How to do a Layup correctly

Posted by Eitel in For Coaches, For Parents, For Players | 0 comments

A layup is simply running to the basket on the right or left side and by leaping, placing the basketball into the net with under arm or over arm movement. The layup is done one handed and is counted as a 2 point shot in basketball. One is able to do a layup in basketball from both the right and left side. When you are in a game it is important to be able to do a layup from both sides if possible since you do not know how your opponent will defend you or the basket.

An athlete always has a dominant hand unless one is ambidextrous. This means that most athletes will need to remember to practice using both hands. Although an athlete may not be accustomed to playing with a particular hand it is important to dribble and perform layups on both the left and right side to gain dexterity and athleticism no matter which side is dominant. It is a good practice to learn to do layups and dribble with both hands since this makes one a more versatile player. Here are the steps to completing a layup correctly. One should start on the dominant hand.

Then add the practice of the non-dominant side. Practice every day and do not become discouraged because even professional basketball players put in many hours of practice on layups and still make mistakes. The leaping basketball dare devils we see on television are the products of a lot of practice. Please also remember to wear the appropriate shoes and apparel for playing basketball. You must have on footwear that is appropriate for the basketball court or practice area to avoid injury to one self. Also make sure to warm up properly before starting your layup drills.

1. Place a cone or make a line 15 feet from the basket. Approximately where the free throw line would be if you are on a court. You can practice layups even if you are not a court with a hoop and a ball. Just remember to give yourself about 15 feet of room from the basket for running.
2. Starting at your cone or line begin dribbling your basketball. Start with your dominant hand for the first drill.
3. Dribbling the basketball toward the basket (as you gain skill you can then run to the basket) bend your outside knee of the outside foot, leap to lay the ball near the basket, using one hand to bounce it off the backboard and into the basket. One jumps straight up to the basket, leaping to place basketball on the backboard to bounce it into the basket or roll ones wrist or fingers to place basketball into the net.
4. For continued drills grab your own rebounds and run back to start. Begin again. Continue to practice the layup on both the left and right side.
5. Remember to keep eye contact with the basket, backboard, for in real games one would have a defender.

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Offensive Team Strategies

Posted by Eitel in For Coaches | 0 comments

The main objective that each team has to achieve in the game of basketball is to score as many points as possible. At the same time, the team would also want to reduce the amount of points that the opponent manages to steal from them. With this in mind, development of both team offense and defense is very crucial for any team that desires to rule the court.

Being well versed with many offensive strategies is the best preparation that a coach can equip his players with. During game day, the ability of his players to play various offensive strategies will confuse the opponent. This will subsequently increase the teams’ likelihood of winning.

The goal of a team offense is to create open shots for members of the team. Offensive team strategies require top level of teamwork to be a success. The coach must convince his players to play as one during the game. In a team offensive, the ball is usually passed around until someone finally manages to shake off a defender and take a clear shot.

However, unless you’re up against an inferior team, these clear shots do not come easily. In fact, intricate moves and strategies should be planned and executed to achieve this. Some of the popular offensive team strategy categories are press offense, man to man offense, zone offense and also transition offense. We will briefly look at the some popular strategies under each of these categories.

Press offense is used to counter pressure defense. There are basically two categories of press offense attacks. The first one is a freelance attack where players move around towards open spots. The second category of press offense is control pressed attacks. The coach should decide which attack methodology should be practiced by the team based on the capabilities of its players.

Among the most famous man to man offensive strategies are the Wheel Offense, the High Post Offense, and the Wyoming Weave Offense. For this category, we will look specifically at the Wheel Offense. The benefit of the Wheel Offense is the versatility that it offers when facing a multitude of defense configurations from the opponent.

When the opponent plays zone defense, it has to be met with zone offense. The main objective of zone offense is to distort the configuration of the defense zone. Once this is achieved, attacking players will have better chances at clear shots. Experts reckon that this type of offense is usually more suited for high school teams than college and professional teams. The benefit of this offense approach is that players do not have to make long passes and long shots. However, in college teams, players are already strong enough to shoot and pass farther out. This explains such an opinion.

Transition offense is also known as fast break offense. Fast break is great as it places constant pressure on defenders and will eventually wear them down. Also, this type of offensive is really popular with the fans due to its high speed nature. In terms of motivation, this type of offense gives every team member an equal chance to score. In addition to this, playing fast break offense will reduce the number of opponent players waiting to take a rebound. This is because they know that they will have to get back to defend fast.

There are many offensive team strategies that coaches can look at for their team. When considering strategies, coaches must consider the ability and physical condition of their player. A well planned offense strategy will help in many ways to get your team to win.

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Improving your Free-Throws

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A lot of people concentrate on offense and defence and forget one of the most critical points of the game that often gets overlooked as actually being crucial, and that is the free throws. Free throws are one of the only parts of the game that is completely controlled by the player making the shot. No one else can interfere and no one else can influence the shot. This means that the shooter has complete control, and if that shooter hasn`t practiced those shots or has under estimated their importance; you may find that some points that your team could be racking up, will be lost.

One tip that a lot of players, and even some coaches overlook is simple repetitive practice. Doing the same shot over and over again, while your coach is watching you to help you with small pointers and potential adjustments that can up your successful shooting percentage. This method doesn`t work with every single player, but should be integrated occasionally into all training regimes to ensure that players all have minimal amounts of free throw practice.

Players also have to learn to deal with the actual mental side of the shot as well. The crowd will be cheering loudly and proudly, your teammates will be shouting encouragement, and your opponents may simply try to distract you.

