Articles Of Interest

Click to View February's Article

Five Sports Life Skills EVERY Child Can Master for Sports (and Life) Success

While it is true that a small percentage of parents today view the youth sports experience as a training grounds for a future college athletic scholarship (and possibly a professional sport opportunity), most parents are more grounded with their thinking and set more realistic goals for their kids (The Parents Playbook). For these parents, the ultimate goal is to simply have a positive experience with youth sports, one that will help their children grow in healthy physical and emotional ways. If a college scholarship is eventually awarded to their child, it’s viewed as a “bonus,” and not the final destination after years of competing in youth sports. This, of course, is a very healthy way to approach the youth sport experience, and one that offers the best chance for the child to learn important life lessons as a result.

In order for a family to fully experience all the potential benefits that youth sports provide, I am providing a short list of important learning points to focus on throughout your child’s athletic career so that she will not only play to her highest potential on the field, but also use the sport experience to maximize her overall human development as well:

Process Goals – Most parents encourage their child to play hard enough to one day become the best kid on the team (or league). There’s nothing wrong with this encouragement, of course, but keep in mind that all outcome goals (like becoming an All Star or team MVP) always begin with process goals. When thinking about process goals, keep in mind these are the types of goals that are fully under the control of the athlete (like maintaining a strength training program, running, mastering plays, etc.). Outcome goals are not completely under the control of the athlete, especially if the goal is to win an award thats voted on by the coaching staff or league.
Focus - Parents can help their children with focus at very young ages by teaching the basics — like learning how to pay attention to relevant cues (i.e. the next pitch) while ignoring irrelevant cues (i.e. the people in the crowd). The skill of focus is an important one, and can also be transferred to many other areas in life — including the classroom.
Resiliency – The old saying of “It’s not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up” may be one of the greatest lessons that can be learned through sports. Resiliency, or mental toughness, is a terrific skill to help your child master as there are countless sport experiences that involve stress, frustration, adversity, and losing. Resiliency also helps with motivation — another great life success skill!
Humility – Winning with grace and keeping the ego in check are skills parents can teach their kids through various successful sport experiences. Humiliating, taunting, and embarrassing opponents are never good things – on or off the field.
Sportsmanship – Similarly to winning with grace, kids can also learn to be good sports during those tough times as well – like after a humiliating loss, or after experiencing a blown call by a referee. Sports, like life, aren’t always “fair,” but what’s most important is to respect the rules and opponent at all times – even when spirits are down.

Sport psychology studies have revealed countless life lessons that can be learned through youth sports, but the five skills presented here are at the top of my list. Conduct your own family audit and see how your gang stacks up — are you fully capitalizing on the youth sport experience, or missing out on some of the big take-aways for your son or daughter?

If you want to help your child get the most out of his or her sport experience but feel you could use some help in accomplishing this task, check out Sport Success 360 and begin setting your family sports goals today!

www.drstankovich.com

Click to View January's Article

WANTING SOMETHING TOO MUCH? IS THIS A PROBLEM?

We all have said or have heard others say “how much we wanted to win”, or “how bad we wanted to do well”. What do we really mean when those thoughts occur? How might those thoughts impact our effort? Our performance? The outcome? Whether in athletics, academics, or in our jobs this can become an issue.

Students who need a really good test grade sometimes spend more time worrying about the outcome than they spend in preparation for the test. Staying up all night “to study” for an exam might sound good, but not if you haven’t done the earlier work (going to class, reading assignments, doing homework, etc.). How much success do you really expect when at test time you’re too tired to perform? Or if you tried to cram 9-12 weeks of information into one study session of 8-10 hours?

When you have a job, simply perform! If you get all wrapped up in what somebody else is doing, worrying about getting promoted, or being overly concerned with your next “step” to the top of your profession, good luck! You are quite possibly headed for failure. If you do your current job to the best of your abilities, others will notice and opportunities will probably occur.

Athletes (and sometimes teams), want to defeat a rival so bad, that they stray outside of their routine. They get all “psyched up” rather than be at ease with themselves and the situation. As a coach, I always was able to sleep the night before a game; (sometimes however, I would have a difficult time sleeping after a game – win or lose). Why be overly nervous prior to a contest? If you have done your best to prepare, then just go out and perform.

Championship teams understand and practice this. From the coaching staff to the players and all involved with the team or program, they all perform their role. Control what you can control. They focus on the day to day, game to game responsibilities and not with the end result. I often have told players and teams prior to the game to:

RELAX, TRUST YOURSELF, AND HAVE FUN WINNING!

Click to View December's Article

KASH: KEYS TO SUCCESS

What is KASH? How does it lead to your success (or failure)?

KNOWLEDGE: In basketball, as in life, the more knowledge you have the better chance you

have to succeed. Do you know the rules? Do you know game strategy? Do you understand the various situations that you will encounter throughout the game? Do you study and know your opponent? Do you know your teammates strengths and weaknesses? Do you listen and learn the various skills you will use? Do you focus on the details?

“Plan your work and work your plan” – Author Unknown

ATTITUDE: The #1 area you can control! Are you a positive or negative person? Do you enjoy

seeing teammates have success? Are you coachable? Do you feel the need to “talk trash” instead of letting your play determine your game? Do you obey training rules?

Do you behave in the classroom? Do you try to always do the best in the classroom?

Do you sulk when on the bench? Do you listen to your coaches during all time outs?

Do you respect your coaches and their decisions? Do you place “blame on others” for your failures?

“Others can give you pleasure, but you will never be happy until you do things for other people” – Zig Ziglar

SKILLS: Many people play basketball, but very few are “basketball players”. The number of different skills required to become an excellent basketball player are many. Do you spend instruction time working on your game? Do you practice when nobody tells you to do so? What kind of mental and physical effort do you put into your practice sessions? Many great athletes never require the skills to develop into a high level basketball player because they won’t work to develop those skills. Are you persistent and consistent in your practice efforts?

“When you do more than you are paid to do, the day will come when you will be paid more for what you do” – Zig Ziglar

HABITS: Habits are being formed by each of us every day - both good and bad habits. You choose what your habits will be. Parents, coaches, teachers, and others can give you their thoughts and advice, but only you can make you do something. You can be taught skills correctly, but if you don’t practice them correctly or only practice them once in a while, you will never develop that skill. Habits often are the result of your priorities – do you know yours? Where does basketball fit in? If it’s not in the top 4-5 areas, you will never become an excellent player. You will be another of the many who enjoy playing the great game of basketball without ever becoming a “basketball player”.

“When you play, play hard. When you work, don’t play at all” – Theodore Roosevelt

*Attitude destroys more people than any of the other 3*

Click to View November's Article

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Why Should a Basketball Player Be Thankful?

