Nothing But Net Basketball Blog

The Ant Philosophy

2010-07-25T14:17:00.003-05:00

I think everybody should study ants. They have an amazing four-part philosophy. Here is the first part: ants never quit. That's a good philosophy. If you're headed somewhere and you try to stop them, they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, they'll climb under, they'll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get where you're supposed to go.

Second, ants think winter all summer. That's an important perspective. You can't be so naive as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering their winter food in the middle of summer.

The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think summer all winter. That is so important. During the winter, ants remind themselves, "This won't last long -- we'll soon be out of here." And the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll dive back down, but then they come out the first warm day. They can't wait to get out.

And here's the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All he possibly can. what an incredible philosophy, the "all-you-possibly-can" philosophy.

"Your game is as good as your practice."

Originally written by Jim Rohn

The Inventory of Success

2010-07-02T10:40:00.004-05:00

The following list has some great information on what it takes to be a successful athlete. I found this list on coachingtoolbox.net.

Successful athletes earnestly want to succeed, and they do something about it.

They set goals for themselves.

Successful athletes realize that everything worth having in athletics has a price-tag in terms of training and competitive effort. They understand that success has its cost, but they pay their way knowingly, keeping their eyes on their goals.

They realize their future success in the final analysis will depend upon their own personal efforts.

Successful athletes consider work a privilege, not a chore.

They accept personal responsibility for their own success.

Successful athletes don't depend upon luck, They KNOW that success goes only where it's invited.

They know that willpower, not magic, turns dreams, into reality.

Successful athletes have a high frustration tolerance. They don't become discouraged at temporary setbacks. They learn from these setbacks and look ahead to the next competition with optimism.

They don't waste time thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. They don't complain about what they haven't got. They develop to the maximum what they have.

Though willing to change for the better, successful athletes do not flit from one training method or technique to the other from day to day. They determine a long-range course of action and follow through on it with faith in its effectiveness.

Successful athletes profit by their own mistakes, and they profit by the mistakes of others.

They avoid negative thoughts and defeatist thinking.

Successful athletes don't have head-trouble, but they do have guts.

They are totally reliable and responsible in training matters.

They don't alibi. They know the best excuse is the one you never make.

Successful athletes set examples for others.

They are cooperative with both coaches and teammates.

Successful athletes are by far the easiest to coach.

They are not injury prone. They have far fewer injuries than the less successful.

Successful athletes are enthusiastic. They generate their own enthusiasm. They don't grumble, moan, groan, and complain.

Athletes who fail tend to be cynical. They believe their coaches are not leading them properly.

They are unwilling to be impressed or inspired. This is expected of the phony, the snobbish, the pseudo-intellectual, ... but it dooms an athlete when the coach tries to inspire him and he just sits there saying this is a lot of nonsense. The good athlete does not ridicule the capacities and the ideas of the coach ... HE RESPONDS!

What it takes to be a Good Guard.

2010-06-16T09:40:00.003-05:00

The following article was taken from www.coachingbetterbball.blogspot.com. It was taken from Dave Bollwinkel, a scout for the Boston Celtics.

Far too often, high school guards believe that what college coaches are looking for is someone to light up the scoreboard. While scoring is certainly an advantage, you can make it as a college guard if you understand and master all nine points listed below, even if you are not a great scorer.

Good guards...

1. Get their team into offense by:
- Developing a good handle
- Including the retreat dribble

2. Know how to attack pressure.
- Always looking up the floor
- Looping the lag guard to create an open side of the floor (reverse the ball early in the offense)
- Using the retreat dribble to back out of traps, stay out of trouble, and to space the floor
- Avoid dead man's corner (at half court)

3. Know when and how to feed the post.

4. Creating through dribble penetration.
- Both for the post and the perimeter
- Deliver the pass into the shooting pocket
- Make use of on ball screens to assist in penetration and to create your own scoring opportunities

5. Make good decisions
- Know their teammates
- Take reasonable risks, think running the break
- Know game situations (clock, score, possession arrow, etc.)

