Posts Tagged ‘Court’
There are many lessons what you can learn from playing a team sport like basketball that carry over into our “real” lives. Whether you are learning these yourself, or teaching them to children, the basketball classroom can be a lot more real than an academic one. Check these out and see if you would agree:
1. You Can’t Do It All By Yourself
If you want the ventures you (or your kids) are involved in to succeed, you need to rely on other people to help you. Have you ever heard the expression, “No man is an island”? We aren’t meant to do everything on our own. It may be hard to learn how to trust that your teammates will be there to help and support you on the basketball court just as it can be difficult to trust people off the court, but the fact is that there are people around you that you can count on. You just have to learn how to let go of your fear of getting hurt and let them in.
2. There Will be Obstacles in Your Way
If you are the only person on the basketball court, then getting the ball from one end to another and putting in the basket is no big deal. During a game, though, it will be a lot more challenging, since you have a bunch of players from the other team not only trying to stop you from getting the ball into their net, but they are trying to take the ball and attack your net!
3. You Can Rise to any Challenge
When you see the other team’s players coming toward you, do you give up and just hand over the basketball ever so politely? Not on your life! If they want the ball, then they are going to have to take it from your basketball hoop guarding hands.
Just like you use all the resources at your disposal to avoid that happening on the court (speed, skill, and cunning) to try to turn the course of the game to your favor, when you are faced with a challenge in life, you can draw on a number of inner resources to deal with it.
4. You’re Stronger Than You Think
When the action is fast and furious and you are going full tilt in the middle of the game, you may be wondering if you have what it takes to continue on. You will find that you do. Our bodies have a wonderful ability to rise to the occasion and give us the extra burst of energy we need to respond to the challenges we face.
When we are pushed to the limit and don’t think we have anything else to give, we are surprised to find that we can summon up an extra burst of energy or give just that little bit more to the task. We are all capable of a lot more than we give ourselves credit for and if we were to tap into our potential a bit more often, we may be surprised at what we can achieve.
What lessons have you learned from participating in sports and how can you translate them into your everyday life?
The game of basketball has a worldwide appeal and the game is played all over the world with great enthusiasm. Many people like to play this game casually but there are others who play for college or school and professionally too. For those who are serious about their basketball game, basketball equipment is a must have so that they can improve their game to a competitive level. Basketball accessories like basketball glasses, basketball return net system, markers, jump assistance devices, arm sleeves and more can help the players in improving their game and enhancing their basketball playing skills.
Basketball glasses can help the players in protecting their eyes while on the court. The basketball glasses are secured with a rubber strap which removes any chance of the glasses falling off. The basketball glasses are well padded and made from high quality glass which helps in protection of the eyes and face in case of a hit by a basketball. Among other basketball accessories, players can use arm sleeves to give their arms proper posture while shooting a basketball for the hoop. The use of basketball accessories like arm sleeve prevents injury and helps the players in accurately shooting the basketball for the hoop.
Basketball equipment like basketball return net systems can help in saving time and effort of the players as they can catch the ball from the net as it returns to them. The basketball return nets are easy to install and these can add a whole new dimension to the game by saving the time of players while practicing. In case a person is practicing alone, then the basketball return nets can allow a person to focus on the game instead of fetching the ball after every shoot.
At JumpUSA.com, you can buy the above mentioned basketball accessories and basketball equipment at affordable prices. Jump USA is the premium online store that sells basketball accessories that are manufactured by top companies. You can also buy basketball equipment in bulk and get great discounts from the company. Find out more by browsing through www.jumpusa.com.
Defense is just as important as offense. Any basketball player that only thinks about scoring points, is only half a basketball player. Likewise, any basketball team that only emphasizes offensive plays without being equally committed to playing defense is only half a team. The reasoning behind this is simple: It does you no good to score 20 points in the first five minutes of a basketball game, if your opponent scores 35. In order to win a basketball game, you want to get ahead in score and stay ahead. You can only do this consistently by emphasizing defense as much as offense. The purpose of this article is to highlight some fundamental principles about playing defense in basketball that every basketball player, regardless of level, should know.
You need to have the “right attitude.”
When playing defense in basketball, you cannot layback and let the team with the ball do as it pleases. You must get very aggressive, outfight the offense. At every opportunity, take the initiative away from the offense, break up and disrupt their offensive attack. As you know, to score in basketball, you have got to have the ball. To get the ball, you have got to battle for it. A few ways that you can prevent the opposing team from executing their offense is by stealing the ball, by interception of passes, by controlling the backboards, by fighting through screens, by forcing held balls, by putting constant pressure on the offense. Without pressure, the offense will easily run one play after another. With pressure, it will make bad passes, commit walking violations, miss easy shots and lose confidence. This forcing of the offense is at the very heart of good defensive play. And that applies to any basketball team or to any individual basketball player.
Establishing the correct stance on defense.