FOR:

God granting you the physical ability to participate
Parents who allow you to have the opportunity to participate
Coaches who give much of their time away from their families to work with You
Schools (& taxpayers) and the many youth athletic program volunteers who understand that sports are part of your total development as a productive person
Parents for the numerous trips to practices, games, etc.
Coaches for the teaching and development of the many skills involved in basketball
Teachers who try to help you understand the importance of knowledge and effort
Parents who are there when you win or lose a particular game
Coaches who work to develop the “whole person” with their players
Trainers, doctors, strength/conditioning, sport psychologists, nutritionists, and any other professionals who help you to develop your body and reduce injuries or help with rehabilitation of an injury
Teammates for the opportunities to be a part of something “bigger than yourself”
Parents who re-arrange their schedules for your practices and games
Any and all school personnel who do their part in the preparation of your involvement in sports.
Teammates for always being there
The community and classmates who attend your games to cheer you on to victory
All of the above for helping you develop into “a lifelong learning and productive citizen”

Thanksgiving really is a good day to set aside time to say “thank you,” but according to Shannon Pollack, we should say it every day. He wisely notes that “The absence of thankfulness does not mean that we are merely ungrateful. It means that we are missing the thrill of appreciation and pleasure.” (Taken from the Ziglar Weekly Newsletter - November, 22, 2011)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM JDH WINNERS’ EDGE!

“Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together” – Billy Graham

Click to View October's Article

OVERUSE INJURIES ABOUT THE KNEE

The popularity of sports and physical activity in school age children has grown immensely in the last 20 years. The combination of school based and community based sports programs and accelerated training programs has led to an enormous increase in the volume of sports related knee injuries in children. Fortunately the majority of sports injuries in children and adolescents are minor and heal quickly, with little time lost from sports participation and no physician intervention required. Many of these injuries are a result of overuse and repetitive microtrauma, although high energy traumatic injuries do occur.

Growing children may also have the propensity for unique problems as a result of their skeletal growth exceeding muscle tendon lengthening which can contribute to loss of flexibility and increased tension on muscle tendon attachments to bone and growth plates. This problem can contribute to an increased risk of overuse injuries and other traumatic injuries to the knee. Overuse injuries about the knee include muscle tendon strains/tears, tendon inflammation/tendonitis, and growth plate inflammation/apophysitis.

Factors which help prevent or minimize overuse injuries include off season conditioning, maintaining a good stretching and flexibility regimen, a well balanced diet, proper hydration, and warming up prior to athletic competition. When overuse injuries occur, most respond well to rest, ice, stretching exercises and analgesic medications. Symptoms which persist for more than a few weeks, cause night pain, result in limping, or injuries which affect play, warrant further evaluation by a physician.

Scott J. Van Steyn, M.D.

SVS/jds VF948

Click to View July's Article

BASKETBALL ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

(2010-2011)

NCAA: (National Collegiate Athletic Association)

DIVISION I Women 15 Full Scholarships

Men 13 Full Scholarships

DIVISION II Women 10 Full Scholarships

Men 10 Full Scholarships

* Many schools divide these into partial Scholarships

DIVISION III No Athletic Scholarships available

NAIA: (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)

DIVISION I Women/Men 11 Full Scholarships

DIVISION II Women/Men 6 Full Scholarships

* Many schools divide these into partial scholarships

NJCAA: (National Junior College Athletic Association)

DIVISON I Women/Men 15 Full Scholarships

DIVISION II Women/Men 15 Scholarships (Tuition, Fees, Books only)

DIVISION III No Athletic Scholarships available

NOTE: Schools may choose not to use their maximum allowable scholarships each year. Also, athletic scholarships are for one year. They can be renewed if school and player agree to renew it.

Click to View March's Article

HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SPORTS INSTRUCTION

PART 2: GETTING THE MOST OUT OF AN INSTRUCTION SESSION

Once you have determined who your instructor will be, it’s time to “Get it done”!

First you must understand the purpose of your instruction – is it to learn new basic skills? Is it to learn more advanced skills? Is it to develop areas of weakness? Is it to develop review and go through a workout?

As you prepare for your instruction session, make certain that you are rested and have had food and water. Mentally, are you ready to focus on only your instruction for that time period? You need to be!

During the instruction session, try following these guidelines.

LISTEN - Be a good listener; ask questions for clarification
TRY – whether you’re learning a new skill or trying to change the way you perform a skill, you need to attempt to do it correctly.
FOCUS – What is the task at hand? Have “tunnel vision”
POSITIVE ATTITUDE – You are there to learn and develop skills – you won’t be perfect and you will get frustrated at times. Understand that and don’t “beat yourself up mentally”

In closing, remember that it takes 5-6 weeks to change habits and/or to learn new skills. Repetition is needed, therefore you need to work on these skills on your own between sessions.

“ATHLETES WHO SAY “I CAN” AND ACT AS THIS WERE SO, PERFORM AT HIGHER LEVELS OF EXCELLENCE MORE CONSISTENTLY”

Click to View February's Article

HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SPORTS INSTRUCTION

PART I: WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN INSTRUCTOR?

Many players and their parents have spent time and money with various sport’s instructors. How can you make certain that this is time and money well spent? Like many other fields, anybody can advertise and promote themselves as a sport instructor. What should you look for and expect to receive from a quality sport instructor?

Depending on the sport, there are methods you can use to locate quality instructors. Word of mouth is still very helpful. Ask friends, co-workers, and others whom you trust for names. Ask your high school coach or local college coach. You may do a search on the internet. The Yellow Pages of the phone book still have many listings. If it is an individual sport like golf or tennis, check with some of the professionals at country clubs,

public/private golf courses, and tennis clubs. Many instructors also have a website with their backgrounds and testimonials from others who have used their services.

What experience do they have? Because a person played a particular sport does not necessarily mean they can “teach” the skills of that sport. A person needs to be a “teacher” of their sport to help young athletes develop the necessary skills. Too often we see people paying money to attend a camp or some type of instruction and they come away with an autographed shirt and very little quality instruction.

What kind of cost should I expect to pay for sport’s instruction? Check with three to five people who provide instruction to get a rough estimate. Factor that into your decision, but be careful of only looking at the cost – remember, many times “you get what you pay for”. Also make your comparisons fair: Compare private lessons costs, small group lessons costs, etc. Don’t compare one instructor’s small group rate with another instructor’s Private lesson cost.

Once your decision is made, meet or talk with the instructor and get all of your questions answered. One suggestion: Do the instruction for a minimum of 5-6 sessions to be fair to your son/daughter and the instructor. Skills take time to learn and/or change, as do bad habits.

Good Luck!

Next Month: Part II: HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AN INSTRUCTION SESSION

Click to View August's Articles

GOALS LEAD TO ATHLETIC SUCCESS!

Christopher Stankovich, Ph.D.

www.drstankovich.com

Goal Setting & Why it is Important!

Goal setting is what allows you to specifically identify things in your life that you would like to change or improve upon. Rather than vaguely stating “I would like to become a great basketball player,” you will find that by setting specific, controllable, measurable goals will actually give you a path to follow and ultimately become “a great basketball player!”

It is important that you set goals you can control (we call these ‘process’ goals), and try to limit the amount of goals that are ultimately beyond your control (these are known as ‘outcome’ goals). For example, setting a goal to improve your free throw percentage is a controllable, effective, process-type goal. Quite simply, if you put in the work you will likely see the results – it’s all up to you.

On the other hand, setting a goal to become “All-State” is an outcome goal – and also not under your complete control (you cannot control how many people will vote for you to win this award). Of course you want to identify goals like this as being your ultimate achievement, but it is more important to develop the steps needed to put you in the best position to succeed - and then let the games play out.

