get this program started. Being a good coach is all about being willing to plan.
Because I feel planning is so important I also took the time to do the practice plans for the coaches that are doing the 5th and 6th grade. I did their outline for them. The reason I am doing this is because the girls program at this school has been down and out for the past several years and I want to see it turn around. One of the most important components to turning a program around is building continuity throughout. If everyone is on the same page then we can build a strong program from within. We will see how it goes...
Weekly Basketball Tip: By TJ
Skill: Ball Handling
Drill: Behind the back dribble
Action: - start at one end of the court and jog up
the court dribbling the ball
- after 3 or 4 dribbles wrap the ball around
your back and maintain your dribble with
the opposite hand
- make sure that you wrap quickly around
your back and push it out in front of you
so you can stay in stride
Workout: Dribble the ball behind your back 4 times
every 1 trip up the court
repeat the drill 5 trips up the floor switching
hands after each behind the back dribble
Make 'em do what you want
In this article I want to touch on the importance of making a defender do what you want them to do so you can go where you want to go. This is called dictated the play. Too often offensive players react to what the defense gives them (sometimes you can't avoid this). When an offensive player needs to be able to get to a place on the floor to have a better angle to pass or to get a better shot off or what ever... the offensive player must dictate the play. Let's look at a few examples of how this works.
One of the most important skills any basketball player can have is handling the basketball. If a player can dribble the ball well and control it against any kind of defensive pressure they will be successful in moving around the court. When an offensive player needs to get to the right side of the floor to create a better passing angle for his or her low post player and the defense knows this they better be good with the ball. The key is to not sell that you are trying to get to the right side of the floor. if the defense forces you left- go hard left and make them pay for it. This way they will be less likely to give you the left side. The other thing to do is to use a screen. Set up the defensive player to run them off a screen which allows you to get to the right side. The last thing to do is to act like you are going to go hard to the hoop by crossing over left but immediately pull back and reverse dribble to the right side. None of these options would be open if you didn't have a good handle on the ball. This is why I say you MUST be able to dribble the ball well.
Here is another way to make the defense do what you want them to do. If you have a great shooter on the team and you want to get them open one of the best ways to do so is to dribble at him or her and the defender guarding them. It is a natural instinct for the defender to take a peek and want to help out. this is when the shooter can make a cut away from the defender and get open for a quick shot. The other way to do this is to beat your man off the dribble toward the shooter side of the court. The goal is to penetrate to draw the defense and use a kick out pass. If the defender on your teammate is told to not help out- I guarantee if you beat you man to hoop several times in a row the defensive will change. They will either go to a zone which is great for your shooter or they will start helping on penetration. In either case you are dictating what you want them to do and not allowing them to dictate play.
Finally, I want to talk about facing a zone. Anytime you face a zone (which isn't as popular these days) you want to make more than one player play you so you can get teammates open. If you are a point guard on top versus an even front zone you want to force a double team by the top two defenders then kick to a wing. If you are on a wing you want the top and bottom defenders to adjust to you so you can dump down to a diving post payer or skip to an open wing man. The key to beating zones is making the team overplay so you can fill in the gap and score easy hoops.
The key to getting the defense to adjust to you starts with being a great ball handling team. If you can't do things with the ball that put you in a better position then the defense can shut you down one on one. But if you can handle the rock and force the defense to adjust to you by helping out....YOU WIN- of course you have to knock down open shots.
As always, I love talking shop. The game of basketball is full of skills, techniques, strategies, and tactics and I love sharing mine with you.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: If you know of anyone that would benefit from receiving monthly and weekly information on basketball you need to send them to www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com so they can get the hottest information out there today. Thanks for being a supporter of the game.
Just a personal heads up. This is the start of the intramural program for the girls 5th and 6th graders at my daughter's school. Now I wanted to be more involved with both my daughters sports programs so I am the director of it this year. The reason I am sharing this with you is to let you in on how I am a planner. I was at a 4 day business marketing event this weekend and during the breaks I was outlining the skills and foundational plan to get this program started. Being a good coach is all about being willing to plan.
Because I feel planning is so important I also took the time to do the practice plans for the coaches that are doing the 5th and 6th grade. I did their outline for them. The reason I am doing this is because the girls program at this school has been down and out for the past several years and I want to see it turn around. One of the most important components to turning a program around is building continuity throughout. If everyone is on the same page then we can build a strong program from within. We will see how it goes...
