Basketball is learning, learning and learning! A continuous evolution in understanding the various facets of the game. When Iverson makes an easy cross-over in a packed defence it looks so easy - but you try the same and IT ISN'T EASY! A senior player came to me and said `I KNOW HOW TO DRIBBLE, PASS AND SHOOT - WHAT ELSE IS THERE IN BASKETBALL TO LEARN. I replied learn more of dribbling, passing and shooting. He didn't believe me!
Learning never stops. If you love the game the way I do - every day you will learn something new. I remember, one ancient player coming to the court and just do dribbling for half an hour and not shoot a single basket. We, children only loved to shoot baskets. One day I went up to him and asked him Sir, why don't you shoot baskets. His reply was - I am trying to make the ball an extension of my body. I cannot forget those words even till today. MAKE THE BALL AN EXTENSION OF YOUR BODY - every time you get on to the court.
BE AMBIDEXTROUS! I had to teach children left hand lay-ups. In my whole life, till that time I had used only right hand for lay-ups. I took a leave of one week from the practice sessions and secretly practiced left hand lay-ups for hour after hour. My students thought I had some match coming up in which ONLY LEFT HAND WAS TO BE USED. By the end of the week, I was able to make left hand lay-ups - my joy knew no bounds. I boldly faced my students and taught them what I had learnt. NEVER EVER STOP LEARNING, especially when you feel `I CANNOT DO THIS'. Believe me, you can do anything.
BEING SMALL OR BIG IS NOTHING! A wrong notion has spread like a virus - that basketball is for tall people. Nothing is further from the truth. Being small is as great as being big. Both sizes have advantages and disadvantages. Find out what your strength is AND SHARPEN those skills. Be audacious - try to pick rebounds off the board by anticipating the trajectory of the ball even when surrounded by taller people. Use your widened body and raised arms to box out giants - I KNOW HOW TO DO IT! You too can! Double sandwich taller players forcing them to concede three seconds violation. GO OUT AND DO WHAT STEVE NASH DOES - he makes the whole world believe he is going to shoot - HE PASSES; and he makes the whole world believe again he is going to pass - HE SHOOTS. LEARN, LEARN AND LEARN - it is so easy to fall in love with basketball.
It is a great game - it makes you great! You are in the company of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and other greats. Put up a photo of your favourite basketball player - watch his or her videos - then fully motivated, go out to the court and practice. Be serious with your learning and you will be rewarded. A tiny girl feels she can't shoot three pointers. Come to my practice sessions - tiny girls shoot three pointers - tiny girls drive in for a lay-up over big tall boys. THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN DO ANYTHING - and yes they do anything - they shoot basket after basket and I go home thinking WHAT HAVE I DONE! Many young players in the euphoria of having learnt one or two skills stop learning and become proud. This is what destroys a player. NEVER BE PROUD - never believe your learning is over. I am told of a 90 year old practicing shooting free-throws - the last time I heard he had made 174 continuous free throws. LEARN FROM SUCH EXAMPLES! Learning is a life-time business - you can't say I have learnt basketball - you can only say I am learning basketball. This attitude will make you a better player.
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY LEARNING HAS TO BE PAINFUL. Especially, the younger players are easily put off by very harsh training regimes. Yes, there is a requirement of a minimum fitness - but coaches sometimes go over board! There has to be a judicious mix of skill and fitness. Most young people leave the game because of the attitude of the trainers and this is a great dis-service to the game of basketball. All basketball lovers have to remember this - UNLESS A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PLAY THIS GAME FOR FUN - the game will not attract youngsters - which is the key to the development of the game. JOYFUL LEARNING has to be the code ethic for any training programme - it takes off a lot of pressure and LEARNING is much faster - at any level! We had coach A and coach B in our camp. Coach A was a very serious trainer - he believed that you had to exhaust the children with fitness regimes. Coach B was an easy going one - he made children do light warm up and then play matches. In no time, attendance in Coach A's classes went down by 80% and Coach B's class had almost 100% attendance.