6. Knock down the open jump shot

7. Doing their homework early when it comes to foot organization.
- By "one-twoing" into all 3 point shots (step into their shots)

8. Defend the dribble
- Can pick up full court and work the dribbler
- Can flatten out dribble penetration in the half court

9. Run the show
- Recognize the importance of good guard leadership
- Are "self-authorized leaders" (They take Ownership of the team)

Dribbling/Ball Handling

2010-05-27T08:02:00.003-05:00

Every basketball player, no matter your position, should be able to dribble and handle the basketball to some degree. Before I get into tips on dribbling and ball handling lets first discuss the difference between the two. Dribbling is performing a cross over, between the legs, behind the back, in and out, hesitation, or any other dribble move you can think of. One form of ball handling is what you do with those dribble moves. Speed dribbling down the court and then changing direction with a cross over dribble is ball handling.

4 Reasons to Dribble

To take ball to basket
To improve passing angle
To balance the floor and maintain proper spacing
To escape trouble (trapping situations, etc)

Proper Stance

Drop your hips to get in low stance - Don't bend at the waist. This may cause you to lean over your toes and get you off balance.
Back straight with head up
Dribble ball at knee level or no higher than mid thigh

Dribbling/Ball Handling Tips

Use a hard pound dribble - quicker the dribble the more the ball is in your hands. This allows for quicker shots and/or passes.
Be strong with the ball - This is especially true when you are trying to beat someone off the dribble. Basketball is a contact sport and you must be able to play through contact.
Dribble with your head up - Use the 4 reasons listed above to dribble the basketball. Dribbling for no reason or purpose can kill the flow of the offense and frustrate teammates.

This is a small sample of the many topics covered in the Guard Play Skill Development Booklet. The pdf file includes 7 components with information on individual offense, defense, skill developement, skill development nuggets, drills, sample workouts, and final thoughts by Coach TJ. CLICK HERE to visit the shop page to purchase the Nothing But Net Basketball Guard Play Skill Development Booklet or to download the free sample.

Guard Play Skill Development Booklet

2010-05-26T09:55:00.002-05:00

Coach TJ has written a 78 page Guard Play Skill Development Booklet that is available for purchase on the Nothing But Net Basketball website. This pdf file has tons of information and tips on skill development, individual offense, defense, drills, and sample workouts. This is the perfect read for all perimeter players. For more information on the Guard Play Skill Development Booklet contact Coach TJ at tj@nothingbutnetbball.com. For a free download sample of the booklet please visit our new product page at http://nothingbutnetbball.com/Shop.aspx.

4 Tips for Finishing Around the Basket

2010-03-24T22:50:00.002-05:00

As players begin playing against better opponents, getting to the basket and finishing with a score becomes more difficult. Because defenders are bigger, quicker and more athletic, the risk of steals and blocked shots becomes much higher.

Offensive players must develop a variety of ways to counter these potential problems around the basket and score as they get to the rim. Players must have the ability to avoid the steal and the blocked shot if they want to be consistent finishers at the basket.

Avoid the Steal
Players must be aware of the hands of their defender as well as the hands of any help defenders. To avoid being stripped on your drive, here are some general rules:

Lock It:After the last dribble, keep the ball away from the hands of your defender by keeping the ball on your outside hip. We tell our players to “lock it in your pocket.” This way, if the defender tries to steal or strip, he will wave at air, or will foul you on your inside arm as he reaches across your body. This must be practiced and perfected so that it is not a reaction to the defenders move, but preparation for it.
Cover It: When driving through traffic with your defender and helpside defenders reaching for the ball, cover the ball up with both arms – just like a running back in football. This gets you through the hole of reaching hands and arms, and allows you to finish the play without being stripped. Again, this must be practiced and perfected in preparation for this situation.

Avoiding Blocked Shots

It is important to prepare for different scenarios based on where the shot blocker is positioned. Here are two basic situations to prepare for.

