My teammate wont pass me the ball!

Are you having an issue with your teammates passing the ball to you. Do they look your direction and give a turn away and pass the ball to someone else? 

This could be because your teammate is either a ball hog or doesn't trust you on the court. Id like to say its a trust issue. Are you involved in practice? Do you call for the ball when you are open? Does your coach realize what is going on? If not then you need to look at a few things before you become upset. 

#1  Communication is key. If you ever feel neglected on the court then you need to speak up. If you feel that you have been practicing on your game and you're confident enough to handle the ball whether its to dribble drive, shoot, or pass to another teammate then  you need to speak with you coach about the chemistry on the team . 

Sometimes athletes whoa re a little more seasoned feel they have the need to have total control over the basketball. But it is fact that you NEED 5 players on the court and as a team everyone should be able to touch the ball at least once. 

If your coach felt confident enough to put you int he game, then you certainly deserve a chance. If you are silent and hang your head low then you are heading in the wrong direction. While in practice you must learn to call for the ball with confidence and let your teammates know that you are ready and available to handle that ball. Dont be afraid to speak up.  You never know, maybe they just think you dont want to be too involved. 

Talk to your teammate who you think might be over looking you. Let them know that you can do it and that you are ready to play in this great game of basketball with them. After time they will see that they can trust you and will knowledge you more often on the court. 

If its a team chemistry issue then your coaching staff most certainly needs to recognize that there is an issue with sharing the ball on the court. Even if you have superstars on your team if you belong on the team, t hen you deserve to be apart of the game. 

I personally have always loved to pass and get my teammates involved and as a coach I am sure to remind my players to pass the ball around so that the defense moves and we can get a good easy shot versus one person throwing up a crazy shot because they feel they are better than their other teammates. Its really difficult to have good team chemistry if the ball is rotated and touched by every player, even the post. 

I cant stress it enough how important it is to communicate with your team and your coaching staff. Speaking up will work wonders for you and your team. So get out there, open your mouth and be ready when its your turn to touch the ball. Stay focused, pay attention in practice, stay active and involved and volunteer yourself when the coach asks for players to step on the court.

Wishing you the best of Luck as always!!

GET YOUR BALL ON GIRL!! 

CAUSE SHECANBALL!! 

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! 

















NXN3WNNUWG3E

My Coach is Picking on Me!

Have you ever had the notion that your coach was picking on you, yelled at you more than your other teammates, had to run extra for no apparent reason or picked you out of the bunch to demonstrate but it makes you feel like they are attacking you? Well I have a secret, they aren't.

If a coach is paying extra attention to you, it is highly likely that they see something in you that you don't. They also want to make you a coachable player, meaning you most likely have a certain type of attitude towards the team, coach or even yourself that reflects that you don't have the time or capacity to listen  to or believe in anyone. Most coaches used to be players and they know what it takes to make it to the next level. They generally want to push you to your maximum limit and train you to be prepared for the best. 

I remember a time when I despised my coach. I felt like she always want to make an example out of me, or make me feel like I was being punished for not being as good as my teammates. After time, alot more ups and downs with not only my coaching staff, teammates but myself as well, I began to understand that my coach was only trying to get me to stop being so negative, clear my head and focus on basketball, especially when I am on the court.

A poor attitude will definitely get you extra attention and often times its not going to be good attention. If you focus that negative attitude into positive and keep your head up after a missed shot, or run the extra suicide because your coach knows you CAN! Never limit yourself, always know that you WILL get better, especially after lots and lots of practice. Here are a few things to remember.

• Your attitude = your attention - a positive attitude will bring positive attention
• Everyone misses shots- Never get down on yourself for that ever!
• Hustle changes your game-  Every coach appreciates a player who hustles. 
• Focus on listening and learning-  Trust me, YOU DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING. Listen and learn. 

Getting off the Bench

Have you ever sat on the bench during a game, hoping you get selected to get in the game but your left feeling incapable, not as good as your other teammates or your coach just HATES you? Do you pout, huff and puff or roll your eyes if you only get to play in the last 2 minutes of the game?

STOP IT!! :-/

If you display negative attitudes on the bench, then what do you think your coach will think you will do on the court? If you practice hard and stay motivated your time will come. You have to remember basketball has strategies, and if you lack certain skills that may keep you on the bench for another year, or maybe even two. But REMEMBER! YOU ARE STILL ON THE TEAM. There are so many who would be honored just to get that status, so chill out for a minute and consider these tips to help you get noticed more in practice, and even on the bench and your coach just might call on YOU! So BE READY!!

P.A.C.K.S

1. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. You must schedule a personal workout that involves improving on the skills you lack in the most. Whether it be defensive or offensive skills, you need to work on these types of things on your own time as well as regular practice with your teammates. 

2. ATTITUDE. Your attitude = your Altitude, never forget that. If you miss a shot and you frown and move slowly on defense or do not follow your shot, that is displaying a poor attitude not only towards your coaches, but also towards your teammates, the opposing team, the refs, the scorekeepers , your parents and your fans. Who cares if you missed a shot, hustle back on defense, focus on getting the ball back and try, try again. YOU CAN DO IT! :)

3. COMMUNICATE. Talk to your coaching staff | Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Position coach, to see what you need to improve on, or simply ask what more can you do to get more playing time. Most coaches have an open door policy and encourage student athletes to engage in forms of communication that will help them improve.

4. KNOWLEDGE. Enlighten yourself. Do you know your coaches philosophy? Do you know what your coaches are looking for? Do you know ALL the rules to the game of basketball? Pick up a book on basketball rules, and practice what you have learned. Are you familiar with all the plays or at least most? If not work with a teammate or two, or three or 10 and get those amazing plays your coach has for your squad down pact! Watch the greatest and learn the game from them! Watch some WNBA, NBA, College to see how things REALLY should be done and try to apply the effort everyday. You cant learn everything about basketball over night. Remember its 90% mental and 10% physical so work on your mental game too! That includes Knowledge!

5. STAY POSITIVE. This may tie in with Attitude, but there is a slight difference. I cant stress enough the importance of staying positive in practice, in games and in life general. No one wants to be around a negative minded person. If you are on the bench, cheer for your teammates, smile and enjoy being at the game. In practice be more vocal and give 110 % of your physical abilities  The coaching staff will notice your effort and will remember you when it comes time to playing in the game.