HOW MUCH TIME TO LEARN BASKETBALL? A question asked by many students. My reply is I AM 56 YEARS and I am still learning! WOW, THEY EXCLAIM! The temple of learning for a player is the BASKETBALL COURT. Some go to the court only for chatting - and some go to the court for LEARNING. Which one are you? How many of you touch the court and pray before entering? Your learning begins by being able to understand the fact that YOU HAVE COME FOR LEARNING! Enjoy your learning but do not fool around. The greatest anguish for me as a coach is WHEN I FIND children `wasting' their time on the court in activities other than basketball. It is not learning! A code ethic must be in place - joyful learning means when you create for yourself a SELF DISCIPLINE. The earlier it is in place - LEARNING CAN THEN BEGIN.
If there is less of technical knowledge of basketball in my manual - it is due to the reason that I have been coaching younger children for decades and believe that first they should know how to conduct themselves during practice sessions - and after that basketball learning can take place.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
SMALL THINGS THAT PAY `BIG TIME'! DEVELOPING `MATCH SENSE'
I have often seen a team having a lead of 10 or 20 points slowly fritter away their advantage and lose the match. WHAT HAPPENED? It is very important to do the `small' things correctly. Developing `match sense' is the key to playing basketball and winning. It is a shame that most of the coaches do not clearly specify and thus leading to a confusion in the mind of the players - especially when the players are young. Many have confessed to me that they think `younger players' should not be burdened with too much `match sense'.
YOU ARE PART OF A TEAM! Most of the players who have developed either dribbling or shooting skills love to exhibit them - EXHIBITIONISM COMES NATURALLY TO BASKETBALL PLAYERS! The desire to do too much of it may lead `heart burn' in other players of your team. Be a part - not the whole. DO NOT BALL HOG! A correct `pass' leading to an easy basket will win you more matches. That is why the ball handler is burdened with the `managing the game' on the court.
OFFENCE OR DEFENCE? Basketball coaches throughout the world know it - THE MATCH IS WON THROUGH DEFENCE. Unfortunately, the `attraction' of attacking and scoring a basket is so great that DEFENCE is forgotten. AND this can lead to an easy basket by the opposition. Drill it in your mind - IT IS MORE IMPORTANT to not allow a basket than scoring a basket. The lesser the baskets scored against you - the easier it is to win a match. If five people go for `offence' - there must be five people for `defence'. Even senior players commit the crime of over-reaching and allow a team having better `match sense' to rip apart the lesser player's defence. GETTING BACK to your court is very important. Run to the half-line after a basket or a turnover and then run back-ward from half line onwards to your defence. The most hated GERMAN RELAYS are a perfect exercise - they are the perfect method to build stamina.
I am not done with defence - a more detailed analysis would be done later on in the manual. One of my better player celebrates a basket and during this celebration the opposition scores a basket. AND HE LOOKS AT ME and says WHAT WRONG DID I DO. I agree - what wrong did I do in putting him in the team.
DO SMALL THINGS CORRECTLY! Dribble the ball close to your body - keep the ball away from the reach of the opposition - make a correct pass - FAKE the movement of the ball - EARLY PASS or DELAYED PASS helps your player `open' up the defence. Practice these small things again and again and again - so that during the match you exactly know what role you are expected to play. You can easily lose the ball to a very aggressive player so move the ball and cut in or set up a screen and roll in - do dummy runs over and over till you become perfect. Never allow the opposition to `anticipate' - keep changing your strategies - find out the `weak spots' and then PRESS. On some days you will do all the things correctly and on another day every thing goes horribly wrong - IT HAPPENS because the opposition has read your game.
Whether you are playing man to man or zone - always be ready for double teaming. RECOVERY is the key for `match sense' - a continuous hustle even when you are faked. Your body language is an indicator of your preparedness - be threatening but do not foul - expand your body [NOT BY BECOMING OBESE] by opening your legs wide and raise your arms vertically up to reduce the shooting angle of a shooter - and finally jump defensively to block a shot or to take a rebound. HUSTLE ALL THE TIME - WANT THE BALL ALL THE TIME - make your body absolutely fit - you will enjoy playing the game.
