March Madness Did you know!?!?!
Did you kind March Madness:
The Northeast Conference hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game since 1983 when Robert Morris defeated Georgia Southern in the Opening Round. Since then, the NEC has lost 23 straight decisions.
The Kentucky Wildcats have the most march madness win. Kentucky Wildcats have won 98 games, which is 10 more than North Carolina, which is second on the all-time list. Officially, the NCAA has taken away Kentucky's two wins in 1988.
Did you know that Phog Allen was the oldest head coach to win a march madness national championship He led Kansas to the 1952 championship at the age of 66 years and 4 months. The next oldest was Wooden, who won his final title at UCLA in 1975 at age 64 and 5 months.
LSU Tigers were the lowest seed at No. 11 seed. This makes the lowest seed to March Madness to advance to the Final Four. LSU reached the Final Four in 1986 as a No. 11 seed, with three of its four wins coming by 2 points or in overtime. Dale Brown's Tigers lost in the national semis to eventual-champion Louisville.
Did you know that there was a team that has won the march madness, final four, the national champion when enter the big dance, they had fewer than 20 games. But, the last team who did this great achievement was in 1997 Arizona. Arizona Wildcats gave Lute Olson his first championship in improbable fashion as a No. 4 seed. They entered the tournament with a 19-9 record.
Did you know that the ACC has had at least two teams reach the Sweet 16 every year since 1980. It's been an amazing run for the ACC, and what makes it even more impressive is that the conference was represented by just three teams in 1999 and 2000.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Did you know March Madness trivia!?!?!
Did you know about March Madness trivia.
That John Wooden would take his wife with him where the team would travel. And did you know that John and Nell Wooden went to every final four march madness together before her death in 1985! Wow, now that's some serious March madness!!
More March Madness Trivia!!
March Madness Trivia time: It's well known that Wooden's UCLA teams won 10 national championships? How many conference championships did they win?
Trivia answer: 19 conference titles in 27 seasons.
That John Wooden would take his wife with him where the team would travel. And did you know that John and Nell Wooden went to every final four march madness together before her death in 1985! Wow, now that's some serious March madness!!
More March Madness Trivia!!
March Madness Trivia time: It's well known that Wooden's UCLA teams won 10 national championships? How many conference championships did they win?
Trivia answer: 19 conference titles in 27 seasons.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
UNC-Duke Is Most-Watched Men's College Basketball Game In ESPN History
UNC-Duke Is Most-Watched Men's College Basketball Game In ESPN History
Tar Heels defeated Blue Devils on historic night.
March 7, 2006
CHAPEL HILL --- Coverage of North Carolina'S 83-76 win at No. 1 ranked Duke on March 4 set a record for the largest audience for a men's college basketball in ESPN history (more than 26 years), according to Nieslen Media Research.
It was also the fourth most-watched basketball game - men's or women's, college or pro - in ESPN history. The game, which was featured live on both ESPN (traditional coverage) and ESPN2 (from "Above the Rim" camera) as part of the new Full Circle initiative, was seen by an average of 3.78 million households on the two networks combined. Every other ESPN entity also covered the game for Full Circle; however, the Nielsen numbers only reflect ESPN and ESPN2's audience.
Some additional noteworthy facts:
· ESPN's single network coverage garnered a 3.5 rating, the network's highest-rated men's college basketball game in more than four years (Maryland at Duke posted a 3.5 in Jan. 2002). ESPN2's "Above the Rim" coverage generated a 0.7 rating, 40% higher than the network's per-game season average.
· The previous high for a men's college basketball audience was 3.44 million homes for the 1990 NCAA Tournament game between Princeton and Arkansas.
Tar Heels defeated Blue Devils on historic night.
March 7, 2006
CHAPEL HILL --- Coverage of North Carolina'S 83-76 win at No. 1 ranked Duke on March 4 set a record for the largest audience for a men's college basketball in ESPN history (more than 26 years), according to Nieslen Media Research.
It was also the fourth most-watched basketball game - men's or women's, college or pro - in ESPN history. The game, which was featured live on both ESPN (traditional coverage) and ESPN2 (from "Above the Rim" camera) as part of the new Full Circle initiative, was seen by an average of 3.78 million households on the two networks combined. Every other ESPN entity also covered the game for Full Circle; however, the Nielsen numbers only reflect ESPN and ESPN2's audience.
Some additional noteworthy facts:
· ESPN's single network coverage garnered a 3.5 rating, the network's highest-rated men's college basketball game in more than four years (Maryland at Duke posted a 3.5 in Jan. 2002). ESPN2's "Above the Rim" coverage generated a 0.7 rating, 40% higher than the network's per-game season average.
· The previous high for a men's college basketball audience was 3.44 million homes for the 1990 NCAA Tournament game between Princeton and Arkansas.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
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Jason McElwain: Autistic basketball player shines
Jason McElwain: Autistic basketball player shines
Max sent me an email about this story. You might have seen it alread, but if you didn't- David Edwards sent the video over. " Jason McElwain, an autistic high school basketball team member in Rochester NY, served as the coach's assistant and spirit leader for several years. On the final game of the season the coach let him finally put on a jersey with the rest of the team. Watch what happens then..." Pretty amazing stuff!
Read more on the story here.
"My first shot was an air ball (missing the hoop), by a lot, then I missed a lay-up," McElwain recalls. "As the first shot went in, and then the second shot, as soon as that went in, I just started to catch fire."
"I've had a lot of thrills in coaching," Johnson says. "I've coached a lot of wonderful kids. But I've never experienced such a thrill."
Thursday, February 09, 2006
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
A. Part One: Introduction and The Foundations of life skill coach
In the book's first chapter, Smith introduces the reader to his personal background. Smith grew up in the Midwest as the son of a father who was a high school sports coach and a mother who was a teacher. (12) He also briefly reviews his basketball career beginning when he was a player at the University of Kansas and then an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy and the University of North Carolina before accepting the head coaching position at the University of North Carolina in 1961. (13)
Still in the first part of the book, Smith first introduces the reader to the broad details of his philosophy in the second chapter, titled "Play Hard; Play Together; Play Smart." (14) "Hard meant with effort, determination, and courage; together meant unselfishly, trusting your teammates, and doing everything possible not to let them down; and smart meant with good execution and poise, treating each possession as if it were the only one in the game." (15) In this chapter Smith discusses how and why he taught his players his philosophy. (16) Smith recognized that occasionally his teams would have bad luck or face a particularly good team or player on their best night, but he believed that if his teams simply concentrated on those things within their control, then they would generally be successful. (17) Smith provides a more detailed description of his philosophy's three components later in the book in Parts Two, Three, and Four, but this early exposure provides a terrific introduction to Smith's philosophy. In fact, when coupled with the business perspectives in Part One, the authors' point is virtually complete, leaving little but a more detailed discussion to follow in the remaining chapters. The detailed discussions of the philosophies' three components later in the book actually produce one of the book's weaknesses--repetitiveness of concepts and anecdotes. (18)
In these early chapters, Smith comes as close as he ever does throughout the entire book to fully buying into Bell's thesis on coaching and business leadership by stating that
[the co-author] believes that readers can take things from our
[basketball coaching] philosophy and benefit from them, and I agree
that could be the case. Whether you're leading a basketball team, a
nurses' school, a small insurance office, or a large corporation,
there are certain common denominators. Honesty, integrity,
discipline administered fairly, not playing favorites, recruiting
the right people, effective practice and training, and caring are
foundations that any organization would be wise to have in
place.... (19)
Also in these initial chapters Smith identifies one of the weaknesses in trying to apply his coaching philosophy to other business-related industries admitting that, "[m]aybe it was easier for me to lead my players, who wanted to be there, than it is for a business manager to lead members of her sales department who feel they have to be there." (20) The business reality that requires leaders to deal with experienced employees who generally have greater freedom to switch employers than a typical college scholarship athlete has to transfer universities is rarely recognized throughout the book and is one of its fundamental weaknesses.
This part of the book also contains the first of many perspectives written by a former player which sets the theme for all the other perspectives throughout the book. (21) The initial perspective strongly supports the authors' goal for the introduction, which is to establish Smith as a caring, brilliant leader who was interested more in molding each player's individual character than he was in building individual players. (22) Despite the enormous on-court successes of his teams, players, and assistant coaches, it is clear throughout the book that Smith is most proud of the fact that the vast majority of his players developed into outstanding citizens. (23) In fact, ninety-six percent of his players earned their undergraduate degrees, and more than thirty-three percent continued on to earn graduate or professional degrees. (24) There is little doubt that this success is largely based on the lessons he taught his players while at North Carolina. (25) The life lessons discussed in the personal perspectives, the passion with which they are written, and the near reverent awe the writers seem to have for Smith are common threads in the player perspectives sprinkled throughout the book. (26)
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in
D. Final Thoughts
While the book contains several excellent leadership techniques that leaders in various industries should follow, the book does have several weaknesses. First, the foundational source for the book, Smith's basketball program, is not the ideal model upon which to apply the business leadership principles the authors want to develop because most leaders face a much wider variety of challenges than a college athletics coach. Further, except for the owners themselves, business leaders rarely have the autonomy or the authority that a head coach at a major university has to implement their leadership strategies. The coach holds virtually all the "cards" with regard to scholarships and playing time which allows him to influence and motivate players in ways not available to most leaders. (41)
Next, the leadership strategies required for a few hours a day over a six-month basketball season are somewhat different than the longer term strategies needed for a long-term, 365 days a year business. Finally, in the business application section i of each chapter's leadership principal, Bell appropriately uses numerous anecdotes from the corporate world to support each point. However, Bell rarely identifies the specific name of a leader or company in his examples, referring to them only in the abstract such as "a vice president of sales in a pharmaceutical company with large sales force ..., (42) and "I know a CEO that...." (43) These vague references prevent the investigative-minded reader from testing the validity of the Bell's assertions with regard to these anecdotes. (44)
Despite these weaknesses, the authors effectively translate Smith's coaching philosophy and leadership principles to a wide variety of business challenges. The authors cover several helpful leadership concepts such as identifying ways to effectively deal with the varying personalities, backgrounds, and agendas that the people in one's organization bring with them, as opposed to simply implementing a one-size-fits-all bureaucratic management system. Thought-provoking and entertaining, The Carolina Way's readers will be better equipped to handle their own personal leadership challenges. The reader will also come away with a tremendous appreciation and respect for Dean Smith as a leader and coach, but more importantly, one will acquire an appreciation of him as a human being who has positively influenced generations of young men.
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in
D. Final Thoughts
While the book contains several excellent leadership techniques that leaders in various industries should follow, the book does have several weaknesses. First, the foundational source for the book, Smith's basketball program, is not the ideal model upon which to apply the business leadership principles the authors want to develop because most leaders face a much wider variety of challenges than a college athletics coach. Further, except for the owners themselves, business leaders rarely have the autonomy or the authority that a head coach at a major university has to implement their leadership strategies. The coach holds virtually all the "cards" with regard to scholarships and playing time which allows him to influence and motivate players in ways not available to most leaders. (41)
Next, the leadership strategies required for a few hours a day over a six-month basketball season are somewhat different than the longer term strategies needed for a long-term, 365 days a year business. Finally, in the business application section i of each chapter's leadership principal, Bell appropriately uses numerous anecdotes from the corporate world to support each point. However, Bell rarely identifies the specific name of a leader or company in his examples, referring to them only in the abstract such as "a vice president of sales in a pharmaceutical company with large sales force ..., (42) and "I know a CEO that...." (43) These vague references prevent the investigative-minded reader from testing the validity of the Bell's assertions with regard to these anecdotes. (44)
Despite these weaknesses, the authors effectively translate Smith's coaching philosophy and leadership principles to a wide variety of business challenges. The authors cover several helpful leadership concepts such as identifying ways to effectively deal with the varying personalities, backgrounds, and agendas that the people in one's organization bring with them, as opposed to simply implementing a one-size-fits-all bureaucratic management system. Thought-provoking and entertaining, The Carolina Way's readers will be better equipped to handle their own personal leadership challenges. The reader will also come away with a tremendous appreciation and respect for Dean Smith as a leader and coach, but more importantly, one will acquire an appreciation of him as a human being who has positively influenced generations of young men.
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
C. Part V: Lessons Learned
Failing to provide any significant "lessons learned," this part of the book should more aptly have been titled, Other Stuff Unrelated to the "Carolina Way. '" In fact, the whole part could have been discarded because it added little to the authors' thesis. The last chapter, titled "Hopes for the Future," is a particularly unnecessary and distracting chapter in this otherwise engaging book. In "Hopes for the Future," Smith rambles on about such varied topics as a proposition to pay college players a stipend, fighting the war on poverty, abolishing the death penalty, and improving the social status of teachers. (38) While all these may be valid subjects worthy of debate, their undeveloped placement in a leadership book is completely inappropriate. Unfortunately, following Smith's ramble, Bell decides to add several of his own unrelated, unsubstantiated, and unproven musings. Even when he actually references leadership principles in the last part of this chapter, Bell does not develop the brand new leadership topics he raises. (39)
While this part of the book is generally disappointing, one very valuable portion is the chapter on Smith's experience as coach of the 1976 Men's Olympic Basketball Team. Unlike his treatment of his job at North Carolina, where he viewed the process and individual development of his players as his primary objectives, his only goal as coach of the Olympic team was to win. (40) This chapter discusses the different leadership skills necessary to lead a makeshift organization to success in a very limited amount of time. This chapter is especially applicable for military environments, particularly in an age of transformation, where different teams of people are being put together at various times to accomplish critical, but often short-term, missions. While completely independent of Coach Smith's true "Carolina Way" philosophy, this is a critical chapter in the book because in many situations, such as combat or professional business, winning is the primary goal and Smith's general coaching philosophies do not address such a concept.
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
B. Parts Two, Three and Four: Playing Hard," Playing Together," Playing Smart
These three separate parts of the book form its core. These parts detail and fully develop how Smith executed his coaching philosophy. Each part is divided into chapters specifically focusing on one part of the overall concept. Among the most helpful chapters in these parts from a leadership perspective for the typical business, government, or military leader are the chapters on "Recruiting the Players," "Team Building Techniques," and "One-on One Meetings." (27)
In "Recruiting the Players," the authors emphasize the need to carefully select employees, focusing not only on each employee's abilities, but also on how each of their goals and attitudes will fit with organizational goals. "Hire smart, manage easy" and "hire slowly, ... fire quickly" are the themes of this chapter. (28) These concepts strongly support the authors' thesis because they have near universal applicability across the spectrum of leadership challenges. (29)
In "Team Building Techniques" Smith discusses rewarding players, praising performances that are beneficial to the team, and showing respect for all players who are trying their best for the team, regardless of the outcome of their efforts. (30) The practical benefits of these approaches are highly lauded in both the player perspectives and the business perspectives sections of the chapter. (31) The authors provide several examples of how these techniques can be applied to business in ways such as starting each meeting by praising individual efforts, large or small, that helped the team, (32) and by treating with greater respect those senior employees who are not part of the management team. (33)
Finally, in the chapter titled "One-on-One Meetings," Smith outlines his methods and reasons for holding one-on-one meetings with his players throughout the year. (34) The premises of this idea are that leaders do too much "doing" and not enough teaching, and that most employees are too hurried in their daily activities to get a good feel and understanding of the company's goals and missions. (35) The authors suggest that leaders should have monthly meeting with each employee. (36) The authors assert, generally, that by conducting regular one-on-one meetings, a leader can remain in-tune with employees, and the employees can remain in-tune with the leader's expectations. (37) Military leaders would be wise to recognize the value of Smith's practices and apply them to both mandatory and discretionary counseling sessions with the troops under their command or influence. In addition to the value of leaders directly communicating their expectations and performance assessment of their subordinates, such individual counseling sessions also provide an opportunity for subordinates to raise problems or concerns that they might not otherwise be comfortable raising in the more formal work setting. By discussing the concerns, the leader should better be able to further the organizations goals.