When on defense, you should have your feet a little better than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead, heels off the floor slightly. Your knees should be flexed, and your trunk inclined forward. To move sideward, you should never cross your legs. At the end of the movement, your feet should be at the original width.
If an opposing player fakes a shot, you should never, never leave your feet. If he fakes a drive, simply drop straight back a step until you are sure of what he is going to do. Should the offensive man-and we still assume he has the ball-be a faster player than you, play him looser than usual. If he is slower than you, close in a bit. An outside shooter wants to be played closer than a player whose best weapon is a driving layup.
Study your opponent
When you are assigned to guard an opposing player, study him carefully. Find out where he is strong, where he is weak. Take advantage of your opponent’s weaknesses. Force him off the strong part of his game. This is not as difficult as it sounds. For example, you will find that many players can only dribble or shoot with one hand (right-handed, or left-handed.)
If you are playing a man who does everything with his right hand, favor that side with your defensive position. In other words, if he dribbles with his right hand, force him to go to his left. When you constantly force this player to go to his weak side, you are hindering his play considerably; and,consequently, you will probably cause him to lose his composure.
When you are playing an offensive man who does not have the ball, try to be in a position to intercept passes, but do not be so close as to give him a chance to get behind you.
Guarding the Dribbler
As a defensive player you should try not to slap at the dribbler as he goes by. You should turn and go with the dribbler, get one step ahead and deflect or steal the ball by reaching underneath the dribbler’s hands with the inside hand. If this tactic fails, you should wait for the dribbler to either shoot or stop before you make another defensive move. If the offensive player attempts a jump shot, close with him as he puts both hands on the ball–stop the shot before it gets started.
On a layup, reach over with the outside hand and try to block the shot at the top of the offensive player’s jump. Do this without making contact. If you make contact, the shooter may get the field goal and a free throw. If you don’t make contact he will only have the opportunity for two points. The other alternative, of course, would be to block the shot.
Stopping the Give-and-Go
A pass and an immediate cut to the basket is the oldest maneuver in offensive basketball. Called the “give-and-go,” it sometimes causes a defensive player trouble.
The difficulty usually stems from two faults:
• The guard turns his head to watch the ball. When he does that the offensive man cuts behind him and easily takes a return pass.
• The guard remains flat-footed as the cutter goes by.
On the give-and-go, you as the defensive man should take a quick step backward and keep your eyes glued to the cutter’s midriff. The step back will give you a chance to find out which way the cutter is going to go–the ball side, or the far side. By watching the cutter’s midriff, the guard can’t be faked out of position. Despite tricky head, shoulder and hand movements, a cutter’s stomach will indicate his direction.
If the cutter goes to the ball side, you should turn and go with the cutter. If you can get one step ahead, you will have a chance of intercepting the pass, or getting a held ball.
If the cutter goes to the far side, you should turn that way, stay half a step ahead of the cutter and look for the pass. He is now on the inside and can easily be intercepted.
Blocking out after a shot
Defending after the shot is similar to defending against the give-and-go. If you are guarding the shooter, you should anticipate a drive for the rebound.
As with the give-and-go, you should take a step backward and watch the shooter’s midriff. As the shooter begins to break in for the rebound, you should turn directly in front of him. You do not hold the shooter off physically until about 10′ from the basket. Then you hold your ground and hope that the ball rebounds your way. Naturally, if all five defensive men “block out” on shots from long or medium range, they will have the best opportunity to catch rebounds because each will hold an inside position.
Blocking out should be attempted whether you are playing a man with, or without the ball. If your man does not drive to the basket, however, do not stay on the outside too long. Go in and help out. Since you will out number the opposing team, you will have a good chance to get the ball.
Defending after a foul shot
There is one positive rule about attempting to recover a foul shot from the defensive basket. Someone must always cover the shooter. If this rule is not followed, the ball may hit the outer rim, bounce right back into the shooter’s hands and present him with an easy field goal attempt. Instead of losing a point, he is apt to gain two.
So, as you line up with your teammates, be sure someone- usually the last man on the line-steps directly in front of the shooter as the ball hits. If the ball bounces straight back, your team will have it.
When lining up on the foul line at either basket, be certain the man next to you-especially if he is taller-does not hook his arms over yours. If he does, you will never have a chance at the ball.
And remember, when at the defensive basket, do not tap the ball on the rebound, catch it. And, do not pass across the lane to start the offense up court. Go directly forward, or to the sideline.
Switching on defense
Switching is one way to prevent cross-court screens. In the man-for-man defense, it is smart to point to the man you are guarding since switching is a possibility. When there is an easy and obvious opportunity to change assignments, the players should yell “switch” and point to the man being picked up. Remember, switching can only be effective against lateral movement. It will not work against direct cuts to the basket.
There is one obvious danger to the switching tactic: If one of the two defensive players involved fails to switch, two men are going to be guarding the same offensive player, while one offensive man will be running free. Do not yell “switch” unless you are sure your teammate can and will make the switch with you.