Running up and down takes lot of energy - so fitness is very important. But fitness alone cannot win matches. That is why developing `match sense' is even more important. AND doing small things correctly is the perfect key to win matches.
YOU ARE PART OF A TEAM! Most of the players who have developed either dribbling or shooting skills love to exhibit them - EXHIBITIONISM COMES NATURALLY TO BASKETBALL PLAYERS! The desire to do too much of it may lead `heart burn' in other players of your team. Be a part - not the whole. DO NOT BALL HOG! A correct `pass' leading to an easy basket will win you more matches. That is why the ball handler is burdened with the `managing the game' on the court.
OFFENCE OR DEFENCE? Basketball coaches throughout the world know it - THE MATCH IS WON THROUGH DEFENCE. Unfortunately, the `attraction' of attacking and scoring a basket is so great that DEFENCE is forgotten. AND this can lead to an easy basket by the opposition. Drill it in your mind - IT IS MORE IMPORTANT to not allow a basket than scoring a basket. The lesser the baskets scored against you - the easier it is to win a match. If five people go for `offence' - there must be five people for `defence'. Even senior players commit the crime of over-reaching and allow a team having better `match sense' to rip apart the lesser player's defence. GETTING BACK to your court is very important. Run to the half-line after a basket or a turnover and then run back-ward from half line onwards to your defence. The most hated GERMAN RELAYS are a perfect exercise - they are the perfect method to build stamina.
I am not done with defence - a more detailed analysis would be done later on in the manual. One of my better player celebrates a basket and during this celebration the opposition scores a basket. AND HE LOOKS AT ME and says WHAT WRONG DID I DO. I agree - what wrong did I do in putting him in the team.
DO SMALL THINGS CORRECTLY! Dribble the ball close to your body - keep the ball away from the reach of the opposition - make a correct pass - FAKE the movement of the ball - EARLY PASS or DELAYED PASS helps your player `open' up the defence. Practice these small things again and again and again - so that during the match you exactly know what role you are expected to play. You can easily lose the ball to a very aggressive player so move the ball and cut in or set up a screen and roll in - do dummy runs over and over till you become perfect. Never allow the opposition to `anticipate' - keep changing your strategies - find out the `weak spots' and then PRESS. On some days you will do all the things correctly and on another day every thing goes horribly wrong - IT HAPPENS because the opposition has read your game.
Whether you are playing man to man or zone - always be ready for double teaming. RECOVERY is the key for `match sense' - a continuous hustle even when you are faked. Your body language is an indicator of your preparedness - be threatening but do not foul - expand your body [NOT BY BECOMING OBESE] by opening your legs wide and raise your arms vertically up to reduce the shooting angle of a shooter - and finally jump defensively to block a shot or to take a rebound. HUSTLE ALL THE TIME - WANT THE BALL ALL THE TIME - make your body absolutely fit - you will enjoy playing the game.
Running up and down takes lot of energy - so fitness is very important. But fitness alone cannot win matches. That is why developing `match sense' is even more important. AND doing small things correctly is the perfect key to win matches.
Monday, October 26, 2009
DRIBBLING - MOVING THE BALL!
DRIBBLING correctly for beginners cannot be over emphasized. There are number of STEPS to learning dribbling - which I have used with great success among younger children.
STANDING DRIBBLE - Stand in a normal standing position and bounce the ball about two to three inches in front of your right foot [when dribbling with the right hand] and left foot [when dribbling with the left hand]. Keep your upper arm as close to your ribs as possible. Your elbow joint should function to the maximum i.e. at the lowest point the arm should be straight and at the highest point the hand is raised to the level of the shoulder.
PUMPING THE BALL - Do not slap the ball. Cradle the ball from top and allow it to move to its highest point and then pump the ball to the ground. It is like filling air from a cycle pump. It is easy to copy from a senior player - if you don't understand it.
WALKING DRIBBLE - As you are able to dribble correctly, learn to do walking dribble - you could go with right hand the length of the basketball court and walk back with the left hand. THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO STOP LOOKING AT THE BALL WHILE DRIBBLING.