Weekly Basketball Tip: By TJ
Skill: Ball Handling
Drill: Behind the back dribble
Action: - start at one end of the court and jog up
the court dribbling the ball
- after 3 or 4 dribbles wrap the ball around
your back and maintain your dribble with
the opposite hand
- make sure that you wrap quickly around
your back and push it out in front of you
so you can stay in stride
Workout: Dribble the ball behind your back 4 times
every 1 trip up the court
repeat the drill 5 trips up the floor switching
hands after each behind the back dribble
Make 'em do what you want
In this article I want to touch on the importance of making a defender do what you want them to do so you can go where you want to go. This is called dictated the play. Too often offensive players react to what the defense gives them (sometimes you can't avoid this). When an offensive player needs to be able to get to a place on the floor to have a better angle to pass or to get a better shot off or what ever... the offensive player must dictate the play. Let's look at a few examples of how this works.
One of the most important skills any basketball player can have is handling the basketball. If a player can dribble the ball well and control it against any kind of defensive pressure they will be successful in moving around the court. When an offensive player needs to get to the right side of the floor to create a better passing angle for his or her low post player and the defense knows this they better be good with the ball. The key is to not sell that you are trying to get to the right side of the floor. if the defense forces you left- go hard left and make them pay for it. This way they will be less likely to give you the left side. The other thing to do is to use a screen. Set up the defensive player to run them off a screen which allows you to get to the right side. The last thing to do is to act like you are going to go hard to the hoop by crossing over left but immediately pull back and reverse dribble to the right side. None of these options would be open if you didn't have a good handle on the ball. This is why I say you MUST be able to dribble the ball well.
Here is another way to make the defense do what you want them to do. If you have a great shooter on the team and you want to get them open one of the best ways to do so is to dribble at him or her and the defender guarding them. It is a natural instinct for the defender to take a peek and want to help out. this is when the shooter can make a cut away from the defender and get open for a quick shot. The other way to do this is to beat your man off the dribble toward the shooter side of the court. The goal is to penetrate to draw the defense and use a kick out pass. If the defender on your teammate is told to not help out- I guarantee if you beat you man to hoop several times in a row the defensive will change. They will either go to a zone which is great for your shooter or they will start helping on penetration. In either case you are dictating what you want them to do and not allowing them to dictate play.
Finally, I want to talk about facing a zone. Anytime you face a zone (which isn't as popular these days) you want to make more than one player play you so you can get teammates open. If you are a point guard on top versus an even front zone you want to force a double team by the top two defenders then kick to a wing. If you are on a wing you want the top and bottom defenders to adjust to you so you can dump down to a diving post payer or skip to an open wing man. The key to beating zones is making the team overplay so you can fill in the gap and score easy hoops.
The key to getting the defense to adjust to you starts with being a great ball handling team. If you can't do things with the ball that put you in a better position then the defense can shut you down one on one. But if you can handle the rock and force the defense to adjust to you by helping out....YOU WIN- of course you have to knock down open shots.
As always, I love talking shop. The game of basketball is full of skills, techniques, strategies, and tactics and I love sharing mine with you.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: If you know of anyone that would benefit from receiving monthly and weekly information on basketball you need to send them to www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com so they can get the hottest information out there today. Thanks for being a supporter of the game.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Got Pressure!
Good Monday Hoopsters!
Listening in on what
Bill Walton had to say.
Weekly Tip by TJ
Skill: Ball Handling
Drill: Crossover Dribble
Action: start at one end of the court
- start dribbling up the floor with your right hand
- fake like you are continuing to the right and plant your right foot
- at the same time drop your shoulders, get low, and cross the ball
over to your left hand
- make sure you change direction when you make your crossover
and sell the fake
Workout - 2 crossovers right to left and 2 crossovers left to right
(4 total crossovers on one trip up the court)
- take 6 trips total full length of court
Is Pressure Always Good?
Have you ever watched the old games on "Classic Sports" and noticed how the defense was played. The players were off the ball handler quite a bit and there wasn't frantic pressure on the ball handler when he or she was dribbling. Boy has that changed.
In today's game the pressure on the ball is intense. The purpose is to make it difficult for the ball handler to do what he or she wants- basically take away the ability to get into the offense easily. I have some opinions I would like to share- shall we...
