Training Tips

TRAINING

We all need training. Proper regular training keeps us fit and assists with the natural progression into making us better players.

Training sessions are held weekly at a time suitable to the coach and, where possible, parents.

Most teams train at Gisborne Secondary College at the new Indoor Stadium. Training can also be conducted at the Riddells Creek Leisure Centre and Macedon Indoor Stadium at Tony Clark Reserve.

Players are encouraged to turn up to every session as training is important not only for the development of the individual child but also for the development of the team as a whole. It is very disappointing for a coach, who has given up his/her time, if two or three team members don’t turn up. Please encourage your child to view training with the same importance as they do a game. If your child is unable to attend please notify the coach or team manager prior to the training session.

Basketball tips

 

1. Stay in Stance

PLAY WITH YOUR KNEES BENT.
Always stay in stance. It is your point of maximum explosion. Just like a track sprinter coming out of the blocks. Be ready to move. The lowest person always wins.

2. Run Hard

TRY TO OUT RUN YOUR OPPONENT EVERY TIME
You will usually break their will with your first three steps. It will help you get easy shots on offense with your fast break. Getting back on defense will help stop their fast break.

3. Use your eyes to catch

The eyes are just as important as the hands when it comes to catching the ball. When receiving a pass, it is important to watch the ball all the way into the hands. Many times a player with "bad hands" simply isn’t watching the ball.

4. Early Offense

If the fast break does not get your team a good shot, the players should flow into an organised "early offense" to try to get a good shot before the defense is set.

 

5. Be a TEAM

Forget about other players and spectators just make them see A TEAM!!

6. Keep your dribble alive!

If you use your dribble, don’t lose your dribble! Once your players start to dribble, make sure they keep it alive if at all possible. Do not stop the dribble until you are ready to pass or shoot.

7. Look up the floor

On the fast break the player with the ball should look up at all times. This allows the dribbler to see open players ahead. Always throw the ball ahead to the first open player.

8. Rebound

The key to starting a fast break is getting the rebound. Play good defense, force a miss, then send all the players to the defensive boards.

 9. Look for your shot

Try to get a shot quickly, before the defense gets a chance to set up. If you don’t have a shot, pass the ball quickly while your team has more players on that side of the floor than the defense.

10. Believe

Always believe in yourself. If you think you can’t do it, you aren’t going to . When shooting, believe its going in and it will have a better a chance.

11. Force Baseline

On the defensive side, force baseline because the baseline is an excellent defender. The baseline won’t move and will always get in the way of the offensive dribbler. The backboard is also a good defender in that the dribbler can often times get behind it. With the on-ball defender, possible off-ball help as well as the baseline and backboard, that can make one heck of a trap if the ball-handler picks up his dribble.

12. Be calm

The coach, can do a lot to help the team break a difficult press. If the coach panics, the team panics. In the first half, the team will be breaking the press right in front of their bench. Call out instructions to them. Remind them to go to the ball, cut, to post up, to spread the floor, etc.

13. Rankings

Reputations and rankings don’t mean a thing...on any given night you can beat anyone!

14. Stretch the defense

Stretch the defense. It doesn’t matter whether you start out of a stack, run four across, send guys to the mid-court corners -- just get that floor spread.

15. Two Hands

GAIN POSSESSION WITH TWO HANDS
Catch the ball with 2 hands-concentrate on the catch before you do anything else. Rebound with 2 hands-and try for every one. Pick up a loose ball with 2 hands-pick it up don’t dribble it

16. Pass to the first Open Teammate

PASS TO THE FIRST OPEN PERSON
Passing the ball is faster than dribbling it.If you move the ball, you make the defense adjust and they might make a mistake and leave someone(maybe you!) open. Don´t wait for a better pass. Remember - "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"

17. Middle of the floor

Keep the ball in the middle of the floor as much as possible -- and away from the trapping zones.

18. Fake a pass to make a pass

Use V-cuts to get open and ball fakes to avoid telegraphing the pass. Have your cutters move in straight lines, either toward the ball or toward your basket. Wide arcs and side-to-side cuts favor the defense.

19. Make the defense pay

Once you cross half-court, don’t make careless mistakes. The press is broken. If you’ve got an advantage, make the defense pay by scoring a lay-up. If not, slow things down.

20. Motion Offense-dribbling

Motion offense is also called "passing game". Dribbling should be kept to a minimum. Use the dribble to only to improve the passing angle, drive to basket or to get out of trouble.

 21. #2 - Contest EVERY Shot

GET A HAND UP ON EVERY SHOOTER
The only person who can score is the one with the ball. Go guard him even if it is not your man. Contest the shot even if it means leaving your feet(but don’t fall for a head fake too easily!).
 

22. Relative Motion

Along with all of the individual fundamentals, players need to understand the concept of "relative motion". That can best be described as realizing how one player fits into the space on the floor, given the "relative" positioning of the other players, both offense and defense. A player with this understanding will know how to move to get open, create proper spacing, passing angles, play good on ball defense, and give good team defensive help.

23. Offensive and Defensive musts!

The bottom line is when on offense make sure that your team gets a shot every time. On defense contest every shot the other team takes.

24. Run the Lanes

Try to run down the floor in the "fast break lanes" close to the sidelines. This keeps the offensive players spread out and makes guarding them more difficult.

 25. Ball/Man Line

When you are guarding a player without the ball in man to man defense, it is important to be aware of the "ball/man line". The ball/man line is an imaginary line between your man, and the man with the ball. You should be on the basket side of the ball man line and away from your man enough to help your teammates. This position helps form what is called the "defensive triangle".

26. Attack the basket

On the fast break, try to take the ball hard to the basket and get a high percentage shot. The more easy shots you can get, the better off your team will be.

27. Penetrate Middle

On the offensive side, point guards and others should penetrate middle. I want them to get to the lane. If you can get into the lane, especially with a jump stop and are strong and solid with the ball, you are pretty much unstoppable. You could shoot, use ball fakes and shoot or pass to the low post, or kick out for a ´3´

28. Discourage the dribble

Discourage the dribble -- particularly the speed dribble -- against a zone press. Do as much as you can off the pass. Any dribbling should be controlled dribbling, head up, reading the floor.

 29. Relative Motion

Along with all of the individual fundamentals, players need to understand the concept of "relative motion". That can best be described as realizing how one player fits into the space on the floor, given the "relative" positioning of the other players, both offense and defense. A player with this understanding will know how to move to get open, create proper spacing, passing angles, play good on ball defense, and give good team defensive help.

30. Come to the ball

Make sure your receivers come to the ball! They should attack each reception with the same intensity that the defense does. This cannot be overemphasized. Have them come and meet the ball before they stop. Then catch with two hands, hop stop, and establish a pivot foot. This gives them much more latitude to attack the defense.

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