The history of basketball is much easier to trace than other sports. It is clear that Dr. James Naismith is credited with creating basketball and much of basketball history. Dr. Naismith, born in 1861 in Ontario, Canada first came up with the concept of basketball during his youth school days in the area where he played a game that involved knocking a rock off an object by attempting to throw another rock at it. The game obviously evolved from there and began the history of basketball.

Mr. Naismith taught at the YMCA School in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891, where the sport of basketball was created. He was faced with a problem of finding a sport that could be played indoors during the harsh Massachusetts winters. He needed to come up with a game that could be played in and outdoors and one that adopted a sense of skill and not just brawn. He first developed the game by involving a soccer ball and two peach baskets, who would have ever thought basketball history, could come from a soccer ball.

In addition to creating basketball Dr. Naismith became a medical doctor focused on sports science and was a minister. Naismith watched his sport grow to become one of the world’s most popular sports that saw its entrance in the Olympics in 1936 at Berlin and he fixed himself a spot in basketball history.

The history of basketball began with teams of five and was the sports standard by 1897. The sport became popular to both men and women and began to spread throughout Canada and the US. The US servicemen took the sport overseas with them in WWII and the history of basketball became global.

U.S. colleges accepted the game and began to have it as a standard college sport. College basketball history took off around the late 1890’s and the first college game began at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Professional basketball history first began when the National Basketball League was created in the late 1800’s around 1898. The league however did not last and was broken up after 5 years providing a rough start to basketball history. The break up just led to a number of random leagues forming themselves in the early 1900’s and each was very loosely organized. Ironically enough the first super team was the Celtics but they were from New York City not Boston. The famous Harlem globetrotters were also founded around this time in 1927 and hold a place in basketball history as being the most entertaining of basketball teams.

It wasn’t until 1949 that two professional basketball leagues the NBL and the BAA merged to create what we all know now as the National Basketball Association or the NBA. The Boston Celtics dominated the NBA from the late 1950s through the 1960s. By the 1960s, professional teams had formed throughout the United States and basketball was a mainstream powerhouse. Players such as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russel and Kareem Abdul-Jabar all became household names that drew millions to watch them play as they all found a spot in basketball history.

National Basketball Association fell off the charts and was surpassed by football in popularity through the 1970’s then got a resurgence from the popular Larry Bird and Magic Johnson era. Michael Jordan carried the league through the eighties and nineties and the torch has been passed on to Shaquille O’neal, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. The history of basketball has never been so fascinating and it is all thanks to Dr. James Naismith.

Author is from http://recruitcity.com

Defense is a key in basketball. A team that shoots hoops can only win if it has a great defense in place. Every basketball team needs to create a working defense system. And a team needs to be a well rounded one so that it can play even at high intensity.

Read how great defenders in basketball perfected their dense moves. Make notes of what will work for you and what will not. Get your mind to function like that of a soldier who is all set to defend his nation. Only in the case of basketball the nation is the ball and team position.

Here are a few defense tips:

1. Learn all about ball and man line. This is an imaginary line between the player you are defending and the man with the ball. Learn to position yourself on the basket side of the ball man line and form a defensive triangle.

2. Master the art of “cover down defense”. Position yourself to the level of the ball so that you can stop the ball before it reaches the lane.

3. Use double down strategy when a low post player gets the ball. Learn how to double team the post player.

4. Jump to the ball and be quick to make adjustments to your stance and position. Be in position and jump this will help you avoid front cutters and screens. This will make you a strong team player.

5. Use the strategy of strongside closure when your team member passes the ball and cuts to the basket. Jump to the ball side and slide along the lane.

Remember defense is what ensures that your team gets control of the ball so include in the basketball training aspects of team defense moves, post defense moves, on the ball defense moves, and off the ball defense moves.

A great basketball defense player is one who:

1. Moves quickly.
2. Has strength and stamina.
3. Trains throughout the year.
4. Has an in depth understanding of the game.
5. Is a communicator and team leader.
6. Studies the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent team before every game.
7. Is able to think on his feet and change strategy even mid-game should the need arise.
8. Is a listener and picks up clues as well as moves from others.
9. Plays strong-side and weak –side defense well

The World Wide Web is an information highway for basketball players. There are websites exclusively devoted to the game and these are full of coaching tips, articles on training, records of history of basketball, winning teams, great players, and on sports management. Use the in depth expertise of the internet and perfect your basketball plays to create a championship winning team.