First of all, I am not a big fan of applying in your face pressure all the time. If you don't have a bunch of defensive thoroughbreds it can get you in a lot of trouble quickly. You can get your guards and big men in foul trouble and have them sitting on the bench. Pressure needs to be taught properly so it can be beneficial to the outcome of the game.
I remember watching a sectional high school game and seeing one team apply pressure all game long. The problem was the defensive guards were too slow to handle the quickness of the offensive guards. The offensive guards could get to paint all game long. They were creating mismatches and great scoring opportunities. This was obviously a case where the coach wanted his team to do something they were not able to do.
Basketball, like many sports, is trendy. A new system or style of playing is developed and a team or two has great success, and the next thing you know every high school or college in the country tries it out. Not a bad thing if it fits (also, colleges can adapt easier because they can recruit the kind of players they want and need). Full court and aggressive half court defensive where the ball is being denied all the time is one of the shifts in the game that has been successful for many programs. It also has caused many programs to be unsuccessful.
I have always tried to do what was best for my teams. If I felt we could pressure the ball more I would. But I am very realistic about my goals. The number one goal in a game is to score more points at the end of the night then the opponents. I have to figure out how to do that.
Let's change directions just for a second. The trend in the game offensively is to shoot the long ball or take it hard to the hoop. There are many different ways to get to these 2 options, but that is the overall theme for many programs. Now if my defensive philosophy is to get up high and pressure the ball and deny the next pass, it is pretty obvious a good guard can get to the hoop rather easy. Here is my thought on this. If I can pack the paint with soft off the ball man to man, semi-pressure the ball handler to make him or her work, but stay in front of them so they cannot penetrate, get out on shooters when the pass is MADE and not wait until it is caught to get out on them, switch on screen when needed, and basically not let the offensive get to the hoop, I just took away options that the offense relies on. Now of course I am going to have to make adjustments, but here is why I might want to play softer if it benefits my team better.
By defending the paint better and having more bodies in the paint when a shot is taken, my team can rebound and get out and run the floor better. We have basically set our defense up to be offensive-minded. I have put the pressure on the other team to force shots because they aren't getting many good looks in close, and they better get back on defense because we are rebounding and running.
So the purpose of this post is to get you to think about doing what is best, not what is popular. Pressuring all over the floor is popular and productive for some teams, but it can be trouble for others. Do what is best for you. I think of the Boston Celtics last year. They took the paint away from everyone. They did things differently then other teams- hmmmm, it worked out pretty good for them.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: Hey if you are a big fan of basketball and would like to have great information delivered straight to you then you need to be a Basketball Speed Insider. Give it a run FREE for one month at http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/
Here is your weekly bolg with tips and posts. Enjoy!
Listening in on what
Bill Walton had to say.
Weekly Tip by TJ
Skill: Ball Handling
Drill: Crossover Dribble
Action: start at one end of the court
- start dribbling up the floor with your right hand
- fake like you are continuing to the right and plant your right foot
- at the same time drop your shoulders, get low, and cross the ball
over to your left hand
- make sure you change direction when you make your crossover
and sell the fake
Workout - 2 crossovers right to left and 2 crossovers left to right
(4 total crossovers on one trip up the court)
- take 6 trips total full length of court
Is Pressure Always Good?
Have you ever watched the old games on "Classic Sports" and noticed how the defense was played. The players were off the ball handler quite a bit and there wasn't frantic pressure on the ball handler when he or she was dribbling. Boy has that changed.
In today's game the pressure on the ball is intense. The purpose is to make it difficult for the ball handler to do what he or she wants- basically take away the ability to get into the offense easily. I have some opinions I would like to share- shall we...
First of all, I am not a big fan of applying in your face pressure all the time. If you don't have a bunch of defensive thoroughbreds it can get you in a lot of trouble quickly. You can get your guards and big men in foul trouble and have them sitting on the bench. Pressure needs to be taught properly so it can be beneficial to the outcome of the game.
I remember watching a sectional high school game and seeing one team apply pressure all game long. The problem was the defensive guards were too slow to handle the quickness of the offensive guards. The offensive guards could get to paint all game long. They were creating mismatches and great scoring opportunities. This was obviously a case where the coach wanted his team to do something they were not able to do.
Basketball, like many sports, is trendy. A new system or style of playing is developed and a team or two has great success, and the next thing you know every high school or college in the country tries it out. Not a bad thing if it fits (also, colleges can adapt easier because they can recruit the kind of players they want and need). Full court and aggressive half court defensive where the ball is being denied all the time is one of the shifts in the game that has been successful for many programs. It also has caused many programs to be unsuccessful.