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching
Introduction life skill coach
Play hard," play together; play smart. (3)
This simple, three-term phrase constituted Dean Smith's entire coaching philosophy during his remarkable thirty-six year career as the head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina. (4) Smith's philosophy of "play hard; play smart; play together" is presented in this book as the "Carolina Way." (5) Throughout the book, Smith strips down this already simple coaching philosophy and defines good leadership as simply caring about people. (6) This deeply held belief and practice of Smith's proves to be the message of The Carolina Way--even more so than Smith's coaching philosophy itself. The Carolina Way offers leaders, aspiring leaders, college basketball fans, and mere supporters of human decency an inside look at the means and methods Smith used to become a premier coach, teacher, and leader. As such, it is a highly recommended read.
Smith's thesis is that good leadership qualities are transferable from one occupation to another. (7) This thesis was apparently not one that Smith thought consciously of during his coaching career and seems mainly attributable to co-author Gerald Bell (8) and book contributor John Kilgo. (9) However, Smith generally accepts their idea and develops it throughout the book.
The authors use a compelling three-pronged approach to support their thesis. Each chapter begins with Smith detailing some aspect of his coaching philosophy, including personal anecdotes about his success or failure in implementing that particular aspect of his philosophy. Smith follows each of those entries with powerful and often emotional testimonials from former players or others associated with the program. (10) As Smith astutely points out, his players "were students in the classroom known as North Carolina basketball, and their observations provide the thread that ties the entire book together in a way that would otherwise be impossible." (11) Following the testimonials, Bell applies a business perspective to each of Smith's coaching philosophies. Though the book is primarily credited to Smith, the book is driven by this application of Bell's business perspectives to Smith's coaching philosophies.
The authors break the book into five parts--The Foundations; Playing Hard; Playing Together; Playing Smart; and Lessons Learned. The middle three parts of the book deal with the tripartite elements of Smith's coaching philosophy and are similar to each other in their structure. However, the first and last parts differ substantially in both their structure and focus and are reviewed independently from the middle three pans. Each part of the book has individual chapters and each chapter is presented in the three-part style discussed above--Smith's presentation of his philosophy in action, personal testimonials, and business applications and anecdotes.
more life skill coach later to come!Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Ball finger spin B-ball finger spin
Buzz Braman, a former 76ers shooting coach who showed Shaq and Penny Hardaway a thing or two about handling the ball, gives you the lowdown:
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
1. Hold the ball in your right hand with the circumference-line design (the line that looks like the equator or part of a mini basketball court) horizontal and nearly level to the floor. Focusing on the line will help you balance the ball. Quickly turn the ball counter-clockwise, snapping your wrist, and release the ball so it spins.
2. Since you won't be able to control it at first, just let the ball spin out and hit the ground. When you've mastered the spin (when it spins fast and level to the floor and drops to approximately the same place), try tossing it up in the air while in motion.
3. When you can control the ball in the air like a chef with pizza dough, you're ready to try sliding your index finger down under the ball's center of gravity, pointing the finger straight up. Once you've mastered that, you can spin almost anything--even a pencil.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Weider PublicationsCOPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
getting ready for March Madness buzzer beaters!
This is a must see, check it out all right here! March Madness, get ready here we come! This is just an amazing march madness teaser of a great buzzer beater, final four finisher! This is truly amazing buzzer beater, march madness buzzer beater, and this is just must see video!
Amazing buzzer beater here!
Amazing buzzer beater here!
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
One on One
by Nancy N. Rue
And the score stands 13 to 10 with Dad in the lead. Nathan takes a jumper, he misses. Dad snags the rebound. He takes it back, he shoots—14 to 10! Nathan snatches the ball, tries a crossover. Dad steals it—he scores! It’s over! Dad, 15. Nathan, 10!”
Nathan ignored his older brother David’s commentary and tapped the basketball out of his father’s hand. He made a neat layup, softly hitting the backboard and swishing the net.
“Doesn’t count,” David said. “Dad already won.”
“I know,” Nathan said. He continued to dribble the ball. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his father wiping off his neck with a towel.
“You’re learning to get those rebounds,” Dad said.
“You oughta just let him take the ball after you score, Dad,” David said. “He might have half a chance that way.”
“No way!” Nathan said. “I gotta learn to play defense.”
“That’s right,” Dad said. He tossed the towel toward Nathan. He caught it but threw it on the grass.
“I don’t need it,” he said. “I’m not done practicing.”
“You’re crazy,” David said. “I’m gonna see what there is to eat.”
Dad snatched the towel and snapped it playfully at David’s leg. “Play me a game, Dave,” he said.
David shook his head. “Maybe later.”
“You could outplay me any day if you’d practice.”
“Later,” David said and disappeared into the house.
Nathan dribbled out to the three-point line and eyed the shot. Dad watched as he released the ball. It bounced hard against the backboard and rolled off into Mom’s azalea bushes.
“You know what you did wrong?” Dad asked.
Nathan nodded and went after the ball. When he came out of the bushes, Dad was still standing there.
“You’re getting better,” he said.
“You think I’ll ever be as good as you?” Nathan asked.
Dad only grinned. “Just keep practicing, son.”
Practice Makes Perfect
As his father went into the house, Nathan thought, Wonder what he meant by that? If I keep practicing, I might be as good as him? Or I will be?
Either way, it was something Nathan had to do.
Ever since he was little, he’d known his father was a star in high school and college. There were pictures and trophies all over the basement. A year ago, when he was 10, Nathan had asked why Dad didn’t become a big-time player. That’s when Nathan learned his father had suffered a knee injury, which kept him from competing again.
“Your father would love nothing more than for one of you boys to follow in his footsteps,” Mom had told Nathan. “If you or David were to get a basketball scholarship, he’d love you for it.”
Nathan thought about those words now as he imagined himself flying through the air, headed for a slam dunk. He’d never made one, although he’d watched his father and brother by the hour, hurling themselves at the basket, jumping high enough to shove the ball into the net.
Nathan had watched every basketball game on TV—really watched it. He even prayed that God would let him beat his father.
And it had to be fair and square. When Nathan first begged his father to teach him to play, Dad had said, “I will, but I’m going to teach you the right way. I’ll never let you win. If you ever do beat me, it’ll be fair and square.”
Nathan shook off the sweat and went for the basket.
His jump didn’t get him high enough to touch the rim, but at least he was in the net.
Later that night, Nathan lay on his bed.
He closed his eyes and whispered: “God, please would You help me be a great basketball player? I want Dad to love me for it.”
Even after praying, Nathan felt heavy inside.
If I can’t get my father to love me, he thought, how can I expect God to?
Friendly Competition
The next day Nathan woke up early as usual. The minute his shoes were tied, he was on the driveway warming up. An hour later, David came out, lazily scratching his chest and squinting at his brother.
“You really are crazy, you know that?” he said.
Dad appeared in the doorway, grinning. “You gonna let him give you a hard time, Nathan?”
Nathan shrugged and kept dribbling.
“I sure wouldn’t,” Dad said.
David’s eye twinkled. “What would you do if I gave you a hard time?”
“I’d challenge you to some one-on-one,” Dad said.
David laughed.
“Let’s go.”
“Aw, man,” David groaned.
“Let’s see the ball,” Dad said.
Reluctantly, Nathan tossed it to him. Dad dribbled and waited for David to join him on the three-point line.
“You’ll need to get off the court, Nathan,” Dad said. “I might mow you down.”
Nathan felt as if a bee had just stung him. He moved off the court and slumped down on the grass.
“You gonna be the sportscaster?” Dad asked.
Nathan shrugged.
Dad took a shot and made it. David checked it up, and the game was on. When Dad made his first layup, Nathan didn’t say anything. David took up the commentary.
“Dad makes his first shot. A one-pointer. But he misses a jumper. David rebounds, takes it back and comes in for the kill. He charges the basket. It’s . . . a . . . slam . . . dunk. The score stands one to one!”
“Come on, Dad!” Nathan yelled. “Don’t let him score again!”
But David did score. And then Dad did. Then David again.
They played for 10 minutes. Through it all, David kept “announcing,” but Dad kept his focus on the ball. By the time the score stood 14 to 14, Dad’s shirt was soaked and his face was red. David wasn’t breathing hard at all.
“Next basket wins,” David said in a low voice. Dad dribbled a perfect crossover and broke for the hoop. But David blocked the shot, grabbed the ball and sank a pretty fadeaway jumper.
“That’s the game!” David cried. “The kid takes it, 15 to 14!”
Dad grinned and leaned over, pressing his hands on his knees. Nathan could see his chest heaving.
Getting the Point
Nathan’s chest was doing some heaving of its own. Before the tears could make their way up his throat, Nathan scrambled into the house. He barely made it to his bedroom.
Dad found him there a few minutes later. When he heard him at the door, Nathan quickly sat up and smeared the tears from his face. If Dad saw them, he didn’t say. He just perched on the edge of the bed.
“Have I told you that I’m proud of you?” Dad said.
“For what?”
“For the way you go after what you want.”
“Big deal,” Nathan said. “David doesn’t try at all, and he’s the one who beat you!”
“Some people are naturals, and some people have to work at it. Doesn’t mean they both can’t be good.”
“But I want to be great.”
“Are you mad at David because he’s a natural and you’re a worker?”
Nathan shook his head.
“Then who are you mad at?”
“Myself,” Nathan said.”
“Why?”
Nathan shrugged. He wanted to blurt out, “I want you to love me for what I do!”
Dad rifled his fingers through Nathan’s hair. “I love you, son,” he said. “Don’t take things so hard.”
Nathan pulled away. “Would you love me no matter what I did?” he said.
Dad looked a little surprised. “Of course.”
“Even if I robbed a bank, you’d love me?”
“Sure. I’d be angry. But I’d try to do what Jesus would do. Why are we talking about this?”
Nathan looked down at his shoes.
“Have you somehow gotten the idea I’m going to love you more if you play basketball?” Dad asked.
“That’s what Mom said.”
Dad’s eyebrows went up to his sweaty hairline. “What did she say?”
“She said if me or David got a basketball scholarship, you’d love us for it.”
A smile twitched at the corners of Dad’s mouth. “She only meant I would love it if you did that. She didn’t mean I’d love you any more or less.”
“But wouldn’t you be more proud of me if I was like Michael Jordan?”
“What’s that got to do with love?” Dad said.
Nathan didn’t answer.
“You know what?” Dad said. “I think you and I ought to do something together today besides play basketball.”
“Like what?”
“Go fishing—just you and me? What do you say?”
“What about David?” Nathan said.
Dad grinned. “David has a date with his snacks and the telephone. This is gonna be one-on-one, just a different kind.”
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And the score stands 13 to 10 with Dad in the lead. Nathan takes a jumper, he misses. Dad snags the rebound. He takes it back, he shoots—14 to 10! Nathan snatches the ball, tries a crossover. Dad steals it—he scores! It’s over! Dad, 15. Nathan, 10!”
Nathan ignored his older brother David’s commentary and tapped the basketball out of his father’s hand. He made a neat layup, softly hitting the backboard and swishing the net.
“Doesn’t count,” David said. “Dad already won.”
“I know,” Nathan said. He continued to dribble the ball. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his father wiping off his neck with a towel.
“You’re learning to get those rebounds,” Dad said.
“You oughta just let him take the ball after you score, Dad,” David said. “He might have half a chance that way.”
“No way!” Nathan said. “I gotta learn to play defense.”
“That’s right,” Dad said. He tossed the towel toward Nathan. He caught it but threw it on the grass.
“I don’t need it,” he said. “I’m not done practicing.”
“You’re crazy,” David said. “I’m gonna see what there is to eat.”
Dad snatched the towel and snapped it playfully at David’s leg. “Play me a game, Dave,” he said.
David shook his head. “Maybe later.”
“You could outplay me any day if you’d practice.”
“Later,” David said and disappeared into the house.
Nathan dribbled out to the three-point line and eyed the shot. Dad watched as he released the ball. It bounced hard against the backboard and rolled off into Mom’s azalea bushes.
“You know what you did wrong?” Dad asked.
Nathan nodded and went after the ball. When he came out of the bushes, Dad was still standing there.
“You’re getting better,” he said.
“You think I’ll ever be as good as you?” Nathan asked.
Dad only grinned. “Just keep practicing, son.”
Practice Makes Perfect
As his father went into the house, Nathan thought, Wonder what he meant by that? If I keep practicing, I might be as good as him? Or I will be?
Either way, it was something Nathan had to do.
Ever since he was little, he’d known his father was a star in high school and college. There were pictures and trophies all over the basement. A year ago, when he was 10, Nathan had asked why Dad didn’t become a big-time player. That’s when Nathan learned his father had suffered a knee injury, which kept him from competing again.
“Your father would love nothing more than for one of you boys to follow in his footsteps,” Mom had told Nathan. “If you or David were to get a basketball scholarship, he’d love you for it.”
Nathan thought about those words now as he imagined himself flying through the air, headed for a slam dunk. He’d never made one, although he’d watched his father and brother by the hour, hurling themselves at the basket, jumping high enough to shove the ball into the net.
Nathan had watched every basketball game on TV—really watched it. He even prayed that God would let him beat his father.
And it had to be fair and square. When Nathan first begged his father to teach him to play, Dad had said, “I will, but I’m going to teach you the right way. I’ll never let you win. If you ever do beat me, it’ll be fair and square.”
Nathan shook off the sweat and went for the basket.
His jump didn’t get him high enough to touch the rim, but at least he was in the net.
Later that night, Nathan lay on his bed.
He closed his eyes and whispered: “God, please would You help me be a great basketball player? I want Dad to love me for it.”
Even after praying, Nathan felt heavy inside.
If I can’t get my father to love me, he thought, how can I expect God to?
Friendly Competition
The next day Nathan woke up early as usual. The minute his shoes were tied, he was on the driveway warming up. An hour later, David came out, lazily scratching his chest and squinting at his brother.
“You really are crazy, you know that?” he said.
Dad appeared in the doorway, grinning. “You gonna let him give you a hard time, Nathan?”
Nathan shrugged and kept dribbling.
“I sure wouldn’t,” Dad said.
David’s eye twinkled. “What would you do if I gave you a hard time?”
“I’d challenge you to some one-on-one,” Dad said.
David laughed.
“Let’s go.”
“Aw, man,” David groaned.
“Let’s see the ball,” Dad said.
Reluctantly, Nathan tossed it to him. Dad dribbled and waited for David to join him on the three-point line.
“You’ll need to get off the court, Nathan,” Dad said. “I might mow you down.”
Nathan felt as if a bee had just stung him. He moved off the court and slumped down on the grass.
“You gonna be the sportscaster?” Dad asked.
Nathan shrugged.
Dad took a shot and made it. David checked it up, and the game was on. When Dad made his first layup, Nathan didn’t say anything. David took up the commentary.
