The Coaches' Clipboard

Watching professional and collegiate athletes exhibit their talent and athleticism is always a joyous occasion for me. I absolutely marvel at some of the things they are capable of doing. It makes me think how did they ever get to be so good? Did they just wake up one morning and decide to be amazingly good at what they do? Well, that probably has something to do with it. I mean, natural ability plays a large role in the lives of such incredible athletes. So, in a sense, yes, they did wake up one morning with a knack for athletics. But, to take your game from good to great, you have to put in the requisite time and effort in the form of practice.

Whether you are a coach looking to lead his or her team to a winning season this upcoming year or a basketball player dedicated to honing your skills in order to raise your game to a whole new level, there are certain things you need to implement into your game. Below is a list of some of the basics to a solid basketball team. In short, these skills are what coaches strive for, and they look for players who can execute them.

-Half-court Offense, Half-court Defense, Transition Offense and Transition Defense

-Pre-game Routine, Game Strategy, Good in-game Decision Making

-Running the Point, Playing in the Low Post, Footwork Fundamentals and Ball Handling

-Passing Fundamentals, Shooting Techniques, Free-throw Shooting, Running the Floor and Cutting

-Rebounding and Setting Screens

There is just so much to the game of basketball. It is absolutely incredible. Perfecting all of these may seem like an overwhelming task, but there is a way to do it. One way is to simply get out on the court and try it. And to a certain extent, that is how the best players in the world do it. However, that is not all they do. In addition to grueling practices and frequent games, they watch hours upon hours of film, showing them what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong. Then they fix it.

My suggestion to any up-and-coming player or coach is to get your hands on any and every type of Instructional DVD or Video and let the learning begin. Putting in a little extra work will be the difference in your team's results this year. Regardless of whether or not you think your team or your individual skills are up to par, you can always improve.

For information on instructional DVD's and videos or other in-dpeth resources on basketball fundamentals, go to The Coaches' Clipboard and find out.