RUNNING DRIBBLE - The posture in which you run normally is the posture for the running dribble. The elbow joint now functions with a limited movement. As the head is ahead of the body the ball comes right next to your head and shoulder. Slowly you can increase the speed of your rubbing dribble.
FAST SPEED DRIBBLE - As you progress with your dribbling exercise - a time comes when you feel confident enough to go in for fast speed dribble which is almost like a sprint. If you can manage it - then we can confidently say that you have learnt how to dribble.
VARIATIONS IN DRIBBLING - Simple dribbling is `boring' - it is the variations in dribbling - through the legs - behind the back etc. etc. which is the `elixir' every players aspires for. To be able to play matches - you must continuously polish your dribbling skills. EVERY BASKETBALL PLAYER HAS TO BE AMBIDEXTROUS - capable of playing with both left and right hands. So right handers should give double the time for dribbing with the left hand and vice versa.
MOST IMPORTANT : Remember that all the above should be done without looking at the ball. In the beginning you may do it by looking at the ball - but as you gain confidence YOU MUST NOT LOOK AT THE BALL. However, some coaches feel that IN THE VERY BEGINNING ITSELF YOU SHOULDN'T LOOK AT THE BALL. But with younger players I have found this to be a little traumatic. I think you should understand WHAT YOUR GOAL IS - and then follow which ever method suits you.
STANDING DRIBBLE - Stand in a normal standing position and bounce the ball about two to three inches in front of your right foot [when dribbling with the right hand] and left foot [when dribbling with the left hand]. Keep your upper arm as close to your ribs as possible. Your elbow joint should function to the maximum i.e. at the lowest point the arm should be straight and at the highest point the hand is raised to the level of the shoulder.
PUMPING THE BALL - Do not slap the ball. Cradle the ball from top and allow it to move to its highest point and then pump the ball to the ground. It is like filling air from a cycle pump. It is easy to copy from a senior player - if you don't understand it.
WALKING DRIBBLE - As you are able to dribble correctly, learn to do walking dribble - you could go with right hand the length of the basketball court and walk back with the left hand. THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO STOP LOOKING AT THE BALL WHILE DRIBBLING.
RUNNING DRIBBLE - The posture in which you run normally is the posture for the running dribble. The elbow joint now functions with a limited movement. As the head is ahead of the body the ball comes right next to your head and shoulder. Slowly you can increase the speed of your rubbing dribble.
FAST SPEED DRIBBLE - As you progress with your dribbling exercise - a time comes when you feel confident enough to go in for fast speed dribble which is almost like a sprint. If you can manage it - then we can confidently say that you have learnt how to dribble.
VARIATIONS IN DRIBBLING - Simple dribbling is `boring' - it is the variations in dribbling - through the legs - behind the back etc. etc. which is the `elixir' every players aspires for. To be able to play matches - you must continuously polish your dribbling skills. EVERY BASKETBALL PLAYER HAS TO BE AMBIDEXTROUS - capable of playing with both left and right hands. So right handers should give double the time for dribbing with the left hand and vice versa.
MOST IMPORTANT : Remember that all the above should be done without looking at the ball. In the beginning you may do it by looking at the ball - but as you gain confidence YOU MUST NOT LOOK AT THE BALL. However, some coaches feel that IN THE VERY BEGINNING ITSELF YOU SHOULDN'T LOOK AT THE BALL. But with younger players I have found this to be a little traumatic. I think you should understand WHAT YOUR GOAL IS - and then follow which ever method suits you.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
THE STANCE - THE POSTURE WHILE HOLDING THE BALL!
TRIPLE THREAT STANCE:
The most talked about stance in basketball is the triple threat stance. Your posture should be such that you should be able to DRIBBLE - PASS or SHOOT. The opponent should be made to guess wrongly. The more genuine the fake - the better basketball player you are. But let me go back to `old stances' too!
TRIPLE FAKE STANCE:
The body is used to contort in such a way that arms move in just the opposite way of your head and torso and the leg moves in the third direction. This movement is the triple-fake and if you see the masters of this skill - you will be amazed! Few people practice it today and has almost become extinct.
