High School Basketball: Create a Countdown Calendar

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So you want to be a high school basketball player? We have a few questions for you.:

  1. How serious are you?
  2. How good do you want to be?
  3. What are you willing to sacrifice and do to reach your goals?
  4. What are you working for?

If you want to be a good high school basketball, the most important date on your 365 day calendar is the 1st day of tryouts. This is the day you should focus your entire year on, except when playing another high school sports, which we highly encourage. (Eight Great Benefits of Playing a Fall Sport)

When you finish your high school season, after taking a few days or weeks off, you should know when the 1st day upcoming season is. Reflect on the highs and lows of the past season, then develop a plan with an individual workout that will help you be as ready as you can be for day #1.

Fall Preseason: Each state will have a different calendar. Adjust the timetable to fit your state. In this case, we are using the 1st Monday after Thanksgiving as the starting date, November 28th, 2022.

How to Create A Countdown Calendar
  1. Print up a calendar for 1 – 3 months. The basketball off-season is very long. It can be up to 9 months, 36 weeks, and possibly 270 days. This can be OVERWHELMING! We feel that short-term goals are the most effective to pursue and that the year should be broken down into shorter segments. 3 months is the absolute longest period we recommend. Some can be as short as one week.
  2. Circle “THE DATE.” This is the date that YOU have determined to be most important to YOU. Keep it a priority.
  3. Number the Days. The date you circled is day zero. The day before is day 1, number the days all the way back to today. That is the number of days you have left until your special day.
  4. Tape it to a refrigerator, door, or ceiling. It is CRITICAL that you have a visual of the calendar. Rope up and include family members, teammates, and friends in your countdown. Everyone can get excited and support you as you edge closer to the day.
  5. Look at and interact with the calendar each day. Now that the calendar is up. Make it a part of your day. Cross off the days you have completed and see how many days are left. Before you know it, you will be there. BLINK and you will be there. Make your countdown calendar a BIG part of your day.
  6. Win the Day. You are a basketball player. You are a competitor. You will be competing against coaches, players, and teams who will not back down. Know there are players who are working TODAY! You cannot control that, but you can control if you are working. Make the days count!
  7. Win the Week. If you are like most high school basketball players, you will not workout every day. Try to win the week. Try to get 4 work days and 3 off days. If you do this you will be all-league. But on your work days you have to REALLY WORK! We challenge you to win the week EVERY week!
  8. Enjoy the Process. If you commit to the countdown calendar, basketball will be a big part of your live. EMBRACE IT! If it is not fun, don’t do it. You need be passionate and know that your hard work will pay off on the 1st day of the season and all the days that follow.
  9. No regrets. “The hay is in the barn.” Let your head hit the pillow on the night before your goal, and have confidence you do all that you possibly could do to be prepared. Sure you have missed workouts Sure your did not get enough sleep every night or eat completely healthy every day, but you did pay the price most of the time. And if you did not… tomorrow is the 1st day of the rest of you season (and life). Get up with a great attitude and do the best you can.
  10. Have a GREAT day. You earned the moment. Have confidence in yourself and give your best effort.

Good Luck!

4 Tips for Moms to Support a Youth Basketball Player

Guest Blog: By

A mom can take a handful of measures to help and support the development of a child’s s talents and passion for basketball. Once a child first starts shooting hoops, it may be challenging to figure out how to motivate them without pressuring them so strongly that they lose interest in the sport.

The intensity of the action, some things can be hard to recall. However, youngsters often pursue basketball because they enjoy it. They will quickly go from admiring the sport to loathing their games if demands are placed upon them to score every shot, grab every rebound, and commit no turnovers.

Here are 4 simple tips for moms who want to support a youth basketball player.

1. Support the Child Unconditionally

As a mother, your love and support shouldn’t count on what the child can do for you.

Let them make mistakes and learn things on their own.Your child may not grow up to be a professional NBA player. Probably, they might not even make it into the school’s basketball. The love and encouragement should be there even if your kid likes to play the sport for fun.We have forgotten that not all things should be monetized. The modern-day world is on a quest to make a profit. This has blindsided us against the joys of having hobbies. If your child genuinely enjoys the sport, it doesn’t matter if your child becomes a professional player.

If you’re not very sure how to be motivating, here’s a guide by thequeenmomma.com.