“Dad makes his first shot. A one-pointer. But he misses a jumper. David rebounds, takes it back and comes in for the kill. He charges the basket. It’s . . . a . . . slam . . . dunk. The score stands one to one!”
“Come on, Dad!” Nathan yelled. “Don’t let him score again!”
But David did score. And then Dad did. Then David again.
They played for 10 minutes. Through it all, David kept “announcing,” but Dad kept his focus on the ball. By the time the score stood 14 to 14, Dad’s shirt was soaked and his face was red. David wasn’t breathing hard at all.
“Next basket wins,” David said in a low voice. Dad dribbled a perfect crossover and broke for the hoop. But David blocked the shot, grabbed the ball and sank a pretty fadeaway jumper.
“That’s the game!” David cried. “The kid takes it, 15 to 14!”
Dad grinned and leaned over, pressing his hands on his knees. Nathan could see his chest heaving.
Getting the Point
Nathan’s chest was doing some heaving of its own. Before the tears could make their way up his throat, Nathan scrambled into the house. He barely made it to his bedroom.
Dad found him there a few minutes later. When he heard him at the door, Nathan quickly sat up and smeared the tears from his face. If Dad saw them, he didn’t say. He just perched on the edge of the bed.
“Have I told you that I’m proud of you?” Dad said.
“For what?”
“For the way you go after what you want.”
“Big deal,” Nathan said. “David doesn’t try at all, and he’s the one who beat you!”
“Some people are naturals, and some people have to work at it. Doesn’t mean they both can’t be good.”
“But I want to be great.”
“Are you mad at David because he’s a natural and you’re a worker?”
Nathan shook his head.
“Then who are you mad at?”
“Myself,” Nathan said.”
“Why?”
Nathan shrugged. He wanted to blurt out, “I want you to love me for what I do!”
Dad rifled his fingers through Nathan’s hair. “I love you, son,” he said. “Don’t take things so hard.”
Nathan pulled away. “Would you love me no matter what I did?” he said.
Dad looked a little surprised. “Of course.”
“Even if I robbed a bank, you’d love me?”
“Sure. I’d be angry. But I’d try to do what Jesus would do. Why are we talking about this?”
Nathan looked down at his shoes.
“Have you somehow gotten the idea I’m going to love you more if you play basketball?” Dad asked.
“That’s what Mom said.”
Dad’s eyebrows went up to his sweaty hairline. “What did she say?”
“She said if me or David got a basketball scholarship, you’d love us for it.”
A smile twitched at the corners of Dad’s mouth. “She only meant I would love it if you did that. She didn’t mean I’d love you any more or less.”
“But wouldn’t you be more proud of me if I was like Michael Jordan?”
“What’s that got to do with love?” Dad said.
Nathan didn’t answer.
“You know what?” Dad said. “I think you and I ought to do something together today besides play basketball.”
“Like what?”
“Go fishing—just you and me? What do you say?”
“What about David?” Nathan said.
Dad grinned. “David has a date with his snacks and the telephone. This is gonna be one-on-one, just a different kind.”
Copyright © 2005 Focus on the Family.
All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
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Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Winning is a by product of Arete
1. Questionable, unsportsmanlike tactics employed to influence the odds of winning are never worth the price in loss of self-respect.
2. Degrading remarks or actions aimed at spurring players on to greater effort may bring temporary success but results in long-range failure.
3. Anger is poor substitute for reason.
4. Your players tend to ecom what they believe you think they are.
5. Teenagers, by nature, are idealistic.
6. Attitudes such as jealousy and discontent among players are often nurtured by well-meaning adults whose eyes are set only upon the glamorous aspects of winning.
7. Patience and love are the most powerful tools in coaching.
8. Today's heartbreaks turn into tomorrow's strengths.
9. Gracefully accept unfortunate events beyond your control.
10. Work hard to influence the outcome of importatt things within your control.
11. Never "second-guess" yourself on decisions made with integrity, intelligence and with a glance from the heart.
12. The most essential thing in coaching, and a coach's greatest challenge, is to teach players to never give up!
--Coach Wilbur Braithwaite
2. Degrading remarks or actions aimed at spurring players on to greater effort may bring temporary success but results in long-range failure.
3. Anger is poor substitute for reason.
4. Your players tend to ecom what they believe you think they are.
5. Teenagers, by nature, are idealistic.
6. Attitudes such as jealousy and discontent among players are often nurtured by well-meaning adults whose eyes are set only upon the glamorous aspects of winning.
7. Patience and love are the most powerful tools in coaching.
8. Today's heartbreaks turn into tomorrow's strengths.
9. Gracefully accept unfortunate events beyond your control.
10. Work hard to influence the outcome of importatt things within your control.
11. Never "second-guess" yourself on decisions made with integrity, intelligence and with a glance from the heart.
12. The most essential thing in coaching, and a coach's greatest challenge, is to teach players to never give up!
--Coach Wilbur Braithwaite
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
How to be a Champion
You wonder how they do it and
you look to see the knack,
You watch the foot in action
or shoulder or the back,
But when you spot the answer
where the higher glamors works
You'll find in moving higher
up the laurel covered spire,
That most of it is practice
and the rest of it is work.
you look to see the knack,
You watch the foot in action
or shoulder or the back,
But when you spot the answer
where the higher glamors works
You'll find in moving higher
up the laurel covered spire,
That most of it is practice
and the rest of it is work.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
got rock? Poems, basketball poems, inspirational poems, motivational poems
Check out more cool basketball poems here
got rock
Poems, basketball poems, inspirational poems, motivational poems
Should the waves of life come crashing down,
and there's fear and trembling beneath that frown,
Don't worry what others may say or mock,
Think of the limpet stuck to the rock.
Under 1,000's and 1,000's of waves each day,
The limpet's not worried if he'll be okay
For his faith isn't based on the size of the sea,
And if the next wave might knock him free.
He's just a sea creature who's stuck to a rock.
How can this apply to our own Christian walk?
Well, we have a Rock that we can cling to,
When life's little problems seem too big to chew.
And our Rock is more solid than any you'll find,
And you can ask Him to help you---He really won't mind.
so where do you find Him, home much does He cost?
You couldn't possibly buy Him and He's never been lost.
Our Rock's name is Jesus, It's not quite the same.
He's there cause He loves you and He's calling your name.
got rock
Poems, basketball poems, inspirational poems, motivational poems
Should the waves of life come crashing down,
and there's fear and trembling beneath that frown,
Don't worry what others may say or mock,
Think of the limpet stuck to the rock.
Under 1,000's and 1,000's of waves each day,
The limpet's not worried if he'll be okay
For his faith isn't based on the size of the sea,
And if the next wave might knock him free.
He's just a sea creature who's stuck to a rock.
How can this apply to our own Christian walk?
Well, we have a Rock that we can cling to,
When life's little problems seem too big to chew.
And our Rock is more solid than any you'll find,
And you can ask Him to help you---He really won't mind.
so where do you find Him, home much does He cost?
You couldn't possibly buy Him and He's never been lost.
Our Rock's name is Jesus, It's not quite the same.
He's there cause He loves you and He's calling your name.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
basketball basics - 101
The Basics!
Basketball players move a ball on a court by dribbling, passing, and shooting. Points are scored when a player shoots the ball through the hoop. A basket (or field goal) counts as either two or three points, and free throws count one point each. The team scoring the greater number of points in the allotted time wins the game.
What's Needed?
A basketball, basketball sneakers, socks, shorts, and matching jersey.
How long is a game?
A basketball game is generally divided into two halves, each ranging from twelve to twenty-four minutes (depending on the league). Many youth leagues play four quarters (as does the National Basketball Association). Play starts with a “jump ball” at center court. After each quarter (or at halftime) teams switch sides. Each team is permitted a certain number of time-outs per half (again depending on league rules). If a game ends in a tie, overtime periods of up to five minutes are usually played until one team outscores the other to win.
Great Shot
Jump Shot - A shot performed while jumping in the air in which the ball is released at the highest point off the ground. It is often used when shooting over a defender trying to block the ball.
Lay-up - Describes when a player moves to the hoop with the ball, steps up toward the rim, and rolls the ball off his or her fingertips into the basket.
Bank Shot - A shot in which the ball first touches the backboard before it goes into the hoop. A player will often try a bank shot when shooting from a difficult angle.
Dunk (or Jam) - A player jumps in the air and slams the ball into the basket.
Hook Shot - A one-handed shot usually taken from near or inside the key. The shooter faces sideways to the hoop and arcs the ball over the defending player.
Free Throw - A free shot taken from the foul line as the result of a foul. If a player is fouled while in the act of shooting the ball and misses the shot, he or she is given two free throws. If the shooter is fouled but makes the basket then only one free throw is taken. Also, if a non-shooting player is fouled and the opposing team is over its limit of “team fouls,” the fouled player goes to the line to shoot a “one-and-one.”
Let's Get Personal!
Personal Foul - Called when illegal body contact occurs between opposing player. Common examples are holding, charging, tripping, blocking, pushing, or interference. A personal foul results in either a player taking free throws or a team losing possession of the ball.
Charging - Called when a player moving with the ball runs into a defender who has established a set guarding position. Possession of the ball goes to the defense.
Blocking - A defensive player may not stand in the way of a dribbling player unless that defender has established a legal guarding stance.
Technical Foul - Called against any player or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct such as swearing or arguing with a referee. A technical foul awards the other team at least one free throw and possession of the ball. If a player or coach receives two technical fouls, he or she is removed from the game.
Three-second Violation - An offensive player without the ball may not stand in the free-throw lane for more than three seconds. Infraction of this rule results in a “turnover.”
Five-second Rule - A closely guarded player holding the ball has five seconds to either pass or advance the ball toward the hoop. When called, possession of the ball goes to the opposite team.
Ten-second Rule - After an “inbound,” offensive players have ten seconds to move the ball from their own “backcourt,” over the midcourt line into their “frontcourt.”
Backcourt Violation - An offensive player with the ball may not cross back over the half-court line once he or she has advanced the ball beyond midcourt. Doing so results in a turnover.
Inbound Violation - Players have five seconds to inbound the ball. If unable to do so the ball goes to the other team.
special thanks to Manhattanville College good luck this season!http://govaliants.com/
Basketball players move a ball on a court by dribbling, passing, and shooting. Points are scored when a player shoots the ball through the hoop. A basket (or field goal) counts as either two or three points, and free throws count one point each. The team scoring the greater number of points in the allotted time wins the game.
What's Needed?
A basketball, basketball sneakers, socks, shorts, and matching jersey.
How long is a game?
A basketball game is generally divided into two halves, each ranging from twelve to twenty-four minutes (depending on the league). Many youth leagues play four quarters (as does the National Basketball Association). Play starts with a “jump ball” at center court. After each quarter (or at halftime) teams switch sides. Each team is permitted a certain number of time-outs per half (again depending on league rules). If a game ends in a tie, overtime periods of up to five minutes are usually played until one team outscores the other to win.
Great Shot
Jump Shot - A shot performed while jumping in the air in which the ball is released at the highest point off the ground. It is often used when shooting over a defender trying to block the ball.
Lay-up - Describes when a player moves to the hoop with the ball, steps up toward the rim, and rolls the ball off his or her fingertips into the basket.
Bank Shot - A shot in which the ball first touches the backboard before it goes into the hoop. A player will often try a bank shot when shooting from a difficult angle.
Dunk (or Jam) - A player jumps in the air and slams the ball into the basket.
Hook Shot - A one-handed shot usually taken from near or inside the key. The shooter faces sideways to the hoop and arcs the ball over the defending player.
Free Throw - A free shot taken from the foul line as the result of a foul. If a player is fouled while in the act of shooting the ball and misses the shot, he or she is given two free throws. If the shooter is fouled but makes the basket then only one free throw is taken. Also, if a non-shooting player is fouled and the opposing team is over its limit of “team fouls,” the fouled player goes to the line to shoot a “one-and-one.”
Let's Get Personal!
Personal Foul - Called when illegal body contact occurs between opposing player. Common examples are holding, charging, tripping, blocking, pushing, or interference. A personal foul results in either a player taking free throws or a team losing possession of the ball.
Charging - Called when a player moving with the ball runs into a defender who has established a set guarding position. Possession of the ball goes to the defense.
Blocking - A defensive player may not stand in the way of a dribbling player unless that defender has established a legal guarding stance.
Technical Foul - Called against any player or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct such as swearing or arguing with a referee. A technical foul awards the other team at least one free throw and possession of the ball. If a player or coach receives two technical fouls, he or she is removed from the game.
Three-second Violation - An offensive player without the ball may not stand in the free-throw lane for more than three seconds. Infraction of this rule results in a “turnover.”
Five-second Rule - A closely guarded player holding the ball has five seconds to either pass or advance the ball toward the hoop. When called, possession of the ball goes to the opposite team.
Ten-second Rule - After an “inbound,” offensive players have ten seconds to move the ball from their own “backcourt,” over the midcourt line into their “frontcourt.”
Backcourt Violation - An offensive player with the ball may not cross back over the half-court line once he or she has advanced the ball beyond midcourt. Doing so results in a turnover.
Inbound Violation - Players have five seconds to inbound the ball. If unable to do so the ball goes to the other team.
special thanks to Manhattanville College good luck this season!http://govaliants.com/
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
back to school
back to school, back to school supplies, back to school ideas, going back to school
Everything you wanted and more what to give this year for back to school, back to school supplies, back to school ideas, going back to school
It's that time of year of again! When the stores start getting stocked with all kinds of crazy school supplies, and everyone is talking about school time again!
We here at Sacred Hoops want you rather your a kid, a parent, or a teacher to have a great transition to the new school year!
Let's start off with a few things to know about back to school, back to school ideas, back to school supplies, back to school transition, back to school health and so much more!
The new and cool things to get or do this summer:
1. got to get a new pair of nikes!
2. got to get a some new styling jeans
3. got to get a books! books are in this year, and you must read them!
4. got to get a computer...though it's not a must. It's the most pratical idea to get.
5. got to get healthy
What not to get before this school year
1. don't get a new ipod...they are sort of out.
2. don't get sucked into the old school comeback game systems...just wait until the new and better comes out!
3. don't get new lunch box or anything...brown baggin it back in!
4. don't get stuck with the hectic and crazy pace...take time!
5. don't get all caught up in trends...be your own person!
Now, for teachers check out some of these cool games and icebreakers for you. To help you get to know your students better, and getting back to school flow again!
What are you waiting for check these awesome icebreakers here!
Stay healthy, check out back to school great tips for all to help you watch your weight and stay healthy.
Sometimes there is fear, scared, and anxiety with kids of all ages going back to school. Rather they are on there way to college, middle school, high school, or maybe just there first day of school point! Here are some great tips tha we hav for you as parents and children to try!
1. Start a tradiation together to do every year a new school year starts. (such as.. before school starts is going to visit the school and talking with any teachers that may be around)
2. Make sure they get plenty of rest the night before the first day of school...sometimes it might mean for them to take a tylenol to help them rest better.
3. Have a prayer at the pole for you kids. Take your kid or kids and go to there school and pray with them and for them at the pole! Why not start the school year off with prayer we couldn't think of any better way!
4. Help them get organized and there classes down! structure, organization, repeat, plan, and repeat!
5. Get them in a normal day routine. Rather it's a routine with breakfast every morning which would be a great routine. Routine of afterschool activities, or whatever it is..if it's just a normal routine. It helps kids do better in school to have a solid scheduled routine that they can get a hang of!
Featured store of the week
Shop TheSportsAuthority.com for Basketball Gear!
