Saturday, December 29, 2012

The Basic Rules And Equipments Used In A Basketball Game

It may be easier to become a spectator of a basketball game than to participate on an actual game, especially on a professional level. If this is your passion, you might as well start by knowing more about the rules and various equipments that are used and implemented on this kind of team sport. More and more people are getting fascinated with the sport. This is why there are many professional leagues that can be found at various countries all around the world. To give you some briefing about what to expect with the game, here's a peek about the rules and a look at the standard equipments used during the game.

Although some rules about measurements and time limits may vary depending on the league and tournaments, these are the basic rules that are followed by international leagues, including the NBA.


The rule of the game is simple, the team with the higher score by the end of the time limit for the whole game would win. This can be achieved by shooting the balls on the hoop to score points, while the opponent tries to hinder the shots through various strategies. A shot can be worth two or three points. Three points is given if the shot is made at the three-point arc or 6.25 meters away from the basket for international games and 7.24 meters for the NBA. One point can be gained if the player does the shot on the foul line after a foul is committed.

There are four quarters in each game. Each quarter can be 10 minutes long for international games and 12 minutes for the NBA. A half-time break is given 15 minutes. If the scores are equal by the end of the fourth quarter, an overtime will be issued that is five minutes long. Whenever the game is not active, the time is stopped. A game usually lasts for two hours, depending on various technical aspects that may occur while it is on. There are two teams that will play at each game. Aside from the players, these teams will have their coaches. The coach is responsible in overseeing the while game and in making sure that the strategies are implemented to increase the team's chances of winning. The team must also have assistant coaches, doctors, trainers, managers and statisticians.

A standard uniform is composed of pair of shorts and jersey that must be unique to each team, with the number and surname of the player who is wearing such. This is applicable for both men and women's leagues. To begin the game, the two essential things that must be at sight are the ball and the court where the game is going to be played. At competitive levels, there must be score sheets, scoreboards, clocks, stop-clock system that is operated through whistle and alternating possession arrows.

As a basketball player, you have to excel not only in shooting, but also on how you can stop the other team from making points. You can achieve this through constant practice and by catching some good games on TV or on live venues.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

There Are Some Ways To Help You Get More From Basketball Training

Whenever you tell someone you want to play basketball, the first thing that just about everyone says is you have to practice hard. Your ability to motivate yourself and have commitment to training will ultimately determine the outcome. To make the most impressive gains you'll need to approach your training drills with the same attitude as playing basketball. Let's look at some ways to help you get more from your basketball training.

It can be very helpful in basketball training to have a partner, someone you work out with and who can help to motivate you. If you're self-motivated to do it, individually, then that's great; but you may want to at least think about a basketball training buddy. With two people, it just opens up a whole other set of basketball training areas you can do together. You may need someone to spot you when you do weightlifting exercises. Perhaps most importantly, when you and your partner have a training session scheduled, you both have an extra motivation to show up on time.


You may find that having a partner does a lot for your basketball training. We cannot overemphasize the importance of good discipline to stick to your training program. You should do everything you can to show up for all practice sessions and always stick to your training regimen. You should put all of your energy into drills and training exercises, as these are what help you develop your skills and improve your conditioning. There is only way to be good, and that is to give yourself completely to your basketball training in your life. While natural talent can certainly be helpful, it is really your attitude towards training that is the biggest factor in how much progress you make in your game.

If there is one area that is probably neglected a lot it has to do with eating right which will give you good nutrition and strength. For maximum energy in your day, eat about four or five small meals as opposed to the traditional three large meal habit we all grew up with. You do want to avoid losing a lot of weight for basketball, that is assuming your weight is basically ideal. You actually need to eat so you maintain your weight because it's easy to lose it playing basketball during the regular season. Avoid junk food, always, and for gaining weight the best way is through proper nutrition.

The results you get from your basketball training will reflect the amount of effort and work you put into it. The best players are those who are most dedicated, and who don't let anything get in their way. If you apply all you learn and know plus have dedication, you will see excellent results.

There is no doubt that there are many elements which can help you to strengthen your abilities in virtually any sport, such as the game of basketball,soccer and volleyball, and probably the most crucial of them is the vertical jump ability.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Let Us Discuss The Roles Of All The Different Positions In Basketball

Anybody searching to experience or watch hoops ought to know the different positions in basketball. On the basketball team you will find generally five gamers in the game whatsoever occasions. All these five gamers has different roles and projects for that team. Let us discuss the roles of all the different basketball positions.

Of all basketball teams you will find two pads. The point guard and also the shooting guard. Some teams have a good amount of pads and employ three, but more often than not you will find two. The point guard accounts for dribbling a basketball the basketball in the court and becoming the team occur its offense. The shooting guard is generally a great shooter. Also, it's the responsibility from the shooting guard to assist the point guard with ballhandling duties. Many point pads can shoot well, too. Getting pads that may dribble and shoot perfectly is extremely beneficial for any basketball team.


