For a basketball player, one of the worst things to happen, aside from unwanted injuries, is losing the passion for the sport itself. I guess everyone witnessed how Michael Jordan lost his passion for basketball. Who could ever forget that? The basketball world mourned over his decision to retire from basketball. However, it was not the greatest highlight of his career. It was his decision to return to his passion – Basketball.

The question here now is how to bring your passion for basketball back. I will share some of my ideas on how to relight the fire in you:

1. Take some time off in playing basketball.
Take a break from basketball. You see, it is possible that one of the reasons you ran out of passion for basketball is your full attention to the sport itself. Your constant exposure to the game slowly disintegrates your interest away from it. Have you ever tried eating the same food over and over again? It is like eating hotdogs in 3 meals per day, and for the rest of the week in each month. How would you feel? In the long run, you may lose your taste for it, or even be disgusted by the thought of it. This is the same with basketball. Spend your time in other forms of activities wherein your mind relaxes and will be drawn away a bit from basketball. There is so much to love about this sport, but you should not try to spoil it.

2. Think about yourself and what you want to do.
Give enough time and space for yourself. If you need to be alone to think about things, then do so. Try to find yourself. Think about what you want to do to bring back the energy inside you. At this point, you have to do a lot of thinking until you get to the moment that you have decided what it is that you really want.

3. Start and enjoy watching basketball games.
If you lose the fire to play the sport, why not watch basketball games. Go out with your friends, or invite them to come with you to a live basketball match. Or, if you have an invitation to watch ball games, acknowledge that invitation. Go ahead and enjoy watching basketball games from a fan’s perspective. By just doing this, you’ll see what a great game this is and might find your interest in the sport again.

In addition, television is highly influential, especially in terms of affecting on how we think or feel sometimes. Chances are, you might be influenced to play the sport you have always adored.

4. Spend some time dribbling and shooting the ball in your backyard.
When you get bored, try to spend a little time to hold the ball. Look at it, smell the leather, grip it firmly with your hands. Dribble a little and enjoy the sound of the ball as it bounces off the floor. Take some shots and hit the rim or simply think of throwing the ball. It does not matter if you make one or not. At this point of time, do not think about competing against others or yourself. Just play and enjoy the game end enjoy what you are doing. This can be a slow and early start for you to get back your basketball rhythm.

It is not necessary to go to a gym in order to play. You can utilize your backyard if you have the space. Do not worry if you do not have a basket, just focus on dribbling the ball. However, if you have the chance, go over to the nearest location where a basketball court is accessible.

5. Invite friends to go out and play basketball for fun.
Friends can be your closest people whom you enjoy in company with. Even if you do not really want to play the game, you have this feeling of succumbing to the idea that you can hang out with your friends by playing basketball. Isn’t it great? Of course it is, and it is an indirect way of pulling you back to playing the sport again.

6. Participate in community or school basketball games.
This is a great way of starting to indulge yourself again in playing basketball, especially if you are a professional basketball player. Games on these levels might not be as physically demanding and competitive compared to your professional league. In this one, you get to enjoy playing with your neighbors, or other students, and then you can build new friendships as well.

7. Make new friends through basketball.
Use basketball to make new friends. You might not focus that much on the game, but on meeting new people. It would be advised for bored people to extend their exposure to other beings for them to experience the various spices of life. By then, you can slowly turn back to the sport you have always played with great pleasure.

8. Challenge your basketball skills by attending basketball camps.
Another thing that causes players to lose their passion for basketball is keeping the same level of learning and skills. I mean, if you keep on doing the same exact stuffs over and over again, it will cause you to burn out, and you’ll be extremely bored playing the game in that case.

A good thing to do is to challenge your skills by joining basketball camps. These camps provide additional knowledge, skills, and techniques which can help you develop to be a more competitive player. Moreover, this can keep your interest in this sport as you continue to learn and discover new things about basketball.

9. Establish a good physical condition.
You will really lose your passion for basketball if you are not equipped with a good physical condition. Basketball is both a physical and mental game. Losing your passion in it also reflects losing the energy to keep up with the physical requirements of the sport. Keep the fire burning in you by continuously developing your body, as well as your mind.

10. Do not be overly preoccupied with the sport of basketball.
Your preoccupation would lead to losing your interest with the game. You will reach to a point of exhaustion when there is nothing more you can do, or think about, but basketball. In this case, boredom awaits you in the other end of the line. And so, the nice thing to do is just to relax, chill down, and let things happen as they are. When you play, you play. When it is time for family gatherings, or other occasions, you forget about basketball and have a great time.

11. Believe In Yourself.
The most important thing is for you to believe in yourself. You got to have that belief that you can play basketball again. Otherwise, it will be hard for you to take the initiative to play again. Basketball is a very interesting and competitive sport. Along the way, you might experience a little burn out, but if you have the heart for basketball, you can always find a way to get that passion burning again!

[info_box]Picture credit: lizard10979Creative Commons Attribution[/info_box]