Wednesday, May 13, 2009

How to Teach Kids Basketball

Do you want to teach kids basketball? If you have been recruited to be a coach or if you just want to teach your own kids how to play basketball, you can learn the following tips on how you can not only teach kids this fun game, but also how everyone can benefit from these lessons. Here are some tips that you can follow when you want to teach kids basketball.

Build team spirit

Kids need to know that basketball is a team sport and not one that one person is the "star." while it is inevitable that one kid will stand out above the rest, it is up to the team to pull for victory each time. One way that some coaches get a team together to build team spirit is to have get togethers with the kids that do not involve basketball. This enables the kids to form a bond with one another and learn that they are all valuable when it comes to the team. .

Instill confidence

Instill confidence in the kids as well. You can do this by finding the strong points of each player and praising them when they do something right. Do not over praise as this does not build confidence. You should praise when they do something good and give constructive criticism when they do something wrong. Teach them to overcome basketball problem plays as much as you can and build up their confidence with their regular playing.

Know the rules

Of course, it is imperative that you know the rules of basketball so that you can teach your kids how to play the game and follow the same rules. Be a stickler on the rules. The referees will certainly be watching. You will not do your kids any favors if you let some rules slide when you are teaching them to play basketball. You have to teach them the rules.

Have practice sessions

Make sure that you use offensive and defensive drills and teach them every aspect of the game. Unlike other sports, basketball pretty much requires all players to play both defense and offense. All players should know how to shoot, to block and how to do a lay up. When children are younger, you will want to put them in different positions to see what they do well in. As they get older, they will be relegated to positions that they are suited for.

Teach them to be good sports

They are not always going to lose, they are not always going to win. Teach them sportsmanlike conduct. Any other type of conduct is not tolerated in major leagues and looks bad on the kids as well as for you as their coach. Teach your kids how to win with grace and how to lose with dignity and you will be doing them a big service as sportsmen and later as human beings.

You can have a lot of fun teaching young people how to play basketball and instilling team spirit, confidence and sportsmanlike conduct in them. You can have fun, and they can learn quite a bit from you if you are willing to teach them.

Basketball - everything you need to know!
Learn the rules & drills in basketball: basketball Primer - The Essential Basketball Handbook

The Family That Plays Together

Families need playtime together. They need a chance to relax, have fun and play. So often, families are so busy with the basketball activities and responsibilities that they forget to get together and reconnect. Making time for the family to be together may take some serious effort, but it is sure to come with some serious rewards.

Getting the family together for dinner is a great start and should be done often, but there are added benefits to be had when the family starts to play. Family members relax, conversations happen and bonds are built. Family playtime is a tradition well worth the time and effort involved. Children deserve to have fond memories of childhood that include family activities. These memories become a treasured part of childhood that will be carried with them throughout their lives.

Play can come in many different forms, but the best type of play will allow for conversation. Playful competition can be healthy, but care should be taken to avoid letting it take a serious turn. After all, winning the game is not the goal, building memories and having fun are much more important.

Family game nights are a great way to get the group together and can include board games, card games or video games. Care should be taken to make sure all members are included, especially if the activity revolves around video games as the number of players is limited. Card games are often a great choice for larger families and a rousing game of Uno can even overcome the reluctance of many a sullen teenager. Board games, carefully chosen, will also provide lots of opportunities for friendly chatter. Just be careful to choose a game that will fit the timeslot available. A rousing game of Monopoly might not be the best choice for a school night.

Taking the family outside is also a great choice. Outdoor games can be as simple as a casual game of soccer in the backyard, tossing the Frisbee around or finding local basketball hoops for a quick game. A full blown game of basketball will keep everyone around a bit longer and should really help family members let their guards down and relax.

Playing hard is a great way to open the lines of communication and you may be surprised at the conversations that come after the game as well. Portable and adjustable basketball hoops make it easy to have a quick game in your own driveway.

Be sure to plan a variety of activities to keep the family interested and having basketball You don't want to play video games every Monday night if one member of the family really isn't into them. Keeping the activities varied will help ensure that each family member's strengths are recognized and each has a chance to shine. Setting a regular day for these family days will help members plan around them, but if that doesn't work for your family, just be sure to have them as often as you can.

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Basketball Shooting Tips and Advice

When it comes to the subject of shooting, there is a lot of basketball advice out there. It can be overwhelming for young players to absorb all the information they come across and then implement it when they get on the court. For this article I have tried to simplify the topic as much as possible and cover the key elements of good shooting.

