6 Principles on being a Leader

At the beginning of the basketball season the coaching staff, and sometimes the players, will determine who should be the team’s co-captains. With this title come a lot of responsibility and leadership duties. But being appointed the captain or official leader of the team does not make you a leader that your teammates will want to follow. It just gives you the opportunity to be the leader. Also, you won’t automatically have your teammates follow you. Your leadership abilities have to be proven before your teammates decide to listen and follow your footsteps. Lastly, leadership is a decision you make and not a place you sit. Being able to perform as a leader is more important than being in a position of a leader. I have 6 principles that will make you a better leader on the basketball court.

1. Take on the character of a leader before you become a leader: Being a leader takes a lot of responsibility. It’s best to be prepared for the position before you are in the position. Learn about what it takes to become a great leader. As your coach about characteristics of great leaders. These leaders don’t have to be athletes. They could be politicians, teachers, community leaders, etc. Leadership also involves some level of management. But before you can manage others you must be able to manage yourself. Be on time for team meetings, be the first to practice, perform well in the classroom, and be a great ambassador for your team. In true leadership you must move past problem-finding and onto solution-providing.

2. Honor the Leader above You: In most cases this will be the coach. You must add value to the opinions, direction, and decisions of the head coach and the coaching staff. You must show support to the leader above you both publicly and privately. If there are any issues within the team, a good leader will handle it behind closed doors and not in public. This shows the respect you have and the other players will follow you.

3. Admit mistakes: Some of the best leaders in the world have made mistakes. Some of those mistakes where morally wrong that affected their personal life. While some mistakes where small in the game of life but affected the teams ability to win a game (i.e. turnover late in game, getting a technical foul, or blown assignment). Whatever your mistake is, it must be admitted. You can’t point the finger and give an excuse why the mistake was made. Saying things like, “I got beat on the drive because my teammates didn’t help” will only make you lose credibility with your peers and teammates. Admit your mistake, ask for forgiveness but know that doesn’t free you from the consequences.

4.Create clear goals & performance expectations: As a leader it is important to set attainable goals and keep your team focused on the task at hand. What are the goals for the team this year? Make the playoffs? Win 20 games? Or win that championship? Once the goals are set you must put together a plan to maintain the vision of the team. This plan could be improve team chemistry by spending time together off the court and away from basketball. It could mean getting extra work in 2 or 3 days a week. As a leader you must be a visionary and be able to have a sense for the outcome ahead.

5. Hold teammates accountable: Holding players accountable for their actions on and off the court is one of the hardest jobs of a leader. If players are not playing up to expectations then it is the leader’s responsibility to step up and bring it to their attention. If someone on your team is not playing as hard as they can and are being a liability on the floor then you can say something to them without being disrespectful. They have to be told how it brings a negative effect on the team and new performance expectation should be given. The sole purpose of accountability is to improve performance. It is not to humiliate.

6. Serve others: When you serve others you add value to them. This shows your teammates you are for the good of the team and not for individual recognition. Serving others help you remember that you are no better than anyone else on the team. As a leader you can serve others by bring a teammate water during timeouts. Rebounding for them when they are getting extra shots before or after practice.

I hope this blog gave you something to think about during the second half of the season. Every team needs a leader with these principles. If you have these 6 principles then you are a good leader and you will have no problem with teammates following in your leadership.

Achieving your Goals

I recently read an article by Les Brown on goals and it got me to thinking about goal setting in basketball. Goals are set all the time in basketball. Players want to make the varsity team or receive more playing time. Teams want to win championships or make the playoffs.

One of the most common goals for basketball players is to become a better shooter. If shooting the basketball at a higher percentage and more accurately is your goal then you must take practical steps to achieve this goal. I have 4 key factors in helping you achieve your goal(s) listed below:

1. The goal must be specific. Decide specifically how you want to become a better shooter. Instead of saying I want to improve my 3pt shooting, you should be specific about your 3pt percentage. Set your goal on a specific percentage that you want to attain.

2. Be committed to your goal. Now that you have your specific goal in place you must be committed to attaining your goal. How many hours are you willing to practice on your 3pt shooting to improve your percentage? How many extra practices are you willing to put in?

3. You must put in place a strategic plan to achieve your goal. How many shots are you going to shoot each day or during each workout? Know how many shots you are going to shoot off the dribble, off the catch and shoot, on the move, or around screens. Chart your shots during each shooting workout to track your progress. This allows you to see how you are shooting from various spots on the floor.

4. Finally, write it down. Read your goal(s) each and every day to help keep you on track and focused. Have visions of yourself not only attaining your goal(s) but exceeding them.

What college coaches look for in players.