Reverse Lay Up: When the shot blocker is coming from the foul line area down toward the baseline to block your shot, he is usually timing your move to block the shot on your side of the basket. He’s lining it up to pin it on the glass. As you see him coming, stretch out your move out by lengthening your steps to finish underneath on the opposite side of the basket. Most shot blockers will have a difficult time adjusting to this move. Once again, this is not a reaction to his attempted block. It is prepared for in advance and anticipated based on where the help is coming from.
Overhand Floater:When the shot blocker is coming across the lane, waiting on you or coming out to meet you, you now shorten your move and float the layup overhand. Your footwork is the same as a regular layup, just shorten the steps. The overhand shot rhythm should be smooth and unhurried, and the ball be released high and hit softly on the rim or backboard.

At higher levels of basketball, players often make good moves to get by their defender, only to encounter trouble when they get near the basket. Finishing plays becomes more difficult as the athletic ability of your opponents increases. By developing the above techniques, players can to avoid steals and blocked shots and become more proficient at finishing the play at the rim.

Article written by Mike Moreau, IMG Basketball Academy. Originally posted on www.ihoops.com.

Accepting Responsibility—a Story of Bill Russell

2010-03-18T23:17:00.002-05:00

Most people dread accepting responsibility. That’s just a fact of life, and we can see it in operation every day. Yes, we can see avoidance of responsibility all the time in both our personal and professional lives. And here’s something else we can see just as often: we can see that most people aren’t as successful as they wish they were. Do you see there is a connection between these two very common phenomena?

It’s in your best interest to take responsibility for everything you do. But that’s only the beginning. Many times it’s even best to take responsibility for the mistakes of others, especially when you’re in a managerial or leadership role.

During the years when professional basketball was just beginning to become really popular, Bill Russell, who played center for the Boston Celtics, was one of the greatest players in the pro league. He was especially known for his rebounding and his defensive skills.

But like a lot of very tall centers, Russell was never much of a free throw shooter. His free throw percentage was quite a bit below average in fact. But this low percentage didn’t really give a clear picture of Russell’s ability as an athlete. And in one game he gave a very convincing demonstration of this.

It was the final game of a championship series between Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers. With about 12 seconds left to play, the Lakers were behind by one point and Boston had the ball. It was obvious that the Lakers would have to foul one of Boston’s players in order to get the ball back, and they chose to foul Bill Russell.

This was a perfectly logical choice since statistically Russell was the worst free throw shooter on the court at that moment. If he missed the shot, the Lakers would probably get the ball back and they’d still have enough time to try to win the game. But if Russell made his first free throw, the Lakers’ chances would be seriously diminished. And if he made both shots, the game would essentially be over.

Bill Russell had a very peculiar style of shooting free throws. Today, no self-respecting basketball player anywhere in America would attempt it. Aside from the question of whether it’s an effective way to shoot a basket, it just looked too ridiculous. Whenever he had to shoot a free throw, the six-foot-eleven Russell would start off holding the ball in both hands about waist high, then he’d squat down and as he straightened up he’d let go of the ball. It looked like he was trying to throw a bucket of dirt over a wall.

But regardless of how he looked, as soon as Bill Russell was fouled, he knew the Celtics were going to win the game. He was absolutely certain of it because, in a situation like this, statistics and percentages mean nothing. There was a much more important factor at work, something that no one has found a way to express in numbers and decimal points.

Simply put, Bill Russell was a player who wanted to take responsibility for the success or failure of his team. He wanted the weight on his shoulders in a situation like this. No possibility for excuses. No possibility of blaming anyone else if the game was lost. No second guessing. Bill Russell wanted the ball in his own hands and nobody else’s. And, like magic, even if he’d missed every free throw he’d ever shot in his life before this, he knew he was going to make this one. And that is exactly what happened.

That is what virtually always happens when a man or woman accepts responsibility eagerly and with confidence. I’ve always felt that accepting responsibility is one of the highest forms of human maturity. A willingness to be accountable, to put yourself on the line, is really the defining characteristic of adulthood.

Article was written by Jim Rohn and curtosy of Your Achievement Newsletter. To read more inspiration articles by Jim Rohn's please visit www.yoursuccessstore.com.