Most basketball teams have two forwards, a little forward along with a power forward. A little forward is generally in a position to shoot and take care of the ball, in addition to assist with rebounding. A power forward usually plays close to the basket. He helps the team with rebounding and protecting the basket. It's good to possess forwards who is able to rebound, defend close to the basket. Getting the opportunity to shoot and take care of the ball is really a plus for just about any forward, although not normally needed.

The final position may be the center. It's the center's responsibility to protect the basket on defense. Out of all the different positions around the basketball court, the middle may be the last type of defense. Whenever a player will get past an opposing player, it's the job from the center to protect the basket. Also, the middle has down to rebounding. A middle that may defend the basket and rebound, plus score round the basket is extremely beneficial for that team.

Individuals would be the five different positions in basketball. Each position has defined roles and with respect to the coach, the roles and duties can differ.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Here Are Some Effective Basketball Coaching Ideas

The game of basketball requires both effective and committed coaches to impart their knowledge, strategy, and training to elevate their team's competitiveness. A coach must therefore possess the skill and keen eye so he can assist in developing the skills of not just the team, but also of every individual player. He also needs to be able to lead and motivate the team so the players can act as a team and not individually. The list below shows some effective basketball coaching ideas.


Building a Philosophy

When coaching, particularly when you are new to it, it is very important that you build your coaching philosophy on knowing what your goal and priorities are, such as what to do first or what drills or strategies to practice that may fit the team. In order to gain an insight on positive coaching philosophy, you may want to read books, attend clinics or classes provided by highly successful coaches. This will enable you to learn how to focus not just on creating a winning team, but also on how to impart lessons and values to your team.

Team Building

Coaches should always try to build a good rapport between team members and one of the most effective ways of building this would be through team building. If a team has a good relationship with each other, they would be able to encourage and build expectations as well as accountability. One team-building exercise that is very effective is the "Birthday Balance Beam." This exercise requires a mat for each group of 10 and a low-standing beam. To start the exercise, get your team to lineup themselves in any order on the beam. After that, they should try to rearrange their position in order of birth. If any member of the team so much touches the ground or complains about a teammate, then the whole exercise should be restarted until it is completed without any mistake.

The Zone

There are actually many ways to prepare your team's mental preparedness for a game. Centering is one example of a mental technique and this can done before practices and before games. To start the mental preparedness technique, have your team stand with feet at shoulder width apart, guide them to inhale and exhale deeply, and make them focus on their tension which gets relieved slowly each time they exhale. Another technique would be developing the ability to block external noises. This can be done by playing loud, irritating, and distracting noises while they practice doing shots and free throws.

Drills and Games

In order to build your team's ability to work well with each other, build important basketball skills such as shooting, passing, catching, dribbling, rebounding, agility, stamina, and muscle strength, you need to perform drills and games. One simple drill is the two-ball split-vision passing drill. To perform the drill, have four to six of you player form a line. Then have a player stand about 8 feet away in the middle of the line of players. Give a ball to one player on the line and one ball to the player standing 8 feet away. Have the player with the ball on the line pass the ball to the lone player while the lone player tries to rapidly pass the ball among the players lined up. The objective here is to improve catching and passing ability, particularly that of the lone player.

Coaching Guy and Girls – The Basic Difference

Several decades ago, there were limited opportunities available for girls in sports. However, in 1972, there was an amendment in the Civil Rights Act that allowed the inclusion of all-girl teams in any sport. This helped increase the number of female participants in athletic teams. Such increase meant that there needs to be proper coaching needs and methods for male and female athletes.

It is important to remember that although the genders are different, the sport they are involved in remains the same. However, since the movements of girls are often more calculated, they are encouraged to play aggressively while adhering to the rules of the game – a strategy that is useful when coaching both males and females.

Biological Development

The biological development of boys and girls are significantly different. A good example would be in height. Girls are usually taller during their early stages and reaching the end of their growth spurt at an early stage as well. Boys on the other hand tend to grow over a long period with an intense growth spurt during their early teens. This is because as boys near these stages, their testosterone levels become significantly greater which leads to development of both growth and physical strength. The significant differences between development rates of girls and boys means there is also a difference with coaching strategies.

Gender Preferences

According to reports published in the Physical Educator in 2000, female athletes are motivated to excel in sports under different reasons as compared to male athletes. According to them, females find the participating in sports along with other basic rewards of the sport as motivational, whereas men find winning and awards to be the motivational factor. This means girls are likely to respond differently to coaches who are entirely consumed with winning competitions. According to another review published by the Montana State University, boys/men usually rate the knowledge and skill of their coach as more important as compared to how females rate their coaches.

Gender-related Obstacles

Females are the one who usually states that their success is attributed to their obstacles along with their continuing participation in the sport. For a coach, becoming aware of these obstacles will allow them to respond better to the needs of their players. The obstacles the females usually encounter are the gender stereotypes with favoritism shown towards their male counterparts on coed teams, poor access to quality training equipment, poor coaching quality for female-only teams, and hardly any high-level opportunities in the sport which includes scholarships.

Similarities

Although there are a few differences between coaching males and females, since the game is still the same, there are inevitably more similarities as compared to differences. This would include their appreciation towards coaching personality, caring and communication skills.