As a basketball trainer I am often asked what college coaches look for in a player. Most high school players are concerned about their stats. Your stats are not the only thing coaches look at when they are recruiting players. Don't get me wrong, coaches would love to have a player that can put up big numbers but it's more to than that. I was recently reading a blog by a college coach and he wrote about what he looks for in a player. There were three things he looks for; character, academics, and the "right" basketball players.

1. Character: This is such a big issue with college coaches. When a coach gives you thousands of dollars to come to their school to play basketball you must have good character. How do you interact with teammates, coaches, school staff, and authorities? What type of company do you keep? If you are the type to hang out with the wrong crowd then coaches may think you could be a problem and not recruit you. How do you handle criticism from the coaching staff? Are you coachable? If a college coach don't believe you are coachable then he may stay away from you. The college game has turned into win now. Coaches that are not winning are being let go and replaced. Coaches are not going to waste time, money, and scholarships on players that have character issues and are problems on and off the court.

2. Academics: How are your grades? Do you have the necessary GPA to qualify for the NCAA? Have you been cleared through the clearing house? Do you know the requirements to be admitted to the school(s) recruiting you? Have you taken the ACT and/or the SAT? You have complete control over your academics. You don't as much control over who recruits you, but you can control your GPA and test scores. It would be a shame for you to be recruited by several D1 or D2 schools and then not qualify because of a low GPA or test score. If you make a commitment to getting better on the court, then you must make a commitment to getting better in the classroom.

3. "Right" basketball player: Notice this third one does not say the best basketball player. Also, notice that it is third on the coaches list. To get a basketball scholarship you don't have to be the best basketball player on your high school or junior college team. You just need to be the right player for the right system. You hear about this all the time in college football. When quarterbacks get ready for the NFL draft experts may say "He's a system player." To make a college team or to be offered a scholarship you must be able to fill a void. Does the team need a shooter, rebounder, defender, or playmaker? If the skills you have to offer match the void or needs of a college team then you increase your chances of securing a scholarship.

Time is No Excuse, Part II

A few days ago I posted a blog on how you don't need a lot of time to get in a good shooting workout. To prove what I was talking about I made 125 shots in 35 minutes with the use of a rim reducer and without a rebounder. I then challenged players to make 150 shots within 35 minutes. Today I did just that. I went to the gym and used my phone as a stopwatch to keep up with my 35 minutes. I made a total of 212 shots in 35 minutes. Of those shots, 27 were free throws and 50 were 3 pointers. I made a variety of different shots. Shots were made off the dribble, on the move, off different cuts, and off self passes. This workout was done for a reason. It proves that if you have 30 to 35 minutes you can get in a good efficient shooting workout. Don't shoot for 2 hours if you can get it done in 1 hour or 45 minutes. Make your workouts efficient. It's not always about how many shots you put up but how may put in. Set a goal, have a plan, and go full speed on your shooting drills. Since I made 212 shots in 35 minutes then varsity high school and college players should be able to make 250 or more shots in that same time frame under the same conditions. Get to the gym and get after it.

Time is No Excuse

After a recent training session I had I decided to stick around and get a short shooting workout in. I didn't have much time so I wanted to get in as many shots as possible in 30 to 40 minutes. I was by myself so I didn't have a rebounder and I used a rim reducer. The rim reducer I used was made by Competitive Edge and it made the rim 16 inches in width and it sits 1 inch higher than the rim to improve shooting form and optimal arc. In 30-35 minutes I was able to make 125 shots plus some free throws. I made 100 shots inside the arc and 25 shots from 3. There was a variety of shots taken and made. Shots off the pass (self pass), off the dribble, off various pivots, fakes, etc. So if you are a player in middle school, high school, or even a college player all you need is a little time to get in a good workout. Your shooting workouts are about being efficient. It's not how many shots you take but how may you make. I showed that I could make 125 shots in 30-35 minutes with a rim reducer so that means players should be able to make 150-175 shots in the same time without a rim reducer. Go to the gym with a plan and get after it. Now you can't say you don't have enough time to get to the gym.

