by | Jan 3, 2018 | Uncategorized
Top Portable Basketball Hoops
We’ve spent time blogging about our gear (socks, shoes) and once you look good you need to be able to play. Of course, to do that… you need a hoop! Because of affordability I am looking at portable hoops only; you’re more than welcome to search for in-ground hoops ($400+)
Spalding 54” Angled Portable Backboard System w/ Starter Pack.: According to google this is their best seller and can be purchased for around $200 at Wal-Mart. Spalding products are durable, strong, and weather well. This pack is one of the best out there; easy to move as well.
Aosom 10′ Adjustable Height Indoor / Outdoor Portable Basketball Hoop: Much, much more affordable at just $142 or so, but this hoop reflects the price in its durability. The Aosom hoop doesn’t have as big of a backboard; it is also not as durable. It is nice to have wheels to roll easily around. Great hoop to shoot around and play small games on, but not a lot more.
Spalding NBA 68395R Portable Basketball Hoop with 54 Inch Polycarbonate Backboard: One of the more expensive hoops that I’m willing to put on here at $275, but portable and strong. Three poles make this hoop, adjustable from 7.5-10 feet, breakaway rim. Also has a free pole pad. If you know you’re going to be lowering/raising the hoop for dunks or for a youth to shoot.. This is the way to go.
Aosom 10′ Clear Acrylic Adjustable Height Indoor / Outdoor Portable Basketball Hoop B6-000: Another Aosom hoop, a little bit stronger/sturdier than the cheaper version. This one comes in around $170+. As I mentioned it’s sturdier, has a better backboard, and is more stable than the other hoop. Also has wheels to roll around and move when needed.
Spalding Vault 44″ Portable Basketball Hoop Blue/Orange: $200. Not like the other Spalding hoop posted a little above but reliable and strong. Another adjustable hoop from 7.5-10 feet. Features a breakaway rim, easy to adjust the rim and move the hoop. Blue/orange color theme so if you’re worried about looks as well, this could sway or push you away!
Lifetime Pro Courtside 48″ Portable Basketball System with Basketball: $185. Like most appears to be sturdy and strong. Doesn’t have some of the other features like the breakaway rim/adjustable. Will still be strong and fun to shoot on for hours.
Lifetime 1221 Pro Court Height Adjustable Portable Basketball System, 44 Inch Backboard: $110! $40 off on amazon right now and an adjustable hoop, sturdy, strong rim. Backboard is cheap but works for the price and especially for younger kids. If you have young kids and are working to get them to play; I would strongly consider this hoop because of the price and benefits!
Spalding NBA “The Beast” Portable Basketball System – 60″ Glass Backboard: Just kidding. $1000+. I mean if you can afford it, just click the link and see why you’d want it.
by | Nov 29, 2017 | Uncategorized
Top Basketball Socks
If you’re anything like most players; you’re a freak about your feet. Shoes and socks have to be perfect; we covered shoes recently, so next is socks. I’ve gone through many different types of socks for different reasons (running marathons requires the right sock and more to fight off blisters). Basketball is the same way!
We will not cover all the types of socks, but I will try to pick a few to focus on from the different sizes.
Ankle/Quarter:
NBA Logoman: Most reviews show this sock as extremely comfortable and easy to wear. (Ever tried to put on a sock that sticks to your feet or bunches up? Logoman doesn’t do that!) The best part is how thick the sock is and how that saves your feet from those blisters we all get especially in workouts/practices early in the season.
Jordan Low Quarter: Durable, athletic, wicking, protection for your feet from blisters. Extremely efficient low sock that people seem to love for the reasons above. One drawback: rather expensive as most Jordan brand appears to be.
Crew Socks:
Asics Resolution Crew Sock: There seems to be a little bit of blowback on feedback of this sock because people bought sizes that were too small. Know this but do not be turned off to this sock! Buy bigger and enjoy one of the more underrated socks on the basketball market. Asics is primarily a running product and the socks are tighter as such. Basketball players initially aren’t used to how tight these socks can be, so again, BUY BIGGER! Despite this, Asics knows plenty about wicking, blisters, and toe protection. I’ve used these to run and also just grabbed and used them as basketball socks and were pleasantly surprised at the different forces and how they’re able to handle. Don’t be afraid to experiment with Asics and basketball!
