So, you want to be a basketball star do you? Well, do you know what it takes for the position that you want to play? Maybe you do and maybe you don’t. We have looked into what really makes a great average forward. Here are some skills that coaches will be looking for when you try out for this position.

The first thing you need is speed. As a forward you are running back and forth all over the court. This can get pretty tiring. Trust us. You need to be able to keep up with where the ball is going. If you can do this, then you can be a forward.

The next thing that you need to be able to do is keep your focus. You have to watch that ball at all times. If it goes down the other end of the court you need to be there. You are there when the ball comes, and you try to get it as much as you can. If you do not have the ability to focus, then maybe this position is not for you.

One has to know how to pass. You want your passes to be easy and chest wide. This way your team member can catch it with ease. You do not want to throw it too hard. Trust us when we tell you that you will be doing plenty of passings. This is part of the forwards job.

You have to practice your shots. Sometimes you won’t be able to pass it. People will be telling you to shoot it, and you need to do so. You need to worry about being able to shoot from all angles and all positions of the court. If you can do this, then you will be a valuable forward to your team. They will depend on you to get the ball, so they can take it down court.

Jumping is always an essential part of the forward. Your main purpose is to be near the opponent’s goal so that you can catch the rebound. Your whole team depends on you for this. Don’t let them down but practice it as practice makes perfect.

You also need to learn how to block. Yes, we know that the defense is going to block, but when it comes to defense all of you need to be doing this if you want to have a chance at winning the game. So, learn how to do this well.

Once you have mastered these skills, you have an idea of what it takes to be a forward. It is a very tiring position, but you can be a star at it. The team really looks up to you to lead on the court and help them so that they can score. While everyone has a duty yours is especially important. So keep working at it to see what can be done for your forward skills. This is what the team might be looking for as they pick players if their defense is really off.

Picture credit: besighyawn • Creative Commons Attribution