Arthur Raise is a writer for http://www.1888basketball.com , the premier website to find basketball, basketball court, history of basketball, basketball players, basketball rules, NBA basketball, basketball team, basketball jones, basketball team uniform, NBA basketball team and many more.

Montserrat Dominguez used “Matchpoint” from Woody Allen, to comment on (the last two seconds of) the Eurobasket final; Pao Gasol threw the ball and after circling around on the ring it seemed to enter but it didn’t finally… The Russian team won by only one point.

Another view on the game is this; the last two seconds in which Gasol threw the ball was symbolic for the rest of the game, at least for the last quarter. Everybody was hoping that Pao would, that he would save the game, but he didn’t.

The Spanish team led the game in the first three quarters. It was noticeable that during the third quarter and the fourth Pao was underperforming. “I admit I wasn’t at my best, “he said afterwards (1). This caused a dilemma for the team. Pao is the star player of Basket in Spain, so this knowledge serves the team and the coach to trust on his capabilities.

Why wasn’t he changed? Is what I asked myself. There are enough top players in the Spanish team, why trust on someone with a track record who is not performing as he should?.

“But I take responsibility for that,” is what Pao added when he got interviewed. That is strange. He is not responsible for the team to loose the game. They could have won easily if they continued as they played in the first two-and-a-half quarters.

Leaving Pao in the game is a decision of the coach, in a decision where he is to weigh creativity and innovation on one hand versus tradition on the other. But it is also about balancing between performance management and competence management.

In the first view the challenge for the coach is to measure the impact of a new team that is not centered around the star player. Where will this lead to? It is the same uncertainty as with leaving the best player in, but with the risk that he will under perform. It is common for any business to trust on proven methods, to trust on what worked in the past.

On the other dimension the coach will have to choose between performance management and competence management. In the performance management approach someone who is under-performing in the team will be changed for another team-player. In the competence management approach this is not required as long as the star is believed to hold the team together. But with the risk to loose when the star “is not at his best.”
Any sport today requires a performance management approach.

I would therefore argue that the responsibility for the defeat is closer to the coach than to Pao. But that is from a management point of view.

(1) http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_f43ulKJBGLcVnbH-aqLVu2.coid_TrSiKFGUHOglJejGUGpRf1.articleMode_on.html

© 2007 Hans Bool

Hans Bool writes articles about management, culture and change. If you are interested to read or experience more about these topics have a look at: Astor White or sign-up for our newsletter.

In parts 1 and 2 of this vertical jump series I shared how kettle bells and bands can help you maximize you vertical jump. If you missed be sure to check it out because there is lots of valuable information that will help you or your athletes.

Now if you think that’s all there is to it my friend, you’ve got to think again.

Most people fall into the trap of thinking that the time they spend working out is all it takes. What about the other 22-23 hours in a day?

With that in mind I was able to grill CHEK Practitioner Elliot Hulse who wrote the book Unleash Your Primal Edge and Owns the Institute for Strength & Vitality in Florida. Elliot’s unique approach to improving your vertical delves into treating the body as a whole and learning through many unique assessments what you actually need as far as exercises and nutrition goes. Basically Elliot helps you learn if you are hunter (ready to maximize your vertical) or hunted (in need of readiness exercises and diet changes before you can proceed). This was amazing as we forget way too many times that what we do the other 23 hours a day away from the gym is vitally important to our performance. Who has the CHEK method helped over the years? How about that little team that won 6 NBA championships: Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls!

So forget what you are doing in the gym for the moment and think to yourself am I eating right, sleeping right, handling stress and living right so that I can maximize what I do in the gym and on the court. Doing Elliot’s assessments will surprise many of you and certainly lead you in the right direction.

Virgil Aponte brings over 12 years of experience as a Personal Trainer, High School PE Teacher and Strength & Conditioning Coach. He has trained hundreds of people including elite professional athletes of the Women’s National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. He earned his Master’s Degree in Physical Education from Brooklyn College and is an American College of Sports Medicine Health & Fitness Instructor. Based in Brooklyn New York he is considered by many fitness industry experts as the authority on stair exercise training and is the author and creator of the Ultimate Stair Exercises for Athletes.