No Room For Excuses

2010-02-15T10:34:00.005-06:00

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” You have heard it a million times. However, my guess is that you have never heard it from the mouth of the “rich.” Instead, this echo has most likely bounced to your ear with its origins being an excuse. That’s right... an excuse. Excuses are what many use to pacify their guilt of not accomplishing what they are capable of.

I am not suggesting that wealth is success. My inference is that success is the progressive realization of predetermined worthwhile goals. It may be something as simple as raising a family.

What do these names have in common?

Richard Nixon

Gerald Ford

Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan

Bill Clinton

They were all President of the United States, right? They were all the most powerful man in the world at one point. However, I am looking for something else.

Richard Nixon was born in the home his father built. He won an award from Harvard his senior year of high school. However, his family was unable to afford his leaving home for college. He instead attended Whittier College.

Gerald Ford was born as Leslie Lynch King, Jr. In 1913 his mother left her abusive husband and took her son to live with her parents. She met Gerald R. Ford, whom she married and gave her child his name Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. He was the only President to be adopted. Ford worked in his stepfather's paint and varnish store growing up. He coached boxing during college to afford his tuition.

Jimmy Carter was the first member of his family ever to go to college and his father was a peanut farmer.

Ronald Reagan was the son of an alcoholic traveling shoe salesman. He worked his way into show business by broadcasting baseball games. At the age of 40, he was divorced and his career was at a dead end.

Bill Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe IV. His father (a traveling salesmen) died in an automobile accident three months before he was born. His mother married Roger Clinton and Bill took that name. Clinton grew up in a turbulent family. His stepfather was a gambler and alcoholic who regularly abused his wife, and sometimes Clinton's half brother Roger.

None of these men were born into wealth and prosperity, yet they each achieved the rank of most powerful person in the world by working hard and not making excuses. These five presidents were born into normal families who struggled. Yet, they refused to use that as an excuse.

Life is too short to make excuses. Set your goals and pursue them. If you have been dealt a “worse” hand than another, it may indeed be a gift that teaches you the value of hard work. Your story will be richer and your success sweeter when you achieve your dreams. Maybe one day I will cast a vote for you as President of The United States!

The information provided in this blog was written by Ron White and is courtesy of Jim Rohn's Newsletter. Visit Ron White at http://memoryinamonth.com/.

Practice Smart

2010-02-14T20:01:00.005-06:00

The following was taken from Hoop Tactics on player expectation during practice.

Be on time to practice
Take care of self and equipment
Be in top physical condition
Concentrate----Listen and learn
Give your best effort at all times
Make your teammates better
Play through adversity

Go to http://hooptactics.com for some great information.

Temporary vs Permanent

2010-02-11T22:15:00.002-06:00

There are a lot of people that want microwave results. They want results right now and fast. Well in reality it's not that easy. It takes a lot of dedication and committment to see real results. Results that are permanent. I see basketball players doing this all the time. They go to the gym every once in a while and expect to see results that will produce habits that will change their game. Take a player that has a bad habit of dribbling with their head down. A coach can tell that player to play with their head up and he may for a few plays, but they will go back to dribbling with their head down. What does it take for a player to change a bad had and form a good habit? Some say 21 days. It could be 1 day, 3 months, or even a year. However long it takes to form a habit I can tell you this, it takes consistency.

So, this is what I want you players to understand. If you meet with a coach once a week to work on your skill set. Or if you attend a clinic, camp, or workshop to improve your fundamentals. You will only get better temporarily. When you are with that coach and he/she may give the information needed to improve, the drills to improve the skill, and the feedback on how you are doing, it's all temporary. To go from that player that dribbles with their head down to the player that has great vision you must practice that skill over and over and over again. Only you can make your skill permanent. Allow the coach of your team or your skill development coach to temporarily make you better, but it's up to you make it permanent.

The Shooters Mindset

2010-02-09T23:45:00.002-06:00

Here are 4 tips courtesy of CoachLikeaPro.com that can develop your basketball shooting fundamentals.

