Having been fortunate enough to see Kevin Eastman speak last fall I have found myself enamoured by many of the great points that he made, particularly those that had to do with defense and gaining a competitive edge. The following list (Eastman always has lists) contains a little bit of both, I imagine because teams that have a competitive edge are usually the ones who play great defense. This list illustrates the four most important characteristics that great teams must have. You will see that the elements of this list are quite simple but as always it is the simple things that equate to great success.
1. Commitment by the players to DEFENSE.
“To those whom defense is not important they will have the best seat in the house.” -Rick Majerus
We are currently in an era of high exposure basketball. AAU basketball tournaments and college recruiting showcase events have become the norm. As a result, basketball skills training has become a lost art. This is inexcusable, because in order to become a complete basketball player, skill development must be a priority. To develop a consistent jump shot and effective ball handling it takes repetition and that type of repetition just cannot be achieved in games alone. Think about, if you shot the ball 200-500 times in a game (an unrealistic notion to begin with) or just kept dribbling the ball around and working on your own moves, your teammates might get a little angry with you. Therefore, it is necessary to find a mix of both skill development and game play in order to become the complete player you are aspiring to be.
My Elite Basketball Training sessions have served to develop the skills of many local basketball players of all ages. These basketball training sessions usually last an hour and are taylor made to suit the individual’s basketball needs. They consist of basketball skill work but can also include strength, conditioning, speed, and agility; or a combination of all of these aspects of the game. These sessions are designed to be technical in nature but are also an intense workout that is often times more difficult than the basketball games themselves.
It is also possible to run these basketball training sessions as a small group workout. This is a great opportunity to train with several like-minded motivated individuals who are seeking the same basketball goals. In this setting the players work together on their skills but also serve as a source of motivation for each other to reach their potential.
Here is what people are saying about Elite Basketball Training’s individual basketball workouts:
Cassie Smith
Battle Knights Traveling Basketball Team
Edgar Middle School Basketball Team
My 13 year old daughter, Cassie, has worked with Rich since she was 8. She’s been to his basketball clinics at Edgar School, and worked with him privately to develop her skills. She always seems pumped up after a session with Rich, and enthusiastic to get to the next one. Rich is great with the kids; he offers technical insights, and progressive athletic challenges. He has an uncanny way of motivating an athlete, and always seems to communicate his expectations for hard work and improvement in a manner that wins the respect of his students.
Ryan Josell
Age 10 Battle Basketball 11U
Ryan has been training with Elite Basketball since the age of 7. He first attended Elite Basketball Camp in Metuchen as a third grader and looks forward to camp each summer. He also trains individually with Coach Rich throughout the year. Elite Basketball Training has always provided a high level of skill and fitness training, helping Ryan improve both his skills and athleticism. Rich provides a fun, positive, and energetic environment for the kids to train in. Regardless of how demanding the workout is, Ryan always comes home with a smile on his face asking, “when can I work out with Coach Rich again?” Rich is a terrific motivator, a great teacher of the game, and has been a great coach and inspiration to Ryan.
Frankie McGuire
Edgar Middle School Basketball,Metuchen
Frankie has been attending Rich Stoner’s basketball camps for several years and has also participated in individual skills training sessions with Rich. Frankie has benefited greatly from Rich’s expertise in skills training and his innovative approaches to training and coaching. Rich is a great motivator and uses a clever, relevant and even humorous demeanor to deliver his skills training techniques to his players. As a result of his improved skills, Frankie is having more fun now playing the game of basketball and has experienced more confidence and satisfaction in his game. Thanks to Rich, Frankie has learned skills and strategies that he can continue to utilize and improve upon while playing in competitive youth basketball leagues.
And remember, Prograde is also celebrating President’s Day this entire week by offering a $15 savings on any Prograde Protein purchases! Just click on the link above for all the juicy details on the sale.
See you on the court,
Rich Stoner
Elite Basketball Training, LLC
PS – In case you missed it on Monday, here is a delicious Protein Ice Cream recipe from Jayson also.
Agility, or the ability to change directions without losing speed, is as vital to the game of basketball. It is a skill just like ball handling or shooting and therefore it can and should be improved upon. Throughout the course of a basketball game, basketball players are constantly changing directions both offensively and defensively. Consequently, agility training should be a necessity for all basketball players during their workouts.
There are many different agility drills that can be used to increase a players basketball specific agility. These drills include but are not limited to the pro agility drill, T-Drill, and three cone drill. When performing any of these agility drills, it is important to include the different movement patterns that basketball players use such as sprinting, sliding, and backpedaling. When doing so, think about the ways a player moves in a game and incorporate those patterns into the drill. In other words, have them sprint, then slide, then backpedal all within the same drill. This will increase their basketball agility in a way that is more specific to the actual basketball game.
The basketball agility drill in the video below is called the box drill. During the drill, you will hear me encouraging them to plant their foot hard in order to change direction quickly and keep their speed. You will also see the players performing the basketball agility drill with the basketball. This aspect of basketball agility training is highly important, but often forgotten. Basketball players need to be able to change direction without the ball becuase it happens so often during the game, but so does changing directions with a basketball. Consequently, they need to practice changing directions with the ball too. By doing so, they will become a more explosive and dynamic offensive player.
There’s a reason I’m always telling you to eat small, nutritious meals frequently.
And there’s a reason why I harp on starting that trend each day with a solid breakfast.
No, I’m not talking about hitting a fast food joint for a Bacon, Egg and Cheese biscuit packed with a zillion calories.
Look, I know many of you just can’t stand eating breakfast. And I know many of you just don’t have time. But I’ve just gotta get it into your head – and so do you.
If you want to speed up your metabolism you MUST eat breakfast.
Now, please don’t take that to mean I want you to just grab a bagel with cream cheese. Or a doughnut…or a pop tart….or a danish.
I want you – and trust me, you do too – to get some solid nutrition. Especially some protein.
Perhaps you can imagine this:
You wake up with a smile on your face. You’ve been exercising regularly and it really has picked up your metabolism, so you’re hungry in the morning. (Which is a GOOD thing.)
You enter the kitchen a little bit groggy, but very much looking forward to what’s about to happen next.
You take out your canister of Prograde Lean and within moments you’re drinking a delicious chocolate shake. One that fuels your body and sets the tone for your metabolism all day long with 35 grams of protein.
MMMMM…it’s good. And you love the fact it also provides 8 grams of fiber so it keeps you feeling full until your next small, nutritious meal.
“Life is good”, you think to yourself.
Just imagine: Breakfast made easy AND delicious.
Lucky for you my partners over at Prograde Nutrition are celebrating Valentine’s Day early this year and have put their out-of-this-world delicious chocolate Prograde Lean Meal Replacement shake on sale this week at 14% off!
