Like most basketball coaches, I'm a bit of a basketball junkie. Like most former stage performers, I'm a bit of talker when you get me going. So when you combine these things you end with someone that will go and talk/coach basketball anywhere, anytime. If you give a kid who wants to learn, a 1 armed monkey and some chairs then we'll be in the gym doing skills work, small sided games and 3 person action by the time we're done. So when I was asked to speak to some younger teams in our school and association before they went off to provincials you better believe that I was all over it.
In a nut shell my talk revolved around how impressed I was at the time and improvements that they had already made this season and that hopefully they would continue to improve once off season rolled around. I focused primarily on things that they could start doing tonight and do for their rest of their careers that would make them immediately better players.
Without further ado the 3 ways to make yourself a better basketball player right now:
1) When you play talk more, when you are being coached talk less!
The human relationship with noise is a bizarre one. (If really want your mind warped watch Ted Talk: Julian Treasure - 4 Ways Sound Affects us.) In basketball context the soundscape we want when playing is one that inspires energy and confidence. When was the last time you were surronded by people and not saying anything that you felt energetic and confident? On the floor you must communicate. The noise brings energy to yourself and the group, the communication inspires confidence in your own actions and decisions of your teammates, and if nothing else it will be very different for an opponent probably not used to playing against a team constantly chattering. On the flip side when you are being coached you need to listen. Not hear, but listen actively. You can't actively listen when your mouth is moving. Trust that your coach knows what they are on about and try to process how to do what they are asking. If at all possible even shut off the part of your brain that is talking inside your head telling you that "you can't", or "you don't understand", or "it will be too hard" or " hey he's cute - I could really go for a ham sandwich". Listen to what your coach is telling you without judgement comment or reaction. Be coached and then go try to execute. Talk more when playing, talk less when being coached.
2) When you don't have the ball and its not being passed to you, still move as fast and aggressively as you would to get the ball or when you have it.
It is a movement game. The hardest part for players to learn and become great at is moving without the ball. The easiest first step is learn to play at game speed without your reward. Thinking, supporting, talking, reacting, sprinting and exploding is what we do in basketball. It is a complex combination of athletic acceleration and deceleration combined with simultaneous social and cognitive function. Its not just repetitive motion. You cannot have the carrot movitivate you to haul the cart. Being a great basketball player and teammate requires pursuit of excellence in all things at all times. You must learn to move with the belief that movement helps the team, not helps you get the ball or helps you score. Defense, rebounding, cutting and spacing all too important for the ball to dictate your activity level. Once you've mastered constant movement (hands, feet and mouth) then work constant movement and execution at game speed. Your teammates don't become competent ball carriers playing against defense that isn't game intensity. You don't learn to cut and read screens standing or jogging. Learn to move as hard and fast properly without the ball as you do to get it or with it.
3) Only take good shots! Bad shots are contagious. Put your bad shot germs on the ball and everyone needs to take ones to get a shot.
You know what a good shot is, and contrary to a former players firm belief it is not a shot you can get off. I can toss some orangutans the ball and they can get shots off. I wouldn't consider that a good shot for the team. If you only ever take shots you can make, when you are open, ready and on balance. Not only will you make more (good for us) you eliminate misses and bad plays (good for us). As a bonus when you only take good shots you are passing up bad shots to get teammates better ones. That means they don't have to take bad shots to get their turn. Bad shot germs on a ball are contagious once you do it, now everyone on your team has to just to get shots or to make up for your bad shots. If you want to be a better basketball player fall in love with easy plays and good shots. You'll score more, you'll be more efficient, the team will play better and be more efficient.
No comments:
Post a Comment