Confidence - When you have confidence as a shooter you have a short memory when it comes to missed shots. You always believe the next shot is going in. Michael Jordan never thought about the consequences of missing a big shot. Why? Because when you think about the consequences it always have a negative result.
Get Open - You must possess the ability to move without the ball. Being able to use various cuts and read and use screens will give you the ability to catch the ball in position to score. This will then allow you to get clean looks at the basket.
Think Shot - Shooters must think shot everytime they catch the ball. To think shot you must be shot ready. Your hands must be ready to receive the ball, knees bent, hips dropped, and you must be ready to shoot the ball quickly. Once you receive the ball you must then recognize if you are open. The great shooters not only know when to shoot, but when not to shoot.
Be hard to guard - The great shooters like Ray Allen, Michael Redd, and Richard Hamilton are constantly in motion. They know how to separate from the defender, read and use screens, use cuts, and how to create space away from the ball, on the catch, and off the dribble. The great shooters know how to read the defense and then make the correct read to get open. They know when to curl or flare. They know when to cut backdoor or any other purposeful cuts to find an opening and shoot the ball.

http://www.coachlikeapro.com/basketball-shooting-tips.html

Free Shooting Workout

2010-02-08T14:30:00.002-06:00

This is a great workout to go through if you need to improve on shooting off the dribble or if you just need to keep your skills sharp. It can be done by yourself or with a partner/rebounder. If you have rebounder you will be able to get through the workout faster. Here are some tips on shooting off the dribble before you go through the workout:

Use a pound dribble – This gets the ball back in your hands quickly which allows for a quicker shot.
Sell the drive – When shooting off the dribble you want the defense to believe you are trying to get all the way to the basket. Go hard off the bounce and then stop on a dime and shoot the jumper.
Be on balance – Basketball is played on the balls of your feet. You must have strong feet when you pull up and shoot. What I mean by this is you have to be able to stop without leaning forward or falling backward on the shot.
Straight up straight down – I know we see pro basketball players shoot fade away jump shots all the time, but those shots are not fundamental. If you want to master shooting off the dribble then you must be able to stop, pull up, and not fade or lean one way or the other.
Head up – I know this workout is working on shooting off the dribble but you must be able to have your head up to see the floor and be able to find the open man.

Directions: If doing this workout by yourself then you should spin and catch the ball behind the 3 pt line. If the drill calls for multiple change of direction moves or multiple dribbles then you should spin and catch the ball about 3-5 feet outside the three point line unless the drill specifies differently. Get into a good triple threat position and make moves quickly toward the basket.

1 dribble pull up going to the right (25 shots)
2 dribble pull up going to the right (25 shots)
1 dribble pull up going to the left (25 shots)
2 dribble pull up going to the left (25 shots)
3 dribble change of direction moves: Stagger three cones on both wings and top of key. Dribble toward first cone and change direction at each cone before shooting 1 dribble pull up (Crossover, between legs, behind back, spin move - 25 shots for each move).
Double/Combo moves: Place 3 cones in a row (about 3-5 ft apart) on both wings and top of key. Dribble toward the first cone and execute a double move then a rhythm dribble. Continue double move with rhythm dribble at 2nd and 3rd cones before shooting 1 dribble pull up (double crossover, behind back, between legs/crossover, between legs/behind back - 25 shots for each move).

Take 5 free throws in between each set of shots. Total of 300 shots off the dribble taken with 60 free throws.

Team Building

2010-02-04T16:04:00.004-06:00

Coach Jim Boone's thoughts on Team Building.

Team building is a Daily Process: You are changing hearts, not teaching technique!

Team concepts should be the most important component of the game to the Coach.

Your players will know what is important to you as the coach, you must emphasize it daily. It's not what you do it's what you emphasize.

Teach your Team to put the concerns of others above their own
Teach your Team to get involved in something bigger than themselves
Understanding and accepting roles
Thankfulness
Enthusiasm for each other

Visit Coach Boone on his website at http://www.coachjimboone.com.

11 Commandments of a Point Guard

2010-02-02T21:34:00.003-06:00

The following 11 commandments are used by Coach Sundance Wicks and the Northern Illinois basketball team.