If I was to reveal all I learned from 13 of the world’s best vertical leap experts it would take you a while to digest as Jump Experts has over 440 pages and 7 hours of audio! To get more free information about the assessments you can use to help you Maximize your Vertical Leap hop on over to JumpExperts today!

Basketball weight training has become a critical element to a player’s overall developmental program. In order for basketball players to become successful on the court, they must dedicate themselves to an effective basketball strength training program off the court.

This article will outline seven tips that all basketball players should follow when they begin to participate in a basketball strength training program. Regardless of their level of competition, players need to have guidelines they can follow in order to ensure their success.

7 Tips For A Successful Basketball Weight Training Program:

• Diet - Eat three healthy meals per day. You cannot get stronger on a junk food diet.

• Rest - Be sure to get a good night’s sleep, plus go into your workout rested. Play basketball and shoot around after your basketball strength training workout and on days off.

  Playing and working on your fundamentals is secondary on basketball weight training days.

• Buddy System - Work out with a buddy. Your partner can act as your spotter to insure your safety, plus working out with someone can add a little competitiveness to your basketball weight training workout.

• Flexibility - Stretching before and after is just as important as the training itself. Injuries occur when athletes start to train before they are properly warmed up. A simple 10-minute stretching routine before and after your workout is all you need.

• Dedication - Stick with it. Just like working on your basketball fundamentals, it is a daily thing. Results will not happen overnight.

• Initial Soreness - There will be soreness early on. That doesn’t mean stop. Stretch and work through it.

• A Balanced Body - Work both sides of a body part to achieve balance. For example, if you work your thighs, you must also work your hamstrings or injury will occur.
  

If players dedicate themselves to following the seven tips listed above, they will be much more effective and successful with their basketball weight training program.

If you’re looking for a highly effective, step-by-step workout routine to follow, check out these free muscle building tips You will learn exactly which exercises to perform and the ideal number of workout days, sets and reps you should use to get maximum results from your efforts.

Free 8 Part Muscle Building E-Course

About The Author

Joe Waters is a certified PE instructor, fitness center owner, fitness enthusiastic and owner of www.ultimate-youth-basketball-guide.com

If you want to develop an explosive basketball weight training program and take your game to the next level - check out the FREE 8 Part Muscle Building E-Course Today.

It’s no secret that Basketball Strength Training has become one of the most important elements of a player’s overall developmental training program. In order to achieve peak levels of performance on the basketball court players, of all ages and competitive levels, must be dedicated to a basketball weight training program.

This article will outline ten exercises that basketball players should perform during their basketball strength training routine, along with information on proper weight selection and workout set-up.

10 Exercises Of An Effective Basketball Strength Training Program.

• Bench Press - Lay flat and keep your butt down. Push the weight up off your chest and back toward the spotter. Grip should not be too wide or too tight.

• Bent Over Rows - Assume a low stance, bent over slightly with head up. Pull the weight up toward you.

• Curls - Keep the elbows close to the body for a full range of motion. Lean against a wall to help keep the back straight.

• Lat Pulls - Use a lat machine for this exercise. Pull-ups and chin-ups are a good substitute if you don’t have access to a lat machine.

• Squats - Place the bar across the shoulders, not the neck. Feet should be a little more than shoulder-width apart, and the back should be straight. (Use a weight belt for additional back support.) Use a chair at first to touch your butt to (do not sit), and then go back up. A leg press machine can also be used for this exercise.

• Leg Extension - Use the leg extension machine, or have your partner provide resistance.

• Leg Curl - Use the leg curl machine, or have your partner provide resistance.

• Triceps - Use the triceps machine, or use free weights. Lay on your back and bring the bar back toward your nose, then push it out.

• Dips - This works the triceps if you are unable to get to a machine or free weights.

• Sit-ups - Perform with knees bent slightly, also rotate your body to work your sides.
  

Appropriate Weight Selection For A Basketball Strength Training Program

Do not work out with your maximum lifting weight for each exercise. The first week you will be finding the appropriate weights to work with. For example, if your maximum on the bench press is 140, then a good bench press workout would be:

• 1 set of 10 repetitions - 100 (warm-up).

• 1 set of 10 repetitions - 120.

• 2 set of 10 repetitions - 130.
  

Basketball Strength Training Workout Set-Up

• For each exercise, four sets of 10 repetitions are used.

