Players Are Made In the Off-Season! (Video)

The high school season is over, and basketball players are finding themselves with quite a bit more free time then they are used to. Well, guess what? It's time to get better. Now is the time you should be reflecting on last season and begin to think deeply about your goals on the court in the future. What will you do this off-season to achieve those goals? An athlete who has spent time in past off-seasons working to improve is Meagan Ratliff. As a junior this past season, she averaged 12 points per game and earned 2nd Team All-MWC while leading Silverton HS to a state playoff birth. Check out this feature on Meagan as she talks about last season and looks to her senior year.

http://youtu.be/pbSU3069fX8

The Importance of In-Season Training (Video)

The regular season is coming to an end, with many teams fighting for playoff seeding. While some players will elevate their level of play, others will find that they are fatigued. I talked earlier about training to prepare for a season, but many players neglect to develop a productive in-season training program. Throughout the season, players’ are experiencing strong wear and tear on their bodies. Even those who have been able to remain healthy find themselves feeling sore and stiff. When this feeling sets on, it can be easy to neglect any extra training and opt for the couch.

In-season training is vital to maintain your level of performance. While it is possible to improve your performance in-season, the main objective is to maintain. Here are some tips on in-season training:

Strength train

If you are getting tired in the games, running 3 miles after practice is not the answer. This will only do more harm to your athletic performance. Steady-state cardiovascular exercise actually decreases muscle more than it builds. It also adds extra stress on your joints. Strength training is the best way to keep your muscle mass and maintain your performance.

Quality over quantity

Quick, intense workouts are preferred over long workouts. Remember, you are practicing for 2 hours at a high-level. The last thing you need is an added 90 minute workout. Try and be productive in a 30-45 minute time period.

Recover, recover, recover

The most important one of them all. It is hard to be overtrained, but it is easy to be under recovered. It is vital that you don’t neglect the importance of recovery activities such as foam rolling, mobility work, and stretching. Not only will these help you maintain your performance, but they will also decrease your chance of non-contact injuries.

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Alex Roth (Sr., West Salem HS) is currently having his best season to date. A large part of his success is the attention he has started to give his off-court training. Last fall, he started training with Kevin Turner in Keizer, OR. I am very thankful to Alex for allowing me to feature one of his workouts on my blog. Good luck with the rest of the season!

(Check out Kevin Turner’s blog and training info at kevinturnerfitness.com)

http://youtu.be/RgnM6fXFdDk

Maintain Your Shooting Accuracy: Get Reps!

The high school and college seasons are over halfway finished. As the season wears, it is common for players to become content with where they are at. This has the possibility to lead to a decrease in shooting consistency. As the post-season draws near, getting reps is crucial to maintaining consistency. In the off-season, most players (the ones who want to get better) know the importance of making a certain number of shots per workout. Shooting the ball correctly on a consistent basis leads to a consistent shot when the season comes.

During the season, most teams don’t spend a large part of practice time on shooting. Teams are working on game plans, improving team defense, and keeping the team offense sharp. If you are not getting enough repetitions shooting the ball in practice, it becomes your responsibility to get into the gym and get your reps in.

Here are some suggestions for your in-season shooting workouts:

Think about where your shots are coming from in game situations.

Just as only a small percentage of players average double-figures in scoring, only a small number of players shoot shots in a game from all over the floor. Chances are, you consistently shoot in a game from 2-3 spots. Think about your games (or better yet, watch game film) and see exactly where your shots are coming from.

Focus on quality over quantity.

Get in, and get out. Playing 2 games and practicing 3-4 days per week takes its toll on your body. Focus on getting quality shots up as opposed to getting a ton of poorly executed shots up. In-season workouts should probably be 30 minutes or less.

Keep your technique consistent.

Good OR bad. At this point, a major overhaul to your form might be more detrimental than helpful. However, minor tweaks can do wonders if you are in a slump. Whatever you do, keep it the same on every shot. Inconsistent form leads to inconsistent shooting.

Master Your Emotions - The Foundation of Mental Toughness

Situation: It’s the 4th quarter in a close game. You are on a 2-on-1 break, and you receive the pass in a position to score. As you jump, you feel yourself losing control of the ball. The layup bounces off the backboard, then the rim, then into the defender’s hands. The frustration inside you tells you to go for the steal. As you slap down, the referee calls you for a foul. That’s when you hear your coach say, “C’mon! I need you to be mentally tough!” The opponent shoots a 1-and-1 and makes both. Mental toughness is a term so often used yet so few people understand. We hear it a lot in sports, but it has a direct translation to all of our goals. What does it take to be mentally tough? There are a lot of things that go into becoming mentally tough. The foundation of mental toughness is learning how to master your emotions.