Setting physical (i.e. strength, speed, etc.), technical (i.e. mastering your shot, improving passing skills, etc.), and mental goals (i.e., developing self-confidence, rebounding from adversity, etc.) will lead to athletic success! Setting specific, measurable, controllable goals will help you beat your competition – and remember, “luck” is when preparation meets opportunity (and setting goals are a big part of preparation).

Why Goal Setting Works

Goals will mobilize and specifically direct your behaviors. When you know what to do, you only need to follow the plan from that point and almost always success will follow. Unfortunately, we sometimes set vague goals like “to get in better shape.” The problem with this goal is that you will never know when you are in “better shape” since you really have not defined what “better shape” is! Is “better shape” weight loss/gain? Lower body fat percentage? Improved strength? Vague goals decrease personal motivation, and ultimately lead to mediocre athletic success.

Specific, controllable goals make playing sports fun! It’s a great feeling to check a goal off your to-do list and know that you have successfully accomplished a task! It’s also rewarding to know that with each goal you reach, you are essentially improving your athletic skills and increasing the chances that you will become the greatest player you can be. Rather than hope for athletic success to occur, why not be proactive and make your dreams become a reality?!

How to Use Goal Setting

Research consistently shows that athletes of roughly equal ability who set specific, controllable, measurable goals consistently outperform athletes who do not. Play smarter, not harder, and get started writing your goals today!
Brainstorm all the goals you want to achieve, then go back and develop each one into its own mini-goal. As you make each goal specific, try to set timelines to measure your success.
Set daily, short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals. You decide the time period for each (obviously daily goals are self-explanatory)
Write down all your goals and follow your success in a personal journal.
When thinking about outcome goals (i.e. winning a state championship), try to develop as many process goals that will lead you to the outcome goal (i.e. knowing your plays, being focused in games, etc.). Process goals actually lead to achieving outcome goals!

Dr. Chris Stankovich is a national expert in the field of sport & performance psychology and has assisted thousands of athletes reach their full athletic potential. He is the Founder of Advanced Human Performance Systems, and is known as “The Sports Doc” for his weekly segment on Ohio News Network (ONN). Please visit www.drstankovich.com for exciting, easy-to-understand Peak Performance videos, audios, assessments, and feature articles!

Enjoy today’s article? For a more detailed, downloadable mp3 audio file on this topic please visit www.drstankovich to learn more!

Click to View July's Article

JUST ME

From the time I was little, I knew I was great

‘cause the people would tell me “You’ll make it ---just wait.”

But they never did tell me how great I would be

If I ever played someone who was greater than me.

When I’m in the back yard, I’m king with the ball.

To swish all those baskets is no sweat at all.

But all of a sudden there’s a man in my face

who doesn’t seem to realize that I’m king of this place.

So the pressure gets to me; I rush with the ball.

My passes to teammates could go through the wall.

My jumpers not falling, my dribbles not sure.

My hand is not steady, my eye is not pure.

The fault is my teammates – they don’t understand.

The fault is my coach – what a terrible plan.

The fault is the call by that blind referee.

But the fault is not mine; I’m the greatest, you see.

Then finally it hit me when I started to see

That the face in the mirror looked exactly like me.

It wasn’t my teammates who were dropping the ball.

And it wasn’t my coach shooting bricks at the wall.

That face in the mirror that was always so great

Had some room for improvement instead of just hate.

So I stopped blaming others and started to grow,

My play got much better and it started to show.

And all of my teammates didn’t seem quite so bad.

I learned to depend on the good friends I had.

Now I like myself better since I started to see

That I was lousy being great – I’m much better being me.

Author Unknown

Click to View June's Article

WHY SOME PEOPLE SUCCEED WHILE OTHERS FAIL

“Ability is important in our quest for success, but dependability is critical.”

Zig Ziglar

“I’ve always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn’t have a chance to win!”

Arnold Palmer

“The winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I will, and I am.

Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can’t do.”

Dennis Waitley

“On the basketball court, players who will not allow themselves to be disciplined can not be coached. They are individuals with no respect or loyalty for their teammates, their school, and certainly not for their coach. They may be good enough to play, but they are also just good enough to get you beat!”

Author Unknown

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

Abraham Lincoln

“Success is not a lucky break. It is not a divine right. It is not an accident of birth. SUCCESS IS A CHOICE! It won’t happen unless you choose to make it happen.”

Rick Pitino

“If you look closely at all great organizations, all great teams, all great people, the one common denominator that runs through them is a second-to-none work ethic. The intense effort to achieve is always there. This is the one given if you want to be successful. When it comes to work ethic, there

can be no compromises.”

Rick Pitino

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

John Wooden

Click to View May's Article

April & May will be used to provide you with some mental guidance that we hope helps you to improve your game (and your team). Don’t just read the words, think and learn how these apply to athletes in general, and to you specifically.

Good Luck!

MAY

(Part 2)

THOUGHTS TO HELP YOU GROW AS YOU LEARN TO PLAY, THINK, AND LIVE LIKE CHAMPIONS

IF WHAT YOU DID YESTERDAY STILL LOOKS BIG TO YOU TODAY, THEN YOU MUST NOT HAVE DONE ANYTHING TODAY. (Lou Holtz)

IF ANYTHING GOES BAD, I DID IT. IF ANYTHING GOES GOOD, WE DID IT. IF ANYTHING GOES REALLY GOOD, THEN YOU DID IT. THAT’S ALL IT TAKES TO GET PEOPLE TO WIN!

GOOD LUCK IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PREPARATION MEETS OPPORTUNITY” (Darrell Royal)

IT’S NOT WHETHER YOU GOT KNOCKED DOWN. IT’S WHETHER YOU GET BACK UP!” (Vince Lombardi)

GROUP HARMONY IS SELDOM ACHIEVED WITHOUT PERSONAL SACRIFICE

HE/SHE WHO WILL NOT FOLLOW AND CANNOT LEAD SHOULD GET OUT OF THE WAY.

IF YOU WANT TO DISTINGUISH YOURSELF FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE NORMAL AND JUST WANT TO “GET THE JOB DONE”, AIM HIGH, SET CLEAR GOALS AND GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT!

IF YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT, WHEN WILL YOU HAVE TIME TO DO IT OVER?

“WE ALL MAKE CHOICES, BUT IN REALITY, OUR CHOICES MAKE US!”

(Tiger Woods, World’s #1 Professional Golfer)

TODAY YOU HAVE 100% OF YOUR LIFE LEFT! WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH IT?

Coach Daup & Coach Hoover

Click to View April's Article

Good Luck!

APRIL

(Part 1)

THOUGHTS TO HELP YOU GROW AS YOU LEARN TO PLAY LIKE CHAMPIONS

CONFIDENCE IS EASIER TO MAINTAIN IF ATHLETES FOCUS ON HOW THEY PERFORM RATHER THAN WHETHER THEY WIN.

ATHLETES WHO SAY “I CAN” AND ACT AS IF THIS WERE SO PERFORM AT HIGHER LEVELS OF EXCELLENCE MORE CONSISTENTLY.

PLAY WITH COURAGE! THIS ENABLES YOU TO STARE FEAR IN THE FACE AND TAKE RISKS, KNOWING THAT FAILURE MAY RESULT!

ALL SKILLS ARE PERFECTED THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FAILURE. EMBRACE LOSS AS A NECESSARY PART OF IMPROVEMENT.