You'll find the greatest basketballs for any player, and we all know
that the basketball presaeason is starting soon! Throw in an goal,
basket, and a great pair of shoes and get the hoops working today!
Everything you wanted and more what to give this year for back to school, back to school supplies, back to school ideas, going back to school
It's that time of year of again! When the stores start getting stocked with all kinds of crazy school supplies, and everyone is talking about school time again!
We here at Sacred Hoops want you rather your a kid, a parent, or a teacher to have a great transition to the new school year!
Let's start off with a few things to know about back to school, back to school ideas, back to school supplies, back to school transition, back to school health and so much more!
The new and cool things to get or do this summer:
1. got to get a new pair of nikes!
2. got to get a some new styling jeans
3. got to get a books! books are in this year, and you must read them!
4. got to get a computer...though it's not a must. It's the most pratical idea to get.
5. got to get healthy
What not to get before this school year
1. don't get a new ipod...they are sort of out.
2. don't get sucked into the old school comeback game systems...just wait until the new and better comes out!
3. don't get new lunch box or anything...brown baggin it back in!
4. don't get stuck with the hectic and crazy pace...take time!
5. don't get all caught up in trends...be your own person!
Now, for teachers check out some of these cool games and icebreakers for you. To help you get to know your students better, and getting back to school flow again!
What are you waiting for check these awesome icebreakers here!
Stay healthy, check out back to school great tips for all to help you watch your weight and stay healthy.
Sometimes there is fear, scared, and anxiety with kids of all ages going back to school. Rather they are on there way to college, middle school, high school, or maybe just there first day of school point! Here are some great tips tha we hav for you as parents and children to try!
1. Start a tradiation together to do every year a new school year starts. (such as.. before school starts is going to visit the school and talking with any teachers that may be around)
2. Make sure they get plenty of rest the night before the first day of school...sometimes it might mean for them to take a tylenol to help them rest better.
3. Have a prayer at the pole for you kids. Take your kid or kids and go to there school and pray with them and for them at the pole! Why not start the school year off with prayer we couldn't think of any better way!
4. Help them get organized and there classes down! structure, organization, repeat, plan, and repeat!
5. Get them in a normal day routine. Rather it's a routine with breakfast every morning which would be a great routine. Routine of afterschool activities, or whatever it is..if it's just a normal routine. It helps kids do better in school to have a solid scheduled routine that they can get a hang of!
Featured store of the week
Shop TheSportsAuthority.com for Basketball Gear!
You'll find the greatest basketballs for any player, and we all know
that the basketball presaeason is starting soon! Throw in an goal,
basket, and a great pair of shoes and get the hoops working today!
Don't be a benchwarmer! Get in the game this Christmas with Official NBA headwear from lids.com Basketball Caps.
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Shop for great Basketball fan gear here! Fogdog Sports carries a
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jumper and block along the way with Fogdog's exclusive NBA event
merchandise.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Easy Guides To Choose Different Sport Shoes
Easy Guides To Choose Different Sport Shoes
Wearing the right shoes is an important aspect of foot health. Better to be careful when choosing shoes. If you buy wrong shoes it can cause foot problems. Even though, that doesn’t mean the right shoes can correct your problem. It can only prevent problem on your foot.
If you like sports -- basketball, golf or just walking -- choose the best shoes. Bad shoes can lead not only to foot and ankle problems, but leg, hip, and even back pain as well. That's because alignment begins with your feet and moves up to influence the rest of your body.
Sure there are other activities you do during your life time. Starting with walking around the house or traveling to work or maybe doing exercise and other activities, there are always shoes for all situations. Each shoe has their own characteristic such as look, feel, smell and how the shoes react to you, the wearer.
Here are some checklists you need to know when buying shoes.
* Check the shoes closely by touching it.
* Check whether the soles is strong and flexible when gripping the surface
* Insoles should be cushioned to absorb the jolts of walking on hard surfaces.
* Arch supports distribute weight over a wider area.
* Shoes made of leather are best because leather breathe like skin and mold to your foot.
* Don’t buy shoes if not comfortable.
* Don't plan on shoes stretching with wear.
* Try shoes for both feet. Each foot is often different size.
* Do shoes shopping at the end of the day because feet swell to their largest at that time. That’s why always buy shoes for the biggest foot.
* Size depends on shoe make and style, too. Don't insist you always wear one size if the next feels better.
* The heel should fit snugly and the instep should not gape open.
If you already know what you should do before buying shoes, another thing you have to consider is deciding which shoes for what occasion. Obviously you would not play tennis wearing your high heel dress shoes, right?
Here are some of the shoes that most people would have:
1. Dress shoes: This include dress boot, bridal shoes, prom shoes etc. You can wear dress shoes to formal occasion such as to a dinner, job interview or school event. At least you need one pair of dress shoes, specially the simple traditional dressy shoe which is a mid height heel at about 2.5 or 3 inches high, black and opened toe.
2. Casual Shoes: This includes sneaker, sandal, boot, etc. This is for more relax occasion. It can be any shoes with various colors, style and for any occasion. This shoe is more reflecting your taste, your favorite colors and your interests. Casual shoes can be inexpensive, since it is made of different material, not merely leather. The color is so various, that you can choose what ever color you like. You can wear it for shopping, relaxing, to cinema etc.
3. Athletic Shoes: It includes all sport shoes. There are so many brands that you can choose, but there are a few brand which specialize in sport footwear such as Adidas. You wear athletic shoes during your exercise, jogging, walking, running and other sport activities. However, currently there are some people also consider this type of shoes as casual shoes, so they wear it everyday for their activity. That’s okay too.
Shoes not only influence how others perceive you but they also influence how you views yourself. From the style you chooses and how well you are maintained, people can determine the stock your places on their appearance. Show yourself that you are a classy person by wearing the right shoes!
About The Author
Diana Claire lifelong for footwear led her became footwear reviewer. Visit her Website http://www.basketballshoes101.info.
Wearing the right shoes is an important aspect of foot health. Better to be careful when choosing shoes. If you buy wrong shoes it can cause foot problems. Even though, that doesn’t mean the right shoes can correct your problem. It can only prevent problem on your foot.
If you like sports -- basketball, golf or just walking -- choose the best shoes. Bad shoes can lead not only to foot and ankle problems, but leg, hip, and even back pain as well. That's because alignment begins with your feet and moves up to influence the rest of your body.
Sure there are other activities you do during your life time. Starting with walking around the house or traveling to work or maybe doing exercise and other activities, there are always shoes for all situations. Each shoe has their own characteristic such as look, feel, smell and how the shoes react to you, the wearer.
Here are some checklists you need to know when buying shoes.
* Check the shoes closely by touching it.
* Check whether the soles is strong and flexible when gripping the surface
* Insoles should be cushioned to absorb the jolts of walking on hard surfaces.
* Arch supports distribute weight over a wider area.
* Shoes made of leather are best because leather breathe like skin and mold to your foot.
* Don’t buy shoes if not comfortable.
* Don't plan on shoes stretching with wear.
* Try shoes for both feet. Each foot is often different size.
* Do shoes shopping at the end of the day because feet swell to their largest at that time. That’s why always buy shoes for the biggest foot.
* Size depends on shoe make and style, too. Don't insist you always wear one size if the next feels better.
* The heel should fit snugly and the instep should not gape open.
If you already know what you should do before buying shoes, another thing you have to consider is deciding which shoes for what occasion. Obviously you would not play tennis wearing your high heel dress shoes, right?
Here are some of the shoes that most people would have:
1. Dress shoes: This include dress boot, bridal shoes, prom shoes etc. You can wear dress shoes to formal occasion such as to a dinner, job interview or school event. At least you need one pair of dress shoes, specially the simple traditional dressy shoe which is a mid height heel at about 2.5 or 3 inches high, black and opened toe.
2. Casual Shoes: This includes sneaker, sandal, boot, etc. This is for more relax occasion. It can be any shoes with various colors, style and for any occasion. This shoe is more reflecting your taste, your favorite colors and your interests. Casual shoes can be inexpensive, since it is made of different material, not merely leather. The color is so various, that you can choose what ever color you like. You can wear it for shopping, relaxing, to cinema etc.
3. Athletic Shoes: It includes all sport shoes. There are so many brands that you can choose, but there are a few brand which specialize in sport footwear such as Adidas. You wear athletic shoes during your exercise, jogging, walking, running and other sport activities. However, currently there are some people also consider this type of shoes as casual shoes, so they wear it everyday for their activity. That’s okay too.
Shoes not only influence how others perceive you but they also influence how you views yourself. From the style you chooses and how well you are maintained, people can determine the stock your places on their appearance. Show yourself that you are a classy person by wearing the right shoes!
About The Author
Diana Claire lifelong for footwear led her became footwear reviewer. Visit her Website http://www.basketballshoes101.info.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Sports Supplement
Sports Supplement
Sports Supplement – what is it?
We are all aware of what is a nutrition or diet supplement, but what is a sports supplement? A sport supplement is a subcategory of nutrition supplements. The sports supplement is associated with rising sport results, intensifying training, lowering the consequences like muscle pane, etc. Many athletes use some type of sports supplement or supplements, but if you are an athlete you need to be careful as some of the chemicals used in production of supplements or some of the supplements themselves can be on the banned substance list.
Sports Supplement – caffeine.
Caffeine is an example of a sports supplement. Athletes have used caffeine for a long time as it helps them to stay alert and improve endurance. A good thing about caffeine is that there was a lot of research done about it. According to many sport researchers, caffeine supplements claim that caffeine improves athletic performance, increases energy, delays fatigue, improves fat burning, and enhances body fat loss.
Sports Supplement – protein.
Protein is another example of a sports supplement. According to many athletes, high protein diets help to increase muscle mass and gain strength. Unfortunately there is no scientific proof of that nowadays. Protein supplements claim that protein supports muscle growth, increases muscle strength and mass, improves recovery, etc. Again, no research is available to prove these claims.
Sports Supplement – creatine.
Creatine is yet another example of a sports supplement. According to many sport researchers, creatine supplements seem to enable muscles to work harder before becoming fatigued. Creatine supplements claim that creatine improves high power performance of short duration, increases muscle mass, delays fatigue. If you are an athlete, you need to be careful about using creatine sports supplements as there is very little research regarding safety of creatine.
About the Author
Additional interesting content
at www.nutritional-supplement-4u.com
Sports Supplement – what is it?
We are all aware of what is a nutrition or diet supplement, but what is a sports supplement? A sport supplement is a subcategory of nutrition supplements. The sports supplement is associated with rising sport results, intensifying training, lowering the consequences like muscle pane, etc. Many athletes use some type of sports supplement or supplements, but if you are an athlete you need to be careful as some of the chemicals used in production of supplements or some of the supplements themselves can be on the banned substance list.
Sports Supplement – caffeine.
Caffeine is an example of a sports supplement. Athletes have used caffeine for a long time as it helps them to stay alert and improve endurance. A good thing about caffeine is that there was a lot of research done about it. According to many sport researchers, caffeine supplements claim that caffeine improves athletic performance, increases energy, delays fatigue, improves fat burning, and enhances body fat loss.
Sports Supplement – protein.
Protein is another example of a sports supplement. According to many athletes, high protein diets help to increase muscle mass and gain strength. Unfortunately there is no scientific proof of that nowadays. Protein supplements claim that protein supports muscle growth, increases muscle strength and mass, improves recovery, etc. Again, no research is available to prove these claims.
Sports Supplement – creatine.
Creatine is yet another example of a sports supplement. According to many sport researchers, creatine supplements seem to enable muscles to work harder before becoming fatigued. Creatine supplements claim that creatine improves high power performance of short duration, increases muscle mass, delays fatigue. If you are an athlete, you need to be careful about using creatine sports supplements as there is very little research regarding safety of creatine.
About the Author
Additional interesting content
at www.nutritional-supplement-4u.com
Sunday, July 10, 2005
The Origins Of Basketball
The Origins Of Basketball
Do you know the origin of basketball?
The origins of the game of basketball can be traced back to a gentleman by the name of Dr. James Naismith. In 1861, Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada. During his early school days, Naismith would play a game called duck on a rock whereby the child would endeavor to knock the duck off the top of the rock with a toss of another rock.
Later on, Naismith would go on to McGill University in Montreal and would later become McGill University's Athletic Director. He would subsequently move on to YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts and in 1891, the game of basketball began.
Given the cold Massachusetts winters, Naismith needed to find a recreational activity that could be played indoors and he preferred a sport that would develop skill and one that was not exclusively relying on strength. The first game was played with two peach baskets for goals and a soccer ball.
Further to his credit, Naismith became a medical doctor specializing in sports physiology and a Presbyterian minister. Naismith was able to see his beloved sport of basketball, gain acceptance in numerous countries through the YMCA since 1893. As well, the sport of basketball was brought forth at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. As we speak, the game of basketball has become a very popular professional sport.
About The Author
Catherine Kenyeres is a freelance writer and publisher for http://www.best-4u-tickets.com. Catherine has written numerous articles for the sports enthusiast.
Do you know the origin of basketball?
The origins of the game of basketball can be traced back to a gentleman by the name of Dr. James Naismith. In 1861, Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada. During his early school days, Naismith would play a game called duck on a rock whereby the child would endeavor to knock the duck off the top of the rock with a toss of another rock.
Later on, Naismith would go on to McGill University in Montreal and would later become McGill University's Athletic Director. He would subsequently move on to YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts and in 1891, the game of basketball began.
Given the cold Massachusetts winters, Naismith needed to find a recreational activity that could be played indoors and he preferred a sport that would develop skill and one that was not exclusively relying on strength. The first game was played with two peach baskets for goals and a soccer ball.
Further to his credit, Naismith became a medical doctor specializing in sports physiology and a Presbyterian minister. Naismith was able to see his beloved sport of basketball, gain acceptance in numerous countries through the YMCA since 1893. As well, the sport of basketball was brought forth at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. As we speak, the game of basketball has become a very popular professional sport.
About The Author
Catherine Kenyeres is a freelance writer and publisher for http://www.best-4u-tickets.com. Catherine has written numerous articles for the sports enthusiast.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Viewing the Journey as the Reward in Sports and Spirituality
Viewing the Journey as the Reward in Sports and Spirituality
Whether you are a gifted athlete, a weekend warrior, or one who simply enjoys reading the Sunday Sports section, you will enjoy Spirituality of Sport: Balancing Body and Soul (St. Anthony Messenger Press, January 2004, paperback, 137 pages) by Dr. Susan Saint Sing. Saint Sing, a gifted athlete and inspirational coach, shares her own story of tests and triumphs as she shares her thoughts on the important connection between mind, body and soul inherent in all play.
In this wonderful book, Saint Sing shares stories of heroism and championship – both her own and those of many other talented people. I loved this book for its emphasis on the fact that one’s journey in life is to be fully embraced and revered – that the reward comes not from winning the medal or having the fastest time, but from that wonderful connection of spirit, soul and body that gives glory to our Creator through our every action. As a back of the pack jogger, I don’t run the race to win – I run to give glory to God through my participation, counting the blessings that give me the good health to participate and to share the day with those around me. I was enthralled by Spirituality of Sport and am pleased to share the following interview with author and Olympian Susan Saint Sing.
Q: Please tell our readers a bit about your background and your own personal faith journey.
