Two Minute Drill

Off-season or In-Season Individual Development Workout

This is the best Individual Development drill that we have seen. It develops:

1. Ability to shoot free throws under pressure

2. Conditioning

3. Footwork coming off basketball a screen or cut

4. Three-point shooting

5. Mental Toughness/Competitiveness

6. Making shots under pressure

Basketball players are highly competitive people by nature; therefore it is beneficial to design drills that provide an opportunity for players to compete against other players or against themselves. The competition increases the player's enthusiasm for the drill and results in better intensity during the training session. The Two Minute Drill requires only one player. The players compete against themselves for their best score. However, it is extremely helpful to have someone timing the drill.

Many players practice free throws by shooting 100, 200 or possibly more in each practice session. While volume shooting is an important part of developing confidence and rhythm on free throws, this type of practice does not subject the player to the same conditions that exist while attempting free throws during a game. Pressure and fatigue are just two factors that may affect free throw percentage. To be a successful free throw shooter in games, players must be able to step to the line a make two in a row while fatigued and under pressure.

The Two Minute Drill is designed for player to do just that. Players must step to the free throw line and make two pressure free throws while fatigued. The objective of the Two Minute Drill Game is for the player to move from level one to the highest level possible. In order to advance from one level to another, the player must make a power lay-up, a spin-and-catch intermediate shot and a three point shot. The player must shoot until he/she has made each shot, even if s/he misses each one four times, the level is not completed until each of the three shots goes in. After making the three-point shot the player immediately (with no rest!) steps to the free throw line to shoot a one-and-one free throw. If the player makes both free throws he/she advances to the next level and repeats the same sequence. If the player misses a free throw he/she must remain on that level.

The drill is timed for two minutes. The stopwatch only runs while the player is shooting shots from the field, like a game. It does not run during free throws. If there is no one to time the player can wear a sport watch to time him/herself. The timing of the drill is very significant to its effectiveness because the clock pushes the player to run hard after rebounds and to shoot shots that are more game-like. However, if no timer is available, the player must push him/herself to go hard. To make it competitive, the shooter can be limited to a total number of misses or to commit that the first missed free throw will end the game.

Players compete each practice session against the highest level they have ever achieved. They may also compete against other players by seeing which player reaches the highest level in a given amount of time.

The basketball may be altered to more benefit to post players. Post players may choose to substitute the three-point shots or the intermediate shots with jump hooks or other post moves. It is easy to come up with several other variations to keep the drill from becoming monotonous.

The Coaching Toolbox http://www.coachingtoolbox.net is a resource site for basketball coaches and players of all levels. The author of the site, Brian Williams, is former coaches with over 20 years of experience at various levels. The site is just getting off the ground, so we hope that you will visit us and continue to stay and grow with us as well!

Leisure Daze by Mike Mihalek - Book Review

RoseHeart Publishing
ISBN 9780980150452

An octogenarian lawyer, his vivacious Russian emigrant wife, a younger retired widower, a registered nurse, and two teenagers are pitted against members of a Colombian Cartel drug ring and the president of the homeowners association of a Florida coastal community, in Mike Milhalek's facetious new comedic novel "Leisure Daze."

While fishing off the central coast of Florida basketball Seibert and his neighbor Kyle Walker came across a large bundle of marijuana. Assuming it to be from an aborted overnight drug-smuggling operation, and with no other boats in sight they made the decision to haul in the contraband.

Upon returning to their homes in their nearby retirement community Phil took possession of the large quantity of illegal drugs and apportioned a generous amount to Kyle. They made plans to research Florida laws to determine what amount of the substance was considered a felony to have in possession before deciding what to do with their find and headed to their basketball homes. Phil and his wife and Kyle and his sister-in-law were all high on the marijuana before the evening was over.

Self-appointed leader of a crusade to get the community involved in a ballot measure to ban continued dumping of waste materials into the river Phil was attempting to get signatures from Homeowner Association members on his petition. Kyle came up with a plan to help get votes at the annual Memorial Day picnic by having Kim, his sister-in-law, bake a batch of marijuana-laced brownies for the pot luck dessert table.

