Junior High Basketball

Junior High Basketball is the time where most young athletes begin to play in a structured, organized game of real basketball. Although many players will be new to the game, this is the time to learn the fundamentals of basketball. 


In Junior high school the game is taught with fun, and love and also learning the basics of the game. In junior high you will learn the technicalities of the game such as, dribbling, shooting, jump balls, out of bounds , sportsmanship, team work and so many other details of the game. Usually younger athletes are allowed to make more mistakes than more seasoned players. But over time you too will become more advanced, although on a smaller scale, if you continue to practice and work on the basics. 

Often times you will see junior high school players shooting free throws on a closer line than high school an d above, but don't fret, some junior high schoolers can ball, and have raised the bar with the knowledge and skills they have because they may have started at a very young age. 

Mostly all the players are shorter and slower than high school players, but that doesn't stop you from improving your skills so that you can have an opportunity to try out for your high school team when you reach that level. 

I encourage all young junior high school players to visit high schools and watch the games when season is in session. There is nothing better than to learn visually and to see the potential that you can reach, or even surpass. 

Here are a few tips for you junior high girls out there who are anxious to start the new season. 

#1. Don't be discouraged. There are many athletes with different levels of skills, this is the time to work on your skills and become a better player. Don't expect to play like Lisa Leslie or Tamika Catchings at this young age.  You will have time to improve, so just go out there and enjoy yourself. 

#2. Stay focused on having fun. I know that a lot of young athletes become frustrated when they miss baskets or forget a play. That is okay. Now is the time to really learn the game, especially if you were lucky enough to have a good coach, but even if you don't, the goal is to learn and have fun. 

#3. Work on your game daily. If you have the opportunity to have access to a court, or even have a ball with you, don't forget to add some extra workouts or practice on different skills in your backyard, or at the park when practice with your team is over. Individual skills are important to this team game and if you are not working on your  own time, you will miss o ut on that extra practice that could boost you to the next level. 

#4. This game is just a game. Don't get caught up in parents going over board or an over zealous coach who is pressuring your team to focus on winning. If you find yourself in this situation you should talk to someone about it. At the ages or 11-13 you should be focusing on improving and not trying to win a WNBA championship. So go out there and have fun. It'ts only a game! 

















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Open Gym Balling!

Basketball season is over NOW WHAT?? Do you... take a nice long break till next try outs?? NO!! If you want to be a great player you should make basketball a year round thing. There are always highschool and colleges opening their doors to young players to get their ball on. Ask around, do a search online for open gym in your area. 

Programs like 24 hour fitness always have ballers in the gym check it out sometime!! 

Oh btw if there are just guys in the gym, dont be intmidated. I've always found that playing aghainst stronger bigger players gives you an advantage when you return to playing against smaller weaker players. 

Here are a few gyms offering open gym around the country...

1. Bryan College -Dayton, TN 37321
2. New River Knight Community College -1328 S. Collegiate Dr. Wilkesboro, N.C. 28697
3. Wake Tech-2235 Garner Rd. - Raleigh, NC - 27610
4. Virginia Western Community College-
5. Yavapai College - Arizona
6. Cypress College- Cypress California
7. Compton College- Compton CA

Like I said this is just a small list. Visit your local community college, or University and inquire about open gym play. You will also be seen by potential coaches too!! 

Im excited and cant wait till the next time... keep ballin girl, the games not over yet!
Mone't ( but you can call me Moe)

Parents Just Dont Under Stand

Okay ladies, I know some of you will feel me on this one.  I was going to write this directly to the parent's but this is all about guiding you. Of course if they are into reading this blog then they will get the right information that they need to be able to understand what I'm talking about. 

Okay so, you've made it on the team! Congratulations! You're all excited, your family is excited, its all good right? Well not for some of you out there . And trust me I know what your going through. (OFF COURT) Parental Coaching! Oh my goodness if they only really knew what it does to us, they would tone it down a whole lot! If you don't have a parent like this, then you definitely have seen or HEARD one in the crowd. 