• For example, 1 set of 10 reps warm-up; 1 set of 10 reps; 2 sets of 10 reps.

• The weight will increase with each set.

• As you get stronger, the weight used in each set will increase.

• Rest about 1 minute in between sets.
  

By consistently following the Basketball Strength Training Program tips listed above, players should be able to develop an extremely successful strength training routine.

If you’re looking for a highly effective, step-by-step workout routine to follow, check out these free muscle building tips. You will learn exactly which exercises to perform and the ideal number of workout days, sets and reps you should use to get maximum results from your efforts.

Free 8 Part Muscle Building E-Course

About The Author

Joe Waters is a certified PE instructor, fitness center owner, fitness enthusiastic and owner of www.ultimate-youth-basketball-guide.com

If you want to develop an explosive basketball strength training program and take your game to the next level - check out the FREE 8 Part Muscle Building E-Course Today.

There are different types of sports job that can be found everywhere. There are sports jobs that range from being a simple water-boy to actually taking on a complicated coaching job. One of the most typical sports job offered is basketball coaching for the youth and small leagues of players in a community.

Being a coach in a small league is as hard as being a coach in a national team. Having the same objective – to win – is the most crucial point in basketball or in any other game.

In a sports job like basketball coaching, there is no end to seeking improvement. Skills are polished more and more on a daily basis. If you are good, you can always be better. Seeking out advice from more successful coaches can give you better results in future games. The players seek out trust from their coach and believe in his words of knowledge and wisdom.

Coaching is considered to be the leader of the so-called sports jobs. Not all people have the coaching ability to boost the moral of their players. Trust needs to be earned if you want to be able to handle a group of people. Thus, coaching is the most important part of the team performance. Without a coach, there will be no proper play. Teammates cannot cooperate with each other. The coach is considered to be the bridge that links player to player on the same team.

Teaching your players

In basketball, not all players are as skillful as the others. There are those who are not so gifted in dribbling, shooting and defense playing. Considering the fact that not all players are equally talented, coaches are there to help who are not so brilliant improve in their skills. Not all sports job are as easy as they look. This means that when coaches may be bossy, they do it for their team at the expense of being called dictators. Some coaches even set aside additional time for those players who need to polish their skills some more. Patience is required. Keeping their players on their toes while giving each player a boost of self confidence creates a stronger team in the end.

Drills such as dribbling and shooting are basic basketball skills players need. Coaches are responsible for developing the players’ skills in using and applying the proper forms of these two. Proper exercises are needed before engaging in the basketball game itself. Sport jobs such as coaching are a necessity in that they stay with the players before, during and after the game. It is their responsibility to be with their team to guide players to success.

Pampering your players

Not all sports jobs require a 24/7 period of attention for the team. But coaching requires coaches to bond with the players. In that way, trust between the head (the coach) and the whole body (the players) is made. Preparing your players for a match is as crucial as the game itself. Setting aside time to know what your players may want leads you understand your players better. Getting in touch emotionally with them is also a part of the coaching job. Make your team feel comfortable with you as much as possible.

Helping your team to relax is also your job. An injury that may occur before, after or during the game is your liability. You must always instill pride in your team as much as possible which is why you should spend more time reaching out to them.

If you have established trust with your team, everything will go much smoother than before. You will not think twice of the career you chose to be in to. Having gained trust, you also earn the respect of the whole team, who will trust you in future games and do what you wanted them to do.

Dan Wingold is CEO of an Online Portal for Sports Jobs. Check out this website to find out morre about resume posting, job and internship posting and a directory of all majorleague teams. http://www.jobs4sports.com

Posting-up makes many guards feel uncomfortable. It’s the territory of the big-man where many guards avoid breaking in. They feel that if they are not at least 6′6 then it is better to stay away from the paint, but what if you are 6′1 and a 5′10 player is guarding you? – You can use that advantage in your favor.

Before we continue any further, ask yourself the following questions:

(1) Am I able to score from the post?

(2) Am I skilled enough to take advantage of my body?

Remember that smart guards are able to use the post in order to score more and create excellent shooting situations for themselves and for their teams. There is no need to be a 6′10 player in order to post up; having one/two inches above your defender together with smart decision making skills can significantly help you achieve your goals.