Think about how you respond in times when your emotions drastically change. Does it cause your behavior to change? Are you suddenly a different person? Controlling your emotions is about not letting how you feel make you do things you shouldn’t do, or keep you from doing things you should do.

Being able to control your emotions is not an easy thing to do. It takes self-preparation before any specific moment comes. Here are 3 ways you can prepare to be emotionally stable:

Be driven by your values, not rewards

Understanding who you are and how you approach things can help you remain on an even keel. Many teams have “Core Values” that they expect their players to play by. Some people have a mantra that they say to remind themselves of their self-expectations. Find out what you are about as person, and let that be a reminder of how you approach all situations.

Practice responding instead of reacting

When you are in a game, the heat of the moment can make you do things that you later realize should not have been done. Some mistakes are bound to happen, others are caused by emotional failure when we quickly react to something that happened to us. Prepare your mind on a daily basis to respond to emotional situations (controlled) instead of reacting to situations (uncontrolled).

Understand NEEDS versus WANTS

As our emotions change, things pop in our mind that we don’t need to do, but we want to do. If you have had a long day and are tired and feeling hungry, do you need to go through the drive-thru at McDonald’s? No, but you want to because it’s fast, easy, and cheap. What you need is some chicken and veggies. Always remember what you need to do.

Question for thought:

What situations do you find yourself losing control of your emotions? How can you change your daily behaviors to better prepare for those situations?

Complete VS Compete: Maximizing Your Teams Potential

"True progress in any field is a relay race and not a single event."-John Cavett

My favorite event in track and field is the 4 x 100 relay. Some people might argue that it is the most exciting event in all of sport. The speed and precision it takes to win the event causes spectators to hold their breath at every baton exchange. Each runner must do their part in order to successfully finish the race. Each runner must complete their portion of the race for their team. It is a true collaboration of talent.

Too many times in basketball, players COMPETE with their teammates. They get caught up in trying to get more playing time, trying to take more shots, and trying to impress the coaching staff more than the other players. This, however, limits the individual’s effectiveness and, most importantly, limits the team’s potential.

Just like in a relay race, individuals working together beat individuals working alone. Here is a list of the finishers of the men’s 4 x 100 relay during the 2012 Olympic Games:

1. Jamaica (36.84) 2. USA (37.04) 3. Trinidad & Tobago (38.12) 4. France (38.16) 5. Japan (38.35) 6. Netherlands (38.39) 7. Austrailia (38.43)

And here is the world record in the men’s 400 meter race:

Michael Johnson (43.18)

Notice how even the last place finisher in the relay was nearly 5 seconds faster than the all-time fastest individual runner in the same distance.

Just like in a relay, basketball players should be collaborating together, trying to COMPLETE each other. Each player on a team can provide something that other players are missing in their game. For a team to reach its’ full potential, all players must have the mindset to COMPLETE their teammates rather than to COMPETE with their teammates.

Questions for thought...

Do you ask... How can I get mine? or How can I help the team?

Do you look... At the box-score after the game? or At the game film to learn from the game?

Do you think... ‘Coach doesn’t want me to shoot because he doesn’t like me?’ or ‘Coach doesn’t want me to shoot because I can provide something else our team lacks?’

Do you try... To COMPETE with your teammates? or To COMPLETE the holes within your team?

Majerus' Death Should be A Wake-up Call for Coaches

"Some guys smoke. Some guys drink. Some guys chase women. I'm a big barbecue-sauce guy." -Rick Majerus

Last Saturday, we lost one of the great basketball minds of all-time. Rick Majerus was known for recruiting players based on character and work-ethic as much as talent. He was able to take those players and help them each reach their full potential as individuals and, likewise, as a team. In 25 years as a head coach at four different schools, he only had one losing season.

Majerus’ death was caused by heart failure, due to a result of poor health habits. Off the court, he was famous for his addiction and unhealthy relationship with food.

Despite his highly successful career, he still had more to give to the game of basketball and to the players who went to play for him. His impact on people was not finished.

Coaches are already under immense stress, especially head coaches. This slowly destroys our mental health and also contributes to damaging our physical health. It is important for coaches to make their physical health a priority to enable us to do our job at the highest capacity we can.

Here are three things you can start doing this week to improve your physical health:

Build muscle

Strength training is directly linked to longevity. Building muscle is a great defense towards inflammation, aging, and heart disease. You will also have more energy throughout the day. Strength training of some form is a must. The goal isn’t to look like a professional athlete or bodybuilder, but instead to build muscle and increase your overall health.