You know what I'm talking about, the parent in the crowd yelling, "Awww, you missed a layup! ", or "Step it up, get into the game". Yea I know they want you to be the best, but that is the coaches job, not theirs. I'm not trying to put any excited parents down, but it gets really tough when your just learning the game, or your already trying to prove yourself and you get singled out by YOUR OWN PARENT! Its already bad enough when you get singled out in practice every day, but to have your own family upset because you missed a lay up, or double dribbled, is not a great motivator (for the majority). 

My mother used to tell me I wouldn't eat if we lost a game. I'm grateful that we had a great team and sometimes that wasn't an issue, but we did lose and I was literally afraid to tell my mother that. I mean I wasn't scared of my mother, but I just didn't want to disappoint her.

I've been in games where my focus was more in the crowd rather than on the court. I've seen the times my mother walked out if we were losing, and I've also seen the other faces in the crowd too. Don't get me wrong, I was very happy when my mother came to my games, it was a rare event and I wanted to show her what I've got. But to get in the car afterwards and be critiqued by my performance, knowing she's never played a day in her life, It kinda wore me down. This might apply mostly to the younger players. 

Let me give you another scenario just so I can be sure I have every one's attention.

You're in the game, the coach just created a new play, so you're already confused, the play is to basically pass the ball around 5 times and then you get the ball and go for the lay up, you're only down by one. You're excited and confused because you're the one to win the game. So now the time out is over and your ready to first remember the brand new play and make this lay up. The ball is passed once, twice, three times, four, then its in your hands and your father jumps out of his seat and says SHOOT IT!! Everything you just learned was erased and you throw up a ugly, scared, and confused 3 point shot.

Now it doesn't matter at this point if you've made the shot or not. If you did, great shot! Luck was definitely on your side, if you didn't, ohhh your in a world of hurt. Now the coach on either side of that final outcome would probably be upset, especially if your in junior high or high school. The coach would be upset because he designed something for you, that you have probably been killing on all night long! But your saying, but my dad, yes I know your dad's voice really rang through that crowd, but sometimes you have to ignore, even your dad. 

This isn't easy at all, but it will become very natural the more you play. You have to learn to not be distracted by ANYTHING outside the court. This is your time to play, your time to shine and if you mess up, its okay~! YOU'RE LEARNING!! Everyone misses a shot, every one misses a lay up from elementary to the NBA. It takes practice to be the best, and that even means mental practice ( hence the mental toughness post). 

I learned to clock out everyone except my teammates and my coaches. I could hear then in a roaring crowd of taunts, and boos and horns. I know it came from focus, and mental toughness, and being yelled at  a few times by many coaches to keep my eyes and ears out the crowd. It pays off too. Once you get this technique down you will notice a lot more shots going in the basket, and a lot more teammates calling your name for the ball. It helps greatly with free throws too. Anyone can say anything and all you can hear is, yourself concentrating on perfect form. 

So to all my young players out there, this is the one time that you can ignore the "voices" outside the court. Understand the game is on, and practice is over! Play your game, improve your self, and focus on whats going on. You will have a significant change in your game! 

Feel free to ask me any questions , leave comments, and definitely subscribe to this blog. 

As I said before I'm here to give you my story, my advice and my love for basketball as you girls have. 

I'm excited and cant wait till the next time... keep ballin' girl, the games not over yet! 

Mone't ( but you can call me Moe)

It's a Mental Game

The saying Goes "The game of basketball is 90% mental and 10% physical." 

You ask " well Moe, what does that mean?".  Basketball has little to do with height, strength, moves and so forth. Its about how quickly you can think, what your thinking about and how you're thinking. Your brain is the strongest muscle in your body. It controls everything that you do. It controls how you feel when you wake up in the morning and it controls your knowledge base and the rest of your body. With out a good mental attitude your game just wont be where you really want it to be.