LOSSES, SETBACKS, AND FAILURE ARE NATURAL, VALUABLE TEACHERS ON THE PATH TO SUCCESS.

WINNING IS THE RESULT OF ATTENDING TO THE PROCESS INSTEAD OF THE FINAL OUTCOME. THE PROCESS, UNLIKE OUTCOMES, CAN BE CONTROLLED.

WINNING IS AN ATHLETE’S WILLINGNESS TO COMMIT TO PERFORMING CERTAIN TASKS THAT ARE INDICATIVE OF HIGH LEVELS OF PLAY.

“THE DIVIDEND (WINNING) IS NOT NECESSARILY IN OUTSCORING AN OPPONENT. THE GUARANTEED DIVIDEND IS THE COMPLETE PEACE OF MIND GAINED IN KNOWING YOU DID EVERYTHING WITHIN YOUR POWER, PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY, TO BRING FORTH YOUR POTENTIAL.”

John Wooden (former UCLA coach of 10 National Championship teams)

Coach Daup & Coach Hoover

Click to View March's Article

PRO’S/CON’S OF TRAVEL TEAM (CLUB) SPORTS

Many players and parents have asked us over the years about participating in travel team basketball. While primarily focusing on basketball for this article, much of what will follow can/does apply to other sports, i.e., soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball, etc.

I have seen the off season participation in Ohio go from basically nothing organized allowed to “over emphasis” on travel/club programs by some in today’s athletic world. Start with this thought: None of these programs is good or bad for all participants, nor are they the “end all” that many of those involved would like you to think.

Determining if “travel/club” team participation is for you can be a very difficult endeavor. Below, I’m going to make a Pro’s/Con’s list that might help you “sort out” what is best for you. Let me start by sharing with you that over the past 36 years, I have been a Varsity Boy’s Basketball Coach (3 schools), Assistant Girl’s Varsity Basketball Coach (7 years), a Junior College Men’s Assistant Basketball Coach (2 years), a volunteer Assistant Coach at a major conference DI Men’s Basketball Program (2 years), a travel/club team basketball coach (boys and girls) 4 years, and have started two basketball instruction companies. I also had a son and a daughter who participated in athletics, so I do have a parent’s view as well. I share this with you simply to give you the perspective I have on this often touchy subject.

I do suggest to all of you in any sport that your first loyalty be to your high school team(s). Many times these teams have limits placed on them by the OHSAA that travel/club teams don’t have. To be fair to your high school team(s) and coaches, you need to participate in their approved activities. If not, then please don’t expect that they a) work their off season limited days around your travel team schedule, or b) should “save you a spot” on your high school team next season. The final decision on your participation in travel/club teams will be made by you (the player) and your parents.

POSSIBLE PRO’S

*You will play with and against players outside of your school

*You will be competing and doing good physical conditioning

*You may (will) get some exposure to College coaches & recruiting services

*You will make friends with players/families from other schools

*You might play a position on a club team that you don’t get to play on your high school team and that could help you in the future

*You will (in some cases) receive additional (quality) instruction that will help your development as a player

*You have leadership opportunities

POSSIBLE CON’S

-“Burnout” does happen in all sports, even to some “top players” who love the game. All players need a break (as does their body)

-Some travel team programs have very little (or poor) instructional value

-Players can, and many times do, develop bad habits

-Players sometimes are “recruited” to play a position on their travel team and are not allowed/encouraged to work on their weakness in the “off season” to become a better player. It’s all about them winning games/tournaments.

-Players simply play games upon games and do little development of skills

-Players must commit much $$$$ and/or time to participate in “travel programs”

-Players participating in another sport at their high school during the same time period as their “club sport” will have numerous conflicts, pressures, etc., placed on them (by both sides/teams/coaches).

-Players’ “college exposure” could be a negative if they are with a bad team, a selfish team, a poorly coached team, or if the player doesn’t change their game by improving their weaknesses in the off-season

-Many travel/club teams are all about “showcasing” individual talent and not playing as a team and/or teaching the “team concept”

-Some travel/club team coaches (or organizations) think they own you and you owe them if you participate with them for a season. Sometimes this can get very negative

-Players might be asked/required to be absent from school to attend events/tournaments

Remember that many athletes have had very good experiences with travel/club teams. You also know that many have had negative experiences. Like every other decision - check things out, ask questions, talk with more than one person/family, etc. Please understand however, that none of them can guarantee that you will be able to play in college or that you will receive a full scholarship if you don’t have the talent/ability for that level of play. Less than 5% of high school athletes go on to play in college! A lower per cent receive athletic scholarships and in many (most) sports, those are partial scholarships.

Good Luck in your decision!

Coach Daup

Click to View February's Article

TOURNAMENT PREPARATION

As we approach the middle of February we enter the last few weeks of the regular season. Although coaches and players are focused on finishing strong and winning their leagues, thoughts must also turn to the district tournament since the draws for those tournaments are being conducted.

Many coaches scout the opponent once they know who they will play, but it is also important for a coach to know potentially dangerous teams and scout them before the draw. This will help a coach make important decisions regarding the placement of his team on the bracket. It is important for a coach to know his team: what kind of teams does his team play well against, what days and times would his team play its best, and, if you can choose between districts, how well does his team travel.

I always felt that there were three important things that a team needed for the tournament: great defense, great rebounding, and superior mental toughness. Most tournament sites are in a venue that has a different atmosphere than the players are used to. It may very well be in a bigger facility than the high school gyms that the team played in. That can create drastically different site lines for the shooter. It may also have a portable floor which often has dead spots in it. It is important for players to notice those before the game. These differences will often reduce offensive efficiency which is why defense is so important. It is the one constant you can depend on in the tournament. Often teams don’t shoot as well in tournament games due to the pressure of the game and the foreign venue. This leads to more rebounds, and the team that gets the most rebounds often wins the game. It is also important for the coach to emphasize the inside game on offense. You may not be able to depend on outside shooting. In tournament play you usually see the team who wins the paint be the winner of the game. Finally, the pressure of “lose and go home” demands a different mind set for players. There is only a tomorrow if you win, so be ready for the pressure and execute.

Whether you are a coach or a player, tournament season is a different season from the regular season. It takes a different mind set. As the team progresses to Columbus and the excitement builds within the community, players often get swept up in the excitement. Although the player needs to enjoy the moment, he/she must stay focused to the job at hand. That includes having excellent time management skill. A player needs time to get the proper amount of rest, eat good meals, and have time to study. As a coach I often found that my players grades would suffer as we got into regional and

Final Four week. Enjoy the basketball moment, but stay on top of the important things.

GOOD LUCK IN THE TOURNAMENT

Coach Hoover

Click to View January's Article

Mental Toughness for Basketball
Christopher Stankovich, Ph.D.

Basketball, like most sports, can be a very “mental” game. One of the fastest moving games ever invented, basketball demands many important mental skills, including focus, poise, composure, confidence, spontaneous decision making, and the ability to control emotions, to name a few. Being mentally prepared can be the difference when it comes to making a precision pass, shooting “lights out,” or knocking down key free throws when there is but just a few seconds left on the clock!