Homeowner's Association president, retired Army General, Stan Ross, stood in opposition the plan. The drugged brownies had a snowball effect and soon suspicions were confirmed that illegal drugs were being smuggled into the community on a regular basis.

Mihalek skillfully creates an incredulous plot as he adds new characters into the action. The story builds to a crescendo of fast-moving action leading up to a brilliant climax.

Mike's writing is filled with insights into human nature and personal insecurity. Engaging dialog reveals a divergence of opinions and values on a broad spectrum of information which enhance and give credibility to a far-fetched plot on subjects ranging from art, world cultures, philosophy, religion, and politics, to classic cars.

http://www.readerviews.com/

Pac-10 Tournament Tickets - Can UCLA Repeat?

Fans are clamoring for Pac-10 Tournament tickets, but that wasn't always the case.

The Pac-10 Tournament is a single elimination college basketball tournament, deciding the champion of the Pacific-10 Conference and giving the winner an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. While other college basketball tournaments have thrived, the Pac-10 Tournament has had bumps in the road despite the fact that the UCLA bruins play in the conference and are one of the most storied college basketball programs in existence.

The modern tournament was played from 1987-1990 when coaches complaints and poor attendance ended the event. After the tournament was abandoned the automatic NCAA berth went to the conference regular season champion, and during this era two Pac-10 schools, UCLA and Arizona, won national titles.

In 2002 the tournament returned and is permanently held in Los Angeles, unlike some conference where the venue rotates.

This year the Pac-10 Tournament will basketball played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA from March 11-14, 2009. Like most tournaments, the games are broken into 'sessions', which usually means two games for one ticket. Of course, 'all sessions' tickets are available as well, and some fans purchase these tickets, wait to see which sessions their favorite team will play in and sell the tickets they don't want.

Since 2003, the Pac-10 found what must be the most perfect naming partnership in the history of college basketball tournaments, when Pacific Life began sponsoring the event. UCLA is the reigning champion and looks to be the team to beat, but as with most college basketball conference tournaments, teams play harder when faced with rivalry foes.

Teams of the Pacific 10 conference are: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, basketball UCLA, USC, Washington and Washington State.

Arlen Simmons uses this tool to find the cheapest Pac-10 Tournament tickets, and during the time he's not watching college basketball he writes for several sports sites

Sports Aptly Mirror the Survival Spirit of Human Race, Celebrate it With Beautiful Trophies

Human beings have survived multitudes of challenges that nature bestowed in its path over the entire course of evolution. Our ancestors survived the life in wilds, the various threats from the much larger basketball ferocious beasts and the extremes of the climate and the changes in geography. Humans have come out stronger and more united than they were before these challenges. Sports are one activity that magnificently reflects that same survival spirit that has made our race the most dominant race on this planet. Throughout the centuries people have celebrated various sports as an embodiment and reflection of various attributes that showcase the fighting spirit of human being. In the earlier times the rewards were grand and sometimes beyond the imagination of the participants. In the modern times we can celebrate the same spirit by awarding our sportsmen with some of the most amazing and magnificently designed trophies.

The presence of internet in our lives has made the task of finding these trophies a lot easier. There are many companies on the net that can provide you with all the magnificent trophies like basketball trophies, football trophies, hockey trophies, and soccer trophies. People who are involved in the arrangement of various tournaments concerning different sports can easily visit these sites and choose from the marvelous collection of football trophies, basketball trophies, and even wine caddies that can be presented for achievements in fields other than sports. In the ancient times the survival spirit was rewarded with the gift of life. Today when we are living in much more secure and protected times we need to appreciate the celebration of that spirit with something that is alluring and lifts the spirit with its beauty. The experts on these sites are well aware of these desires and thus give their all in designing the hockey trophies, soccer trophies, basketball trophies and even wine caddies.

All that is required from your end is to visit these sites and choose from among the most elaborately designed and decorated trophies.

For more information regarding Soccer Awards, Tennis Awards, Sport Caddies please visit: http://www.decadeawards.com