I have always tried to do what was best for my teams. If I felt we could pressure the ball more I would. But I am very realistic about my goals. The number one goal in a game is to score more points at the end of the night then the opponents. I have to figure out how to do that.
Let's change directions just for a second. The trend in the game offensively is to shoot the long ball or take it hard to the hoop. There are many different ways to get to these 2 options, but that is the overall theme for many programs. Now if my defensive philosophy is to get up high and pressure the ball and deny the next pass, it is pretty obvious a good guard can get to the hoop rather easy. Here is my thought on this. If I can pack the paint with soft off the ball man to man, semi-pressure the ball handler to make him or her work, but stay in front of them so they cannot penetrate, get out on shooters when the pass is MADE and not wait until it is caught to get out on them, switch on screen when needed, and basically not let the offensive get to the hoop, I just took away options that the offense relies on. Now of course I am going to have to make adjustments, but here is why I might want to play softer if it benefits my team better.
By defending the paint better and having more bodies in the paint when a shot is taken, my team can rebound and get out and run the floor better. We have basically set our defense up to be offensive-minded. I have put the pressure on the other team to force shots because they aren't getting many good looks in close, and they better get back on defense because we are rebounding and running.
So the purpose of this post is to get you to think about doing what is best, not what is popular. Pressuring all over the floor is popular and productive for some teams, but it can be trouble for others. Do what is best for you. I think of the Boston Celtics last year. They took the paint away from everyone. They did things differently then other teams- hmmmm, it worked out pretty good for them.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: Hey if you are a big fan of basketball and would like to have great information delivered straight to you then you need to be a Basketball Speed Insider. Give it a run FREE for one month at http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/
Monday, October 27, 2008
How Long Should A Drill Be??
Hey, Huddle Up, Lots of Good Coaching To Do...
Here is your Weekly Tip By TJ:
Skill: shooting
Drill: shot fake
Action: -spin the ball to yourself, catch it
and square up to the basket
- look at the rim and begin into your
shooting motion
- fake taking a shot by showing the ball
as if you are going to shoot and use
your head and your eyes to sell the fake
(look up at the rim and nod your head up
in the air)
- following the fake, dribble the ball in
for a lay-up
Workout : 5 head fakes into a lay-up on the right side
then repeat the drill 5 times on the left side,
5 more times starting on the right or left and
and then finishing the lay-up down the
the middle of the lane
Basketball Seminar and Tele-Coaching Update:
I am preparing to have the first tele-coaching seminar in the near future. I am working hard to have a great guest on the call with me so you get outstanding information for each event.
Also, I am in the process of working toward securing a facility for the 2 day Basketball Speed Seminar. It is going to be awesome and I can't wait to bring it on.
So keep focused on any information you receive coming from Basketball Speed Insiders Membership Club- you don't want to miss a thing.
The Seasons are underway!
There might be a few high schools around the country still waiting for their initial tip off to the season but for the most part the leather is hitting the wood floor all around the country and world- YES!
I am anxious to keep my eye on many players this year. There is one in particular that I will be supporting more than the rest. My nephew Jimmer Fredette will be a big impact player as a sophomore for BYU this year. He saw quality minutes last season and played a big role in their first round game against Texas A&M in the NCAA tourney.
Jimmer is a powerful athlete and has a high basketball IQ. He is an example of an athlete that worked hard to achieve his goal of being a D-1 player. He started working with me when he was 6 years old and just learned how to move each year. When he was older, I started pushing him to a new level of training because he was physically and mentally ready. He not only scored over 2,400 points in high school, but he was also a first team All-State wide receiver in football. When he was younger, he was a powerful baseball player as well.
So if you happen to catch a BYU game this season, keep an eye out for Jimmer- I will be.
How Long Should A Drill Be?
One of the keys to being a good coach is knowing how to practice. It is about understanding what you need to accomplish and how to do it. But the most important aspect of this statement is knowing how to adjust according to the age and ability level you are presently coaching.
One of my pet peeves is when a coach runs a drill for too long. This seems to occur more at the younger level but is often seen at the high school level as well.