 For example If someone is guarding you and they are really tough, and intimidating they will usually  " get in your head" telling you your not good enough, taunting you, or just straight igging you out. The moment you think, they are right, you give up mentally and that's when they steal the ball from you and go full court to score. This happens because you allowed someone to tap into your strongest muscle and you there fore lost the battle of mental toughness, no matter if your the fastest , strongest, and " greatest " player on the team. Once you let someone get into your head and negatively affect your game, you have lost. 

You are  your biggest competition and you are the one that determines if you are good enough or not. Of course skills are important, like I said Its a 90-10 difference. But even if you have all those skills, if your not mentally tough,k it just wont matter. 

How do you overcome and be mentally tough at all times? Actually it takes practice. Its not that easy staying positive and thinking powerful good thoughts, but once you get used to it, it will be come a daily habit. You literally have to work on your mental toughness every day if you want to be a great player. I'm not saying just stand in front of a mirror and say i am a great basketball player and no one can beat me, i mean that is a great start but it also comes from educating your self in the game, constantly practicing by your self to improve your confidence and playing with others as well.

 

 I was also told by my coaches that my attitude equals my altitude. I never understood what that meant until I actually put that into affect. I used to play with a very negative attitude. Every basket that I missed i dropped nmy shoulders and was basically angry, not with anyone else but myself. That took me so far out the game that it started to become a big problem in my playing. My coaches would yell Moe! Get your head back in the game. They also told me not to be upset when I missed a basket, but to go get the ball back. Once I started doing those simple things like hustling back on D after a brick , I began to understand that my thoughts therefore created my actions. When I dropped my head and pouted about a missed basket, EVERYONE COULD SEE THIS ACTION!! So of course the opponent grabbed the rebound, went down the court and made a basket at my expense. 

I will never forget the day I decided to have a great attitude and an abundance of mental toughness. This day I let my attitude equal my altitude and I attempted my first in game Dunk. It was anything pretty but I felt so good and so strong and so quick that It took me to a whole another level.

Feel free to ask me any questions , leave comments, and definitelysubscribe to this blog. 

As I said before I'm here to give you my story, my advice and my love for basketball as you girls have. 

I'm excited and cant wait till the next time... keep ballin' girl, the games not over yet! 

Mone't ( but you can call me Moe)

Making the Grade 2.0

This piece Of good and solid advice is very important. I know I don't even have to talk to most of you about this, but If you were like me, and school just wasn't your thing, this advice is definitely for you! 

Young sister's! Stay in school seriously! For most teams all you need is a 2.0 to a 2.5 G.P.A. to stay on the team. Do you know how easy that is? That's just average, all C's and maybe a couple B's. they're not asking for perfection, and believe me, its nothing wrong with it either. I cant tell you how many times I've seen young gifted  basketball players lose their opportunity to have a wonderful collegiate career and possibly professional career because of poor grades.

 You have to motivate yourself. If you have class with some of your teammates ask them for your help if your stuck. No question is a dumb question. The only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked! You feel me? Anyways I just want to stress the importance of staying focused in school, not just to stay on the team, that's a good motivator, but for you in the long run. Your grades follow you every where and it says something about you. It says this person can follow directions, learn something, and apply it. Its no different than getting graded on the bball court; IE playing time, knowing the play, knowing the rules of the game etc. Its all the same! 

Well I'm going to tell you my little story, its a sad story but it ends in a happy ending. 

I'll be honest with you, I hated school. I didnt hate the teachers or the students, I just didn't like the concept of waking up extra early to sit for 8 hours in a classroom. I didn't understand the importance of keeping my G.P.A. up and how if I didn't do this my future could be shot. During my 10Th grade year I slacked a lot in high school. I skipped some classes, showed up late to others, but made sure I was on time and ready for basketball practice.  I didn't think much of it despite the warnings from teachers and then eventually my coaches. I was stubborn and it didn't stop me from doing what I was doing. 

The thing about being on a basketball team is that , yes, you do get a little love from you teachers. I mean we were able to leave school to go play games and we had a bit of celebrity status getting our face sin major news papers and much more. Well I took all that for granted and continued to skip class and not even show up on some days. I also had some other personal things going on then too, but it wasn't a good enough excuse to miss as many classes as I did. 