Nike Elite Crew Dri-Fit Basketball Sock Review: One of the most popular sport socks on the market and for good reason. Handles sweat easily, thick and durable, good fit. Nike is built off basketball so their products normally are able to handle more than other brands. These socks are no different and seem to be one of Nike’s most trusted and popular brands.
Over the Calf:
Thorlo B-15s: Over the calf socks aren’t dead; they’re probably going to make a major comeback soon, as a matter of fact. (I don’t actually know or anticipate this) A lot of us wore socks like this in the late 90s/early 2000s because they looked cool. The Thorlo doesn’t really look cool at all, but it is extremely solid basketball sock. You will not find a thicker sock than these, so if sweat wicking is your major concern then probably not for you. That being said, if blisters are a concern and don’t mind hiking a bland sock over your calf; then these are for you!
UA Over-The-Calf-Team Sock: Little more flashy than the Thorlo’s and not nearly as thick. These socks are flashy (bright colors) and more wicking protection as well. The socks help evaporation more quickly than other socks. Arch support to help your feet and UA has a special block that protects your feet from those nasty basketball odors. Another great sock to check out.
I know I didn’t cover 10 socks, but several options at each length should be plenty to find a great sock or dig a tad deeper into another sock. Nike, Jordan, UA and Adidas are the most well known brands but don’t forget about Asics and even Thorlo depending on the length of sock you prefer.
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by | Nov 20, 2017 | Uncategorized
High School Shot Clock
My Open Letter to the WIAA and Board of Control.
( Video of this open Letter…Click HERE)
There has been much change in High School basketball over the last 30 years and I am old enough to know that change is inevitable and can be good for the game of basketball. The three point line was put into the game to spread the floor, give more scoring opportunities and make it a less physical game. Another example is when Wisconsin basketball changed from quarters to halves to expand opportunities for players at all competition levels. These changes make sense and have been good for the game.
Currently, there is a movement for our state to implement a shot clock at the high school level. I am not sure what the reasoning behind this movement. Here are my concerns:
1. Why are we changing? Do we want the high school game to be more like the college game (in which only 1% of our athletes will participate in) or the NBA game?
2. Is the delay game that evident at the high school level? If so, what is wrong with a team playing at a much slower pace?
3. What is this change doing for the game of basketball?
4. I think high school basketball is a unique sport in which athletes can play different styles and systems. Because of shot clock at the collegiate level, you do not see multiple systems being played. Is the goal for all the games to be the same?
5. Who is going to pay for this state mandated expense, not only for the implementation of the clock, but the hiring of a qualified person to run it at all the games?
6. What is the rush and why haven’t more states added this to their game?
7. How accurate are the surveys that have been sent by the WBCA? As a statistics teacher, I believe an unbiased survey is simple, short and with non-leading and biased questions. Is the WIAA and WBCA now in the habit of getting student input?
8. Is this best for the game at all levels? Will players be able to create and score when the shot clock is winding down?
9. Why and How are we going to implement this for the LOWER LEVELS?
10. How do the officials feel about this at the high school level?
I have heard very few solid arguments for the reason behind implementing a shot clock. People have said that than it is exciting, players want it and it will stop the “boring” games. Is this a reason for change?
I would ask that the Board of Control table the motion and further investigate the “need” for a shot clock
Thank you
Steve Collins
by | Nov 15, 2017 | Uncategorized
Cut Throat Drill/Defense and Competition
You will need more than one for this drill, coachmarket.net shows a great example here of a nice drill with just four. He also explains that you can do this drill up to 5 on 5, so set it up how you’d like! 2 points for offensive rebounds, 3 points for taking a charge, 1 point for making a shot, 1 point for running the offense, and maybe my favorite (arguing or fouling a point goes to the other team), turnovers and the other team gets 2 points!