A: This would take pages, but briefly, I am from a small mountain town of Berwick PA. It had great sports teams and I was lucky enough to have had great coaches and friends and very supportive parents. My brother Bobby and I played catch and football and shot arrows, water-skied, hiked, snow skied for our entire growing-up years. This stuck with me through high school and college athletics - later led me into coaching.
If there was one pivotal moment for me spiritually, it was when I broke my neck and back in a gymnastics accident. It changed me. Also, I had a deep religious conversion at a prayer group at Penn State - Bread of Life. Two wonderful priests, Leopold and Joe were terrific spiritual guides for us, and I later went to Assisi, Italy - because of my love of St. Francis, and there I met Fr. Murray Bodo and Damian Isabel, who welcomed me as “Brother Susie” into their pilgrimage experience. I have been a lay Franciscan for over 20 years.
Parallel to this experience, I participated in sports and sport writing and coaching and pursued rowing to the highest level of the US National Rowing Team, in 1993. I also coached at Xavier University, Kent, and Penn State where we won a national championship. My athletes inspire me, and I consider it my privilege to coach them.
Q: What is the major premise of the book and what prompted you to write on this topic?
A: The premise is sport and spirituality. The book takes personal accounts of deeply spiritual moments in sport that contributed to athlete’s insights, faith, and Olympic experience. These insights are related to the reader in a non-religious manner - that is to say no one would be offended, as no religion per se is being “pushed” - just the spiritual nature of play, games, and sport.
Q: You discuss the Greek concept of “arête” - how does this sense of balance of body, mind and spirit translate to athleticism and to spirituality?
A: It is a very ancient concept of grace and beauty in strength. I think this quality is lost sometimes in sport in our headlong pursuit of winning, or money. If one pursues excellence Рar̻te - then you win more than just a medal.
Q: You describe sport as, "a communion, a sacramentality in several layers", and yet many of the serious athletes with whom I'm acquainted shun formal religion. Why is this sometimes the case? How do you blend the two and how does sport enhance your own spirituality?
A: I don’t think the numbers of athletes that shun formal religion are any greater than any other group of society. Some people just are into religion or any structured worship at all. But for me sport is an extension of the beauty of creation - it can be the perfection of the physical creation, and that is what inspires me.
Q: For those who are not seriously athletic (or even couch potatoes?), how can participating in a physical discipline enhance one's spiritual life? How can someone who is not exercise oriented develop a regimen of balance of physical and spiritual activity?
A: Well there are many physical activities even a “couch potato” can enjoy—such as yoga, or reading about mountain climbing (a particular hobby of mine), walking, gardening, bird watching - all of these can be deeply satisfying life-time activities that bring one closer to nature and to fun - the essence of play.
Q: How do you make time for both prayer and activity with your busy schedule?
A: I meditate at night—usually when the world is quiet and still, I play my guitar. During the evening I try to walk on the beach.
Q: What message would you hope that readers would take away from their experience of reading your book?
A: I wrote the book hoping to share my privileged insights from the World Championships with others who might never get there. The journey to the Worlds was my reward - and I try to encourage others, especially young athletes to follow their journey and recognize it as the reward itself - rather than seeking only medals and fame.
Q: How can we, as families, teach our children to love and glorify God through play and through their experience of nature?
A: In the book I talk about this and, in my opinion, play is the essence of freedom and we are to play without fear, at the feet of our Father. I think if parents and kids can play games together, go on hikes, fish, whatever avenue your family enjoys as play, is a great way to make good friendships, enjoy being outside, be active. I think there might be too much emphasis on structured youth sports - to where the element of fun and spontaneity - like just going outside and shooting hoops - is lost because people are on the move in vans going to the next practice.
About the Author
Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous web sites, including http://www.catholicmom.com and http://www.christiancoloring.com, and an avid reader of Catholic literature. Visit her at http://www.lisahendey.com for more information.
Whether you are a gifted athlete, a weekend warrior, or one who simply enjoys reading the Sunday Sports section, you will enjoy Spirituality of Sport: Balancing Body and Soul (St. Anthony Messenger Press, January 2004, paperback, 137 pages) by Dr. Susan Saint Sing. Saint Sing, a gifted athlete and inspirational coach, shares her own story of tests and triumphs as she shares her thoughts on the important connection between mind, body and soul inherent in all play.
In this wonderful book, Saint Sing shares stories of heroism and championship – both her own and those of many other talented people. I loved this book for its emphasis on the fact that one’s journey in life is to be fully embraced and revered – that the reward comes not from winning the medal or having the fastest time, but from that wonderful connection of spirit, soul and body that gives glory to our Creator through our every action. As a back of the pack jogger, I don’t run the race to win – I run to give glory to God through my participation, counting the blessings that give me the good health to participate and to share the day with those around me. I was enthralled by Spirituality of Sport and am pleased to share the following interview with author and Olympian Susan Saint Sing.
Q: Please tell our readers a bit about your background and your own personal faith journey.
A: This would take pages, but briefly, I am from a small mountain town of Berwick PA. It had great sports teams and I was lucky enough to have had great coaches and friends and very supportive parents. My brother Bobby and I played catch and football and shot arrows, water-skied, hiked, snow skied for our entire growing-up years. This stuck with me through high school and college athletics - later led me into coaching.
If there was one pivotal moment for me spiritually, it was when I broke my neck and back in a gymnastics accident. It changed me. Also, I had a deep religious conversion at a prayer group at Penn State - Bread of Life. Two wonderful priests, Leopold and Joe were terrific spiritual guides for us, and I later went to Assisi, Italy - because of my love of St. Francis, and there I met Fr. Murray Bodo and Damian Isabel, who welcomed me as “Brother Susie” into their pilgrimage experience. I have been a lay Franciscan for over 20 years.
Parallel to this experience, I participated in sports and sport writing and coaching and pursued rowing to the highest level of the US National Rowing Team, in 1993. I also coached at Xavier University, Kent, and Penn State where we won a national championship. My athletes inspire me, and I consider it my privilege to coach them.
Q: What is the major premise of the book and what prompted you to write on this topic?
A: The premise is sport and spirituality. The book takes personal accounts of deeply spiritual moments in sport that contributed to athlete’s insights, faith, and Olympic experience. These insights are related to the reader in a non-religious manner - that is to say no one would be offended, as no religion per se is being “pushed” - just the spiritual nature of play, games, and sport.
Q: You discuss the Greek concept of “arête” - how does this sense of balance of body, mind and spirit translate to athleticism and to spirituality?
A: It is a very ancient concept of grace and beauty in strength. I think this quality is lost sometimes in sport in our headlong pursuit of winning, or money. If one pursues excellence Рar̻te - then you win more than just a medal.
Q: You describe sport as, "a communion, a sacramentality in several layers", and yet many of the serious athletes with whom I'm acquainted shun formal religion. Why is this sometimes the case? How do you blend the two and how does sport enhance your own spirituality?
A: I don’t think the numbers of athletes that shun formal religion are any greater than any other group of society. Some people just are into religion or any structured worship at all. But for me sport is an extension of the beauty of creation - it can be the perfection of the physical creation, and that is what inspires me.
Q: For those who are not seriously athletic (or even couch potatoes?), how can participating in a physical discipline enhance one's spiritual life? How can someone who is not exercise oriented develop a regimen of balance of physical and spiritual activity?
A: Well there are many physical activities even a “couch potato” can enjoy—such as yoga, or reading about mountain climbing (a particular hobby of mine), walking, gardening, bird watching - all of these can be deeply satisfying life-time activities that bring one closer to nature and to fun - the essence of play.
Q: How do you make time for both prayer and activity with your busy schedule?
A: I meditate at night—usually when the world is quiet and still, I play my guitar. During the evening I try to walk on the beach.
Q: What message would you hope that readers would take away from their experience of reading your book?
A: I wrote the book hoping to share my privileged insights from the World Championships with others who might never get there. The journey to the Worlds was my reward - and I try to encourage others, especially young athletes to follow their journey and recognize it as the reward itself - rather than seeking only medals and fame.
Q: How can we, as families, teach our children to love and glorify God through play and through their experience of nature?
A: In the book I talk about this and, in my opinion, play is the essence of freedom and we are to play without fear, at the feet of our Father. I think if parents and kids can play games together, go on hikes, fish, whatever avenue your family enjoys as play, is a great way to make good friendships, enjoy being outside, be active. I think there might be too much emphasis on structured youth sports - to where the element of fun and spontaneity - like just going outside and shooting hoops - is lost because people are on the move in vans going to the next practice.
About the Author
Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous web sites, including http://www.catholicmom.com and http://www.christiancoloring.com, and an avid reader of Catholic literature. Visit her at http://www.lisahendey.com for more information.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
he Youth Sports Coach
Coaching youth sports is a challenge. Most of our kids are really happy to have us step up to the plate and coach and, despite the time we give up, most parents find the experience equally rewarding. However, there are some major things that every coach needs to do and understand before they start the season: 1) coach with the proper attitude; 2) coach with the proper fundamentals; and, 3) learn and teach the difference between the “Dad Hat” and the “Coach Hat”.
Coaching the Right Attitude
We all love our kids and, let’s face it; we also love playing sports with our kids. For me, it’s the way that I spend most of my free time and it is right up there as one of my favorite things to do. That being said, I also need to realize that statistically, none of the kids that I coach will ever play professional sports, nearly all of them will not play sports in college, and many of them will not even play varsity sports in high school. So, what does this mean for us as a coach? We need to emphasize all the other aspects of sports and the life lessons that make us love playing the game. Mostly, we need to make the experience fun!
In 1988, Robert Fulghum wrote the book “All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten”. I’ve often told people that you can learn everything you need to know by playing sports – especially youth sports. Many of the same lessons apply, but on an even bigger scale where kids learn success and failure, wining and losing, sportsmanship and teamwork, and how to respond in many pressure situations. None of these are easy lessons. Winning with grace is just as hard to teach as losing with dignity. How can you do this and make sure that everybody has a great season? That’s the trick.
Every team you ever coach, especially teams with younger kids, will be split between kids that are talented and kids that are not. The goal that you have as a coach is to make sure that every one of those kids has a great experience and wants to play again next year. I take the most pride in the job I did as a coach when the worst kid on the team loves the sport and keeps playing year after year. The way that I do this is to emphasize things other than on field performance – I try to stress effort, trying your best and hustle.
There are several practical things that you can do to emphasize these “other” characteristics. In basketball, for example, instead of emphasizing and keeping stats for scoring, keep stats on hustle, picks set, good defense, rebounds, filling a lane, or just being in the right position. After every game, point out something positive that every kid did during the game. Award a point for each time a kid does something you emphasize and give stars or sew on patches when points are accumulated. You’ll see that these kids will do anything to get a star on their uniform, even pay attention in practice!
Coaching the Right Fundamentals
Kids of any age can learn to do things properly. They may not have the motor skills developed yet, but they can at least try to do it right. One of my favorite misconceptions is that “practice makes perfect”. That’s totally wrong; practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes PERMANENT. What I try to teach is: “Perfect Practice Makes Permanently Perfect”. That’s a pretty big difference!
Of course, this really changes things for a youth coach because we need to teach the correct fundamentals or we’ll simply be reinforcing the bad habits kids develop. The hardest thing to do as a coach is to try and correct a flaw that a kid has developed over years of “practice”. This is even harder when the kid is good, because correcting the fundamental flaw generally means that getting worse before getting better. That means the kid is going to be reluctant to try this “new” way and may not stick it out. In the long run, the difference could be huge. While we’ve already acknowledged that that we’re not developing professional athletes, there is no reason to limit the ceiling on how well each child may develop. Coach’s Corner, Continued
The solution is simple: we need to learn the right fundamentals before we start coaching. It’s a responsibility that we accept when we volunteer to coach. Now, up front, I want to make sure to state that most of us think we know much more about sports than we really do. We think that because we played and we were pretty good that we clearly know how to teach a kid to play baseball or basketball. That’s simply not true. Much of what we learned was wrong. We may also not know the right way to communicate what we know to kids. Or, we may not know anything about the sport if we’re stepping in and coaching soccer or another sport that wasn’t “big” when we were young.
Fortunately, there is help. Many leagues do a good job teaching their coaches the fundamentals of the game. Some leagues even offer mandatory coaching clinics for their coaches. These are really good starts, but generally not enough – especially as the kids you coach get older and better. Before every season that I coach, I’ll watch several instructional tapes to review the fundamentals and also learn new material. I re-watch tapes, often with my kids that we’ve seen before and buy a couple of new ones to add some wrinkles. Of course, at SportsKids.com, we do offer 1,000’s of instructional books and videos, but the point of this section is to simply say to use whatever method you choose to make sure that you teach correct fundamentals. Every kid, even young kids, can learn with good coaching and remember: “Practice makes Permanent”.
The “Dad Hat” and the “Coach Hat”
There is a huge difference between being a “Dad” and being a “Coach”. Each has different responsibilities and relationships with the kids. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of overlap between the two roles. I literally have two hats: one says “Dad” and the other says “Coach”. Over the years, my kids and I have learned to separate the two so I don’t wear the hats too often, but it does make the distinction more literal. Coaching your own children is one of the real challenges of youth sports because sometimes, you child wants or expects to have a dad when you’re the team’s coach. If you can separate these roles, and both of your expectations, you and your child will have a much better youth sports experience.
About the Author
Ken Kaiserman is the president of www.sportskids.com, a leading youth sports website featuring games, sports news, sports camp and league directories, community features, and the SportsKids.com Superstore with over 150,000 products.
Ken coaches youth football, basketball and baseball. He also serves on the local little league board of directors as well as the Park Advisory Board.
Coaching the Right Attitude
We all love our kids and, let’s face it; we also love playing sports with our kids. For me, it’s the way that I spend most of my free time and it is right up there as one of my favorite things to do. That being said, I also need to realize that statistically, none of the kids that I coach will ever play professional sports, nearly all of them will not play sports in college, and many of them will not even play varsity sports in high school. So, what does this mean for us as a coach? We need to emphasize all the other aspects of sports and the life lessons that make us love playing the game. Mostly, we need to make the experience fun!
In 1988, Robert Fulghum wrote the book “All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten”. I’ve often told people that you can learn everything you need to know by playing sports – especially youth sports. Many of the same lessons apply, but on an even bigger scale where kids learn success and failure, wining and losing, sportsmanship and teamwork, and how to respond in many pressure situations. None of these are easy lessons. Winning with grace is just as hard to teach as losing with dignity. How can you do this and make sure that everybody has a great season? That’s the trick.
Every team you ever coach, especially teams with younger kids, will be split between kids that are talented and kids that are not. The goal that you have as a coach is to make sure that every one of those kids has a great experience and wants to play again next year. I take the most pride in the job I did as a coach when the worst kid on the team loves the sport and keeps playing year after year. The way that I do this is to emphasize things other than on field performance – I try to stress effort, trying your best and hustle.
There are several practical things that you can do to emphasize these “other” characteristics. In basketball, for example, instead of emphasizing and keeping stats for scoring, keep stats on hustle, picks set, good defense, rebounds, filling a lane, or just being in the right position. After every game, point out something positive that every kid did during the game. Award a point for each time a kid does something you emphasize and give stars or sew on patches when points are accumulated. You’ll see that these kids will do anything to get a star on their uniform, even pay attention in practice!
Coaching the Right Fundamentals
Kids of any age can learn to do things properly. They may not have the motor skills developed yet, but they can at least try to do it right. One of my favorite misconceptions is that “practice makes perfect”. That’s totally wrong; practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes PERMANENT. What I try to teach is: “Perfect Practice Makes Permanently Perfect”. That’s a pretty big difference!