Well progress reports went out, and yes your coaches get this report as well as your parents. Sure enough I was called to the Head Coaches office, Coach om Pryor and we had a meeting about my grades and I was given a probationary period to either get it together or I was off the team! I had two weeks to prove that I could get to my classes and stay focused while I was there and between those two weeks, if i could make that effort, my spot on the team was mine.

Well Ladies,  I slipped , I didn't follow up with my part of the deal and two weeks later I was called into the office again. This time my parents were there and all the coaching staff. I was informed to turn in my uniform and to select a P.E. class for the remainder of the year. This killed me! P.E.!! I Haven't had P.E. since Junior High School. People in P.E. , I thought were lazy people who couldn't play a sport if they wanted to! Well that didn't matter to anyone because I had my chance.  I disappointed my family, my coaches, my teammates, my teachers, my school and my self. It wasn't a good feeling. The people that looked to me to make a difference, because everyone on a team is needed and important if they are doing what they need to do, are now looking at me like, "why did you give up on us". It just wasn't fun! 

So my Sophomore year of High School, I was a regular student. No traveling, no Sizzler meals, no practicing with  my team, No new jersey's no new bags, no new shoes, no NADA! This sucked big time! 

This taught me a lesson and I realized that my future depended on every decision I make in my life. Although I didn't wind up being Valedictorian of Gahr High I did finish school and got a chance to play with my teammates for 2 more years after that. I never wanted to feel that feeling of rejection ever again! So please if you want to take your basketball skills to the next level, you have to remember that your education comes first and foremost. If sports or anything get in the way, it can and will be taken from you. 

Ill tell you more of the story tomorrow in the next section... 

Feel free to ask me any questions , leave comments, and definitely subscribe to this blog. 

As I said before I'm here to give you my story, my advice and my love for basketball as you girls have. 

I'm excited and cant wait till the next time... keep ballin' girl, the games not over yet! 

Mone't ( but you can call me Moe)

Getting on the Team | Success Tips

Getting on the team is one of the most nerve racking aspects of starting basketball. Attending a try-out can be scary, but I will present you with a few tips on how to succeed in a try-out and getting you on the team with less stress and worry.  

Most coaches look for a certain types of players, sometimes they need to fill spots for those that have moved up in ranking ( Frosh to JV to Varsity) and some need to completely rebuild their team and their program. Try outs usually consist of fresh faces and players who are already on the team working their tails off to stay on the team. See I was always told that I could be replaced because there are hundreds of thousands of girls who want to be on the team as well. So this is where the tips begin if you follow one or even all of these tips you are sure to have a very high chance to getting on that team! 

Before the try-outs... I'm providing tips before the try-outs because you don't want to show up in a gym full of girls who have been playing a little longer than you have or who have already proved themselves to get a spot on the team the year before. Remember your competition's the girls who are trying out. Everyone wants to get on the team but honestly only 10-15 girls will make it. Period. 

#1. Work on basic skills such as ball handling. If you can purchase one or two  balls or borrow them from a relative, neighbor or friend do this... 

1. Dribble with both hands while in one place 100 times
2. Dribble with alternating hands ( at the same time) 100 times, 
3. With only one ball dribble 100 times each hand while jogging up and down the street, drive way or court if one is available. Do this 10 times up and back for each hand. This will increase your dribbling skills very quickly, at least to show that you have some dribbling skills. I'm sure the coach will assist you once you make the team. 
4. Also work on your lay-ups. Do 50 lay-ups on each side every day. This is a very important skill to have. Its the easiest yet most missed shot by newer players.

#2. Do a bit of working out. Basketball is a fast paced game and most great players play up to 40 minutes per game. Although this is rare in junior high school and even high school Its very very possible in college and above. I suggest you attempt 3 sets of the following every other day.

1. 10-20 push ups, 
2. 50 sit ups, 
3. 1 set of suicides ( this can be done in an empty parking lot), 
4. A mile run every day. 
5. Play Pick Up basketball. whether with a friend, a parent, sibling it doesn't matter. Playing basketball is a great way to learn how to play the game. It just takes practice! 