The rules alone put a great emphasis and focus on the drill. Defensive rebounds kill teams (watch the NBA Playoffs or any game ever), they extend possessions, give you more chances to score, draw fouls, limit the other team’s possessions and so on. Offensive rebounds are HUGE to get and backbreakers to give up. Coaches always want their teams to play great position and help defense, taking charges is an emphasis here. It creates a turnover and draws a foul elsewhere. Notice you only get one point for making a shot, the same amount you get for running the offense. Again, it shows where the emphasis is, take care of the basketball, rebound misses, and then score!
The drill is called “Cut Throat” because if the whistle doesn’t blow, you keep playing. How often do you think fouls are called? Coach runs the drill based on emphasis and in different situations: offense, quick hitters, out of bounds, zone offense. Think of the possibilities in your own practices! You could even stretch the drill to fast break, secondary break, and so on. The whole key to the drill is to create competition, focus on defense, take care of the basketball, and call it the way you’ve been or anticipate being officiated.
You can also do this drill with a small group of your friends, as a kid. This helps play through fouls, create competition, and more importantly.. Learn there’s more to basketball than scoring! Coaches year after year, play kids that can’t score because they crash the glass and defend. If you’re watching the finals, take a look at Tristan Thompson for the Cavs.. Andrew Bogut and even Draymond Green for the Warriors; these guys would excel at this drill.. And guess what: They all make 10+ million and don’t really score a whole lot!
by | Oct 25, 2017 | Uncategorized
John Wooden’s First Lesson
John Wooden was born in Martinsville, IN, one of four sons. He started playing basketball in elementary school. His coach was also his school principal, a man of stern but warm character. Each day before practice (their court was outside, beneath tall maple and oak trees) Wooden and the other players had to pick up sticks and rocks, to clear the court for play. The basketball they used was a large rubber bladder which barely fit inside a leather shell, such that after a few minutes of use the players had to take out the bladder, blow it back up with their own lungs, then squeeze it back inside the leather.
Ironically, this led to the team utilizing an uptempo practice, for the secret was to get the bladder in the ball and use it in as many repetitions as possible, before the ball would empty again. Whoever held it at the time had to blow it up–hence, the need to make quick passes to others.
When Wooden was later inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame (he was the first person to be inducted into the HOF 2-X, first as player, then as coach), Wooden said his remarkable ballhandling skills were in part due to the fact he had a learn how to dribble an oblong-shaped ball that lost air on rocks, sticks and in the holes of his outside court in elementary school.
The first lesson Wooden learned in basketball happened at this same elementary school. He never forgot it; in fact, it became a cornerstone of his own coaching years later, at UCLA, when his teams won an astonishing 10 National Championships.
Wooden was the star of his elementary school basketball team. One day he forgot to bring his uniform to school when he left his farmhouse in the morning. Then, after school, he decided he would not walk home to get it. Instead, he would play dumb when it came time to play that evening’s basketball game. As the game neared, Wooden fessed to his coach that he did not have his uniform. Expecting that the coach would feel some sort of sympathy for him as the star, or at least have a strong desire to win that night’s game with him at the helm, Wooden was pleased when his coach asked the worst kid on the team, “Do you have your uniform for tonight’s game?” When that kid answered yes, Wooden expected his coach to tell him to let Wooden wear his unform that night. Instead, Wooden received the shock of his young life, when the coach said, instead: “Good, because you will play for Johnny tonight.”
Wooden’s face fell. He took off sprinting to his house, and back, arriving in uniform just seconds before the game started. But his teachable moment was not over. His coach said to him, “I am sure you are tired, so sit down.” Wooden sat there, watching his team lose the game, knowing it was his fault.
The 2 lessons he learned that day, are these: 1) The player is not above the team. 2) As a coach, the bench is your friend.
Terry Boesch is a teacher in Martinsville, IN (home of John Wooden), and also coaches girls basketball. Feel free to email him at [email protected], or call/text at 317-643-6042
by | Oct 16, 2017 | Uncategorized
My Thoughts on the shot clock in High School Basketball
Discussion of Halves, Urban vs Rural, and much more
Here is the Podcast
Click Here
by | Sep 26, 2017 | Uncategorized
Failing has never been so fun.