The first thing to consider when working improving your mental toughness in basketball is learning about how the body responds to arousal (also known as anxiety when arousal turns into negative energy). Try to think of arousal as a constantly “in-motion” process – for example, when you are sleeping at night your arousal is obviously very low, but when there is an emergency (i.e. a fire alarm going off) your arousal level will be very high. Sport psychologists have long known that the optimal arousal level, or “the zone” as it is commonly known by athletes, is the middle point between these two extremes. For example, before you go out to play your next game you certainly do not want to be too flat (when your arousal state is more like sleeping), nor do you want to be too ramped up (like in the example about a panic-state fire alarm going off).

For most basketball players it is relaxing under pressure that is the biggest hurdle, so for the rest of this article I would like to explore some ideas and concepts designed to help you moderate and reduce your anxiety level – resulting in you reaching your full athletic potential!

You must develop a pre-game routine that allows you to get centered, think about the upcoming game, eliminate outside distracters (like who is going to be in the crowd watching), and see in your mind exactly how you want the game to go for you. You must be proactive in your thinking and control the situation, otherwise you will leave yourself very reactive to things that simply do not matter (i.e. what gym you are playing in, etc.).
Your pre-game routine can be anything that helps you get your confidence as high as it can be! For example, reviewing your personal goals, reading an entry in your sports journal of notes for the season, closing your eyes and imaging your first few plays, and laying on the floor and taking a few deep breaths are all examples of things you can do to help get centered. If you are a music fan, plug in your ear buds and listen to a song or two that helps get your mood state up – remember, there is no “wrong” way to do a pre-game routine. The key is to have a plan and not leave yourself open to sitting around – and let nerves creep in.
Focus on relevant thoughts, not irrelevant thoughts! What matters when you play? Being ready by stretching, warming up, and knowing your assignment is a given, but what about after that? What things are irrelevant? Does it matter if your parents are at the game, or if the television crew is taping the game? You must focus all your attention on relevant things if you want to play your best.
Develop a cue word that will help you stay focused and composed in games. For example, simply writing the word “relax” or “focus” on your wrist or shoes can be a great reminder when the pressure is high to make a great play. Cue words can be anything, in fact, they can even be acronyms (for example, RYFP stands for ‘Reach Your Full Potential’). Come up with your own unique cue word and be sure to have it written somewhere to constantly keep you focused on success!
It is also important that you develop a “bounce back” mechanism to help when your emotions get a little out of control (which will happen from time to time since we are all human!). A bounce back mechanism is something you do only when you are feeling like you are getting upset, losing control, or possibly becoming angry to the point where it is counter-productive. For example, switching your wrist band from one wrist to the other, removing your headband, or even giving yourself a couple gentle slaps on your knees are examples of things you can do to help break the negative momentum. Additionally, while doing these things, make sure you also engage in positive self-talk to keep your mood state positive (for example, tell yourself to “stay cool, good things are going to happen”).

Please review the 5 tips I have talked about today and make sure to build these strategies into your mental game plan. Confidence is king when it comes to basketball, and being mentally prepared and ready to go can – and often is – the difference between “good” and “great!” Good luck!

Dr. Chris Stankovich is a national expert in the field of sport and performance psychology. To learn more about seminars, products, and individual counseling please visit www.drstankovich.com

Click to View December's Article

10 AREAS THAT COLLEGES WILL BE EVALUATING

PART IV

9. Movement Without The Ball: College players must know how to move without the ball. There are five players on the floor at one time. If every player were to handle the ball the same amount of time, that would mean that you would be without the ball 80% if the time. Always remember that any movement you make must have a purpose. Why would you move your position on the floor? It might to get a teammate open for a shot, to get yourself open for a shot, to get ball movement for the offense, or to create spacing for the offense. How do you move? To set down screens for a teammate it is important to get your back to the ball on the screen. To set a back screen, you need to have your back to the basket. To receive a screen from a teammate you need to set your defender up. That involves going away from the area that you are cutting to, then sprinting off the screen to receive the pass. Change of pace in your cuts will help you get open. You must know where the best place is to move. As a general rule, you want to make your movements so that you are in your scoring range (remember, many times it is the screener that ends up getting the shot). In summary, your team will be a better offensive team if you know how, when, and where to move. To do this successfully you must know the offense, know what your coach wants out of the offense, and know your offensive abilities and the abilities of your teammates.

10. Ability With The Ball: Although we have said that college coaches are looking for players who can defend, it is rare that a player gets to the college level without having very good abilities with the ball. Most players don’t spend sufficient time working on their ball handling skills. This phase of the game isn’t as fun to work on because skill workouts don’t involve shooting and because if they are done right, at game speed, the workouts are physically demanding. You must be able to change direction quickly, use both hands equally well, and be very good at change of pace. You have to be able to pass the ball to teammates at positions on the floor where they can be successful. Don’t be a player who passes the ball to a spot. Be able to pass the ball to a target. What I mean by that is a pass that can be gathered in by a player isn’t necessarily a good pass. The receiver of your pass should be able to catch it easily, on balance, and ready to shoot or make a move. Remember, ball handling and passing must be able to be done under pressure and at game speed.

Shooting is another skill that you must have to play in college. You must be able to develop good range for your position. You must also be able to shoot well off the catch and the dribble. You must develop a good shot fake and be able to put the ball on the floor to create separation from you defender to get the shot. You must be able to get to the basket and finish against contact. You must be able to get to the free throw line and make your free throws. If you listen to any of the coaches of the successful programs, you will here them say that their team goal is to make more free throws than their opponents shoot. At the high school level you might be able to be a very good player by just being a spot-up three-point shooter or a player who always drives to the basket. In college you need to be able to score a variety of ways to be successful. Make sure that your shooting workouts contain all of the elements that were mentioned in this segment.

This ends our four part series on what college coaches are looking for. You have a lot of work ahead of you, so get started and reach your goals.

GOOD LUCK!!

Click to View November's Article

10 AREAS THAT COLLEGES WILL BE EVALUATING

PART III

6. ATHLETICISM: How quick are you? What kind of speed do you possess? How tall are you? What kind of strength and agility do you have? When college coaches are evaluating prospects, these are some questions they must ask? Many high school players who have success, have a difficult time understanding why another player gets recruited by a particular school, but they don’t. Remember, you might be able to score, but can you guard an opposing player at your position? Do you have the quickness, strength, agility, etc. to compete at that particular school against the players at that level?

A real good question to ask yourself is: Am I doing all I can to improve myself in these areas? How quick can I make my first step? How quickly can I jump to get that rebound? Can I improve my running form to become more efficient and thereby, faster from baseline to baseline? (Sorry, but they still haven’t found a way to make you grow six inches).

7. DEFENSE: Defense wins championships. You hear coaches discuss this all the time – why? Because it’s true! To help yourself (and your high school team), become the best defensive player possible. Take pride in your defense. Take playing defense as a personal challenge. Work at the skills necessary to improve your ability to guard an opponent with the ball. Take away his/her best move. Do you even know what their best move is? Which direction do they like to go? Don’t let them! Where do they like to score from, and how? If they’re a good scorer, deny them the ball; frustrate them.

When you are one pass away - Can you deny your player? Can you help and recover quickly? Do you communicate with your teammate? Can you box out and rebound on a shot?

If you are on help side (weak side), do you communicate? Do you see? Do you anticipate? How quickly can/do you rotate if needed? Can you rebound the back side? Do you understand your responsibilities?

