Friday, November 28, 2008

USE YOUR HEAD - MENTAL FITNESS

Basketball is a game of mental and physical fitness.  If you want to outperform others in the game of basketball, you have to remember to use your brain just as much as you use your body.  Thus, you should not just workout your body, but your brain as well.  This will give you a distinct edge over a lot of players who simply workout their bodies. 

Now you may ask, " how exactly am I supposed to work out my brain"?  We'll it's simple, study your mistakes and improve on them.  But wait…there’s a catch.  You see, most players don’t even recognize that they are making mistakes.  99% of what a player does out on the court is based on their habits, whether those habits are good or bad habits.  A player will usually refer to their dominant habit (whether good or bad) when placed in a stressful situation.

A few examples of good habits that we have formed are:
How Hannah jump-stops at the basket 99% of the time.  How many defenders have we watched blow right past her as she finishes her lay up on-balance, with power and under control?  She rarely gets impatient and just throws up a rushed shot.

When was the last time we had an unforced turnover along the sideline or baseline?  We make a conscious effort to stay out of the manure strip.

How many times have we pushed the ball up the floor and beat the defense back for an easy basket?  Does anyone remember RACECAR?

Those were just a few of the examples of mental fitness that we routinely use on the court.  None of us like to hear criticism of any kind, but if you will look at criticism as an opportunity to learn something new that will give you a distinct advantage over other players, you will start to see an immediate improvement in your game.  

Accept what your coach says you need to work on without taking it personal.  It is intended to help you recognize and modify certain habits in order for you to improve your game.  

4:13

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