Bad Passes

Anyone that has played basketball has been in practice and heard their coach yell, "Throw good passes." You hear this all the time when you and your teammates are going through shooting drills. Usually no one is guarding the passer or the shooter so there should be good passes. But is that game like? How many times in a game is a shooter given a perfect or near perfect pass coming around a screen or moving to an open spot. This perfect pass becomes harder when you are being pressured the full length of the floor. Now, you want to be able to make the pass when you are pressured so your teammate can shoot in one smooth fluid motion, but that doesn't always happen. So as a shooter what can you do about this? My answer is spend time shooting off bad passes. I suggest spending about 10 minutes at the end of a shooting workout. Nothing special or fancy, just coming around a screen and catching a bad pass. Or stepping into a shot off a bad pass. This can even be done throughout the shooting workout or practice. If you are shooting 10 shots off a fade screen then maybe one or two of the passes thrown should be bad passes. I suggest, if all possible, for the coaches or managers to make the passes. If there are not enough coaches or managers then the drill should be done after practice with the coach and a few of the players. I do not believe players should practice throwing bad passes to teammates. The bad passes should be catchable, but the shooter may have to jump, bend low, reach behind, etc to catch the ball. This will teach the shooter how to catch bad passes and still be able to shoot in rhythm. Catching a few bad passes in practice will help prepare the shooter for more game like situations

Different Cuts

A couple of days ago I posted a blog on how to move without the ball. It gave you four key components on how to move without the ball and how to be effective. Another important component on how to move without the ball is using different cuts. As a basketball player you want to get as much of an advantage over the defense as you possibly can. Knowing various cuts and how to use them will give an added advantage. Listed below I have a few cuts to use when you are moving without the ball.

L Cut
L Cut is a great way to get open against pressuring defense. It’s a good move to use if you are a post player that needs to get open at the high post or a perimeter player needing to get open on the wing.

Fade Cut
This cut is a good move to have when the defense is overplaying you for the screen. The defensive player will try to go over the top of the screen and then you can fade opposite of the direction of the screen.

Straight Cut
An offensive player can use a straight cut when the defensive player is caught staring at the ball. If you are able to see the back of the defenders head or jersey then you can use a straight cut to get to an open area.

Move Without the Ball

If you want to be an efficient offensive player then you must learn how to move without the basketball. Being able to move without the basketball keeps constant pressure on the defense. The player guarding you must be ready at all times because you are constantly moving to different spots on the floor and using various cuts. To be able to move without the basketball effectively you must know 4 key things:

1.Where your teammates are

2.Where the ball is

3.How to change speeds

4.Never stand in a spot for more than 2 seconds.

If you know those four components and how to use various cuts to get open then you will be effective without the basketball.

Pre-Season Basketball Training

Nothing But Net Basketball will be offering Pre-Season basketball training for boys and girls in 7th-12th grade. This workshop is designed for basketball players who want to get an early advantage on their upcoming season. This workshop will focus on basketball skill development and endurance training. The Pre-Season workshop will focus on advanced drills and techniques that include but not limited to; fatigue shooting, tennis ball drills, concentration drills, weak hand development, transition play, and competitive group drills. The endurance segment will enhance conditioning with basketball specific drills to improve agility, lateral quickness, footwork, and strength.

Pre-Season Highlights

• Competitive group drills
• Advanced drills
• Proper footwork
• Fatigue shooting
• Agility & Endurance training
• 6 weeks of training
• Much more!

7th/8th grade girls - Every Tuesday starting September 15th through October 20th
7th/8th grade boys - Every Wednesday starting September 16th through October 21st
High School girls - Every Sunday starting September 13th through October 18th
High School boys - Every Sunday starting September 13th through October 18th

For more information or to register please visit www.NothingButNetBball.com/workshops.aspx

It's not easy being good

I recently finished a training session with a client of mine who is in the 8th grade. He's a great kid, works hard, and he wants to get better. About 20 minutes into our workout his face is covered in sweat, his shirt is drenched, and he had a look on face that said he wasn't sure if he could make it through the workout. I kept pushing him to continue to work hard, to move quicker, faster and to be more efficient. I told him it's not easy being good. It takes a lot of work and dedication to become good and even more hard work to get better. If it was easy being good then every basketball player would be on an even playing field. The hard work is what separates the average player from the good player and the good player from the elite. You get out of basketball what you put in it. So if you show the game hard work and commitment then the game will show you success.

You Got The LOVE?

When I was a kid growing up, my dad always asked me if I loved the game of basketball. Loving the game of basketball is like loving your parents, siblings, grandparents or anyone else in your family. When you love your family you enjoy their company and look forward to spending time with them. You work hard at improving relationships and getting to know one another. You also get out those relationships what you put in them. If you show your parents that you are responsible about your curfew then you build trust with them. If you show your family members respect then you too will receive respect. Also being part of a loving family takes commitment. Sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do but since you are committed you do those things.

So how is all this related to basketball? Loving the game of basketball is like loving your family. If you love the game of basketball then you look forward to getting out on the court and playing and improving your game. You put in the hard work to improve the relationship you have with the game. This can be done shooting 400-500 jumpers a day, working on conditioning, improving your ball handling, getting in the weight room to become stronger, or studying game tapes to see how to improve your in game performance. You get out of basketball what you put in it. If you put in the hard work and dedication then you may have the opportunity to earn that scholarship. Most importantly when you love someone or the game of basketball you must show commitment. When you are truly committed it shows your dedication, determination, and discipline.