2. Be Present at Every Game

Today, many women work in addition to running a household. Single mothers share many of the same responsibilities and are doing it alone. There are parents to spend time with and often care for, but hear us out. 

At every game, there should be at least one parent or family member for moral support. If possible, the whole family should go to the game and cheer on.

After the final game is played and the final shot is taken, our child will not your the commitments. They will remember looking at the empty seats in the stands where their family should’ve been.

Sometimes, children play because they like to impress their parents. Children often do not know how to express their feelings, but they care about your opinion about them. Being there to show them that you are taking an interest in what they do goes a long way.

3. Learn to Play the Game Yourself

What better way to show a child that you care than sharing a passion, in the case basketball? Shooting hoops together can help strengthen a relationship and improve the quality time you might never get otherwise. Be a Basketball Buddy!

Children grow up in a split second. Before you know it, they’d be all grown up and too embarrassed to be seen playing basketball with you.

Adults need good memories with their parents to reflect on when life gets tough. Play the game with them while you still can. They may not know it yet but playing basketball with you will become your children’s fondest memories years down the line.

Who knows? Maybe you’re a better basketball player than you think, and you might develop a passion for this sport.

4. Don’t Try to Live Vicariously Through Your Kid

Remember your glory days are over. Your child pursuing his / her dream. You child is not a vessel for your dreams. Children are allowed to have their own dreams, make their own decisions, and lead their own lives.

Pressuring them to be good at basketball because that’s your dream would only push them away from the game that you can help them develop a passion for..

It is important to remember that even if the child decides to quit basketball, it is okay. Sure, you put in a lot of effort, but do it because you love your child, and you should support them without expecting an end goal. 

You had time to pursue your dreams, and maybe you did or didn’t. Possibly you never got the chance to do what you wanted. This is why it is even more important that you give the next generation a chance.

Summary

We already know that you love that kid if you’ve made it here. And that’s the most crucial part. Remember that words of encouragement, presence and involvement mean a lot.

 

At https://www.everythingmom.com, you can find a few great tips for parenting.

J.J. Redick Basketball Shooting Drills

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JJ Redick is an amazing shooter..he has great form and shooting mechanics. Since he has achieved shooting success at the high school, college and NBA levels, it makes sense to use some of his drills.

Five from five (25 shots total) A player starts in the right corner, directly in front of the basket. The player will make one shot from the spot, and then take a step back. The player will make a shot from five spots. 

The player will then move onto spot to which is the right wing. The player will repeat the process making five shots from the right wing. And then will move on to straight away, left wing, and finally left baseline.

Know you range: divide by 5

Challenge: make all five shots without missing. When a player misses, he must go back to the 1st spot.

Next level challenge Ray Allen drill

A player will shot from 5 spots. Each spot will have 5 different spots ranging from 2 feet to a players range. Total shots 25

Youth variation have 3 or 4 spots since range is not developing.

This drill is very simple

4 minutes 9 spots

JJ Redick Shooting Drill #1: 

JJ Redick Shooting Drill #2

The 2nd drill builds on the 1st one. In this drill the player will start at spot #3. The player will make five shots from the spot. After making five shots, the player will advance to spot for. The player will make five shots in advance to the final spot where he will also make five shots. 

Like in the previous drill, the player will shoot from five different spots right baseline, right wing, top of the key, left wing, and left baseline.

Total shots made 225

Challenge: a player must make five shots in a row before moving to the next level.

Point Guard College Video & JJ Redick Shooting Drills Google 

Basketball Shooting: Form Shooting is a MUST!

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills by grade, books, teaching tools, basketball jokes, guest blogs, basketball quotes, and so much.

To be really good at shooting the basketball is a long process that requires shooting the ball correctly. Once a player has good shooting mechanics, the player must repeat that form over and over to be a consistent shooter. The following drill is the starting point to becoming a great shooter.

One hand form shooting is the key to developing proper shooting form. Dave Hopla the world’s top shooting instructor starts every workout with one hand form shooter. Steve Alford NCAA champion, all American, and amazing shooter included one hand form shooting in his all American work out. JJ Redick also includes one hand form shooting in his workouts. It’s safe to say that many of the worlds best shooters and shooting coaches place an incredible amount of value on one hand form shooter. That is the reason that it should be incorporated into ever use practice and in all individual shooting workouts.