Positioning of Feet and Body

The best shooters will start by shooting just 2-3 feet from the basket when they begin warming up. If you are trying to obtain a new shot, this is the best way to learn it. Start from 2-3 feet, not the basketball point line. Get directly in front of the basket, don't start from the side or try banking shots. Start from directly in from because you'll want to swish each shot. We start from the feet up first and that is by getting your feet shoulder width apart with your knees flexed a little bit. I put one foot slightly ahead of the other. I am right handed so it's my right foot I place forward. If you are left handed it would be the left foot that you would place in front. As we move up to our shoulders, make sure that your shoulders are in balance or squared to your hips. If I am raising my arms to shoot the ball, I need to make sure that my body is in balance and aligned. I don't want to be tipping to a side or tipping too far forward. I need to be in balance with the weight of my body on the balls of my feet.

Hands

This is something that isn't taught as well as it should be. Players are usually decent at the legs and shoulders, but terrible when it comes to the hands. You might have read about me referring to players as thumb shooters in other articles. These are players that use their off hand thumb to help propel the ball toward the basket. These players are typically very streaky in their shots because the shot rarely repeats the same release. Take the ball with one hand at first and shoot from 2-3 feet away but don't use your off hand to help yet. Make sure that you are keeping your elbow in and getting the proper rotation on the ball. For practice, make sure that you are shooting the ball from the logo on the ball so you can see the rotation you should be getting. The ball should be shot from your pointer finger and middle finger. If the ball is coming off the last three fingers then you need to do some adjusting before you bring up your off hand. Once your release is solid, then stay at the 2-3 foot range and bring up the off hand. Your off hand elbow should stay in as well and only guide the ball. Make sure that the rotation stays the same by using the guide hand. If you notice the rotation is different or the ball is coming off your shooting hand different, then stop and start over without the guide hand. Nothing should change by using the guide hand.

Aim

This is a great debate as some coaches say to aim for the back of the rim and others on the front of the rim. I believe that is best to aim at the back rim. In my opinion it is better to miss long because throughout the game you will get tired and the ball will be there when you need it. The important thing is to have a spot that you are aiming for and focusing on. Don't think about missing it. Think about making the shot and having a positive attitude. Remember that shooting is like golf in that you would rather miss long than short, you want to give the ball a chance to go in. When you leave it short, it has zero chance of going in.

Jump Shots

The jump shot is one of the most basic fundamentals in basketball. It differs from a set shot in that the player jumps in the air before releasing the ball. For a young player, this is very awkward to accomplish. Don't start too young to shoot these if you aren't ready. I believe that a jump shot started at too young of an age can lead to poor mechanics. What happens is kids aren't strong enough yet to get the ball to the basket from far away and because they have to strain themselves they develop poor habits that are hard to get rid of. A good jump shot is learned from inside the free throw line, not at the 3 point line. One of the prettiest shots I've seen in a long time is from JJ Redick. He obeys all the correct rules. Balanced feet, square shoulders and his off hand is strictly used just to guide the ball. He basketball excellent rotation on the ball and shoots the ball above his head where he can see the basket with both eyes. Other great shooters, like Larry Bird followed those same principles. Bird's shot wasn't as pretty as Redick's, but his release was flawless. It came off the right part of the hand and he could see the basket with both eyes. It was simply amazing to watch up close. I say this a lot, but if your elbow is straight when you shoot the ball will probably go straight. Let's not make it any more difficult than it already is.

Lay-Ups

I was horrible at lay-ups growing up. I cost myself hundreds of points because I couldn't make one. I felt it was important enough to cover some of the fundamentals of a solid lay-up.

When I was 12 years old, I went to a basketball camp where the coach filmed us driving in for a lay-up. I was just getting over my lay-up phobia and was ok with being filmed as I thought I was the man. When we watched the tapes we were all amazed at a simple flaw some of us were doing. When we would come in for the lay-up we would bring the ball to the other side of our bodies before we brought it up to shoot with the correct hand. I was worse than everyone at this. By doing this, I was giving the defender the opportunity to slap the ball away or simply knock it away from me. I learned also that this was a major reason I was so bad at lay-ups in the previous years.

When you are shooting a lay-up make sure you are concentrating on using proper footwork. If you are on the right side, typically you will use the left foot to jump off and vice versa from the other side. For younger players this is honestly a major challenge. Young players don't be alarmed if this isn't natural for you right away. Lastly, don't take off too far away from the basket or too late. This can only be learned by practicing and knowing what your personal limitations are. I've recently learned that my limitations have changed as I've gotten older. No fun.