A lot of players don’t love the game of basketball, they love the idea of being a basketball player. It’s a great idea to be able to score like Kobe or to be able to play the point like Chris Paul. But when it comes to putting in the work and commitment a lot of players go from love to like. When you love the game of basketball no one has to tell you to go to the gym to improve your game. You are begging someone to take you (if you can’t drive yourself). If you can’t get to the gym then you are working on your ball-handling by dribbling the ball up and down the street. If you can’t dribble the ball then you are doing some sort of conditioning. If you can’t do any conditioning then you are doing push ups and sit ups. Someone that has the love of the game finds some way to improve their game. So ask yourself this question. You got the love?

How do you practice?

Check out the new Nothing But Net Basketball video. Also visit us on Facebook, YouTube, twitter.com/nbnbball, and our homepage - www.nothingbutnetbball.com.

Nothing But Net Basketball will be hosting a 4 week Offensive Skills Workshop starting July 17 in Conway. Workshop is for boys and girls in 7th-12th grade. Workshop will continue every Friday through August 7th. Workshop is $90 and each trining session is 75 minutes in length. Visit www.NothingButNetBball.com for more information. Also visit www.NothingButNetBball.com/newsletter.aspx and sign up for our free newsletter for all the updated information on NBN Basketball and receive additional drills and tips.

Separate from the defense

All good basketball players know how to create space or separate from the defense. Separation from the defense can allow the offensive player to shoot, create a better passing angle, or relieve pressure. If you want to be a crafty offensive player then you must know how to separate from the defense. There are 3 ways to separate or create space from the defense; off the dribble, off the catch, or on the move. You must be able to separate on the move to get open and receive the ball. You must be able to separate off the catch to get your shot off, penetrate, or pass. You also must be able to do the same off the dribble. If you can separate from the defense on the move then you can get open and shoot around screens. If you can separate off the catch then you can shoot the jumper or create an angle to penatrate for yourself or for a teammate. If you can seperate off the dribble then you can create space to get off your own shot or get a teammate an open shot.

Nothing But Net Basketball will be conducting an Offensive Skills Workshop starting July 17th and continuing on July 24th, July 31st and August 7th. During this workshop we will be teaching how to separate from the defense off the dribble, catch, and on the move. For more information about the Offensive Skills Workshop or any other training by Nothing But Net Basketball please visit us at http://www.nothingbutnetbball.com/.

Guard Play Basketball Clinic

Here is the commercial for the Guard Play Basketball Clinic.

Prepare for the next level

As a basketball trainer I spend a lot of time in the gym working with basketball players of all abilities and skill level. Everyone I work with wants to get better and take their game to a higher level. They may want to make the freshman team, varsity team, or have the opportunity to play in college. So when I train someone I'm not getting them ready for their present team but for the next level. So if you play for the varsity team and want the opportunity to play in college then we are not going to get ready for the varsity team. We are going to prepare you for the college level. By doing this, you will be able to play varsity ball at a higher level. I have the luxury of training two point guards that attend the local high school and they both may have the opportunity to play on the D1 level. So our training is not for the high school level, it's for the college level. So, I pose this question. Are you preparing yourself for the next level? I'm in the gym a lot and I see players that are going to college to play ball and they are not preparing themselves for the college level. This puts you at a disadvantage when you reach campus. To reach the next level you must work harder than you ever worked before. The intensity of your workouts must be greater. You have to be more disciplined, determined, dedicated, and committed. So when you are working out be sure to prepare for the next level.

Bball training in NLR, AR

Nothing But Net Basketball will now be offering basketball training in North Little Rock, AR at Apostolic Church Activity Center. There will be Fundamental Training and Ball-Handling & Shooting Workshop for $25 a session. The Fundamental Training will be for boys and girls ages 10-12. Training will improve ball-handling, passing, agility, footwork, on ball defense and more. The Ball-Handling & Shooting Workshop will be for boys and girls ages 12-18. This workshop will help with weak hand development, aggressive ball-handling, passing, how to create space, how to shoot off the dribble, how to finish in traffic, and how score out of triple threat with a "Live" ball and "Dead" ball. Please visit www.nothingbutnetbball.com for more information or to register.