Stamina is very important in playing basketball, so is strength. Although this is a very very basic work out, it will help to  improve  in those areas. 

#3. Talk to the coach. This isn't intended for you to beg to be on the team or anything like that. Its to let the coach know your passion and desire to be on the team. No on is going to think your a butt kisser or anything like that, it just shows the coach that you are determined to work hard and put in the effort to be on the team. 

#4. Get to know the players already on the team. Hey they go to the same school as you and you probably have classes with them also. Talk to them and ask them questions about the team, what to expect and just generally talk basketball with them. Basketball players love to talk about the game most of the time, so chatting with a peer would be a great idea. 

During the try-outs. Okay now its time to show off your skills. Whether your a vet or a newbie these tips will help you get on the team. 

#1. Go Hard or Go Home. This statement is, what it is. If you don't work hard on the court, hustling, diving for the ball, sprinting up and down the court, defending your "man" etc, you will rarely make the team. I've noticed in my basketball days that coaches love hustle players. They might not be the best scorers or ball handlers but EVERYONE loves to see players give that extra effort. 

#2. Be a team player. Although your trying out with your competition you still can show major skill by passing the ball. Coaches love to see players who can share the ball and get their teammates involved. NO ONE LIKES A BALL HOG. So be sure to pass the ball then cut, a good player will recognize you and pass it right back for the lay up. 

#3. Dont be afraid to show off juuuust a little bit. If you have a special move and you know you can apply it correctly in a game like situation, try it out. Use your dribbling skills, or great footwork to get you recognized. Coaches like to see that players practiced their skills before they step into the gym. Players also like to play against good competition. 

#4. Be confident. I'm not saying be conceited I'm saying play with your head held high! If you miss a shot, sprint back on defense and get the ball back. Show the coaches that your a threat on either side of the court. 

My first high school try out experience... When I transferred school , from Lynwood High School to Gahr High school, I was asked by the school counselor if I wanted P.E. or a Sport. The counselor highly recommend I try to play basketball because of my height. I was pretty excited but scared because I never really played for a real team. Not saying the Lynwood traveling team wasn't real, but it wasn't my team that I could potentially play 4 straight years for. Anyways I looked at my father and said sure Ill give it a shot. 

 During this time, I was already asking my father to take me to the park to play, but this was serious. We practice after school and on the weekends. Like I said my father was killing me, but one day I did beat him and that's when he said I was ready.

 Try outs were coming up quick and my nerves were boiling. All I could think was, I'm not good enough, because those girls were just as good as the older Lynwood team. Once I stepped on the court things changed. I focused,I became a different person. When the whistle blew I was ready. I hustled, made great moves, passed the ball around to the other players and had a really fun and great time. 

There were over 60 girls trying out just for the freshman team, so the competition was high and there was only enough room for 13 girls. We had to wait almost a full week before the results were posted up at the gym. I didn't look until everyone else was gone. My heart pounded and my palms were sweaty. I slid my finger down the list and right near the bottom was Mone't Sykes Freshman team. I was excited but I didn't really show it, because I though tit was a dream, I hate to get excited about things and they don't come through.

Well this one did and I jumped for joy when I was called to the coaches office for an interview. I was explained to that I needed to have my grades up at a 2.0 and have my parents permission to travel to different schools and so forth. My height and weight was taken and my shoe sizes was requested for our cool new shoes we would get. 

All I can think was, that extra practicing really paid off. I wasn't nearly as good with the Lynwood girls as I was with the Gahr girls. I still needed lots and lots of training and practice but I made the team! And the rest was history. 

Ill tell you more of the story tomorrow in the next section... 

Feel free to ask me any questions , leave comments, and definitely subscribe to this blog. 

As I said before I'm here to give you my story, my advice and my love for basketball as you girls have. 

I'm excited and cant wait till the next time... keep ballin' girl, the games not over yet! 

Mone't ( but you can call me Moe)