Re-evaluate your coaches meetings

Coaches meetings are usually accompanied by large amounts of food. Post-game gatherings become fast-food binges, leaving you dragging when you wake up the next morning. Meeting with your staff does not require chicken wings and nachos. Find new places or times to meet that do not encourage food binges.

Sleep

Some coaches can’t sleep because their mind is constantly on their team. Others don’t sleep because they think if they sleep they will not be able to fully do their job. Sleep is a necessity. It increases your mental focus, allows for physical recovery, and helps your immune system. You can’t afford not to sleep. If you have trouble getting enough sleep during the week, make it a priority to take naps on the weekends. Try and develop a nightly routine to help you get the best sleep you can.

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Coaches are in a great position to motivate young men and women. The best coaches teach values to their players that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. Majerus was one of these coaches. Unfortunately, there is a great number of young men who will not get the opportunity to play for him because of his early death.

What can you start doing to promote health instead of destroy it? How have you seen your physical health affect your ability to do your job?

"I think the biggest thing I got from him was just his desire to win and do things right. A lot of people say they want to win, but not a lot of people match their effort with their words. He did every day. Every day he came, you could see that the No. 1 thing he wanted to do was make you reach your potential. That now affects every part of my life. Everything I do, I try to do to the fullest like I think he would do and he would expect me to do." -Nick Jacobson, University of Utah ‘04

Be What You Want to Be...Right Now!

I am only in my 6th year of coaching high school basketball. Still, I have heard countless young men express to me in words their desire to play varsity basketball. When I observe them, on the court AND off the court, their actions do not align. They say one thing, but act like another. If you truly want to reach something, the best way to show it is to simply be what you want to be no matter what level you are currently at.

If you are a young player and you want to play varsity basketball, act like you are a varsity player RIGHT NOW.

Here are some things you can do right now to show your coach you want to be a varsity player:

Communicate on the court

Even most varsity players aren’t as good as they should be at this. Don’t limit yourself to “talking,” but actually communicate to your teammates on offense and defense.

Take ownership for your decisions

If your coach is trying to teach you and points out a mistake you made (on or off the court), listen and apply the advice he gives you. The last thing a coach wants to hear you respond with is a phrase beginning with “well...”, “but...”, or “no I didn’t...”. Get better and fix the mistakes you make instead of trying to argue why/if you did it.

Be mature off the court

You should never need a reminder that you shouldn’t skip class. You should never need a discussion on why it is important to be on time. You shouldn’t need someone to remind you to do your homework. Coaches want players who are reliable, dependable, and accountable for their actions.

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This idea does not only relate to basketball players. No matter what you want to become, act like you are there right now. Don’t wait until you have the title. Be there BEFORE you get there. Think about what you want to ultimately become. What does a person like that act like? How do they spend their time? How do they treat other people?

Be who you want to be...right now.

Finding Your Role: Get More Playing Time, Win More Games

I have come to the conclusion that only 20% of high school basketball players will average double digits in scoring. (Basic reasoning: Normally, on a 12-man team, bad teams will have 1 out of 12 score 10 points per game, great teams can get 3 out of 12, most average teams will get 2 out of 12). However, I would bet that 80% of of high school players think they have the ability to score 10 or more points per game. It’s time to get realistic. The chances are, 2-3 players on the team will score a majority of the teams’ points. If you are fighting for playing time, you need to come to the understanding that you are not a scorer.

What can you do to find your role on the team? What can you do to earn more playing time? What can you add to your team that no other player can that will help your team become more complete?

Here are a few roles that every team needs, but few have.

1. The complete defender

There are plenty of athletic players who are quick, strong, and might even work hard. The problem is, very few players understand how to play TEAM defense properly. Regardless of your athleticism, if you can learn how to get to the right spots fast enough on the defensive end, you will make your team better.

2. The spot-up shooter

And by shooter, I mean shot maker. This enables your team to spread the floor on offense and keep the defense honest. Great spot-up shooters know when to take shots and when to pass the ball. Also, they know their role and do not try to create shots for themselves (if a good spot up shooter has the ability to create his own shot, he is probably averaging more than 10 points per game). If you can average 7-8 points on 5 shots per game, you will earn playing time.

3. The ball mover

A player who can pass the ball well and knows how to get the ball reversed WITHOUT turning it over is highly valuable to a team. Too many players over dribble, force shots, or keep the ball on one side. Someone who can efficiently run the offense and only turns the ball over once every 5 games will find their way on the floor.

4. The loose-ball magnet

This is the player who grabs every rebound and is in the middle of every scrap for a loose ball. Their points come from creating turnovers and grabbing offensive rebounds. If you can become a loose-ball magnet, you can earn playing time and help your team win.