Brian Schofield is a writer for a basketball skills website called HoopSkills.com.

Taking a Look at DC Vs Marcel Comic Books

Comic books have entertained audiences since the 1930s with their quick, easy-to-read artwork basketball appealing, over-the-top characters. Behind Batman, Spiderman, Superman, the X-Men or other comic book heroes, there are behemoth enterprises that have dominated the comic book world for decades. While Marvel Comic Books and DC Comic Books have rivaled each other for years, occasionally the characters team up in epic battles within "the Amalgam Universe," such as in Silver Surfer versus Green Lantern, Flash versus Quicksilver, or Elektra versus Catwoman. While there are many obvious similarities between the two giants, there are also some stark contrasts.

Motivation, cause and effect are all very important considerations when analyzing the basketball between Marvel and DC. Marvel characters often struggle with a myriad of internal forces and mental battles. For instance, the Hulk has struggled with an explosive temper, while Spiderman has always struggled to balance his personal life with the demands of being a superhero. Wolverine also has competing nuances of animalistic urges and human civility.

Once action has been taken, these characters often ponder what has happened and sometimes second-guess themselves. These "very human-like" characters were generally ordinary but gained powers from science accidents, radiation exposure, spider bites, genetic mutation or some other event. The setting for Marvel graphic novels are in real places like New York, Los Angeles or Toronto. Some say Marvel puts a more modern spin on comic books and fulfills a more psychological need for its readers.

By contrast, the superheroes of DC comic books are nearly god-like in their perfection and function; more like mythological heroes. Their only weaknesses come from exterior factors, like Superman coming into contact with kryptonite or Batman being without his super utility belt.

They got their powers from supernatural, magical or alien means and they exist in ethereal worlds like Metropolis, Gotham City, Star City and the Dreaming. Over the years, newer adaptations of the comic books have gotten more into the psychological side of these characters, but generally speaking, the fans of DC appreciate the boldness, the confidence, the skills and the innate intelligence of these immaculate characters.

In the end, it's hard to really say which comic book series reigns supreme. DC, the old dinosaur, has the oldest legacy of all comic books and can rightfully claim the invention of superheroes as we know them (with Superman debuting in 1938). Their characters were perfect, supreme, and almost god-like in their abilities and powers.

However, Marvel Comic Books brought a whole new spin on superheroes with their modern take; that many superheroes were just ordinary people with day jobs and complex emotions, yet wound up finding their callings as heroes (or villains) following a series of unusual events. Many comic fans will read both so the rivalry has always been friendly, but a person's favorite character may say a lot about why he or she reads.

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AdWords Strategies For Beginners

AdWords Strategies can be difficult for many basketball comprehend and put into effect due to many different factors. While There are many basketball Strategies the purpose of this article is to help beginners to AdWords set up a solid foundation with there AdWords marketing campaign. One of the most important factors to consider for beginners to AdWords is a budget. Depending on what your goals are budget plans can vary. Initially you should have a set daily as well as monthly budget. In addition to your daily and or monthly budget, one may want to consider setting up a test budget. Before you start your campaign you may want to start a test campaign just to see how hot the market you're considering is so that you can have an approximate idea of what to expect in your actual campaign and refine keywords as well as other details, assuming you have done the preliminary research for your market. The next step is to research the market you are considering if you haven't done so already. When doing market research there are many different factors to consider. One of the most important and profitable factors is finding a niche.

Niche Research

In so many words a niche is a smaller subcategory of any particular market. For example if one was to consider the market of athletic training, then basketball conditioning would be a subcategory. Moreover you can go even further into detail and more specifically target your audience. For example, "how to increase your vertical leaping ability for basketball" would be a subcategory of basketball conditioning. In most cases the more specific you are about your target market the better. By highly targeting a market you will be able to address your potential customer's needs more accurately. Additional factors to consider when conducting market research are product selection, supply, and demand.

Supply and Demand

Once you've found a niche you would first of all make sure that you have product that can be delivered or that you can create a product for that niche. In addition to finding a product you want to make sure there is a heavy demand for that product and moderate to low supply. One of the best marketing tools to help accomplish this is Google's keyword research tool. You can check out the approximate search volume for a particular keyword or keywords with this tool. Next you want to compare the number of sites (supply) in relation to the number of searches (demand) there are for the keywords you have selected. The more demand for your product or service the better your chances will be for a successful and profitable AdWords campaign.