The reasons for drills run too long is poor preparation in planning and organizing the drill. In other words, the athletes are not properly organized so the drill can move smoothly. Also, when a coach constantly stops the drill to instruct when only a couple players are having difficulty. This shouldn't happen. The players having difficulty should be pulled aside and given attention, but if all the players are stopped each time, it slows down the learning and the momentum of the drill and practice can be lost. Finally, when the coach really doesn't know what they are attempting to accomplish with the drill, it can take on a life of its own and never do what it was meant to do. I mentioned this before where it is important to know what your team and individual players need. Don't go after the fancy looking drills that some college or pro teams run just because it looks cool. Be specific to your teams needs. This will help.
I personally feel each drill should have a time allotted to it. But don't start the time until you have clearly demonstrated and instructed the team on how the drill is going to work and the purpose of the drill One of the biggest mistakes is not letting the players know what the drill is meant to accomplish. Once the drill is underway you should be coaching them at crucial times; when you see effort is down, when players are out of position, if a player is making the same mistake over and over. But keep the verbal cueing specific and to the point. Don't just yell for the sake of yelling. Be positive and praise good effort and execution. This helps breed success.
The important factor to remember is you will not make a drill or the execution of a drill perfect the first time. You want to do it in stages. Knowing this, you can allot for shorter time frames at each drill but be really focused and concentrated during the allotted time. If you go too long, you risk the loss of concentration and sloppiness creeping in.
Be prepared to finish each drill with a short assessment of what was good and what needs improvemed.
As a rule of thumb, I personally feel half court drills should be shorter than full court drills only because they take longer to develop. But this might not be the case all the time. If you are working half court on a drill that involves many aspects of the game like; defensive rebounding, out letting the ball, as well as a defensive focus on pressuring the ball or trapping... then it might take longer. But if your half court drill is skeleton defense on how to play the passing lane and shift with the ball- this should not be a long drill.
Ok, Hoopsters. I hope this helps you and I can't wait for you to get the upcoming interviews and information. Remember, play hard but have fun- It's a great game.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: If you have not taken advantage of the FREE month of Basketball Speed Insiders yet- get up off the bench and join the club. Go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ and try it out.
Here is your Weekly Tip By TJ:
Skill: shooting
Drill: shot fake
Action: -spin the ball to yourself, catch it
and square up to the basket
- look at the rim and begin into your
shooting motion
- fake taking a shot by showing the ball
as if you are going to shoot and use
your head and your eyes to sell the fake
(look up at the rim and nod your head up
in the air)
- following the fake, dribble the ball in
for a lay-up
Workout : 5 head fakes into a lay-up on the right side
then repeat the drill 5 times on the left side,
5 more times starting on the right or left and
and then finishing the lay-up down the
the middle of the lane
Basketball Seminar and Tele-Coaching Update:
I am preparing to have the first tele-coaching seminar in the near future. I am working hard to have a great guest on the call with me so you get outstanding information for each event.
Also, I am in the process of working toward securing a facility for the 2 day Basketball Speed Seminar. It is going to be awesome and I can't wait to bring it on.
So keep focused on any information you receive coming from Basketball Speed Insiders Membership Club- you don't want to miss a thing.
The Seasons are underway!
There might be a few high schools around the country still waiting for their initial tip off to the season but for the most part the leather is hitting the wood floor all around the country and world- YES!
I am anxious to keep my eye on many players this year. There is one in particular that I will be supporting more than the rest. My nephew Jimmer Fredette will be a big impact player as a sophomore for BYU this year. He saw quality minutes last season and played a big role in their first round game against Texas A&M in the NCAA tourney.
Jimmer is a powerful athlete and has a high basketball IQ. He is an example of an athlete that worked hard to achieve his goal of being a D-1 player. He started working with me when he was 6 years old and just learned how to move each year. When he was older, I started pushing him to a new level of training because he was physically and mentally ready. He not only scored over 2,400 points in high school, but he was also a first team All-State wide receiver in football. When he was younger, he was a powerful baseball player as well.
So if you happen to catch a BYU game this season, keep an eye out for Jimmer- I will be.
How Long Should A Drill Be?
One of the keys to being a good coach is knowing how to practice. It is about understanding what you need to accomplish and how to do it. But the most important aspect of this statement is knowing how to adjust according to the age and ability level you are presently coaching.
One of my pet peeves is when a coach runs a drill for too long. This seems to occur more at the younger level but is often seen at the high school level as well.