Whatever the case is you have to learn to ignore all these outsides factors and concentrate solely on the shot before you. While there is no exact way to measure the physical and the mental side to each shot, there is simply the ability to state that a successful free throw shooter has mastered both aspects or learned to adapt and control them. If this means having to practice on a crowded street and learned to deal with noise and distractions, then that`s what has to be done. If it means practicing in a quiet gym, then so be it. Either way coach and player will have to work together to decide the best ways, which come on a player by player basis. No two players on a team are EVER the same. What works for one player, may not work for another.

What is important is developing a free throw routine or “ritual”. Developing this will get you into a “zone” that will help you concentrate and block out your distractions and focus on the goal at hand.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, and could be as simple as kissing the ball before you shoot it, or a single dribble. Either way you need to find a way to be able to put yourself in the concentration zone that will be required to maximize your potential success and minimize the failure.

In the end, one main thing stands out and that is practice. Free throws WILL NOT improve overnight, and they certain won’t improve without work. You need to be at it day in and day out, and constantly working hard to improve. Saying you want to improve is a start, doing something about it is a whole new ball game.

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Key Things to Do During a Time Out

Posted by Eitel in For Coaches | 0 comments

Timeouts seem like such a small part of the game and are often overlooked. Timeouts are a very crucial and highly misunderstood part of the game in some accounts. They can change the flow of the game, and can give a much needed breather when the game is down to those last few points and in the dying moments.

Timeouts cannot be wasted. The time they provide is precious and means it is a chance for a team to change the tide of the game, or get a quick breather for that last stand they may need to make to win. The coach needs to pick and choose the proper times when to call the timeouts because as much as it can save a game, it can also break a game if used improperly.

Some of the most popular uses for timeouts are as follows.

1. As a quick break in play to let your players get refreshed, grab a swig of water and just catch their breath. Sometimes the opposing team will just have the pace of the game going so fast and in their favour, which a timeout puts an instant stop to it, and gives your guys a moment to gather themselves and prepare a plan of their own.
2. Timeouts can be used to “ice” the other team. If as mentioned above the team is on a roll, or in a groove, the timeout also serves to put an end to their “roll”.
3. Timeouts can be used to just completely switch gears. During a timeout the coach can go over a new plan or play that might just open the hole up in the game that your team needs to nail down that win. This is the time where the coach can rally the players and implement a shift in game play meant to confuse and disorient the other team. Towards the end of a game the opposing team is used to your tendencies and will defend and attack accordingly. If the coach makes the right switch in plays, it can catch a defence completely off guard and open up a hole needed to secure the game.
4. All of the above points lead to the fact a time out wrapped into one nice neat little term, is a momentum shift. It grants the coach the ability to change the momentum of the game and give his team the chance to change direction and stop a slide, or to refresh them for the last moments. This is an invaluable resource that needs to be used with the utmost care. It not only serves the strategy aspects discussed above, but also as an instant morale booster if the coach knows his team well enough. A few well placed words and a team can come out of the timeout as good as the beginning of the game.

Timeouts and how coaches use them are as important as the game itself. Like fouls, and bad plays, a bad timeout, can change the game.

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How to shoot a Basketball

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The thrill of competition sings in the blood when watching a ball arc through the air. Time suspends itself with the ball as it dances around the rim. As Nike says, “Nothing but net.” Swoosh. Watching the ball hit the net is the goal of every player. There is an art to shooting a basketball and yet the actual shot is unique to every individual. Some players will shoot one handed, while others always use two. Some players spin the ball as they release. Below are a few simple steps to follow to begin learning how to make a basket. Remember that all bodies are not the same and your shot may evolve beyond these simple steps.

1. Stand in front of the basket holding your basketball.
2. Square your body. Stand facing the rim. Square your hips, feet, and shoulders so that you have a clear view to the rim.
3. Bend your knees. At this point some people will dribble the ball a few times to focus and relieve stress.
4. Always remember that the power of the shot should come from your legs and the direction of the shot from your arms. Place your weight on the balls of your feet. Holding the ball close to the hand make an L-shape. In one motion using the power of your legs bring the arms over the head, keeping your dominant shooting hand behind the ball, your non-dominant hand to the side to stabilize, keeping your shooting arm in the 90 degree angle next to your side elbow close to the hip or side. Release the ball from your fingertips to send ball towards hoop.
5. Follow through the release with your wrist. Some call this snapping the wrist.
6. Do not use just your upper body to throw and release. It should not be a jerk motion but one fluid movement. Use your leg strength. It may seem like you are throwing the ball from your arms and shoulders but a basketball shot is made using the whole body.
7. Feet, legs, hips, square, bend knees, power up, align, arms overhead, release.
8. Follow through the shot including keeping alignment with the vertical elbow and arm.

Tips for more success:

• For youth athletes you may want to start them out shooting baskets with a hoop that is commensurate with their size.
• Wear proper clothing that allows for the full range of motion of shots. Do not wear shirts or shorts that are too oversized and block the ability for good form.
• Consider the size of the ball. If the athlete is just learning and the size of the ball is not allowing for complete control with handling consider using a smaller ball especially for children. It is ok to use smaller balls when learning how to shoot since the technique does not require regulation sizes when first learning.
• Some coaches use the acronym beef to assist children in remembering the form to incorporate all the steps above:

1. B-balance 2. E-elbow 3. E- eye 4. F-follow through

Photo credit: Eddy-S