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Hopefully everybody was on Santa’s nice list and had a good Christmas filled with lots of basketball gifts including some great books, and a brand new basketball. For high school players, coaches, and fans, Christmas vacation week is an exciting time. Most teams have had several games under their belt. They have completed preseason, the first games, and many practices.
What to expect during Christmas week?
Holiday tournaments: Holiday tournaments are a great opportunity for high school basketball programs. Some programs enter tournaments with the top teams in the state. Others compete in long established local tournaments between long-time rivals. Tournaments add a level of excitement because a champion is crowned. Most tournaments consist of four teams two games. Some however involve up to sixteen teams.
Regardless of the tournaments size, level, or competition, it is exciting. There is no school, so players can be completely focused on high school basketball. Players are selected for all-tournaments teams and there typically is an MVP. There are close games, overtime games, and career games. There also are defining moments in a season. Whether you’re a high school player parent or basketball fan holiday tournaments are a great way to spend your vacation.
Non-league Matchups: Most leagues take a break from scheduled games during vacation weeks. This allows teams to schedule non-league games against appropriate teams. Top teams who anticipate having a winning record are likely to schedule more challenging games to test themselves. Lower level teams can seek out opponents with similar talent levels. This will allow teams that might struggle in a league to have competitive games. These non-league games allow for a lot of flexibility for programs and hopefully provide the most competitive environment with close games and great competition.
Greater Travel: During the holiday vacation, teams have the ability to schedule games greater distances away. Some teams may play out of state tournaments. Others may play a team from a different part of the state or perhaps on an island like Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard. There’s a good chance that during vacation week some teams will travel the greatest distances for the games.
Lineup changes with a rare few exceptions, high school teams change lineups road season. Illness travel injuries discipline for play great play some of the reasons lineups can be changed. Also giving an upperclassman a chance to start, what providing an opportunity for underclassmen to start can be reasons why lineups change. If you are high school coach I’m sure you would agree that several times in your career you have gone into the Christmas season with several different starting lineups.
Time for Improvement: Depending upon where Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on the calendar, vacations can be as short as in 10 days or perhaps long as 14 days. (Use your fact checkers to confirm these numbers.)
For a select few players, vacation week can be used as an opportunity to elevate a player’s game. With no school, there is an opportunity to work out nearly every day if the weather conditions are favorable or a player has access to a gym.
Players can work on strengths of their game to make them stronger or players can work on areas that need improvement.
I guarantee you that in every state there are players that are going above and beyond to make themselves and their teams better. Having an individual workout separates great players from average players. Imagine how much a player could improve with ten 60 to 90 minute intense individual workouts.
If you’re a player and are reading this don’t imagine, JUST DO IT! You have only four years in your high school career. Don’t waste any of them. If you’re a senior it’s never too late. It is a long season there are many weeks ahead. You want to make some great memories by playing great fundamental basketball.
Shoot arounds With additional time, many coaches will schedule a one hour shoot around on game day. High school players can feel like they’re in the pros. Getting up in the morning and having a shoot around. Going home to eat and relax, then returning for a game at night. It is a very very special experience that usually is reserved for varsity players and. Make the most of these opportunities.
Rest and recharge the battery: For some players, this current season is the most minutes they have ever played in their life. It is the highest level of competition they have ever played. They have had two and three game weeks with classes, homework, and other activities such as college applications. The high school basketball season can be overwhelming. Sometimes the best thing a player can do is rest as much as possible. Some players do not need complete individual workouts. They would be better serve staying home, reading a book, watching TV, playing chess, or just relaxing and letting the body recover. This will be the more important of the season progresses.
Roles Are Clearly Defined: all teams are different but in many cases after the Christmas vacation teams will be 25 to 35% done with your schedule games. Players will have been given many opportunities and scrimmages practices and games to show their value to the team. And players have C’s or squandered those opportunities and rotations are being clearly set as teams approach the meat of the league schedule.
Roles are being re-defined. Some players are working harder than others in practice and on their own. These players are getting proper rest. They’re staying away from drugs and alcohol. They are making great decisions and this is being shown on the court. Players who have been defined as defensive specialist and and are consistently making free-throws are Increasing their value to the team. These player will be on the court late in the game.
Others are taking the role that has been defined for them I’m filling it more than ever imagined. Shooters in making shots. Rebounders are boxing out and coming up with 50-50 balls. Players are taking charges. There often are a few complete surprises during the season and this becomes more clear during the holiday break.
Team identities are defined: With high school basketball, there is so much uncertainty at the start of the season. Returning seniors expected to be leaders on the team or not. Juniors that were expected to have a limited role have emerged as some of the best players on the team. One player has become the best player in the league. Regardless of how the season has progressed to this point, the team has an identity. This identity will change throughout the season, however there are defensive teams. There are a fast breaking teams. There are teams that execute well or execute poorly. There are teams the closeout games or cannot finish. A team needs to establish their identity by Christmas break. Hopefully it is an identity they could be proud of.
The importance of league play: After the vacation games have been completed all eyes will turn to the league. Who will be the team to bear? Who will be the players to stop? The top players are established. Players average 15 to 20 points per game. Players who don’t shoot all will start to come out in scouting reports.
Also they have been some common opponents, so teams can figure out how well they will compete once the league starts up. It was a great time to play high school basketball once the league play heats up intensity is higher crowds are bigger and stars I made.
New Year’s Day Practice: To practice or not practice, that is the question facing many high school coaches. A lot of it may depend on the team. How they are playing? What may be doing on New Year’s Eve?
Many coaches scheduled the most challenging practices with the earliest start time to make sure the players are making great decisions on New Year’s Eve. Other coaches with less concerns, will give the players a day off. No matter the decision, this is certainly is a question that all coaches must answer.