The reasons for drills run too long is poor preparation in planning and organizing the drill. In other words, the athletes are not properly organized so the drill can move smoothly. Also, when a coach constantly stops the drill to instruct when only a couple players are having difficulty. This shouldn't happen. The players having difficulty should be pulled aside and given attention, but if all the players are stopped each time, it slows down the learning and the momentum of the drill and practice can be lost. Finally, when the coach really doesn't know what they are attempting to accomplish with the drill, it can take on a life of its own and never do what it was meant to do. I mentioned this before where it is important to know what your team and individual players need. Don't go after the fancy looking drills that some college or pro teams run just because it looks cool. Be specific to your teams needs. This will help.
I personally feel each drill should have a time allotted to it. But don't start the time until you have clearly demonstrated and instructed the team on how the drill is going to work and the purpose of the drill One of the biggest mistakes is not letting the players know what the drill is meant to accomplish. Once the drill is underway you should be coaching them at crucial times; when you see effort is down, when players are out of position, if a player is making the same mistake over and over. But keep the verbal cueing specific and to the point. Don't just yell for the sake of yelling. Be positive and praise good effort and execution. This helps breed success.
The important factor to remember is you will not make a drill or the execution of a drill perfect the first time. You want to do it in stages. Knowing this, you can allot for shorter time frames at each drill but be really focused and concentrated during the allotted time. If you go too long, you risk the loss of concentration and sloppiness creeping in.
Be prepared to finish each drill with a short assessment of what was good and what needs improvemed.
As a rule of thumb, I personally feel half court drills should be shorter than full court drills only because they take longer to develop. But this might not be the case all the time. If you are working half court on a drill that involves many aspects of the game like; defensive rebounding, out letting the ball, as well as a defensive focus on pressuring the ball or trapping... then it might take longer. But if your half court drill is skeleton defense on how to play the passing lane and shift with the ball- this should not be a long drill.
Ok, Hoopsters. I hope this helps you and I can't wait for you to get the upcoming interviews and information. Remember, play hard but have fun- It's a great game.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: If you have not taken advantage of the FREE month of Basketball Speed Insiders yet- get up off the bench and join the club. Go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ and try it out.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Motion Offense Can Be Great If...
Basketball is underway!
NBA and college has begun and high school is almost ready to start. What a great time of the year. I am honored to bring you this basketball blog. Each week you will be receiving my basketball blog (often times more than once). In the blog will be tips on basketball skills, practice strategies, and other useful information that can be implemented immediately. So here we go...
Weekly Skill Tip: From TJ. Fredette
Skill: Jump Shot
Drill: Alternating Elbow Jumpers
Action: - stand on one elbow on the court and spin the
ball to the opposite elbow
- run to the ball and catch it on the first bounce
- Use inside foot to pivot and face the basket
(square your shoulders and feet)
- bend knees, elevate, and take jump shot
- follow your shot, if you miss, lay the ball in the basket
- after putting the ball in, go to the opposite elbow and
repeat the drill
Practice Strategy
Each practice should have a theme. This theme should be dedicated to what you want to accomplish and what you want the team to focus on. For example; you might want to put a big emphasis on defensive help. When you address the team at the beginning of practice you should write this theme on the board "help defense." Then you want to go over what you want your team to focus on with regards to help defense. During practice when you demonstrate and walk your team through situations of help defense, the players will have a mental focus dedicate to the theme of the day.
The important thing to note is the theme of the day can't be a one time thing. In other words, you don't want a focus of help defense today and then tomorrow when you have a new theme the help defense is forgotten. It should all be a progression of building better team play.
The great thing about having a theme is you can really tap into the mental focus of your players simply by putting it down on the board and talking about it with importance. I have found this to be a helpful practice strategy over the years.
Motion Offense Issues???
One of the most popular offenses today is the motion offense. There are so many variation of this offensive system. The motion offense allows for great variety and flexibility. You can run motion to set up your key scorers, you can run motion to run down the clock, you can run motion to create mismatches, you can run motion to create backdoor plays or three-point shots. It is all in how you emphasize the offense.
There are some teams that use one or two low post players at screeners in the motion offense. While other teams allow all five players handle the ball anywhere on the court. The key to the motion offense is the coach must dictate what a good shot and a bad shot is for each player.
