Are You Improving?

"You are either getting better or you are getting worse there is no such thing as staying the same." I heard this quote a few years ago and I have believed in it ever since. I think it can be applied to any part of life but I think it is especially in true. Players are either working on their game and improving or they are going through the motions and getting worse. It might be a tiny, immeasurable amount that you do not even notice but it is happening.

Think of an individual work out for a basketball player. If that player is focused and doing all the drills with great intensity then that player is going improving his game. If a player is unfocused and going half speed through the drills then that player is probably hurting himself. That is why individual work outs should not be measured in time spent in the gym. It should be measured on what was accomplished and worked out with the most effort. A lot of players are willing to spend a lot of time on their games but few go about it in a good way. Intensity and a mindset to make themselves better is the key to a good work out.

Don't just put time in...put effort and work in then improvement will come. It seems elementary to say, but it is easy to lose focus on what is necessary.

Overlooked Part of Rebounding

Every coach knows the importance of rebounding. All teams do rebounding drills. Coaches stress the importance of blocking out and pursuing the ball aggressively. Those are all important points of rebounding the basketball, but it is all wasted if the rebounder doesn't get the ball securely up the floor.

How many times have you seen a big man get a good rebound and then anxiously they try to get rid of the ball instead of being strong with it. I hate when big guys are afraid to chin the ball against pressure. They are so afraid of getting the ball stolen from them they end up making a bad outlet pass which results in a turnover.

I like rebounding drills that are live until a strong outlet is made to either a team or a coach depending on the drill. That enforces the importance of not only getting the ball, but also keeping possession of the basketball. They learn when they need to chin the ball and pivot against pressure and when they can just make a quick pass to a guard. Guards also learn when they can dribble the ball up and when they need to make a pass because a dribble could easily be stolen from behind.

Duke and UNC this week. Can life get better? :)