The following smart basketball tips will help you on that:

(1) Practice the “turn around” jump shot – If it worked for MJ why shouldn’t it work for you?

(2) On situations where you cut to the basket and you are almost under the rim, fake and come back to the ball. That way, your defender is not focusing on stopping you from posting up, it’s easy to catch the ball this way.

(3) Practice the Up & Under move - very powerful weapon as a post player. It is difficult to guard and amazingly effective. If you are stronger than your defender, he has only 2 choices: let you score or foul you. Stopping you is not an option!

(4) Well, unlike big-men who usually won’t pass the ball, in a situation when 2 guards play one-on-one on the post, one of the big-men will help you out. Someone should be open, so look for the open man.

(5) Patience - Be patient when you get the ball on the post. Unlike the big guys you have the option to dribble yourself out of a bad situation.

Find more smart basketball tips and learn how to dramatically improve your performance on court and make it to the next level by using the world’s first ever basketball “brain training” software.

http://www.smart-basketball.com

© 2007 Gil Lavi. All Rights Reserved

Ever wondered how professional basketball players reached that game level and why they make fewer mistakes? It can be summarized in one word: “Experience”. There are two ways for you to get that “experience”: the usual way or use another way…

Think of Chauncey Billups for example, well, he has a 3.59 AST/TO ratio –why can he get that statistics and game level and you can’t?

Basketball Tips that’ll “jumpstart” your Experience
In order to achieve a professional basketball players’ experience, you can wait…keep on practicing and working hard on court, and hopefully one day you too will get that “experience” of the pro’s working for you.

Or, you can “jumpstart” your game experience in a different way, for that, you will need to use your best basketball asset – your brain.

Before we go any further, ask yourself the following questions:

(1) Do I understand tactics and moves on court?

(2) Can I anticipate moves and situations before they happen?

(3) Do I see all options and make the right decisions on court?

Follow these smart basketball tips if you want to “jumpstart” your experience:

You should watch as many basketball games as you can – not as a fan, but as a player. This is a big difference, while you watch the game as a player, you should not focus on who dunks or scores more - you need to focus on other aspects that are important to you as a player.

(1) Are you a SG? - Look at your favorite SG and watch how he or she takes their shots. Is it off the dribble or off the screen? How does he or she use the screen? What does he or she do on defense? etc.

(2) Are you a C? - Watch how C position players get the ball on the low-post. Pay attention how they use their body in order to get advantage; which fakes they use when their back is towards the basket; how they position themselves to rebound, etc.

(3) Are you a PG? - Pay attention how PG position players control the team. Learn how they set the offense and at the same time create situations for themselves and for the team.

Find more smart basketball tips and learn how to dramatically improve your performance on court and make it to the next level by using the world’s first ever basketball “brain training” software.

http://www.smart-basketball.com

© 2007 Gil Lavi. All Rights Reserved

NBA’s best shooter ever is Reggie Miller; his off the Screen shots were so deadly, that other players could only dream of shooting at that level. His speed and shooting percentage Off the Screen frustrated many teams and players.

Before we continue, answer the following questions:

(1) How fast you take your shot?
(2) Can you get a clear view of the rim before you shoot?
(3) Can you make the shot off the screen?

Basketball tips on how to Master Off the Screen Shots?

(1) When you go by the screener, catch his jersey. This way your defender has no alternative but to trail you or to try cutting the passing lane.

(2) Run as fast as you can, don’t worry about setting your legs. If you run slowly it doesn’t matter if you can set your legs. You won’t be open.

(3) Watch your defender. If you have gained a distance because you run faster, take the shot. If he is behind you, curl.

(4) If your defender tries to cut the passing lane, jump to the corner. You’ll be wide open.

(5) Work on your release and foot work. The faster you can release the ball the more dangerous you’ll become.

The most important advice on Off the Screen shots is to practice. Remember that no one was born taking shots off screens. Start practicing by yourself, throw the ball to the wing, set your legs and take the shot.

Repeat the following drill and each time repeat it faster. When you feel comfortable enough with the results, ask a friend to trail you, gradually you will get it right, and once you are there you will add an important weapon to your basketball arsenal.

Find more smart basketball tips and learn how to dramatically improve your performance on court and make it to the next level by using the world’s first ever basketball “brain training” software.

http://www.smart-basketball.com

© 2007 Gil Lavi. All Rights Reserved