Of course, this really changes things for a youth coach because we need to teach the correct fundamentals or we’ll simply be reinforcing the bad habits kids develop. The hardest thing to do as a coach is to try and correct a flaw that a kid has developed over years of “practice”. This is even harder when the kid is good, because correcting the fundamental flaw generally means that getting worse before getting better. That means the kid is going to be reluctant to try this “new” way and may not stick it out. In the long run, the difference could be huge. While we’ve already acknowledged that that we’re not developing professional athletes, there is no reason to limit the ceiling on how well each child may develop. Coach’s Corner, Continued
The solution is simple: we need to learn the right fundamentals before we start coaching. It’s a responsibility that we accept when we volunteer to coach. Now, up front, I want to make sure to state that most of us think we know much more about sports than we really do. We think that because we played and we were pretty good that we clearly know how to teach a kid to play baseball or basketball. That’s simply not true. Much of what we learned was wrong. We may also not know the right way to communicate what we know to kids. Or, we may not know anything about the sport if we’re stepping in and coaching soccer or another sport that wasn’t “big” when we were young.
Fortunately, there is help. Many leagues do a good job teaching their coaches the fundamentals of the game. Some leagues even offer mandatory coaching clinics for their coaches. These are really good starts, but generally not enough – especially as the kids you coach get older and better. Before every season that I coach, I’ll watch several instructional tapes to review the fundamentals and also learn new material. I re-watch tapes, often with my kids that we’ve seen before and buy a couple of new ones to add some wrinkles. Of course, at SportsKids.com, we do offer 1,000’s of instructional books and videos, but the point of this section is to simply say to use whatever method you choose to make sure that you teach correct fundamentals. Every kid, even young kids, can learn with good coaching and remember: “Practice makes Permanent”.
The “Dad Hat” and the “Coach Hat”
There is a huge difference between being a “Dad” and being a “Coach”. Each has different responsibilities and relationships with the kids. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of overlap between the two roles. I literally have two hats: one says “Dad” and the other says “Coach”. Over the years, my kids and I have learned to separate the two so I don’t wear the hats too often, but it does make the distinction more literal. Coaching your own children is one of the real challenges of youth sports because sometimes, you child wants or expects to have a dad when you’re the team’s coach. If you can separate these roles, and both of your expectations, you and your child will have a much better youth sports experience.
About the Author
Ken Kaiserman is the president of www.sportskids.com, a leading youth sports website featuring games, sports news, sports camp and league directories, community features, and the SportsKids.com Superstore with over 150,000 products.
Ken coaches youth football, basketball and baseball. He also serves on the local little league board of directors as well as the Park Advisory Board.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Pressure in Youth Sports
Pressure is part of all sports and its impact in youth sports is something we need to carefully evaluate. The spotlight is brightest in baseball; there is simply no place to hide. For the pitcher, batter, catcher and anybody the ball is hit to, all the attention of parents and peers is riveted on that player. In soccer, basketball or other sports, it’s easy enough to “blend in”, but not in baseball. I have tremendous respect for every kid who takes the risk and goes out to play ball – especially the kids who are not as talented; it’s not easy. This is especially true for a young pitcher who controls every aspect of the game. Is there simply too much pressure put on kids to early? I don’t think so. As we evaluate the physiological aspects of pressure, the kid’s psychology, our own beliefs, and effective ways to deal with pressure, I’ll let you know why.
What Is Stress? - Changes, such as sudden trauma, several big crises, or many small daily hassles, cause stress. The human body has different ways of responding to stress; one quick responding nerve-hormonal system involving adrenaline, another long-lasting system involving cortisol, and perhaps others. These systems not only determine the intensity of our anxiety reactions but also our attitudes, energy level, depression, and physical health after the stressful events are over. Stress can also be a source of energy that can be directed towards useful purposes. How many of us would study or work hard if it were not for anxiety about the future? Life is a dynamic process and thus forever changing and stressful. Physiologic changes including an increased heart rate and blood pressure, faster breathing, muscle tension, dilated pupils, dry mouth and increased blood sugar all take place. In other words, stress can also be described as a state of increased arousal. Up to a certain point stress is beneficial. We can perform with greater energy and increased awareness with the influx of excitatory hormones that release immediate energy.
Understanding Each Child – There are genetic, constitutional, and other factors that influence the pressure an individual will feel in any situation and their reaction to that stress. Some of us may have been born "nervous", “happy”, “emotional”, or even "grouches." Almost certainly we are by nature prone to be shy or outgoing, and we also inherit a propensity for certain psychological effects, including our reaction to stress. So, we have to expect that each child will be impacted by and deal with pressure situations differently. It is imperative to judge each child as an individual. Some kids are desperate to bat with the bases loaded or the pitch in a clutch situation. Does your child hope the ball is hit to him so that he can make the play or does hope it’s not hit in his direction so that he can’t make an error? My favorite Michael Jordan quote is: “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” You want to put kids into a position where they can succeed and to do that you need to understand who they are and how they are impacted by different pressure situations.
Another difference in children can be the way that they act in team vs. individual sports. A friend of mine has a child who is a very good athlete and highly competitive in tennis and golf, but “disappears” in soccer and basketball. The psychology behind this is simply that this person is able to perform when she knows that it’s all up to her. However, she doesn’t want to be the one who lets down the team by missing a shot. On the other hand, some children may react in just the opposite manner and not want the outcome to be totally determined by their own actions
The easiest thing to do is very simple – just ask the kids. You may be surprised at how honest the answers will be. Here are some questions to try:
1.When the game is tied and you’re playing in the field, do you want the ball to be hit to you or would you prefer that the ball is hit to one of your teammates?
2.If your team is losing by one run in the bottom of the last inning, the bases are loaded, and there are two out, do you want to be at bat?
3.If you’re on deck in the same situation, do you want your teammate to win the game or do you want a chance to get to the plate?
4.Would you prefer your teammate make the last out of the game so that you don’t have to bat with the game on the line?
5.Do you want to pitch?
6.Would you want to come in with the bases loaded and your team has a one run lead in the championship game?
Projection of Parents, Friends and Relatives – Projection is one of the defense mechanisms identified by Freud and still acknowledged today. According to Freud, projection is when someone is threatened by or afraid of their own impulses so they attribute these impulses to someone else. For example, a parent or grandparent who is so nervous about the outcome of a game can project their own insecurity and stress onto a child when the child isn’t bothered at all. For example, I know some grandparents, who are admittedly risk averse themselves and protective of their kids (no matter how old they are) are now at least as protective of their grandchildren. They have a grandson who is an excellent pitcher and loves to pitch, but they still feel that he’s under too much pressure and maybe he shouldn’t even be playing baseball. This is an example of projection of their feelings about the child rather than actually finding out how he feels. I know many parents who prefer their child not come to bat in a tough situation just in case their kid makes the last out. While this is very easy to understand since we all want to protect our children, it often isn’t the kids feeling the pressure, but the rest of us.
Dealing With Pressure – Webster’s Dictionary defines “Pressure” as “the burden of physical or mental distress”. Even that definition is interesting because it neglects the possibility that people can perform well and even thrive under pressure and stress. One misconception though with performing under pressure is that stress always has a negative connotation. Many times, "the stress of competition may cause a negative anxiety in one performer but positive excitement in another". That is why one frequently hears how elite players' thrive under pressure, when most others would crumble. As individuals, our nervous systems differ; however, according to Richard Dienstbier at the University of Nebraska, we may be able to modify our physiological reactions by learning coping skills. Not surprisingly, exercise and sports participation are commonly considered as activities to reduce stress from other areas in life. However, if a child is feeling pressure while playing sports, here are some solid stress relief techniques they can employ:
1.Visualization – Before a game, visualize yourself in stressful situations and dealing with them successfully. Put yourself into that place mentally so that you can deal with it better when it happens in reality. During the game, you can remember back to how you’ve already dealt with this situation and are mentally prepared for it. Just so you know where I’m coming from, visualization is simply a shorter version of meditation.
2.Breathing – If a kid is feeling stressed during a game, feeling less anxious can often be as simple as taking a few deep breaths. Deep breathing is a very effective method of relaxation. It is a core component of everything from the 'take ten deep breaths' approach to calming someone down, right through to yoga relaxation and Zen meditation. It works well in conjunction with other relaxation techniques such as Progressive Muscular Relaxation, relaxation imagery and meditation to reduce stress.
Conclusion - A lot has been made of the impact of pressure in youth sports and the negative impact, but much of this is simply projecting a parent or relative’s individual beliefs on the situation. While you can argue that I’m doing the same thing, but in reverse, I in fact take a different position which is: 1) to acknowledge that pressure does exist, but 2) to determine how each individual child can deal with the situation. Only by knowing each child can you determine if the situation is, in fact, distress rather than an adrenaline producing pressure moment which the kid loves.
About the Author
Ken Kaiserman is the president of SportsKids.com, a leading youth sports website featuring games, sports news, sports camp and league directories, community features, and the www.sportskids.com Superstore with over 150,000 products.
Ken coaches youth football, basketball and baseball. He also serves on the local little league board of directors as well as the Park Advisory Board.
What Is Stress? - Changes, such as sudden trauma, several big crises, or many small daily hassles, cause stress. The human body has different ways of responding to stress; one quick responding nerve-hormonal system involving adrenaline, another long-lasting system involving cortisol, and perhaps others. These systems not only determine the intensity of our anxiety reactions but also our attitudes, energy level, depression, and physical health after the stressful events are over. Stress can also be a source of energy that can be directed towards useful purposes. How many of us would study or work hard if it were not for anxiety about the future? Life is a dynamic process and thus forever changing and stressful. Physiologic changes including an increased heart rate and blood pressure, faster breathing, muscle tension, dilated pupils, dry mouth and increased blood sugar all take place. In other words, stress can also be described as a state of increased arousal. Up to a certain point stress is beneficial. We can perform with greater energy and increased awareness with the influx of excitatory hormones that release immediate energy.
Understanding Each Child – There are genetic, constitutional, and other factors that influence the pressure an individual will feel in any situation and their reaction to that stress. Some of us may have been born "nervous", “happy”, “emotional”, or even "grouches." Almost certainly we are by nature prone to be shy or outgoing, and we also inherit a propensity for certain psychological effects, including our reaction to stress. So, we have to expect that each child will be impacted by and deal with pressure situations differently. It is imperative to judge each child as an individual. Some kids are desperate to bat with the bases loaded or the pitch in a clutch situation. Does your child hope the ball is hit to him so that he can make the play or does hope it’s not hit in his direction so that he can’t make an error? My favorite Michael Jordan quote is: “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” You want to put kids into a position where they can succeed and to do that you need to understand who they are and how they are impacted by different pressure situations.
Another difference in children can be the way that they act in team vs. individual sports. A friend of mine has a child who is a very good athlete and highly competitive in tennis and golf, but “disappears” in soccer and basketball. The psychology behind this is simply that this person is able to perform when she knows that it’s all up to her. However, she doesn’t want to be the one who lets down the team by missing a shot. On the other hand, some children may react in just the opposite manner and not want the outcome to be totally determined by their own actions
The easiest thing to do is very simple – just ask the kids. You may be surprised at how honest the answers will be. Here are some questions to try:
1.When the game is tied and you’re playing in the field, do you want the ball to be hit to you or would you prefer that the ball is hit to one of your teammates?
2.If your team is losing by one run in the bottom of the last inning, the bases are loaded, and there are two out, do you want to be at bat?
3.If you’re on deck in the same situation, do you want your teammate to win the game or do you want a chance to get to the plate?
4.Would you prefer your teammate make the last out of the game so that you don’t have to bat with the game on the line?
5.Do you want to pitch?
6.Would you want to come in with the bases loaded and your team has a one run lead in the championship game?
Projection of Parents, Friends and Relatives – Projection is one of the defense mechanisms identified by Freud and still acknowledged today. According to Freud, projection is when someone is threatened by or afraid of their own impulses so they attribute these impulses to someone else. For example, a parent or grandparent who is so nervous about the outcome of a game can project their own insecurity and stress onto a child when the child isn’t bothered at all. For example, I know some grandparents, who are admittedly risk averse themselves and protective of their kids (no matter how old they are) are now at least as protective of their grandchildren. They have a grandson who is an excellent pitcher and loves to pitch, but they still feel that he’s under too much pressure and maybe he shouldn’t even be playing baseball. This is an example of projection of their feelings about the child rather than actually finding out how he feels. I know many parents who prefer their child not come to bat in a tough situation just in case their kid makes the last out. While this is very easy to understand since we all want to protect our children, it often isn’t the kids feeling the pressure, but the rest of us.
Dealing With Pressure – Webster’s Dictionary defines “Pressure” as “the burden of physical or mental distress”. Even that definition is interesting because it neglects the possibility that people can perform well and even thrive under pressure and stress. One misconception though with performing under pressure is that stress always has a negative connotation. Many times, "the stress of competition may cause a negative anxiety in one performer but positive excitement in another". That is why one frequently hears how elite players' thrive under pressure, when most others would crumble. As individuals, our nervous systems differ; however, according to Richard Dienstbier at the University of Nebraska, we may be able to modify our physiological reactions by learning coping skills. Not surprisingly, exercise and sports participation are commonly considered as activities to reduce stress from other areas in life. However, if a child is feeling pressure while playing sports, here are some solid stress relief techniques they can employ:
1.Visualization – Before a game, visualize yourself in stressful situations and dealing with them successfully. Put yourself into that place mentally so that you can deal with it better when it happens in reality. During the game, you can remember back to how you’ve already dealt with this situation and are mentally prepared for it. Just so you know where I’m coming from, visualization is simply a shorter version of meditation.
2.Breathing – If a kid is feeling stressed during a game, feeling less anxious can often be as simple as taking a few deep breaths. Deep breathing is a very effective method of relaxation. It is a core component of everything from the 'take ten deep breaths' approach to calming someone down, right through to yoga relaxation and Zen meditation. It works well in conjunction with other relaxation techniques such as Progressive Muscular Relaxation, relaxation imagery and meditation to reduce stress.
Conclusion - A lot has been made of the impact of pressure in youth sports and the negative impact, but much of this is simply projecting a parent or relative’s individual beliefs on the situation. While you can argue that I’m doing the same thing, but in reverse, I in fact take a different position which is: 1) to acknowledge that pressure does exist, but 2) to determine how each individual child can deal with the situation. Only by knowing each child can you determine if the situation is, in fact, distress rather than an adrenaline producing pressure moment which the kid loves.
About the Author
Ken Kaiserman is the president of SportsKids.com, a leading youth sports website featuring games, sports news, sports camp and league directories, community features, and the www.sportskids.com Superstore with over 150,000 products.
Ken coaches youth football, basketball and baseball. He also serves on the local little league board of directors as well as the Park Advisory Board.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
NBA Draft Notes
NBA Draft Notes
If the 2004-05 season ended five days ago with the Spurs regaining the crown, then the 2005-06 campaign unofficially began last night with the 58th annual NBA Draft, held at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden. HoopsAvenue.com was there, with notes on what its like to experience the draft first hand.
7:00- the gates open outside MSG, (if you’ve never been, most fans enter near Penn Station on 7th Avenue and its unlike entering any other arena. While you can see the arena’s structure from the outside, when you walk in its almost as if you are entering a stadium inside of a building.) The Knick City Dancers greet fans with sweatbands and towels- as a diehard Nets fan, I promptly wipe the sweat from my brow all over the orange and blue Knicks logo.