The boxer's stance is the position which is taught to the beginners. Legs apart - one foot a little ahead of the other. The hands holding the arms with the elbows jutting out. The head almost over the ball which is just 5 to 6" away from the eyes. The ball is either held on the left or the right side - depending on which direction you are likely to pass or dribble the ball. The elbows are guarding the ball - the body too is like a protective shield - the foot-work here is the key!
WHY TO PIVOT WITH BOTH LEGS?
Never commit on which foot you are going to pivot - it is difficult - almost all players pivot only on the left leg or the right leg - it gives your game away! Practice pivoting on either foot and you develop a skill that gives teeth to your game. I wouldn't load youngsters with such practice - but the seniors at least can see the possibilities.
Mix the `fast' with the `slow' - the more the variation - the better it is to `plough through'. I keep telling players that their objective is to `catch the opponent off-guard'and then strike like lightning. But my call keeps falling on deaf ears. Everyone wants to copy NBA stars - the ten or twelve years that they have put in to reach that level is `unimaginable' for these players.
PICK UP DIVERSE STANCES :
Mix the ideas given above. You may not believe in some of the things above - but if they work - WHY DON'T WE SHARPEN THESE SKILLS. A stance is a weapon and it should be treated as such. A proper stance is a body language that opponents will too respect and be cautious.
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING :
Get rid of mind-sets; YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! You can shoot continuous ten or fifteen three pointers - you can draw a foul and shoot a basket even if you are four feet tall. But whatever fantastic thing you can do - will ultimately be decided by your stance. This is the ABC of basketball. A good stance is very very threatening. And it gives you the confidence.
A very young girl once came to me - unable to hold even the ball properly - but when I asked her to show the stance - she showed me the perfect triple-threat stance! My joy knew no bounds and even after twenty years that stance is frozen in my mind. Learning basics can be BORING - making it more interesting is the goal of this manual.
CAUTION: Senior basketball players are strongly advised to avoid reading this manual - they should follow what has been taught to them.
The most talked about stance in basketball is the triple threat stance. Your posture should be such that you should be able to DRIBBLE - PASS or SHOOT. The opponent should be made to guess wrongly. The more genuine the fake - the better basketball player you are. But let me go back to `old stances' too!
TRIPLE FAKE STANCE:
The body is used to contort in such a way that arms move in just the opposite way of your head and torso and the leg moves in the third direction. This movement is the triple-fake and if you see the masters of this skill - you will be amazed! Few people practice it today and has almost become extinct.
The boxer's stance is the position which is taught to the beginners. Legs apart - one foot a little ahead of the other. The hands holding the arms with the elbows jutting out. The head almost over the ball which is just 5 to 6" away from the eyes. The ball is either held on the left or the right side - depending on which direction you are likely to pass or dribble the ball. The elbows are guarding the ball - the body too is like a protective shield - the foot-work here is the key!
WHY TO PIVOT WITH BOTH LEGS?
Never commit on which foot you are going to pivot - it is difficult - almost all players pivot only on the left leg or the right leg - it gives your game away! Practice pivoting on either foot and you develop a skill that gives teeth to your game. I wouldn't load youngsters with such practice - but the seniors at least can see the possibilities.
Mix the `fast' with the `slow' - the more the variation - the better it is to `plough through'. I keep telling players that their objective is to `catch the opponent off-guard'and then strike like lightning. But my call keeps falling on deaf ears. Everyone wants to copy NBA stars - the ten or twelve years that they have put in to reach that level is `unimaginable' for these players.
PICK UP DIVERSE STANCES :
Mix the ideas given above. You may not believe in some of the things above - but if they work - WHY DON'T WE SHARPEN THESE SKILLS. A stance is a weapon and it should be treated as such. A proper stance is a body language that opponents will too respect and be cautious.
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING :
Get rid of mind-sets; YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! You can shoot continuous ten or fifteen three pointers - you can draw a foul and shoot a basket even if you are four feet tall. But whatever fantastic thing you can do - will ultimately be decided by your stance. This is the ABC of basketball. A good stance is very very threatening. And it gives you the confidence.