College coaches do recognize players who understand defense and who take personal pride in their defensive efforts. If all else is equal with another prospect, your defense may put you in the driver’s seat.

8. TRANSITION PLAY: It’s fun to play “up tempo” in basketball. Why then is it so hard to find players who can do so successfully?

You must find players who want to give the effort needed to play that way? Conditioning is a must. Being able to pass and catch on the move is a must. Making offensive moves off the dribble must be developed to play in transition. Learning how to play (offense and defense) in advantage/disadvantage situations is necessary. Athleticism, as discussed earlier, plays a significant role in your ability to play the transition game successfully. Intelligence and skill development are also very much a part of the equation. Shooting and shot selection are extremely important to successful transition play.

It may be fun, but there is much you must be prepared to do. Set yourself apart from others by understanding and performing in the transition game.

Click to View October's Article

10 AREAS THAT COLLEGES WILL BE EVALUATING

PART II

4. WORK ETHIC: College coaches are looking for players who are motivated to becoming great players. Motivated players are those who put in the extra time to work on their skill development. The great players work on becoming great when no one is watching. Are you a player who organizes his or her day so that time is set aside to work on your basketball skills? When you work, do you have an organized plan that is designed to concentrate on building your weaknesses into strengths? Are you the kind of player that gives 100% mental and physical effort every day in practice? Do you focus on things you can do to make your teammates better players by the way you interact with them on the court and off the court? College coaches are watching your effort and attention to details every time they see you play: in games, in practice, in open gyms, and in workout sessions. Make sure you are showing them a committed, hard working athlete.

5. MENTAL TOUGHNESS: Each new level a player advances to requires more mental toughness. Mental toughness is that ability to perform at a high level under adversity. One ingredient that today’s college coaches look for in a recruit is his or her competitiveness. Are you able to compete under the most difficult of circumstances? At the college level, your road games are in front of nearly 100% fans who are rooting for the other team. The game is played at a faster speed and a higher intensity than in high school. College coaches are looking for athletes who accept the challenges that those tough situations create. Are you willing to make the big play or take the big shot in the heat of the battle? Are you a player who wants to be on the court at the end of a close game? Can you perform on the big stage? To play at the college level you must be willing to thrive under those conditions.

Click to View September's Articles

WHAT ARE COLLEGE COACHES WATCHING?

During the next 4 months, we will be completing a four part series aimed at high school players who are hoping to continue playing basketball at the collegiate level.

We will be taking a look at the following 10 Areas of Focus:

SEPTEMBER:

Academics: Why recruit a Risk? How important does the player make education?
Attitude: Coachable? Good Teammate? Leadership? Loyal? Self-discipline? Winner?
Geography: How far is too far? Pro’s/Con’s of distance from home?

OCTOBER:

Work Ethic: Do you work? Off Season? Practice effort?
Mental toughness: Competitiveness; accept challenges; take the big shot?

NOVEMBER:

Athleticism: Quickness; Speed; Strength; Height; Jumping Ability
Defense: on the ball; off the ball; rebounding; do you take defending personally?
Transition Play: Can you run? Do you run? Effort and conditioning?

DECEMBER:

Movement without the ball: Do you understand how, why, where, and when?
Ability with the ball: Shooter? Range? Off the pass? Off the dribble? Pull up Jumper? Can you get to the basket and finish? Can you handle the ball versus pressure? Can you make the proper pass at the proper time?

10 AREAS THAT COLLEGES WILL BE EVALUATING

PART 1:

ACADEMICS: How important is education to you? Are you just doing enough work to get by? Is your eligibility, due to academics, always a concern for your high school coach? Do you have good study habits? Do you prepare for class? Are you a behavior problem in class? Do you take challenging courses? Do you want to earn a college degree? One big question to ask yourself: With all the good players in high school today, why would a college recruit an academic risk?

ATTITUDE: Coaches want to work with players who care about the program, their teammates, the school, the coaching staff, and themselves. Do you have self- discipline? Or does the coaching staff constantly need to be directing you? Do you care about your teammates on and off the court? Are you coachable – or is it all about you? Do you understand loyalty to your team and coaches? What kind of leader are you? Do you know how to lead others? These can all be combined for the final question: Are you a Winner?

GEOGRAPHY: How far away from home are you willing (and able) to go to attend college and play basketball? Make certain you look at this carefully in considering schools. Does it matter if family and friends can come watch you often? What about when you have a day (or two) off from basketball? Are you going to want to go home?

If you have time off during the winter holidays, will you be able to spend much of that time at home? If applicable, how close is the nearest airport to both your home and where you are planning to attend college? Can you afford to fly home? How often? Remember, colleges/universities are not allowed to pay your way to and from home.

Your decision should be made by understanding that you are looking at a four or five year commitment.

NEXT MONTH’S TOPICS: WORK ETHIC and MENTAL TOUGHNESS

Click to View August's Articles

BALANCE, QUICKNESS, AND BASKETBALL

As players begin preparing for the last 3 months before the beginning of next season they will spend hours working on shooting, ball handling, and playing in 5 on 5 competitions. Many, however, will neglect their footwork. Footwork is the key that unlocks the door to your full potential as a player. Having good footwork allows you to develop two crucial skills as a player: good balance and quickness.

Good balance allows you to take good shots, play good defense, pursue the ball more quickly, jump higher and stronger for rebounds, catch passes ready to attack offensively, make better cuts to get open, and take that quicker first step on offensive moves. Quickness allows you to get better position on the floor both offensively and defensively. A key thing to remember when working on quickness is that basketball is a “change of direction game”. What I mean by that is that the player who can change from going in one direction to another direction is the player who has the advantage. Basketball is a game that is played in a 50’ by 90’ rectangle. Because of this restricted playing surface, you don’t have to possess blazing speed to be an effective player. You need quickness and good anticipation.

Here are some drills that you can do to improve your balance and quickness:

Jumping Rope: Make sure you jump using two feet and then one foot, using both your right foot and left foot. Jump rope for 3 sets of 30 seconds. Challenge yourself and be creative in your footwork.
Line Jumping: Jump side-to-side over a line and front-and-back over a line. Jump with both feet, right foot, and left foot. Do each for 10 seconds as quickly as you can. **Make sure you spend time in drills 1&2 using one foot. Many times in a game you will find yourself on one foot, needing to maintain your balance.**
Defensive Slides: Slide back and forth across the foul lane. Start slow; making sure that when you change directions you step with the foot that is in the direction you want to go. Increase your speed gradually until you get to full speed. **It is important that you get the proper footwork down at a slow pace before you start to increase your speed.**
Triangle Drill: Start where the 3 point arc meets the baseline. Sprint as hard as you can to the top of the key. Run backwards from the top of the key to where the 3 point arc meets the baseline on the other side of the court. Defensive slide across the baseline to where you started. Do this twice, and then do it twice more starting from the other side of the court.
Slide-Sprint-Slide: Start on the baseline. Defensive slide to the top of the key, then sprint to the other top of the key, then defensive slide to the baseline. Repeat the drill with a quick change of direction. Go continuously for four lengths of the court. This drill simulates changing from a sprint to a defensive slide. This happens frequently in a game.
Shadow Drill: You will need a partner for this. Face each other. Have one person be the offensive player. The offensive player cuts back and forth horizontally using a defensive slide while the defensive man tries to stay in front of him. Do this for 15 seconds, and then switch roles.
Pivots: There are 3 basic kinds of pivots: front pivots, inside pivots, and reverse pivots. Practice these pivots. The main emphasis on practicing pivots is that you want to always be in shot ready position.