7:02- As the crowd begins to enter, the talk among the predominately Knick contingency voices their overwhelming affection for Channing Frye. Some Illinois fans are seen as well as a large contingent of Syracuse enthusiasts- there is only so much orange one person can take.
7:05- After walking through the lobby and towards the Theatre, which is separate from MSG itself, the NBA shows that even in the off-season the marketing and draining of millions of corporate dollars doesn’t stop, as fans are given War of the World T-shirts and posters and handheld radios compliments of AMEX.
7:07- Arriving in my seat in the 300 section, I notice that the overly priced ticket I bought is in prime location, dead center and not too far back. I also learn after riding on a train in from Jersey for the past few hours, that Utah has swapped picks with Portland. The fans next to me start exclaiming that they must be going after Deron Williams of Illinois...we’ll see. (We also found out Jiri Welsch was traded to Milwaukee, but no one seems to care). One thing you notice about the setup of the area is that the "green room," which sometimes appears to be backstage or in an off location is actually right down by the front of the stage by all the fans. ESPN’s NBA shootaround crew are stationed to the left of the stage, with Stuart Scott’s interview zone behind them.
7:10- Uber-Knick fan Spike Lee makes his way through the crowd to applause. He seems focused on thinking of new targets to yell at with the retirement of Reggie Miller.
7:10-7:30- I notice that even after the season lets out, everyone loves to rock a jersey. Some of the more notable replicas seen; Bryant Reeves (Grizzlies), Darko Milicic (Pistons), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), Jameer Nelson (Magic) and of course only in New York, a Mike Sweetney jersey.
7:30- David Stern walks out to a loud chorus of boos and some cheers. One thing you can’t tell on television is how loud and raucous a crowd is at a draft
1st Pick- Andrew Bogut is announced, some fans start a chant of Sam Bowie. The two or three Bucks fans in attendance seem pleased.
2nd Pick- Marvin Williams. Big ovation from the crowd, as the Carolina fans in attendance; family, alumni and those on the bandwagon go crazy.
3rd Pick- Deron Williams. The obvious choice to run the Jazz is greeted warmly, but some fans yell that the second coming of Stockton, he is not.
4th Pick- Chris Paul. Loud ovation for another ACC star, some of the Carolina contingent begin to chant, "Overrated!" Dick Vitale is shown on the screen, beginning his annual spiel of how this kid who went to college will excel at the next level.
5th Pick- Raymond Felton. The crowd once again goes wild as that makes two UNC players in the top 5. Almost 25 family and friends of Felton are sitting behind me, ecstatic that their boy will be staying in the Tar Heel state...and probably the fact that they’ll get to meet Nelly now.
6th Pick- Martell Webster. The first surprise pick, a lot of people didn’t expect Webster to go this high. I notice in between picks that on the ESPN studio setup, nobody seems to notice that Jay Bilas is there. Stephen A. Smith, Greg Anthony, Mike Tirico, they all converse in between picks, but Bilas just sits there with his hands folded.
7th Pick- Charlie Villanueva. Another first round shocker, the UConn faithful applaud loudly. Right after the 6-11 forward exits stage left, the hype begins for the Knicks selection.
8th Pick-Before Stern walks out, the crowd is loud the entire five minutes leading up to the selection. A lot of "Gerald Green" chants go around, followed by some "Channing Frye" uprisings. The buzz continues as the Commish steps to the podium, then all of a sudden, like a Roman emperor speaking to a crowd, there is a complete silence with everyone standing on their feet, then Frye’s name is called to a mostly warm reaction.
9th Pick- Ike Diogu is picked, there are a lot of shocked fans in the crowd. Some of it is because they didn’t expect him to go so high (I personally am upset because I wanted to see him in a Net uniform), the rest is probably because supposed top 5 pick Gerald Green is still on the board.
10th Pick- The Laker fans next to me begin a "Gerald Green" chant of their own. One of them has been talking from the beginning how he wished Green would be available...and now he is. (If you’ve never been to a draft, I say that any real NBA fan who lives in the area MUST go. It’s a few hundred people who all have a deep passion and knowledge of basketball and who talk nothing but hoops for four hours.) Andrew Bynum is selected and there is a sense of confusion by the crowd, but the Laker fans next to me heads drop in dismay as their buddies laugh at them. I wonder where Kobe is at this moment?
11th Pick- One thing I notice, I don’t know if they showed a clock on the screen at home, but the one above the draft board, it always goes to 0:00 and then it takes another minute or so, or whenever Stephen A. Smith stops talking, for them to go to the next pick. Fran Vazquez is the pick and the confusing looks continue through the crowd.
12th Pick- A heated argument breaks out next to me about who is better, Julius Hodge or Rashad McCants. Everyone keeps it cool though, which is what makes actually being at the draft great. Each fan has their own guy they want to see make it as well as their team loyalties, even the Michigan State alum by me who shouts for Alan Anderson before every pick. Yaroslav Korolev is taken. The first reaction for most fans is one of bewilderment, but then you realize it’s the Clippers and it all seems to make sense.
13th Pick- Stephen A. begins yelling throughout the theatre, that how could two star UNC players not get picked before some of the foreign prospects. What do you know, Charlotte takes Sean May, building a Carolina connection for the Bobcats. I can only start to think about a few years back when Chicago loaded up on Duke players...that worked out well.
14th Pick- McCants is drafted next, making Stephen A. look like Nostradamus. The Carolina delegation in the crowd has been quite vocal these past 10 minutes.
15th Pick- The Nets fans by me all want Hakim Warrick, who I wouldn’t mind but would rather have Joey Graham. In utter disbelief, they take Antoine Wright. Knicks fans begin to smirk at the Nets fans in the crowd who definitely wanted a forward.
16th Pick- Joey Graham is taken by the Raptors- some Nets fans sigh. I begin to think though that the previous pick for Wright wasn’t so bad, since they have needed outside shooting for the past 4 years and this kid can supposedly light it up. Plus he was a consensus top 10 pick and maybe luckily slipped into NJ’s hands.
17th Pick- Danny Granger is announced to subtle applause.
18th Pick- Gerald Green goes to Boston, quite fitting that he puts on that color uniform, don’t you think? His crew sitting behind the green room cheer wildly, while a lot of the crowd begins to exit. A "Boston Sucks" chant begins in the back as New Yorkers make sure to show their ever-loving admiration for Beantown sports.
19th Pick- In between picks, Roy Williams walks through the crowd to the delight of the Tar Heel fans. I feel like starting a Let’s go Duke chant. I then think that Hakim Warrick would be a perfect fit for the Grizzlies to team up with or replace Stromile Swift. Warrick is picked up by Memphis and the Syracuse fans go wild. Still no one has said a word to Bilas off-camera.
20th Pick- Julius Hodge, a Harlem naitve receives a warm ovation, perhaps one of the biggest of the night. He probably seems the most happy of any draftee to be there, pumping his fist in the air and smiling the rest of the night through.
21st Pick- Phoenix takes Nate Robinson who a lot of people seem to have forgotten about. The crowd likes the pick and then likes it even more when they learn he may be a Knick as part of the Quentin Richardson-Kurt Thomas deal.
22nd Pick- Jarrett Jack. A guy next to me exclaims afterwards, "Man, the ACC is runnin’ this @#$!" Indeed they are.
23rd Pick- Francisco Garcia. Nice applause but the New York native is absent from the festivities.
24th Pick- Luther Head. Decent reaction from the crowd, but they are beginning to disperse at a faster rate, with about 70% just waiting around to see the Knicks at no.30.
25th Pick-Johan Petro. The Anti-France bashing begins and most fans laugh at the pick. There is a slight buzz after the announcement of the potential trade of the 22nd pick (Jack) to Portland for the 27th and 35th picks.
26th Pick- There seems to be less on the trade front in this draft as compared to year’s past. Greg Anthony gets about a makeover in between commercial breaks, he loves the face makeup. Jason Maxiell is the pick for the ‘04 champs, some of the crowd overly support the pick, some loathe it. Hate it or love it, this underdog is going to one of the top teams in the NBA.
27th Pick- Portland takes Linas Kleiza and almost in unison the crowd says, "Who?" Fans search frantically in their Draft handout booklets to find out who was just taken.
28th Pick- Ian Mahinmi. Most of the crowd may not know who he is, but they love it when a player comes from the pay seats through the fans and onto the stage.
29th Pick- Wayne Simien is chosen to a decent ovation, although I’m sure Dickie V. will burst a vein yelling about how 28 teams could pass this kid up.
30th Pick- The buildup to the pick, the Knick fans overwhelmingly want Chris Taft. When David Lee’s name is called though, they are PO’d and many leave disappointed, a seemingly annual ritual at recent drafts.
2nd Round Notes:
Russ Granik must be the most loved man in the building as he gets a huge response from what is left from the crowd. Before every pick they chant his name and you can tell he eats it up. The fans like Salim Stoudamire at 31 and as typical with Duke players, there is some love, mostly hate when Daniel Ewing is taken at 32. The next two picks consist of Who’s? (Brandon Bass) and Ooooh’s (CJ Miles). I notice that when Granik comes to the podium, Bilas is the only one on the ESPN crew who pays attention to the pick. There is a lot of love for Ronny Turiaf who is sitting in the crowd. They loudly chant his name before he is selected by the Lakers and his family gives hi-5’s to all the fans around. I stick around ‘til the Nets at 43 and don’t even bother looking up who Mile Ilic is. Exiting Hakim Warrick walks by the lobby, shaking hands and signing autographs as well as Fran Vazquez. I leave somewhat disenchanted by my team’s selections, but glad to have come to the event. All I can wait for now is summer leagues to get started and training camp to roll around, only four months left until the new season officially begins.
About the Author
Seth Berkman writes for http://www.hoopsavenue.com
If the 2004-05 season ended five days ago with the Spurs regaining the crown, then the 2005-06 campaign unofficially began last night with the 58th annual NBA Draft, held at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden. HoopsAvenue.com was there, with notes on what its like to experience the draft first hand.
7:00- the gates open outside MSG, (if you’ve never been, most fans enter near Penn Station on 7th Avenue and its unlike entering any other arena. While you can see the arena’s structure from the outside, when you walk in its almost as if you are entering a stadium inside of a building.) The Knick City Dancers greet fans with sweatbands and towels- as a diehard Nets fan, I promptly wipe the sweat from my brow all over the orange and blue Knicks logo.
7:02- As the crowd begins to enter, the talk among the predominately Knick contingency voices their overwhelming affection for Channing Frye. Some Illinois fans are seen as well as a large contingent of Syracuse enthusiasts- there is only so much orange one person can take.
7:05- After walking through the lobby and towards the Theatre, which is separate from MSG itself, the NBA shows that even in the off-season the marketing and draining of millions of corporate dollars doesn’t stop, as fans are given War of the World T-shirts and posters and handheld radios compliments of AMEX.
7:07- Arriving in my seat in the 300 section, I notice that the overly priced ticket I bought is in prime location, dead center and not too far back. I also learn after riding on a train in from Jersey for the past few hours, that Utah has swapped picks with Portland. The fans next to me start exclaiming that they must be going after Deron Williams of Illinois...we’ll see. (We also found out Jiri Welsch was traded to Milwaukee, but no one seems to care). One thing you notice about the setup of the area is that the "green room," which sometimes appears to be backstage or in an off location is actually right down by the front of the stage by all the fans. ESPN’s NBA shootaround crew are stationed to the left of the stage, with Stuart Scott’s interview zone behind them.
7:10- Uber-Knick fan Spike Lee makes his way through the crowd to applause. He seems focused on thinking of new targets to yell at with the retirement of Reggie Miller.
7:10-7:30- I notice that even after the season lets out, everyone loves to rock a jersey. Some of the more notable replicas seen; Bryant Reeves (Grizzlies), Darko Milicic (Pistons), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), Jameer Nelson (Magic) and of course only in New York, a Mike Sweetney jersey.
7:30- David Stern walks out to a loud chorus of boos and some cheers. One thing you can’t tell on television is how loud and raucous a crowd is at a draft
1st Pick- Andrew Bogut is announced, some fans start a chant of Sam Bowie. The two or three Bucks fans in attendance seem pleased.
2nd Pick- Marvin Williams. Big ovation from the crowd, as the Carolina fans in attendance; family, alumni and those on the bandwagon go crazy.
3rd Pick- Deron Williams. The obvious choice to run the Jazz is greeted warmly, but some fans yell that the second coming of Stockton, he is not.
4th Pick- Chris Paul. Loud ovation for another ACC star, some of the Carolina contingent begin to chant, "Overrated!" Dick Vitale is shown on the screen, beginning his annual spiel of how this kid who went to college will excel at the next level.
5th Pick- Raymond Felton. The crowd once again goes wild as that makes two UNC players in the top 5. Almost 25 family and friends of Felton are sitting behind me, ecstatic that their boy will be staying in the Tar Heel state...and probably the fact that they’ll get to meet Nelly now.
6th Pick- Martell Webster. The first surprise pick, a lot of people didn’t expect Webster to go this high. I notice in between picks that on the ESPN studio setup, nobody seems to notice that Jay Bilas is there. Stephen A. Smith, Greg Anthony, Mike Tirico, they all converse in between picks, but Bilas just sits there with his hands folded.
7th Pick- Charlie Villanueva. Another first round shocker, the UConn faithful applaud loudly. Right after the 6-11 forward exits stage left, the hype begins for the Knicks selection.
8th Pick-Before Stern walks out, the crowd is loud the entire five minutes leading up to the selection. A lot of "Gerald Green" chants go around, followed by some "Channing Frye" uprisings. The buzz continues as the Commish steps to the podium, then all of a sudden, like a Roman emperor speaking to a crowd, there is a complete silence with everyone standing on their feet, then Frye’s name is called to a mostly warm reaction.
9th Pick- Ike Diogu is picked, there are a lot of shocked fans in the crowd. Some of it is because they didn’t expect him to go so high (I personally am upset because I wanted to see him in a Net uniform), the rest is probably because supposed top 5 pick Gerald Green is still on the board.
10th Pick- The Laker fans next to me begin a "Gerald Green" chant of their own. One of them has been talking from the beginning how he wished Green would be available...and now he is. (If you’ve never been to a draft, I say that any real NBA fan who lives in the area MUST go. It’s a few hundred people who all have a deep passion and knowledge of basketball and who talk nothing but hoops for four hours.) Andrew Bynum is selected and there is a sense of confusion by the crowd, but the Laker fans next to me heads drop in dismay as their buddies laugh at them. I wonder where Kobe is at this moment?
11th Pick- One thing I notice, I don’t know if they showed a clock on the screen at home, but the one above the draft board, it always goes to 0:00 and then it takes another minute or so, or whenever Stephen A. Smith stops talking, for them to go to the next pick. Fran Vazquez is the pick and the confusing looks continue through the crowd.
12th Pick- A heated argument breaks out next to me about who is better, Julius Hodge or Rashad McCants. Everyone keeps it cool though, which is what makes actually being at the draft great. Each fan has their own guy they want to see make it as well as their team loyalties, even the Michigan State alum by me who shouts for Alan Anderson before every pick. Yaroslav Korolev is taken. The first reaction for most fans is one of bewilderment, but then you realize it’s the Clippers and it all seems to make sense.