The best thing about one hand form shooting, is the moment that the player realizes hey this stuff really works. When they play it gets to that point he will embrace the drill, just like David Ortiz for his entire career embraced hitting a baseball off of TT. Yes drill is a great opportunity for a basketball buddy to help the basketball player have a more enjoyable journey. Shooting the basketball although practiced by everyone, it’s mastered by a rare few. Attend a local high school game and of the 16 to 20 players that enter the game, there are likely to be no more than two or three players really can shoot the basketball. And if you’re lucky enough you can find the top shooter in your area and watch him play, to see what a difference being able to shoot the ball can make.

It really is a matter of having many repetitions read the ball set your elbow finish your follow through these all are simple tasks that can be mastered by using one hand form shooting.

A recommendation for this drill is to start in close and make 10 shots. The shots do not have to be in a row. After making 10 shots the player must then make five in a row. This is a working definition of a players range. A spot where he can he or she can make five shots in a row. The player should take small steps back and continue the process until he or she can no longer make five in a row. As a player increases skill the distances between spots can be greater.

High School Basketball: Top Reasons To Take the PSAT

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October of  junior year is a great opportunity for students to really start to think about what will happen after graduating high school. The PSAT exam is regularly given at many schools around the country the week of Columbus Day. Taking th PSAT is a great opportunity for a student athlete to see how well he/she can do on a standardized test. The PSAT booklet provides sample questions, test taking tips, and guidelines for how to take the test. It is recommended that a student prepare for the exam by reading the information and answering a few of the questions. Motivated students can complete the entire timed practice test. Reviewing the information will help alleviate anxiety and can help the student feel confident on the actual test day.

Reasons to Take the PSAT

  1. The Unofficial Start of the College Process: Not all student athletes will have the opportunity to play basketball in college, however, most student athletes will have the option of attending college or junior college. The PSAT is the first step in the college process. It is a good reality check that can serve as the starting point for students to seriously begin their college search. Some students may have already begun the college process, however, the majority of students do not begin to look at colleges seriously until the spring of junior year.
  2. Helpful Feedback: Feedback is very important to high school students. In terms of basketball feedback comes in many forms. Team placement (freshman, JV, or varsity) is the immediate feedback players receive during the 1st week of the season. Playing time is also another example of feedback a player receives. Academically, the PSAT is probably the best form of feedback a student can receive in relation to standardized testing. The college board has provided this opportunity to help students prepare for the actual SAT which is used by many schools to determine acceptance. A rare few students will be happy with the score they receive. Most will see there is room for improvement. The question now is what can you do to improve.
  3. SAT Test Prep: there are many ways to prepare for the SAT exam and fortunately many require no payment, they are absolutely free. Khan Academy is a great resource for teachers and students they provide free SAT prep online. So all a student will need is access to a computer or electronic device where the exam can be taken. Khan Academy will provide feedback to answers so students can understand the reason for a correct choice. Much like being a very good high school basketball player, being a solid standardized test taker requires practice and skills. If a student is willing to put in the time, there should be some very positive results over time. Like basketball it is a process that needs to be followed.
  4. Make it a Priority: if college is truly important to a player, it will be a top priority to do all that is possible to increase the chances of attending the best academic institution possible in to attain as much scholarship money as you can. Most students in America receive academic scholarships then athletic scholarships. It is likely if you are reading this you to have a better chance of an academic scholarship than an athletic scholarship, regardless of your GPA and SAT scores. If you are a high school basketball player, as a junior, you likely have developed a workout routine that helps develop your basketball skills. The one amazing thing about basketball is you develop life skills that can be transferred into other areas of your life. Develop a routine like you would develop a work out. Set aside time each week for your SAT workout. Attack the workout like you were attack the basket in offensive transition. Be relentless. Be focused. And be self aware.
  5. It’s All about You: not every basketball player understands this concept. But the reality is basketball is about you and being a better player today than you were yesterday. If you can make and embrace this process, you will have a very good high school career. The same is true in terms of SATs. Many students take SATs several times.

The time between SAT exams can be viewed like a basketball off-season. Some players take incredible advantage of this time. While others just watch the time away and make very little progress.

Good luck on your basketball and academic journey.

Top 10 Things to Remember About Coaching 1st Grade Basketball

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills by grade, books, teaching tools, basketball jokes, guest blogs, basketball quotes, and so much.

