That Basketball Life

One of the most important issues teams have to deal with during games is also one that is completely out of a coaches control.  The issue that I speak about is the officiating of a given game.  As a coach you need to have a few guidelines that you follow when it comes to game officials.  This list is compiled with the idea that refs are humans and will make mistakes like we all do.  As coaches we need to teach our players that part of the game experience is dealing with and respecting the calls officials make.  No matter how bad a call may be and no matter how crucial a point in the game that call may have been made you need to teach your kids to rise above calls that may justly or unjustly go against them.  What this means is do not let calls by officials ruin the focus the team needs to bring the game home. Guidelines for players towards officials: Don't let a call that may go against you affect your focus. Don't waste your energy arguing calls with the officials. Ne...

One of the most difficult things to teach young players is also one of the most important in determining how good a 1v1 player your going to be.  The move in question is what I like to call "Squaring up your opponent."  What this means is that when you receive the ball in a position to score, the first thing you do is turn and face the basket in a triple threat position.  At a young age this move is instinctively difficult because young players feel that they are not protecting the ball when facing the basket.  Their natural instinct is to turn their back to the basket so they can protect the ball.  What this does is it prevents the player from surveying the floor and/or breaking down his player.  Another move for kids this age is that they may turn and face the basket but they forget completely about protecting the ball.  This is one of the reasons you see a lot of jump balls in youth games in addition to seeing many balls being ripped out of the hands of players by the oppo...

Below are some of the most basic and common offensive formations in basketball.

Today we will be getting back to discussing 1v1 basketball. What we want to talk about are the qualities and characteristics of successful 1v1 players. Athleticism - this is not the be all end all but it is a very important quality to have. Most successful 1v1 players in basketball are great athletes. Although much of being an athlete is God given there are some things that all players can do to increase their athleticism. Remember your goal is to make yourself the best you that you can be. You can do this by getting in the best shape possible and by getting closer to your true athletic potential. Footwork - this is a very important element that can be improved by everyone.  The more you practice your 1v1 moves (jab steps, rip moves, ball fakes, etc.) the more the moves get committed to muscle memory. Dribbling and ball handling - another important element that can be improved on by everyone.  Be comfortable with the shoulder to hip dribble blow by along with the conc...

Another thing I've been thinking about is the general progressions that need to take place when coaching teams up the age ladder. In other words, when coaching kids what team concepts do you have to teach them and in what order to get them ready for what you hope will be a high school career? Below is an ambitious plan which covers many things that will help players as they approach their high school careers.  The plan laid out below assumes that the coach will have access to the kids for around 20 practices for a season with each practice lasting between 90 minutes and 2 hours.  This gives the coach 30-40 hours of instruction time for the season. 1-2 Grade Basic Offense/Positioning Basic Defense/Positioning Rebounding V-Cuts Transitioning from Offense to Defense and from Defense to Offense 3-4 Grade Offense (man) Intro to pass and move Intro to dribble penetration Intro to post penetration V-cuts Pin downs Dribble at Intro to getting open on ...

Continuing our focus on 1v1 play, today I've decided to lay out progressions to help players improve their 1v1 skills. Dribble Drives Square up to the man covering you.  You will not be effective until you feel comfortable in the triple threat position while under pressure.  Players need to realize that the best way to beat a man that is covering you is to square him up and get him off balance. Direct path to basket - we need to teach players that when you make your move to the basket don't go around the person covering, but rather go by him. Eat up the space between the defender and you as quickly as possible. The quicker you get to his hip the better. Attack forward leg - If you see a defender not playing you straight up but he/she is rather trying to force you in a certain direction, try to attack the front foot. This is the best path to take when the defender's front foot is even with your body or into your body. If the defender has the outside foot beyond your...

On the night that Kobe is having his number retired let's honor him with a video that I found on You Tube.  This video shows his skill in breaking down a defender 1 on 1.