A very young girl once came to me - unable to hold even the ball properly - but when I asked her to show the stance - she showed me the perfect triple-threat stance! My joy knew no bounds and even after twenty years that stance is frozen in my mind. Learning basics can be BORING - making it more interesting is the goal of this manual.
CAUTION: Senior basketball players are strongly advised to avoid reading this manual - they should follow what has been taught to them.
Friday, October 2, 2009
HOLDING THE BALL - LEARNING CORRECT BASICS.
USE ONLY TOP PHALANGES OF YOUR FINGERS:
It is very easy for a coach to know whether a player knows the right basics or not. The way you hold the ball tells us everything. The tips of your fingers are the only portion that is in contact. The palm isn't to be used. Do a simple test. Hold the ball by having full contact of the whole of your hand to the ball and then slowly remove the contact from all other parts except for the top phalanges of your fingers.
SPREAD YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER:
Exert full pressure and spread your fingers as far as your can from each other. Then slowly fold your upper tips of fingers in a curve to be able to hold the ball. The larger finger grip you have - the better it is. TRY HOLDING THE BALL IN ONE HAND! My Mama Ji told me in 1962 that anyone who cannot hold the ball in one hand - shouldn't play basketball. EVEN TODAY I AM UNABLE TO HOLD THE BALL IN ONE HAND. But I have played basketball non-stop since then. So don't worry!
THE CORRECT BALL HOLD:
To train my young children I do a simple exercise which helps you learn the correct hold. I tell them to join the top phalanges of one hand with the other in the shape of a ball and bring the hand up to your chest level [without the ball]. The thumb and the little finger make a nice downward tilted circle at the bottom. Now slowly spread your hands from each other. Ask one of your friends to put the ball in your hand from the top. Exert a strong pressure of your fingers on the ball [at the same angle] - minor adjustment can be made if you are not comfortable.
WHY TOP PHALANGES ONLY?
The lesser the contact with the ball - the faster it can be moved or released. You may not realize it but the energy of the muscles of the entire hand is transferred to the top phalanges. Their job is only to hold or `guide the ball's position' - the action of moving the ball is the job of your entire hand - THE FINGER JOINT, THE HAND JOINT, THE ELBOW JOINT, THE SHOULDER JOINT all combine to produce the energy needed.
IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER - TAKE THE HELP OF SENIORS. They will always help you out.
THE POSITION OF YOUR ARMS :
If you are standing straight then the elbow joint should be at 90 degrees approximately. This angle will change if you take the ball to the left or right side.
A GOOD EXERCISE TO BUILD STRONG FINGERS
Close your eyes. Hold the ball with your top phalanges and bring it to the centre of your chest. The ball should be about 6" away from your body. The elbows are at 90 degrees to the upper arms or shoulders. Press your fingers with maximum pressure on the ball. Count till eight - release the pressure - count till eight and continue this for 5 to 6 times. DO IT EVERYDAY for two or three months. You will be able to avoid finger injury which is so common in basketball. While doing this exercise try to `feel' the muscles in different parts of your bodies - which make this possible.
A tougher exercise is to do pull-ups on your finger tips. I don't advise it for children below 15 years.
HOLDING THE BALL correctly is an indicator of beginning to learn correct basics.
It is very easy for a coach to know whether a player knows the right basics or not. The way you hold the ball tells us everything. The tips of your fingers are the only portion that is in contact. The palm isn't to be used. Do a simple test. Hold the ball by having full contact of the whole of your hand to the ball and then slowly remove the contact from all other parts except for the top phalanges of your fingers.
SPREAD YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER:
Exert full pressure and spread your fingers as far as your can from each other. Then slowly fold your upper tips of fingers in a curve to be able to hold the ball. The larger finger grip you have - the better it is. TRY HOLDING THE BALL IN ONE HAND! My Mama Ji told me in 1962 that anyone who cannot hold the ball in one hand - shouldn't play basketball. EVEN TODAY I AM UNABLE TO HOLD THE BALL IN ONE HAND. But I have played basketball non-stop since then. So don't worry!