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Now, other factors definitely come into play when you are trying to get minutes. To get serious playing time, you have to be competent at most things. For example, if you are a great spot-up shooter but you can not play any defense, you probably won’t play much. On the other hand, if you can do all four of these roles pretty well, you will probably play a majority of the game.

Stop focusing on trying to “get buckets”. Focus on what your team lacks and what you can best provide. You will earn more playing time, and help your team win more games.

Question for discussion: Who are some of the best players at each role (past or present) in the NBA?

Tryouts, Part 3 of 3: What to Do If You Get Cut

Every year, young athletes get excited for tryouts. And every year, plenty of kids get cut. As a coach, it is emotionally one of the hardest things to do. As a player, there are things you can do to stand out to better your chances of making a team. This will be a 3-part series about tryouts: Week 1: Common Assumptions Regarding Tryouts Week 2:How to Stand Out During Tryouts: What Coaches Look For Week 3: What to Do If You Get Cut

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Getting cut can be one of the worst feelings that athlete’s will experience. The feeling of rejection and not being accepted after putting in weeks of time and effort preparing can be crushing emotionally. However, you can’t let getting cut ruin your love for basketball (or whatever sport you play). And if you are an underclassman, you can’t let it stop you from continuing to work on your skills and athleticism.

Here are 4 things you can begin doing right now to help you make the team next year.

1. Become the team manager

Usually, most people have too much pride to help out at practices without receiving a jersey. However, becoming a manager for the team allows you to be a part of the program. By being at practice everyday and involved in game day preparation, you will be able to observe and learn what the coach values. Also, you can pick on up the teams plays, schemes, and defensive principles.

2. Join a city league

Finding a good league to play in is important. Having officials and a score clock is something that you can not get in pick-up games (which are also important to play in). While it is not as organized as school ball, finding the right city league can provide you with good competition and the opportunity to play competitively.

3. Develop your strength and athleticism

Most players, when they are in-season, end up losing strength because they neglect to strength train properly. This is a good opportunity to make some gains since you have more time and energy to focus on becoming stronger, faster, and more athletic overall.

4. Improve your skills

You have over 3 months to become a dependable ball handler and a knock-down shooter. When open gyms begin at your school in the spring, there is no excuse for you not to be a much improved player. There is no time to waste. And there is no reason you can’t train. Can’t afford a trainer? Get on YouTube and search up drills. No access to a gym? Find a park. Don’t have a ball? Collect cans for a week and go buy something round that can bounce.

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Remember, your coach didn’t cut you because he hates you. As much as you don’t want to admit it, you are currently not good enough to play. If you love the game, you won’t quit. You will take the necessary steps to improve. You will be ready for spring open gyms, and prove yourself when summer league starts.

Tryouts, Part 2 of 3: What Can You Do to Make the Team?

Every year, young athletes get excited for tryouts. And every year, plenty of kids get cut. As a coach, it is emotionally one of the hardest things to do. As a player, there are things you can do to stand out to better your chances of making a team. This will be a 3-part series about tryouts: Week 1: Common Assumptions Regarding Tryouts Week 2: How to Stand Out During Tryouts: What Coaches Look For Week 3: What to Do If You Get Cut

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All coaches have different preferences when it comes to evaluating players. However, here are 4 general things that every coach would see as valuable (in no order).

1. Be a good teammate

Not too many things are more cancerous to a team than bad teammates. Work together with the other players during drills. Encourage your teammates rather than boss them around or criticize them for making mistakes. Fit in to your role on the team; don’t try and do things on the court that you are not capable of doing.

2. Be coachable

This does not mean you need to be the labeled as the coaches pet. Being coachable means following directions, taking corrections and applying them in drills/scrimmages, and putting the coaches vision of the team into practice on the floor. Do not try and show the coach how great you are at basketball by taking matters into your own hands. It will most likely not work out for you.

3. Make shots

Obviously, right? Notice it did not say “take shots.” Anybody can jack up fadeaways and reverse lay-ins. Can you consistently knock down an open jumper? Having the ability to shoot the ball consistently in a game situation will make you real hard to cut from the team, even if you are slow and can’t dribble. Let’s face it, most high school varsity teams have no more than two kids who are consistent in making open jumpers.

4. Understand the game (have a “feel” for the game)

This ties closely with being coachable, but sometimes the most coachable players still have no understanding or feel for the game. Do you know how to reverse the ball? Do you know the difference between a bad shot and a good shot? What is the first thing you do when you catch the ball, dribble or square up? If you have too many negative habits that demonstrate a poor feel for the game, you will definitely stand out, and not in a good way.