The motion offense, if left untamed, can have issues. You don't want your worst three-point shooter or your worst passer trying to perform those skills in the motion offense. The coach must set rules for each player. When a low post player catches the ball outside the three-point line and he or she is unable to make a three-point shot, it needs to be a rule that this player does not take that shot. Now, you can't just leave it at that rule. You have to give this person the options he or she has. They might be capable of making a good low post pass, or doing a hand-off screen. The point is each player has to know his or her limitations. This way the motion offense can run smoothly.
So the motion offense, as great as it can be, has to be evaluated from the players standpoint and abilities. This makes the offense better because everyone understands their role and can execute their roles well.
If you coach college or youth basketball, the motion offense has a place. You, as the coach, must make the offense fit the players you have. If you run the motion offense as your primary offense or if you run it occasionally, don't let your players define their roles because everyone thinks their a point guard and everyone thinks they can shot the 3s. Have fun!
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: I would love to hear your input- especially about things you want to read about or see in the monthly videos. Send your requests to members@basketballspeedinsiders.com. Also if you have not taken advantage of this great resource you need to go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ to sign up now.
NBA and college has begun and high school is almost ready to start. What a great time of the year. I am honored to bring you this basketball blog. Each week you will be receiving my basketball blog (often times more than once). In the blog will be tips on basketball skills, practice strategies, and other useful information that can be implemented immediately. So here we go...
Weekly Skill Tip: From TJ. Fredette
Skill: Jump Shot
Drill: Alternating Elbow Jumpers
Action: - stand on one elbow on the court and spin the
ball to the opposite elbow
- run to the ball and catch it on the first bounce
- Use inside foot to pivot and face the basket
(square your shoulders and feet)
- bend knees, elevate, and take jump shot
- follow your shot, if you miss, lay the ball in the basket
- after putting the ball in, go to the opposite elbow and
repeat the drill
Practice Strategy
Each practice should have a theme. This theme should be dedicated to what you want to accomplish and what you want the team to focus on. For example; you might want to put a big emphasis on defensive help. When you address the team at the beginning of practice you should write this theme on the board "help defense." Then you want to go over what you want your team to focus on with regards to help defense. During practice when you demonstrate and walk your team through situations of help defense, the players will have a mental focus dedicate to the theme of the day.
The important thing to note is the theme of the day can't be a one time thing. In other words, you don't want a focus of help defense today and then tomorrow when you have a new theme the help defense is forgotten. It should all be a progression of building better team play.
The great thing about having a theme is you can really tap into the mental focus of your players simply by putting it down on the board and talking about it with importance. I have found this to be a helpful practice strategy over the years.
Motion Offense Issues???
One of the most popular offenses today is the motion offense. There are so many variation of this offensive system. The motion offense allows for great variety and flexibility. You can run motion to set up your key scorers, you can run motion to run down the clock, you can run motion to create mismatches, you can run motion to create backdoor plays or three-point shots. It is all in how you emphasize the offense.
There are some teams that use one or two low post players at screeners in the motion offense. While other teams allow all five players handle the ball anywhere on the court. The key to the motion offense is the coach must dictate what a good shot and a bad shot is for each player.
The motion offense, if left untamed, can have issues. You don't want your worst three-point shooter or your worst passer trying to perform those skills in the motion offense. The coach must set rules for each player. When a low post player catches the ball outside the three-point line and he or she is unable to make a three-point shot, it needs to be a rule that this player does not take that shot. Now, you can't just leave it at that rule. You have to give this person the options he or she has. They might be capable of making a good low post pass, or doing a hand-off screen. The point is each player has to know his or her limitations. This way the motion offense can run smoothly.
So the motion offense, as great as it can be, has to be evaluated from the players standpoint and abilities. This makes the offense better because everyone understands their role and can execute their roles well.
If you coach college or youth basketball, the motion offense has a place. You, as the coach, must make the offense fit the players you have. If you run the motion offense as your primary offense or if you run it occasionally, don't let your players define their roles because everyone thinks their a point guard and everyone thinks they can shot the 3s. Have fun!
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: I would love to hear your input- especially about things you want to read about or see in the monthly videos. Send your requests to members@basketballspeedinsiders.com. Also if you have not taken advantage of this great resource you need to go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ to sign up now.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Finally! More Basketball...
Yes! This is my first post on my new basketball blog. I have been waiting to do this for a long time. Basketball has always been an important part of my life. Let me give you just a little history on my Hoops past.