13th Pick- Stephen A. begins yelling throughout the theatre, that how could two star UNC players not get picked before some of the foreign prospects. What do you know, Charlotte takes Sean May, building a Carolina connection for the Bobcats. I can only start to think about a few years back when Chicago loaded up on Duke players...that worked out well.
14th Pick- McCants is drafted next, making Stephen A. look like Nostradamus. The Carolina delegation in the crowd has been quite vocal these past 10 minutes.
15th Pick- The Nets fans by me all want Hakim Warrick, who I wouldn’t mind but would rather have Joey Graham. In utter disbelief, they take Antoine Wright. Knicks fans begin to smirk at the Nets fans in the crowd who definitely wanted a forward.
16th Pick- Joey Graham is taken by the Raptors- some Nets fans sigh. I begin to think though that the previous pick for Wright wasn’t so bad, since they have needed outside shooting for the past 4 years and this kid can supposedly light it up. Plus he was a consensus top 10 pick and maybe luckily slipped into NJ’s hands.
17th Pick- Danny Granger is announced to subtle applause.
18th Pick- Gerald Green goes to Boston, quite fitting that he puts on that color uniform, don’t you think? His crew sitting behind the green room cheer wildly, while a lot of the crowd begins to exit. A "Boston Sucks" chant begins in the back as New Yorkers make sure to show their ever-loving admiration for Beantown sports.
19th Pick- In between picks, Roy Williams walks through the crowd to the delight of the Tar Heel fans. I feel like starting a Let’s go Duke chant. I then think that Hakim Warrick would be a perfect fit for the Grizzlies to team up with or replace Stromile Swift. Warrick is picked up by Memphis and the Syracuse fans go wild. Still no one has said a word to Bilas off-camera.
20th Pick- Julius Hodge, a Harlem naitve receives a warm ovation, perhaps one of the biggest of the night. He probably seems the most happy of any draftee to be there, pumping his fist in the air and smiling the rest of the night through.
21st Pick- Phoenix takes Nate Robinson who a lot of people seem to have forgotten about. The crowd likes the pick and then likes it even more when they learn he may be a Knick as part of the Quentin Richardson-Kurt Thomas deal.
22nd Pick- Jarrett Jack. A guy next to me exclaims afterwards, "Man, the ACC is runnin’ this @#$!" Indeed they are.
23rd Pick- Francisco Garcia. Nice applause but the New York native is absent from the festivities.
24th Pick- Luther Head. Decent reaction from the crowd, but they are beginning to disperse at a faster rate, with about 70% just waiting around to see the Knicks at no.30.
25th Pick-Johan Petro. The Anti-France bashing begins and most fans laugh at the pick. There is a slight buzz after the announcement of the potential trade of the 22nd pick (Jack) to Portland for the 27th and 35th picks.
26th Pick- There seems to be less on the trade front in this draft as compared to year’s past. Greg Anthony gets about a makeover in between commercial breaks, he loves the face makeup. Jason Maxiell is the pick for the ‘04 champs, some of the crowd overly support the pick, some loathe it. Hate it or love it, this underdog is going to one of the top teams in the NBA.
27th Pick- Portland takes Linas Kleiza and almost in unison the crowd says, "Who?" Fans search frantically in their Draft handout booklets to find out who was just taken.
28th Pick- Ian Mahinmi. Most of the crowd may not know who he is, but they love it when a player comes from the pay seats through the fans and onto the stage.
29th Pick- Wayne Simien is chosen to a decent ovation, although I’m sure Dickie V. will burst a vein yelling about how 28 teams could pass this kid up.
30th Pick- The buildup to the pick, the Knick fans overwhelmingly want Chris Taft. When David Lee’s name is called though, they are PO’d and many leave disappointed, a seemingly annual ritual at recent drafts.
2nd Round Notes:
Russ Granik must be the most loved man in the building as he gets a huge response from what is left from the crowd. Before every pick they chant his name and you can tell he eats it up. The fans like Salim Stoudamire at 31 and as typical with Duke players, there is some love, mostly hate when Daniel Ewing is taken at 32. The next two picks consist of Who’s? (Brandon Bass) and Ooooh’s (CJ Miles). I notice that when Granik comes to the podium, Bilas is the only one on the ESPN crew who pays attention to the pick. There is a lot of love for Ronny Turiaf who is sitting in the crowd. They loudly chant his name before he is selected by the Lakers and his family gives hi-5’s to all the fans around. I stick around ‘til the Nets at 43 and don’t even bother looking up who Mile Ilic is. Exiting Hakim Warrick walks by the lobby, shaking hands and signing autographs as well as Fran Vazquez. I leave somewhat disenchanted by my team’s selections, but glad to have come to the event. All I can wait for now is summer leagues to get started and training camp to roll around, only four months left until the new season officially begins.
About the Author
Seth Berkman writes for http://www.hoopsavenue.com
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Common Basketball Injuries
Common Basketball Injuries An inside look at the most common of basketball related injuries
By Pete Youngman
NUMEROUS PLAYER INJURIES occur as a result from the constant pounding and jarring night in and night out on the hardwood court. Studies done by my peers, other NBA athletic trainers, show that on average an NBA player runs four miles during a game which figures out to be 223 laps up and down the court. With this much time spent running, jumping, and side-stepping down the court, mishaps are destined to happen. Three of the most common injuries are ankle sprains, lower back strain, and patellar tendonitis.
Ankle injuries are among the most frequent suffered by NBA players and account for 25 percent of all athletic injuries. There are two types of ankle sprains. The most common involves injury to the lateral ligaments caused by supination and inversion of the foot and the latter involves the medial structures of the ankle. Inversion of the ankle usually occurs when a player comes down from jumping in the air onto another player's foot. Landing unevenly causes the foot to roll outward putting a great deal of stress on the anterior talofibular ligament.
Treating ankle sprains usually involves resting and taking pressure off the injured ligament, icing the ankle to relieve swelling, and elevating the leg above the heart. Trainers will usually tape the ankle to help prevent ankle sprains or the player will wear an ankle brace to help support the ligament. Isometric exercises and resistance training with rubber tubing are used to strengthen the ankle.
Lower back pain is also commonly suffered by basketball players. Among the general population 80 percent will sustain injury to the lower back at some time during their life. Running and jumping on the hardwood court produces much stress on the lower back even with well cushioned shoes. When a player comes down on the court from a jumpshot his knees and lower back or lumbar region absorb the shock. A majority of the players stand above six feet and may weigh between 200 and 300 pounds. This amount of weight may inflict a great deal of stress on the lower back. Lower back pain is usually caused by weakened abdominal muscles which assist the back muscles when lifting objects. If the abdominal muscles are weak and not conditioned, the lower back muscles will compensate for their weakness producing uncomfortable strain. Treatments for lower back strain include resting to alleviate the pressure on the lower lumbar region and heat compressions which loosen up the muscles and allow the back to heal. It is important that you always stretch your lower back after exercise. There are several abdominal and lower back workouts that can be done to help prevent back problems (please consult your physician for personal medical advice):
ABDOMINAL EXERCISES
1. Lying on your back with your knees bent, bring your shoulders up off the ground using your upper abdominal muscles. Always make sure that your back is flat on the ground. Begin with 2 sets of 30 and work up to 3 sets of 30.
2. Again lying on your back with knees bent, extend both arms between your legs and lift your shoulders off the ground using your abdominals. Do the same but with your arms extended outside of your legs. Same repetitions as above.
3. Once again, lying on your back with knees bent extend one arm out to your side and lift your shoulders off the ground. And do the same for the opposite arm. Same repetitions as above.
4. Lying on you back lift your legs straight in the air and raise your buttocks off the ground using your lower abdominals. Pulsating 30 times.
LOWER BACK EXERCISES
1. Lie on your back and raise your pelvis towards the ceiling 30 times.
2. Lie on your stomach and bend your legs upward. Raise your knees off the ground using your lower back and gluteals. 2 sets of 30 repetitions.
3. Again lie on your stomach and raise your chest and torso off the ground using your lower back. 2 sets of 30 repetitions.
Patellar tendonitis is another frequent injury suffered by many basketball players. The patella (better known as the knee cap) lies in front of the hinge joint formed by the femur and tibia. The patella tendon connects the patella to the tibial tuberosity acting as a shock absorber. This tendon becomes inflamed when inflicted by the constant pressure of running and jumping. Kings forward Corliss Williamson suffers from patellar tendonitis. Corliss wears a thin band underneath his left knee called a "Cho-pat" which puts pressure on the tendon to deflect pain away from this joint. This band helps relieve the stress of jumping. Strength and conditioning coach Al Biancani works with Corliss to strengthen his quadriceps, which assist in supporting the knee. Stronger quads will relieve the strain on the patellar tendon and reduce the inflammation. Electrical stimulation and anti-inflammatories are alternative methods to relieve patellar tendonitis.
These basketball injuries are all preventable with strength training and conditioning. Reducing the chances of these injuries involves increasing the strength of supporting muscles, conditioning the entire body to avoid injuries due to exhaustion, and applying braces to weak regions to prevent further injuries.
By Pete Youngman
NUMEROUS PLAYER INJURIES occur as a result from the constant pounding and jarring night in and night out on the hardwood court. Studies done by my peers, other NBA athletic trainers, show that on average an NBA player runs four miles during a game which figures out to be 223 laps up and down the court. With this much time spent running, jumping, and side-stepping down the court, mishaps are destined to happen. Three of the most common injuries are ankle sprains, lower back strain, and patellar tendonitis.
Ankle injuries are among the most frequent suffered by NBA players and account for 25 percent of all athletic injuries. There are two types of ankle sprains. The most common involves injury to the lateral ligaments caused by supination and inversion of the foot and the latter involves the medial structures of the ankle. Inversion of the ankle usually occurs when a player comes down from jumping in the air onto another player's foot. Landing unevenly causes the foot to roll outward putting a great deal of stress on the anterior talofibular ligament.
Treating ankle sprains usually involves resting and taking pressure off the injured ligament, icing the ankle to relieve swelling, and elevating the leg above the heart. Trainers will usually tape the ankle to help prevent ankle sprains or the player will wear an ankle brace to help support the ligament. Isometric exercises and resistance training with rubber tubing are used to strengthen the ankle.
Lower back pain is also commonly suffered by basketball players. Among the general population 80 percent will sustain injury to the lower back at some time during their life. Running and jumping on the hardwood court produces much stress on the lower back even with well cushioned shoes. When a player comes down on the court from a jumpshot his knees and lower back or lumbar region absorb the shock. A majority of the players stand above six feet and may weigh between 200 and 300 pounds. This amount of weight may inflict a great deal of stress on the lower back. Lower back pain is usually caused by weakened abdominal muscles which assist the back muscles when lifting objects. If the abdominal muscles are weak and not conditioned, the lower back muscles will compensate for their weakness producing uncomfortable strain. Treatments for lower back strain include resting to alleviate the pressure on the lower lumbar region and heat compressions which loosen up the muscles and allow the back to heal. It is important that you always stretch your lower back after exercise. There are several abdominal and lower back workouts that can be done to help prevent back problems (please consult your physician for personal medical advice):
ABDOMINAL EXERCISES
1. Lying on your back with your knees bent, bring your shoulders up off the ground using your upper abdominal muscles. Always make sure that your back is flat on the ground. Begin with 2 sets of 30 and work up to 3 sets of 30.
2. Again lying on your back with knees bent, extend both arms between your legs and lift your shoulders off the ground using your abdominals. Do the same but with your arms extended outside of your legs. Same repetitions as above.
3. Once again, lying on your back with knees bent extend one arm out to your side and lift your shoulders off the ground. And do the same for the opposite arm. Same repetitions as above.
4. Lying on you back lift your legs straight in the air and raise your buttocks off the ground using your lower abdominals. Pulsating 30 times.
LOWER BACK EXERCISES
1. Lie on your back and raise your pelvis towards the ceiling 30 times.
2. Lie on your stomach and bend your legs upward. Raise your knees off the ground using your lower back and gluteals. 2 sets of 30 repetitions.
3. Again lie on your stomach and raise your chest and torso off the ground using your lower back. 2 sets of 30 repetitions.
Patellar tendonitis is another frequent injury suffered by many basketball players. The patella (better known as the knee cap) lies in front of the hinge joint formed by the femur and tibia. The patella tendon connects the patella to the tibial tuberosity acting as a shock absorber. This tendon becomes inflamed when inflicted by the constant pressure of running and jumping. Kings forward Corliss Williamson suffers from patellar tendonitis. Corliss wears a thin band underneath his left knee called a "Cho-pat" which puts pressure on the tendon to deflect pain away from this joint. This band helps relieve the stress of jumping. Strength and conditioning coach Al Biancani works with Corliss to strengthen his quadriceps, which assist in supporting the knee. Stronger quads will relieve the strain on the patellar tendon and reduce the inflammation. Electrical stimulation and anti-inflammatories are alternative methods to relieve patellar tendonitis.
These basketball injuries are all preventable with strength training and conditioning. Reducing the chances of these injuries involves increasing the strength of supporting muscles, conditioning the entire body to avoid injuries due to exhaustion, and applying braces to weak regions to prevent further injuries.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Fun Summer Activities
Fun Summer Activities
Summer is here and school is out! Why not grab some friends and make the most of the season! Some of these activities require adult supervision. Ask your mom, dad, or other trusted adult to join the fun.
* go to the park and play some pick up ball
* go lift weights, and get big this summer
* go swim some laps while it's great offseason basketball training
(Dr. J's favorite thing to do in the offseason)
* go to open gym with your high school team
* go do some plyometric exercises
* shoot some hoops.
* dribble the basketball while running
* dribble the basketball while riding your bike
* ride a bike it a great offseason cross training
* take time to have fun, but stay out of trouble
* go to the gym and take serious game shots for 30 minutes
* go and try to dunk if you can not dunk then touch the rim or net
* do 100 push ups
* do 100 sit ups
* go do a jummping work out
* go read a book *it's the offseason, but the books are still important
* go take a nap
* go to a camp - basketball camp, church camp, work a camp, volunteer at a camp
* chart your workouts this summer
* learn more about your high school plays or defensive plays
* just hang out and play some ps2
* watch coach carter and really let it hit home
* work hard this offseason
* take a time out and relax
* go fishing, or the lake, or boating
* work hard oh did I already say that one...well I hope you get the picture!
Summer is here and school is out! Why not grab some friends and make the most of the season! Some of these activities require adult supervision. Ask your mom, dad, or other trusted adult to join the fun.
* go to the park and play some pick up ball
* go lift weights, and get big this summer
* go swim some laps while it's great offseason basketball training
(Dr. J's favorite thing to do in the offseason)
* go to open gym with your high school team
* go do some plyometric exercises
* shoot some hoops.
* dribble the basketball while running
* dribble the basketball while riding your bike
* ride a bike it a great offseason cross training
* take time to have fun, but stay out of trouble
* go to the gym and take serious game shots for 30 minutes
* go and try to dunk if you can not dunk then touch the rim or net
* do 100 push ups
* do 100 sit ups
* go do a jummping work out
* go read a book *it's the offseason, but the books are still important
* go take a nap
* go to a camp - basketball camp, church camp, work a camp, volunteer at a camp
* chart your workouts this summer
* learn more about your high school plays or defensive plays
* just hang out and play some ps2
* watch coach carter and really let it hit home
* work hard this offseason
* take a time out and relax
* go fishing, or the lake, or boating
* work hard oh did I already say that one...well I hope you get the picture!
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