Take-Home Defensive Tips
• Never stop pressing the offense. In other words, don’t quit!
• Never tip the ball as it comes off the defensive basket. Always catch it.
• Never pass the ball across the back lane. Take it away from the lane. First, by a quick pass out to a breaking teammate. Second, by dribbling.
• When playing in the man-for-man defense, always stay between your opponent and the basket.
• If you think you are being screened, close up on your man and fight through. If you are being used to screen out a teammate, loosen up and let your teammate slide through and be alert to the possibility of a switch.
• If your man gets one shot and misses, do not let him get a second attempt.
• When playing two men, remember that the man closest to the basket is the most dangerous.
At all times, “help out” the rest of your teammates on defense.
If the man you are guarding has the ball, you should stretch one hand up (with fingers spread) to block a possible shot. The other hand should be stretched sideward. (Usually the sideward hand is the hand that is to the “inside” of the court. In other words, if you are located to the right of the court, your right hand is up, left hand sideward. )
The position of your head as a defensive player when guarding an opponent is extremely important. You want to see the ball and as much of the basketball court and offensive players as possible. To do this, you should make full use of your peripheral vision (sometimes called “split” vision).
How important it is for you to learn the fundamentals of playing defense as a basketball player cannot be emphasized enough. Remember, offense win games but defense win championships. Visit http://www.basketball-drills-and-tips.com to find more information on this topic, and to download a FREE copy of our Basketball E-Book ($29 Value) titled,”The Fundamentals of Basketball: A beginner’s guide for coaches and players.”
Some people dream of becoming a doctor, a pilot, or a teacher while others dream of becoming a professional basketball player. If you are entertaining high hopes for yourself or your son in entering a professional league, you need to start practicing as early as possible and all the important basketball training in this world always start at the backyard.
There are two ways for you to build your own basketball court: you can do it from scratch or simply purchase a DIY basketball court kit.
Starting from Scratch
Skills – You need to have intermediate carpentry skills to successfully build your own basketball court from scratch. Firstly, you have to make sure that the ground you’ll be building your basketball court on has a smooth even surface to prevent accidents and decrease the risk of injury. Secondly, you’ll need to build your own basketball ring. Thirdly, you’ll need to paint your own court lines.
Costs – It’s possible that you’ll enjoy lower costs when it comes to building your own basketball court from scratch. Most DIY basketball court kits include flooring, which would just be an unnecessary expense if you already have an appropriate floor surface for your basketball court. You can also choose your own materials for your basketball stand and ring and even painting materials and ensure that you’ll pay less for them.
Production Time – Of course, building your own basketball court from scratch will take a longer time than it would with a DIY kit. This is because instead of simply having to assemble things only as is such the case with a DIY kit, it’s entirely a different procedure when you’re determined to build one from scratch.
Firstly, you’ll have to take appropriate measurements. Secondly, you’ll have to go shopping for the necessary materials and tools before you can finally get on to the building part.
Material Sources – You may have a difficult time procuring the required materials for your project especially if you’re looking for things that are only sold wholesale in the market.
Using a DIY Basketball Court Kit
Model – Make sure that you’re purchasing the correct DIY basketball court kit. Most DIY basketball court kits differ according to court dimensions and whether or not it adheres to NBA or collegiate standards or the likes. Check also if the kit is for half or full court models.
Skills – Basic or moderate building skills are all that’s necessary to get your basketball court assembled. You will need however to read instructions carefully and thoroughly because the assembly process leaves no room for errors. Skipping a step can spell danger for you in the long run as it compromises the safety of your basketball court.
Cost – Expect to spend a small amount of money on a DIY basketball kit, although this is certainly money well spent because DIY kits include absolutely everything you need to make your basketball court entirely professional and fit for the NBA!
Tips on Installing Poles for Your Basketball Court
Whether you’re building your own basketball court from scratch or using a DIY kit, you’ll basically undergo the same process in properly installing your pole.
Firstly, you need to dig an appropriately sized hole for the foundation of your basketball pole. At least one foot and three inches of your basketball pole must be set underneath to ensure its stability. Once you’ve secured the pole’s position, cover the hole with concrete. Make sure it’s completely filled and doesn’t have any air pockets. Afterwards, fill the pole with concrete as well. When that’s done, check if the pole is plumb positioned accurately.
Important Measurements for Basketball Court Building
The NBA and NCAA are both using the same court dimensions: ninety-four feet in length and fifty feet in width. High school basketball courts use the same width but a shorter length at eighty-four feet. Junior high basketball courts are seventy-four feet in length and forty-two feet in width.
Regardless of whether you’re using an NBA, NCAA, or Junior High basketball court, you should concentrate more on honing your son’s skills in basic basketball skills like dribbling and shooting if you want him fully prepared for a professional basketball career. But most important of all is to ensure that you and your son have fun playing. Shoot for your dreams!