Coaching youth basketball can be an extremely challenging, yet rewarding task. In addition to the actual coaching time involved in practices and games, it is also important to look at the overall goal of youth sports, especially in 1st grade.

Below are some ideas to consider with coaching youth sports:

  1. You never get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression! This is probably the 1st introduction to basketball. Make having FUN the #1 priority.
  2. Get to know each player’s name ASAP! It is strongly encouraged that you have each parent write the players name on a name tag to place on the front of the shirt. Players respond so much better to being called by name. The name tags may not be necessary after a few weeks, but this will help your assistants too.
  3. This is REALLY an organized play date. The goal is to make this an event that each player wants to return to each week. Make sure players are nice to each other, take turns being 1st, include every player, and are respectful.
  4. Keep it Simple Stupid: ALWAYS remember this is first grade basketball. No one will be evaluating how well your team does or how effective you are at teaching fundamentals. In most cases, you will be a parent of a player. This can be extremely challenging for you child. As a result this will a challenge for you. Ask any of your family or friends who have coached this age group. It is best to keep it simple, try not to do too much, and recognize that this is not rocket science.
  5. Find Your Favorite Resources: There are so many resources available to youth basketball coaches. A “coaching youth basketball” search can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, the majority of the websites DO NOT focus on the 1st grade. We do! We have an entire page devoted to coaching 1st grade basketball. Another great website for all things basketball is USA basketball. We also have a list of other youth basketball websites we have researched and believe will be a good resource for 1st grade coaches.
  6. Focus on Age-Appropriate Drills: We cannot stress this enough. There is no need to introduce a euro-step, a double crossover, or any other fancy skill at this age. Keep the instruction to drills that are easy to explain. Keep the players moving as much as possible, And, if possible, include some skill development. It is important when planning a practice session to understand the facility and what resources you will have available to you.
  7. Repetition, Repetition Repetition: The key to mastering any skill is repetition. Once you have selected the age-appropriate skills you will be focusing on, try to maximize the repetitions of every player. It is very useful to have an age appropriate basketball for each player. One way to do this would be to speak with your Program Director and add an additional $15 to the program fee and purchase an appropriately sized ball for each player that can be distributed at the first practice. With each player having a basketball, players can maximize repetitions, especially dribbling and ball-handling drills. Read why we feel it is important to teach dribbling at an early age.
  8. Exaggerate the Difficulty of the Drills: Tell the players that you went to www.basketball123.com and looked at this drill which was two grades higher. Explain to the player how nervous you are about trying the drill. Tell them your significant other said you I should not attempt this drill. And then tell the player you are going to introduce the drill anyway because the players are so good and will be able to compete the drill. As always, tell the players to just do the best that they can. And these drills can be a little more advanced like a stationary two ball dribbling drill which many if not all of your players can complete.
  9. Control what you can control: practice facitities, pratice times, number of players on a team, etc.
  10. The job of a youth coach is to provide athletes with the opportunity to succeed.
  11. Attitude is everything. When players and teams have a great attitude the sky is the limit
  12. Remember the big picture: DEVELOP FUNDAMENTALS! WORK HARD! & HAVE FUN!
  13. Players want to be good – they just do not know HOW to do it.
  14. Coaches should  develop “life skills” that can be used throughout life.
  15. Do the best you can with what you have.
  16. Developing good work habits is essential to success in basketball and life.
  17. A great player is made through personal hard work (along with guidance from a coach).
  18. Players must have the right priorities (family, school, sports).

High School Basketball: Columbus Day Check in

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Columbus Day: the 2nd Week in October

Columbus Day is the second Monday in October and 7 weeks from the start of the high school basketball season in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It is a great time for a player to evaluate his progress and his off-season plan.

Columbus Day is also a reality check. A player has to HONESTLY evaluate his goals and how hard he has worked to reach these goals. It is also the last time a player can really refocus to make the most of the final weeks of the high school off-season. For many players these final weeks, might be the last off-season weeks of a player’s career. A high school career can end in the blink of an eye, so make sure if basketball is important, you do all you can in the next weeks to be as ready as you will ever be.

Self-Evaluation

Basketball players should evaluate how they are playing. What specifically they can work on to improve for the season. If they are playing AAU or in a fall basketball league, they can ask the following questions:

  • How is my conditioning?
  • How consistent is my shooting?
  • How is my handle?
  • What scoring moves are working well?
  • How solid is a players on the ball defense?
  • How solid is it players off the ball defense?