Media, family, friends, pressure, fans, girlfriends, or hangers on, ignore them on matters of basketball, they don’t know what’s happening here.
Don’t forget to have fun but don’t be the class clown. Class clowns and leaders don’t mix, Clowns can’t run an on-court huddle.
Point guards make defensive plays with their legs more than arms. Sit in your stance and move your feet, have active hands, anticipate and wait for them to make the mistake.
Know your job cold. This is not a game without errors, keep yours to a minimum (3:1 assist to turnover ratio minimum).
Know your own players, who can shoot, who can catch, who can finish, who needs encouragement, who needs to be pushed…be precise…know your opponent.
Be the same person everyday, in conditioning, preparing to lead, studying your homework, studying your scout, studying your game plan. A coach can’t prepare you for every eventuality, prepare yourself and remember: impulse decisions usually lead to mistakes.
Deciding to make the safe pass is a good play. Turnovers, reaching fouls, missed free throws and missed lay-ups are bad plays. Protect against those.
You must learn to manage the game: control the tempo, get us where we need to be, communicate the play, ball handling, proper reads, well timed passes, accurate passes, quick passes, deceptive passes. Clock, clock, clock, don’t ever lose track of the clock TIME & SCORE!).
Points and assists are not how you are going to be judged, your job is to get your team to win, that’s how you are going to be judged.
When all around you is in chaos, you must be the hand to steer the ship. If you have a panic button, so will everyone else. Our ship can’t have panic buttons.
Don’t be a celebrity point guard, we don’t need any of those. We need battlefield commanders that are willing to fight it out every day, every week, and every season, and lead their team to win, after win, after win.

Visit Coach Sundance Wicks on his website http://www.coachsundancewicks.com/

Average Teams vs Great Teams

2010-02-01T12:43:00.003-06:00

Here are some bullet points I got from The Coaching Toolbx on the difference in average teams and great teams.

Which Path Will You Choose?

MOST ATHLETES CHOOSE THE EASY WAY!

AVERAGE TEAMS:

always show up physically...but mentally?
have individuals...
make excuses...
don't work any harder than they have to...
are inconsistent --up for one game, down for the next...
rarely seem to win the big game ...
live on past accomplishments or future fantasies...
always think they know more than their coach...
always think they are better than they are given credit for...
are a dime a dozen...

GREAT TEAMS:

are self-motivated...
are intelligent...
are consistent...
execute...
are fundamentally sound...
out hustle opponents...
play together...
don't worry about individual accomplishments. The team is always first...
win the games they are supposed to...
can accept constructive criticism...
believe in their teammates and help motivate them by being a positive complementary player...
are not just satisfied with a win, but also with how well they played...
have players who have sacrificed many hours by themselves in the cold, at night, when they could have been somewhere else, in order to become a better skilled individual in order to better help the team...
are not just born, but are developed by hard work, cooperation, and a common goal...
unfortunately are seldom found because most choose the easy way...
THE BEST THING IS, IT IS YOUR CHOICE!

6 Principles on being a Leader

2009-12-31T21:01:00.003-06:00

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

2009-12-16T22:53:00.002-06:00

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.

2009-11-28T19:14:00.003-06:00

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

2009-10-10T13:10:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-08T21:34:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-08T20:40:00.003-05:00

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

2009-08-19T15:37:00.007-05:00

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

2009-08-17T12:18:00.000-05:00

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

2009-08-15T20:37:00.003-05:00

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

2009-07-22T21:15:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-07-09T11:38:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-07-06T23:48:00.004-05:00

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

2009-07-03T14:43:00.001-05:00

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

2009-06-27T10:25:00.004-05:00

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

2009-06-13T16:43:00.003-05:00

Here is the commercial for the Guard Play Basketball Clinic.

Prepare for the next level

2009-06-12T20:54:00.002-05:00

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

2009-06-04T19:48:00.002-05:00

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

2009-05-29T10:34:00.006-05:00

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

2009-05-08T08:46:00.002-05:00

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

2009-05-06T11:47:00.002-05:00

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

2009-04-29T21:16:00.003-05:00

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

2009-04-28T09:31:00.001-05:00

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