I grew up in a family where my father was a great player in college and in the service. He had played on several semi-pro teams back in the 40's. He coached it for many years at the high school level and gave me my first introduction to the sport when I was real young. My 2 brothers were also great players. They both played college ball and have coached it. When I got into high school I pretty much played it year round- even though I played 4 sports. Me and my friends would shovel the courts off in the winter at the playground and play for hours.
I ended up playing 4 years of college ball and started all 4 years as a point guard. It was a great learning experience for me and carried me right into being a young 23 year old head coach. I spent many years tritaining and coaching athletes in the sport of basketball from every level. Over the years I was able to develop programs and systems to help improve teams and individual players. I quickly realized if I wanted to make a big impact on the sport I needed to have programs that would help coaches- this in turn would help tons of players.
So here I am today, still helping trainbasketball players (among other sport athletes), and even coaching elementary basketball because that is where my daughters are- and I love every second of it. But what really has gotten me excited is the new program I just launched to help coaches, players, parents, schools, and youth organizations. The program is called Basketball Speed Insiders. Go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ and you can check find out more how you can get involved.
Basketball Speed Insiders is an opportunity for me to work with serious coaches and athletes wanting to have continuous resources each and every month to help them in the game of basketball.
This program will interviews from some of the top basketball coaches and strength coaches in the game. There will be on-line videos footage of skills and strategies to improve basketball skills and strength and conditioning. You will receive weekly basketball tips to keep you sharp all week long. There are going to be articles with great information, tele-seminars, and even an live in person seminar. This is definitely the place to be if you want help and support all the time. You can even send in your questions each month and get them answered.
I am excited about this because it keeps me in the game and staying sharp. I work real hard to give you the best information I can.
This first blog was kind of an introduction to me and to my new program, but this blog will have lots of useful information and stories as we go along each week.
I would love to hear your comments about the things you really want to learn.
Thanks so much for being a part of the Basketball Speed Insiders Club. Don't forget to go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ if you haven't yet.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: Being apart of the Basketball Speed Insiders membership club will be the best moves you make all year. go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ now to join the club.
PSS: If you have someone you think would benefit from all this basketball information please feel free to pass it along.
I grew up in a family where my father was a great player in college and in the service. He had played on several semi-pro teams back in the 40's. He coached it for many years at the high school level and gave me my first introduction to the sport when I was real young. My 2 brothers were also great players. They both played college ball and have coached it. When I got into high school I pretty much played it year round- even though I played 4 sports. Me and my friends would shovel the courts off in the winter at the playground and play for hours.
I ended up playing 4 years of college ball and started all 4 years as a point guard. It was a great learning experience for me and carried me right into being a young 23 year old head coach. I spent many years tritaining and coaching athletes in the sport of basketball from every level. Over the years I was able to develop programs and systems to help improve teams and individual players. I quickly realized if I wanted to make a big impact on the sport I needed to have programs that would help coaches- this in turn would help tons of players.
So here I am today, still helping trainbasketball players (among other sport athletes), and even coaching elementary basketball because that is where my daughters are- and I love every second of it. But what really has gotten me excited is the new program I just launched to help coaches, players, parents, schools, and youth organizations. The program is called Basketball Speed Insiders. Go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ and you can check find out more how you can get involved.
Basketball Speed Insiders is an opportunity for me to work with serious coaches and athletes wanting to have continuous resources each and every month to help them in the game of basketball.
This program will interviews from some of the top basketball coaches and strength coaches in the game. There will be on-line videos footage of skills and strategies to improve basketball skills and strength and conditioning. You will receive weekly basketball tips to keep you sharp all week long. There are going to be articles with great information, tele-seminars, and even an live in person seminar. This is definitely the place to be if you want help and support all the time. You can even send in your questions each month and get them answered.
I am excited about this because it keeps me in the game and staying sharp. I work real hard to give you the best information I can.
This first blog was kind of an introduction to me and to my new program, but this blog will have lots of useful information and stories as we go along each week.
I would love to hear your comments about the things you really want to learn.
Thanks so much for being a part of the Basketball Speed Insiders Club. Don't forget to go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ if you haven't yet.
Play Hard,
Lee
PS: Being apart of the Basketball Speed Insiders membership club will be the best moves you make all year. go to http://www.basketballspeedinsiders.com/ now to join the club.
PSS: If you have someone you think would benefit from all this basketball information please feel free to pass it along.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
.gif)