Conclusion

In conclusion if you are a beginner to AdWords it is important to implement a budget, both on a daily and monthly basis. Planning, market research, and setting up a test campaign are also factors to consider when starting your first AdWords campaign. Another area of research that can be highly effective in improving your success with AdWords is the niche and target audience of market you are considering. In other words to more specific you are in relation to you potential client's needs the better. Other factors to consider in your when beginning an AdWords marketing campaign include product selection, supply, and demand. If there is not an existing product for your market you may want to consider creating one. In addition you would ideally want to start an AdWords campaign in a market that has low supply and high demand. There are many AdWords strategies and factors to consider when using AdWords. The information given in this article is mainly for beginners to AdWords however it can still help anyone to improve their success and help to maximize the effectiveness of any AdWords marketing campaign if used properly.

To learn more about AdWords Strategies visit my AdWords Strategies Product Review blog.

Basketball Training

Specificity training...The secret to achieving lightening-quick speed, gravity-defying hops, bone-crushing strength, and energizer-bunny stamina on the basketball court, regardless of your current basketball skill level.

Are you getting pushed around on the basketball court? Do you feel out of breath practically minutes after joining a basketball game? Do you feel like you have the vertical leap of a worm? Or, do you find yourself getting left in the dust every time you try to keep up with the man that you're guarding because you have the speed of turtle? If you answered "yes" to any of the preceding questions, there is no doubt that you need to develop either more strength, basketball stamina, better leaping ability, or speed. The good news is that there is a basketball to improve that specific "weak" area of your game, regardless of which one it might be. The answer: specificity training.

What is specificity training? Basically, it's a way to target-train certain muscle groups in your body in a specific way regularly, consistently, and frequently in order for those muscle groups to perform and react the way you want them to under pre-determined situations or duress. For example, since basketball is such a fast-paced sport, your body should basketball able to keep up with a sudden change of direction while in motion or in a situation where you suddenly had to dive on the basketball court to get a loose ball. With the help of a qualified trainer, you could design different types of training regimens that would condition the different muscles in your body that are often activated or triggered and needed when you're playing a game of basketball; the type of exercises incorporated into a workout regimen to achieve specificity training varies depending on the type of sport. For example, the way you would train to get ready for basketball season would be different from how you would prepare for football season. And, depending on your personal goals, there are various types of specificity training programs that can be designed to meet your sport-specific needs such as, core training, speed training, vertical-jump training, strength training, endurance training, and flexibility training. For the purposes of this article, we will only discuss core training.

Core training: An important component to any specificity-training exercise program.

If you don't do anything else, you should at minimum include core training as part of your overall basketball training regimen. Core training involves developing the core muscles in your body. Just like the foundation of a house supports the entire structure and prevents it from collapsing over time, the core muscles of your body serve as the foundation of your body; they support your entire body by providing stability whenever you're performing any physical activity from something as simple as walking or bending down to tie your shoe laces to a more physically demanding activity such as leaping up several feet into the air to dunk a basketball. Regardless of the type of activity you're trying to perform, it all starts from your core or sometimes referred to as the "center" of your body. If your core muscles groups are not sufficiently developed to especially withstand the rigors of your specific sport (in this case, basketball), you will be more susceptible to muscle injuries with the most common injury being lower back pains. Also, your posture will be negatively affected.

Now that you have discovered that your core muscle groups play a significant role in how well you perform on the basketball court, what are the exact muscles in your body that makeup your core muscle groups? If you have not already guessed it, the muscles that combined makeup your main core muscle groups are your abdominal muscles (Transversus abdominis, Rectus abdominis, and External oblique), your back muscles (Multifidus and Erector spinae), and your hip flexor muscles (Psoas major, Illiacus, Rectus femoris, Pectineus, and Sartorius). Therefore, you should perform exercises that would target the preceding muscle groups as part of your core training regimen. Some basic exercises that would help strenghten your core muscles include: Squats, abdominal crunches, push-ups, back extensions, russian twists, hip lifts, lunges, and row exercises. Proper nutrition is also essential to making sure that your core muscle groups are not compromised. This is because, you want to prevent excess fat from accumulating around your midsection, which would not only compromise the performance of your heart but most likely also put a strain on your lower back. Therefore, try not to eat high-calorie-junk fatty foods. Do not drink excessive amount of alcoholic beverages, and try not to eat late at night.

The importance of core training cannot be emphasized enough. Nothing happens unless you have a strong, properly developed core muscles. The longer you wait, the more difficult it would become later to develop your core muscle groups. Start today. Don't delay.

You can find more drills and tips on how to improve your basketball skills and elevate your game above the rim by visiting http://www.basketball-drills-and-tips.com