Take 10-15 minutes each day to work on these drills and you will add better balance and quickness to your game. You will be amazed at how much better of a player you will be in November.

Coach Hoover

COUNTDOWN TO TIP OFF

PRE-SEASON PREPARATION

After a summer filled with practice, shoot outs, team camps, summer leagues, individual or small group instruction, skill development camps, college exposure events, and other activities, many players aren’t certain what to do next. This article should help you prepare during August, September, and October for the start of basketball in early November.

One of the first things a player needs to do is to take some time off. No matter how much you love to play, your body needs a break. This also should help you mentally, so you avoid the “burnout problem”. Some players have been virtually non-stop since last October/November. Take a week or two without a basketball in your hands and do some other activities.

Beginning sometime in mid to late August, start to get back into your training by starting 3-4 days each week for 30-60 minutes. One of the most important areas that you need to develop was discussed in Coach Hoover’s most recent article “Balance, Quickness, and Basketball”. The article discusses the need to improve your footwork which will help improve your quickness and balance. Read it and use the drills Coach included.

You need to do some endurance preparation by running and strength training. Basketball is a long season and you need to be well-conditioned. This can also help reduce some injuries or shorten your time off if an injury does occur. Your coach can help you with a plan. Some players also work with a personal trainer for these areas. Like anything else, there are some very good personal trainers and some that aren’t very helpful to your development. Do some research if planning to pay someone to help you in these areas.

As you get into October your individual workouts should become closer to 60 minutes and five days per week for high school players. These individual skills workouts should emphasize shooting and ball handling/dribbling work. Try to incorporate some of the footwork drills and pivoting work as well as some jumping. If you are a post player, you will also need to spend time on your back-to-basket moves.

Along the way as you prepare for the season make certain that you are getting enough sleep daily and you are eating properly.

For those of you who participate in a fall sport for your school, simply try to find 1-2 days each week where you can shoot for 30 minutes and do ball handling /dribbling drills for 10-15 minutes. Your primary focus and physical training should be with your fall team.

Enjoy the journey!

Coach Daup

Click to View July's Article

YOU CAN BECOME A BETTER SHOOTER

IF YOU

determine that improving your shooting is important enough to become a high priority to you.

Basketball is played by many because it is a fun activity. It becomes much more fun when you are able to make baskets. These baskets can come in a variety of ways – lay ups, free throws, jump shots, off the pass, off the dribble, in the post, 3 point field goals, etc.

Shooting a basketball is a very difficult skill to master, which is why shooting is the weakest area of many professional basketball players’ games. Development in shooting correctly is also hindered often by many youth league, travel teams, and middle school coaches playing zone defenses so the opposing players try to shoot it from a distance that is too far for them. Players must push or throw the ball to the goal and will develop bad shooting technique as a result.

Why should a player try to learn how to shoot the basketball more effectively? Let’s start with simply to make a team and not get cut. Once a player earns a spot on the roster, he or she can get more playing time, and possibly become a starter, if they can make shots.

If you want to be on the floor for your team during “Winning Time” (end of games) in close games, it helps if you have good shot selection, can make shots, and can make free throws. The number one reason a player should try to improve his or her shooting is simply to enjoy the sport more.

How can you become a “maker” and not just another “shooter”? First, you must learn and practice proper technique. You must also learn and understand the importance of good footwork, balance, and strength, and the role they each play in shooting development. You must then spend time practicing shooting at game speed. Finally, you must understand “shot selection” and its impact on your shooting percentage. You must know: your shooting range, if you are open or not, if a teammate has a better shot available, and time/score situations late in a game.

Your shooting will improve with quality instruction, good practice habits and work ethic, and understanding the concept of shot selection. Have fun working to become a maker and not just another player who likes to shoot. GOOD LUCK!

Coach Daup

JDH Winners’ Edge offers Shooting Camps each July, as well as “At Your School” Clinics/Camps throughout the year. Individual and small group instruction is also available in the Canton and Columbus areas.

Click to View June's Article

THE ONE SPORT ATHLETE

GOOD or BAD?

YOU DECIDE

There was a time in this country, not too long ago, where student-athletes who participated in two, three, and even four sports each year were the norm, not the exception. What has happened to change the mind set of many to think they must “specialize” in one sport, sometimes as early as middle school? Is it beneficial to them? Are they missing anything? What do they gain?

We can (and must) look at many influences on today’s young athletes. We have some adults who believe that their son or daughter needs to specialize to “gain an advantage” over others to “earn” that athletic scholarship over all the others. Reality: In an average year, according to statistics taken from the NCAA, only 2-3% of all athletes who played in high school will receive an athletic scholarship. To add to this, unless you are a DI football or basketball player, most of any other college team’s scholarships will be a “partial” scholarship, not a full-ride. Interestingly, if you look at those who do receive athletic scholarships, many (if not most) of them participated in more than one sport while in high school.

We also have the “experts” in each and every sport hosting travel team or club events that you “must attend to be seen” by colleges. Yes, that other high school sport that you wanted to be involved with will interfere with our important club event and to participate with us, you can’t miss our events. You will also need to miss 3-4 days of school to participate in this event. Hint: the event organizers are the people making these events “must attend to be seen”. Do they benefit financially by making them all attend? Do student-athletes have to give up participating with their school teams? Does it hurt them academically if they miss school to attend these events?

The NCAA also can share some of the responsibility for this change in our culture, as they have created “evaluation & contact” periods for college coaches that make these outside events “more important” than they should be. Is it a conflict of interest when the major organizers of many of these events are the big shoe companies? Do universities not also have contracts with them to “outfit our teams”? Is it any wonder then, why the college evaluation periods and the “must attend” events coincide? All in the best interest of whom? The multi-sport student-athlete?

We also have some high school coaches who directly or indirectly encourage (tell) their best players to “focus on my sport” so you can play in college. Scholarship or no scholarship, we know that on the average high school team, less than 5% will continue that sport in college at any level (DI, DII, DIII) of NCAA schools.

What’s really interesting is to see how many of these one sport athletes quit (burn out) before they get to that college age to play their sport.

Should any student-athlete specialize? Many can and maybe should when they reach their junior or senior year in high school and they are certain that is where they want to go with their athletic life. A few, the elite, in every sport may decide to specialize earlier. Statistics tell us that less than 1% of high school athletes will eventually get to the professional level in their sport.

Good luck in your decision! Just be certain it is “your” decision.

Click to View May's Article

TEAM CHEMISTRY-THE CHAMPIONSHIP INGREDIENT

People often ask me about the differences between the state championship teams I coached and the other teams. Two things come to mind. First of all, those teams each had tremendously talented players who were great athletes. Most importantly, though, those teams had great chemistry. The players bought into the concept of collective responsibility. Collective responsibility is when each person of a group takes responsibility for his role and what he needs to do. Each person playing his role to the best of his ability, making no excuses for things that go wrong, builds a team that plays well together and trusts one another.