THE CORRECT BALL HOLD:
To train my young children I do a simple exercise which helps you learn the correct hold. I tell them to join the top phalanges of one hand with the other in the shape of a ball and bring the hand up to your chest level [without the ball]. The thumb and the little finger make a nice downward tilted circle at the bottom. Now slowly spread your hands from each other. Ask one of your friends to put the ball in your hand from the top. Exert a strong pressure of your fingers on the ball [at the same angle] - minor adjustment can be made if you are not comfortable.
WHY TOP PHALANGES ONLY?
The lesser the contact with the ball - the faster it can be moved or released. You may not realize it but the energy of the muscles of the entire hand is transferred to the top phalanges. Their job is only to hold or `guide the ball's position' - the action of moving the ball is the job of your entire hand - THE FINGER JOINT, THE HAND JOINT, THE ELBOW JOINT, THE SHOULDER JOINT all combine to produce the energy needed.
IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER - TAKE THE HELP OF SENIORS. They will always help you out.
THE POSITION OF YOUR ARMS :
If you are standing straight then the elbow joint should be at 90 degrees approximately. This angle will change if you take the ball to the left or right side.
A GOOD EXERCISE TO BUILD STRONG FINGERS
Close your eyes. Hold the ball with your top phalanges and bring it to the centre of your chest. The ball should be about 6" away from your body. The elbows are at 90 degrees to the upper arms or shoulders. Press your fingers with maximum pressure on the ball. Count till eight - release the pressure - count till eight and continue this for 5 to 6 times. DO IT EVERYDAY for two or three months. You will be able to avoid finger injury which is so common in basketball. While doing this exercise try to `feel' the muscles in different parts of your bodies - which make this possible.
A tougher exercise is to do pull-ups on your finger tips. I don't advise it for children below 15 years.
HOLDING THE BALL correctly is an indicator of beginning to learn correct basics.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
INTRODUCTION AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE GAME!
MAIN RULES:
1. Two posts having rings of 18" dia positioned at a height of 10' are placed. The court size is 28x15 meters. The surface should be smooth to enable proper bouncing of the ball.
2. Each team consists of 12 players with chest numbers of 4 to 15. Only 5 players for each team play actively. Any number of substitutions can be made. The game is played either 4x10min or 4x12min.
3. The player shall dribble the ball without carrying it - without `travelling' [holding the ball in two hands and walking a step]* [a proper demo of this rule is very important].
4. Physical contact in basketball should be minimal for beginners to avoid injury and expedite learning.
`TOUCHING THE BALL' - It is very important for the trainer to have the right attitude. Discipline should be enforced with a `smile'. Training drills become exciting if everyone gets the opportunity to keep `touching' the ball at short and regular intervals. I always encourage children to do German relays with the ball. It is a double bonus. They learn to dribble and at the same time the `intended exercise' is no more boring.
CONVERSATION: Believe me - for the trainer to keep talking - encouraging - correcting the mistake is 90% - all other activities are only 10%. Serious training takes away the joy - particularly so when the learners are beginners. Whenever a child comes to me and asks `Is my dribbling OK' - my answer is YES. I will call the same fellow after two minutes and say `You are doing good - but a great player would do like this' - and demonstrate.
BE READY TO JOIN THEM and show them again and again. Your body language is easy to copy for the youngsters - WORDS help little.
ENVIRONMENT too is important. Girls maybe inhibited in standing in the same line as boys. Start off with removing their inhibitions - mix them from the very beginning -
never segregate! Before the training session begins see that they wear proper dress, shoes and remove all `rings, nose-studs, watches etc' Explain why?
CONCERNS - Children have lot of imaginary and real concerns. You will find fast learners and slow learners. Never segregate them in a way they feel `left out'. You don't want to have half the group becoming your enemy on the very first day. Be clever - say you have divided them according to the `need' for the team.
EACH CHILD has come to the court imagining himself to be a Michael Jordan or a Kobe Bryant - so please treat him like that. Playing basketball is like massaging your ego - it raises your passions no end. So you play along - and one day you will actually see a `great player'.