Have a Plan

It's easy to walk in the gym and say to yourself that you are going to shoot 400 shots before you leave the gym. But what type of shots are you going to take? How many three pointers are you going to shoot? How many free throws? These are questions you should ask yourself before you get to the gym. Take the time before you workout and write down what shots you are going to take, where on the floor you are going to take them, and how many you are going to shoot. By writing it down it holds you accountable for your shooting workout. Plus, by doing this you can track your progress. You will have a visual of how you are shooting the ball. You want to improve your three point shot? Keep track of how many shots your are taking behind the arc, where you are shooting them from, and how many you are making. This will tell you how much time to spend on your three point shot and make your workouts more efficient. Click on the photo below to see a sample of a shot chart. It helps you track the number of shots taken, where you took the shots, if the shots were off the dribble, on the move, off the pass, going left, going right, etc. Remember when you are working out, "Don't confuse activity with accomplisment".

Give the coach a reason

Many players believe they should get playing time just because. Well any coach will tell you this is not true. If you want to increase your playing time then you must give the coach a reason to play you. During the course of the game the coach may need someone to rebound the ball, play good defense, or even score the ball. Sometimes a coach just needs an energy guy/girl to come in the game and hustle for loose balls and give good effort. What does this mean? Sometimes there is a void that needs to be filled and if you can fill that void then your playing time may increase.

Think about the team you played on this past school year. In what area did your team struggle? Was it rebounding? Shooting? Defense? Hustle? Ball handling and passing? Those are voids or areas of improvement that every team can improve on. So if your team struggled with rebounding all year long and you didn't make the effort to become a good rebounder, then it's your fault you didn't get the playing time you wanted. You had the opportunity to say,"Hey this team is struggling with rebounding and I'm going to step up and do better on the boards."

So now, looking foward to next year, what did your team lose? Did your team lose your best defender? Shooter? Rebounder? If so, you could work hard over the summer to fill the void. Become the team's best rebounder and defender. Be that shooter that can stretch the defense. If you can fill a void that your team need then you may increase your playing time.

Remeber when training, "Don't confuse activity with accomplishments".

Announcements

NBN Basketball will now be holding fundamental basketball training in North Little Rock at the Apostolic Church Activity Center. This training will take place one day a week and will have 2 sessions. Each session will last one hour in length and it's for boys and girls. More specific details will be coming soon.

Also NBN now accepts online payments through PayPal for all our services. You are now able to schedule your training sessions online through our Book Now button. This feature allows you to schedule sessions up to 4 weeks in advance. Once you schedule the session you will receive a confirmation number and a reminder email 24 hours before the session. Summer is almost here so visit the website and schedule your appointments as soon as possible.

NBN Basketball now has a newsletter you can subscribe to. The newsletter will have additional drills & tips information, upcoming training clinic, workshops, and camp information. Also those who subscribe to the newsletter will also be able to sign up early for different training services and may also receive discounts on products and services.

Speaking of products, NBN Basketball will have t-shirts for sell soon. There will also be various individual workout for download on the website for ball handling, shooting, agility and much more.

And remember, when you are training "Don't confuse activity with accomplishment".

Be Committed

Players like Dewayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, and Lebron James are not just great athletes but they are great skilled basketball players. If you want to take your game to the next level over the summer then you must be committed. Be committed to getting better and doing whatever it takes to improve. This commitment is what separates D-Wade, Kobe, and Lebron from everybody else. I believe to be committed it takes 3 characteristics:

1. Discipline: You have to be disciplined to be committed. If you have to get your workout in at 5 or 6 in the morning, then you have to be disciplined enough to get up every morning and train. When you are disciplined you know what you have to do and you do it. No excuses.

2. Determination: How determined are you to get better? Sometimes it takes adversity before we become determined. Maybe your team didn't make it to the playoffs. Maybe you didn't get the playing time you thought you deserved. Or it could be you just have the "want to" and are determined to improve your basketball skills.

3. Dedication: When you are dedicated to basketball you treat it like a job. You show up everyday to put in the work. Your payday comes when you make the varsity basketball team, receive that college scholarship, or you are offered that professional contract. Then you have to rededicate yourself all over again to get better. Those who are dedicated have a "LOVE" for the game. They make every effort to improve their on court skill training, strength and conditioning, and any other training they see necessary to better themselves.

To be committed you must be disciplined, dedicated, and determined. All 3 go together and you can't have one without the other. You can't say you are dedicated but not disciplined enough to go to the gym on your own to work on your shooting. You can't be determined to get better without being dedicated. If you want to take your game to higher level then you must commit yourself to working hard. When you make the commitment, your not just making it for yourself. The commitment is for your teammates, coaching staff, and your school or organization.

Welcome

Welcome to the Nothing But Net Basketball blog. The blog will feature drills, tips, video, and my thoughts on basketball.