Team chemistry does not just happen. Coaches and players must work very hard together to help develop the chemistry. Our coaching staff set up a summer schedule that included several weekends on the road where the team got a chance to live and learn together. We also had a weekend in the pre-season where we went on the road and played Friday and Saturday while staying overnight in a hotel. We took time at the start of the season for each player to stand in front of his teammates and talk to them about what qualities he could bring to his team. By doing this, the player knew that his teammates would hold him responsible for what he said he was going to do. We also had the team set realistic goals for the season and goals for each game. All of this created accountability for the team and for each individual.

A team with good chemistry is a team that will execute well offensively and play great team defense. It is a team that has players who trust each other and don’t care who gets the credit. It is a team that can greatly improve over the season through healthy competitive practices. The difference between a being a good team and a championship team often lies in its chemistry.

Dave Hoover

ARE YOU A “BEST” PLAYER?

In his last article, “Team Chemistry: The Championship Ingredient”, Coach Hoover discussed team chemistry and collective responsibility as 2 important ingredients found on championship teams.

Let’s look at another opinion from Bill Walton (former UCLA great and Boston Celtic), as he discusses what I believe is the “key” to the team chemistry issue: The attitude and behavior of the “best player(s)”.

“Good players know exactly what they can and can’t do. The best players know there’s not a skill that can elude them. The minute they detect a weakness in their own game, they go out there and work on it until the weakness becomes a strength. The best players also spend a lot of time worrying how they’re going to make their teammates better.”

Are you a “best player” on your team? Do you worry about how you’re going to make your teammates better? Or do you act selfishly and above them? Do you care about your teammates? Do your teammates care about you?

The best players are unselfish and think TEAM before self! They are a student of the game and have a high basketball IQ. The best players understand that they need their teammates. Basketball is a team game! Will you sacrifice your ego for the greater good of your team?

How much time do you spend trying to help your teammates become better players? Do you put them down for “not being as good or as dedicated” as you? Do you encourage them to work with you in the off-season? Do you spend time with them outside of the gym? Do you help them understand their value to the team and its’ success?

Remember this: if your team’s success is important to its’ best players, then those best players need to be a great teammate. The “best players” that win championships always make those around them better! DO YOU?

Coach Daup

Click to View April's Article

IT'S TIME TO GET BETTER

It’s often said that basketball players are made during the months of April through October. Players who believe in this concept are the ones who understand what it takes to be successful. During the season coaches and players spend most of their time practicing team related activities. A coach might spend as much as 60-70% of the practice on offensive execution, building the team defensive system, and preparing for the next opponent. As the season progresses, even less time is spent on individual player development. April through October is the player’s season to get better.

The first thing that you as a player must do is identify the areas you need the most improvement in. Many players have some understanding about what their weaknesses are, but to get a full understanding, we would suggest that you talk with your coach. He or she cannot only help you pinpoint your improvement areas, but can also help assist you in a plan of improvement.

Your workout program needs to be specific to your needs. It should incorporate both individual workouts, as well as, team oriented competition. It should not only be specific to the position that you play, but should also focus on the fundamental areas of basketball: shooting, ball handling, footwork, jump training, and conditioning. Even if you are a post player, you will want to work on perimeter shooting and ball handling. If you are a perimeter player, especially if you have size, you will want to know how to score inside. Remember, the more versatile you are as a player, the more ways your coach can use you in game situations. That translates into more playing time.

Shooting drills should include form shooting, spot up shooting, shooting off the pass, shooting off the dribble (both off the shot fake and dribble drive), and post shooting. Make sure that you have a good mixture of 3-point shots, mid-range shots, and shots in the paint area (including lay-ups using both hands). Ball handling drills should include both one and two ball drills (stationary and on-the-move). Make sure that both shooting and ball handling drills are done at game speed.

Conditioning drills and footwork drills should take into account that basketball is a sport that is played in a confined area. Drills incorporating quick footwork, power jumping, and explosion running over short distances will help you most in making you a better player. Include change of direction drills that simulate offensive cutting and defensive transition and drills that will improve your lateral quickness. Today’s game involves a lot more dribble drive and on the ball screens so you will need to be able to have the lateral quickness to contain your man. Weight lifting has become a cornerstone in a basketball player’s overall fitness. Concentrate on the core areas and remember, position in basketball is obtained through lower body strength and foot quickness, so don’t forget to work hard on your leg strength.

The key to becoming a great player is to develop a great work ethic now in the off- season. Make sure that anything you do has a purpose. The most important ingredient to a workout is that everything you do has quality.

Good luck with your off-season development. For more information, contact us at www.jdhwinnersedge.com.

Click To View March Article

BECOME A BETTER (and MORE VALUABLE) PLAYER: SIMPLIFY THE GAME

One thing that all basketball players need to learn early in their career – unlike diving and gymnastics, in basketball you are not rewarded more points for a shot based on the degree of difficulty you use to take the shot. A field goal counts 2 (or 3) points and each made free throw counts as one point. Why then do we see so many players from the Professional and College levels try to make a “great” or “fancy” move on a lay up? Why complicate what should be a solid, easy shot? Why do many players at all levels miss so many lay ups? Why do we see players penetrate and get caught with nothing to do with the ball at the end of their drive? Let’s look at some ways that you can make your life and game simpler, while making your coach happier with your play.

Rule 1: When you have possession of the ball and leave the floor (jump) in the ¼ court, you shoot the ball. Most passes a player makes when he/she is in the air become turnovers. You need to focus on finishing your shot, not trying to make a spectacular pass. And what happens when good defensive players jump in the passing lanes because you were scouted? Or what happens when you are in the air and you make a pass that goes out of bounds because your teammate (who you were passing to) thought you were shooting the ball and went to prepare to rebound?

Rule 2: Don’t dribble the ball to the baseline and pick it up (end your dribble). If you do this, good teams will double team you and deny the passing lanes. You have made their job easier by reducing the options you have and reducing the areas they must defend.

Rule 3: Pick the ball up FIRST. How many times do you see players get their hands on a loose ball, but not gain control of it? They try to gain control by dribbling it or picking it up while moving. The result: they don’t gain possession, their opponents do. Remember this – versus the best teams on your schedule one possession could determine the outcome. Why not pick the ball up first and then play?

Rule 4: Don’t Fear Pressure Defense – Attack it with intelligence!

Teams use pressure defenses to see if your team (all players) will make mistakes and turn the ball over for them to shoot easy lay ups. They pressure to get you playing and making decisions faster than you are accustomed to playing. If your team has only one or two players comfortable handling the ball versus pressure, they will take those players away and make others handle it and make decisions.

Are you willing and able to handle pressure? Do you dribble into trap areas (and then pick the ball up) making it easier to double team you? Do you know how and when to make pass fakes to move the defenders where you want them to be? Do you have the dribbling skills to beat two defenders that are trying to double team you? Are you able to inbound the ball versus pressure without making turnovers?

Rule 5: Make Free Throws

Basketball is a simple game – don’t complicate it! You do not need a pre-shot routine on your free throw that “looks cool” – simplify it and make shots! You also do not need to jump on your free throw (this applies to most middle school players as well). Many games are won or lost at the free throw line. Learn to make free throws! An opposing coach knows who on your team can / cannot make free throws – guess who will get fouled late in a close game? If you can’t make free throws, then how can you expect your coach to have you on the floor late in close games?