ROLE OF COACHES - They come in all types - right from sadistic - very helpful - not at all bothered etc. You look into the mirror and ask yourself one question - WHY YOU CHOSE THIS PROFESSION? I will tell you why I chose it. I love to see children playing and enjoying a game of basketball. I didn't have a coach. I want to be coach for the whole world. IF YOU ARE A COACH - to settle scores; or for other benefits - please stop reading this manual - you won't like me!
PHILOSOPHY - We should know the purpose of our actions. The life-style of our children has become sedentary. In a short period of an hour or even less
-we need to give them an `exercise benefit' for healthy development of their bodies.
-their desire to have played a `game'or `skill development game' and enjoyed it
-we have to create an `urge' in them to come for the next session too!
-we have to create love and enthusiasm for the game and READY TO PLAY MODE.
Caution: Some children aren't healthy. Ensure that they are breathing normally or recover their breath quickly. Increase the work-load over a period - DO NOT attempt everything at once. You develop your own guide-lines but be cautious regarding injuries [especially to fingers].
1. Two posts having rings of 18" dia positioned at a height of 10' are placed. The court size is 28x15 meters. The surface should be smooth to enable proper bouncing of the ball.
2. Each team consists of 12 players with chest numbers of 4 to 15. Only 5 players for each team play actively. Any number of substitutions can be made. The game is played either 4x10min or 4x12min.
3. The player shall dribble the ball without carrying it - without `travelling' [holding the ball in two hands and walking a step]* [a proper demo of this rule is very important].
4. Physical contact in basketball should be minimal for beginners to avoid injury and expedite learning.
`TOUCHING THE BALL' - It is very important for the trainer to have the right attitude. Discipline should be enforced with a `smile'. Training drills become exciting if everyone gets the opportunity to keep `touching' the ball at short and regular intervals. I always encourage children to do German relays with the ball. It is a double bonus. They learn to dribble and at the same time the `intended exercise' is no more boring.
CONVERSATION: Believe me - for the trainer to keep talking - encouraging - correcting the mistake is 90% - all other activities are only 10%. Serious training takes away the joy - particularly so when the learners are beginners. Whenever a child comes to me and asks `Is my dribbling OK' - my answer is YES. I will call the same fellow after two minutes and say `You are doing good - but a great player would do like this' - and demonstrate.
BE READY TO JOIN THEM and show them again and again. Your body language is easy to copy for the youngsters - WORDS help little.
ENVIRONMENT too is important. Girls maybe inhibited in standing in the same line as boys. Start off with removing their inhibitions - mix them from the very beginning -
never segregate! Before the training session begins see that they wear proper dress, shoes and remove all `rings, nose-studs, watches etc' Explain why?
CONCERNS - Children have lot of imaginary and real concerns. You will find fast learners and slow learners. Never segregate them in a way they feel `left out'. You don't want to have half the group becoming your enemy on the very first day. Be clever - say you have divided them according to the `need' for the team.
EACH CHILD has come to the court imagining himself to be a Michael Jordan or a Kobe Bryant - so please treat him like that. Playing basketball is like massaging your ego - it raises your passions no end. So you play along - and one day you will actually see a `great player'.
ROLE OF COACHES - They come in all types - right from sadistic - very helpful - not at all bothered etc. You look into the mirror and ask yourself one question - WHY YOU CHOSE THIS PROFESSION? I will tell you why I chose it. I love to see children playing and enjoying a game of basketball. I didn't have a coach. I want to be coach for the whole world. IF YOU ARE A COACH - to settle scores; or for other benefits - please stop reading this manual - you won't like me!
PHILOSOPHY - We should know the purpose of our actions. The life-style of our children has become sedentary. In a short period of an hour or even less
-we need to give them an `exercise benefit' for healthy development of their bodies.
-their desire to have played a `game'or `skill development game' and enjoyed it
-we have to create an `urge' in them to come for the next session too!
-we have to create love and enthusiasm for the game and READY TO PLAY MODE.
Caution: Some children aren't healthy. Ensure that they are breathing normally or recover their breath quickly. Increase the work-load over a period - DO NOT attempt everything at once. You develop your own guide-lines but be cautious regarding injuries [especially to fingers].
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