Essentially a player should take a complete inventory of his game and have a good overall sense of where he is and a good idea of where he will be on the 1st day of the season. It is helpful to get feedback from teammates, AAU coaches, high school coaches, former players, and possibly your basketball buddy.

The player should have a realistic understanding of what level he will playing, freshman, JV or varsity, He also should have a good idea of the role he will be expected to fill, practice player, role player, starter, scorer, of team leader. If a player is a shooter, he should be making at least 200 to 500 shots a day. If he will be a primary ball-handler, the player should be working on dribble moves, two ball series, and passing. If the player is going to be a rebounder or defensive stopper. conditioning and strength training should be a priority.

It’s not too late but… it soon will be

Six weeks is exactly 42 days. A lot of time if it is used wisely, but also time that can slip away if you do not have a plan. How many workouts can a player fit in those 42 days.?Very few players complete a work out each day, however it is time for the serious player to do all they can to make sure they have the season they hope for.

It also is a good time to make it communicate with your coach. Many basketball programs have preseason workouts, captains’ practices, and sign-up meetings. Make sure to attend as many of these events as possible. Part of being a successful high school basketball player is showing up. Showing up to practice. Showing up to meetings. Showing up to lifts. Showing up to conditioning workouts. Be know as a player who shows up, because that could be the deciding factor of a coin flip player making the team or being cut.

Tick, Tick, Tick

As players grow or older, they gain a better perspective about how hard it is to be a high school basketball player. Freshman year is about survival and being part of the program. Sophomore year is figuring out who you want to become as a player and what you’re willing to do to become that player. Junior year it’s time to put it all together. Have a tremendous work ethic. Be in the best shape of your life. The best shape. Improve your skill set so that you can be a contributing member of the team. Be an essential member of the team or the most valuable player on the team. One player will step into the role of MVP and team leader. The team leader is player who has prepared better and more often than those players cheering from the bench.

High school basketball high school basketball season will be here before you know it. You’ll be running out onto the court for opening night before you know it. There is no better feeling and warming up for a varsity basketball game. The adrenaline, the butterflies, the anticipation of a great game to come with so many opportunities that you have prepared for.

Good luck and have a fantastic final part of the off-season

Travel Tips for AAU Basketball

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So much of AAU basketball is a learning experience for players and parents. With each year and each new team, there will bee additional learning. Hopefully some of the lessons learned will help parents and players navigate the AAU experience.

  1. Drive Carefully & Obey the Speed Limits: Many AAU tournaments are in areas that a parent may not be familiar with. Often times a tournament will be in a different state. The out of state license could attract police attention. So be careful. AAU is expensive. An unexpected $100+ speeding ticket and a surcharge on car insurance is no fun!
  2. Allow Extra Time to Get to the Gym: This is a simple one, but AAU requires a big financial and emotional commitment, to add the stress of arriving late to the game or with not enough time for player to warm up should be avoided at all costs.
  3. Have an Outdoor Ball: Often there can be a significant amount of time between games. If the weather is nice, a player could complete some shooting or an individual workout.
  4. Pack a Cooler: Water, snacks, a healthy meal can be very useful and also a way to avoid the hidden costs of eating fast food.
  5. Start with a Full Tank of Gas: Having a full tank of gas is crossing one more thing off the tournament day list. It is safe to say on a three to six hour travel day, adding an unnecessary stop should be avoided.
  6. Pack the Night Before: For local tournament where you are sleeping in your own bed, pack a travel bag for the player that will include underwear, shirts, shorts, jacket, socks and any other items that your family may need.

How to Be a Great Basketball Shooter

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills by grade, books, teaching tools, basketball jokes, guest blogs, basketball quotes, and so much.

Knowledge of BEEF Shooting Form: It is very important to understand the fundamentals of shooting a basketball. There are so many resources available to players and parents. Start by reading the #1 Book for Teaching Players How to Shoot a Basketball by Dave Hopla. It is so good at breaking down how to shoot a basketball correctly. As a parent of a child who has an interest in basketball, the number 1 thing you can do is help your child shoot the ball correctly.

Basketball Shooting Drills: A list of some of the best basketball shooting drills from beginner to advanced.

Form Shooting is a MUST!