I pen these words while sitting in 92-degree weather, watching the worst soccer I have seen in my life. Players stand flat-footed, in packs, unmoving, with no position play, passing, cutting, or moving of any planned sort. Instead, kids smash the ball with their feet as hard and wild as they can kick, then run there to do the same thing. “Defense” is piling the team’s worst kids together en masse to stand in front of the goalie box. My wife made a brilliant comment to me (shared below). But, first, to basketball…
Is today’s cry for ‘fun’ in youth sports a cover for weak coaching, and low parental expectations? Is fun today’s Loser’s Limp? where we pretend we COULD have done better, but for the fact that winning doesnt matter? By “fun” do we really mean that we want no pressure placed upon us as parents and coaches, and a guarantee that, above all else, our kid will never lose?
It may come as a shock to some, but EVERY game ever invented has had as it’s very basic, core objective to win. Every board game, every table game, every card game, every video game, and yes, every sports game, is designed to be won. But, it seems, in today’s youth basketball.
AAU is going the way of Rec League. It used to be that “fun” was spoken of in Rec League, where kids do little and are praised for it. “Everyone is a winner,” the banner said. But in the past 5 years travel basketball has gone the way of Rec League, with its same emphasis on casualness, not keeping score, occasional practices, everybody playing, and so on. AAU is now following suit, such that only the so-called “Elite teams” is where the real sport of basketball is found. Many AAU clubs now hold so-called tournaments for their own teams. As a sport, it appears to me we are pushing “competitive” ball upward to only the highest, smallest top-most part the large pyramid of youth basketball.
But, why?
Back to my wife. As we both watched the horrific soccer together, we heard the coach keep yelling out banal cheerleader-esque cliches like, “Good Hustle!” “Keep Trying!” and “Go Hard!” It was silly, even to his own standing, untrained players (who got killed in the game). My wife looked at me, and said, “From now on our daughters will play competitive sports, or nothing. This is teaching them nothing. I dont want to watch this anymore.”
Of the 100s of things required of youth coaches today, let me be among the few to say, publicly, that “making the game fun” is not one of your requirements. It is not the judge’s job to make obeying the law fun; it is not the surgeon’s job to make triple bypass surgery fun, and; it is not my job to somehow make this sport fun for your child. To be sure, none of us want Hitler as our kids’ coach. So let us quit painting this false extreme as a rallying cry for demanding “fun” above all else.
Fun is subjective; one person cannot make something fun for someone else. Consider our teenagers, for example, who define “fun” as sitting in a room with friends, texting friends who are NOT in the room. I dont get it; that is definitely not fun for me. Fun is also fleeting, fickle and impossible to define. The purpose of life is not for others to somehow guarantee your level of fun. This is true of teachers, coaches, principals, officials, and of employers. Instead of seeking fun an end of sport, I believe as coaches we should teach that fun is IN the sport. For example, working hard is fun, mastering a skill of play is fun, trying is fun, learning is fun, being part of a team is fun, practicing is fun, sweating is fun, and, yes, being pushed, made, broken down–then rebuilt better–to WIN–this is really, really fun!
Bob Knight cared nothing about fun. Neither did John Wooden. Both won 13 national championships, and raised up incredibly mature, responsible men. Instead each push incredibly hard, in very different coaching styles, to get at player perfection, high standards, personal responsibility, and above all else, team. Today, what are we about as coaches in terms of our standards of expectations and excellence in youth ball?
I am tired of watching crappy play, allowed in the name of our kids supposedly having fun.
Coaches (parents!), we are fun-ning our sport to death.
Terry Boesch is a teacher in Martinsville, IN (home of John Wooden), and also coaches girls basketball. Feel free to email him at [email protected], or call/text at 317-643-6042
by | Sep 12, 2017 | Uncategorized
Things I Don’t Coach Anymore (Stop the Slide)
Let me ask you a question as fellow-coach: How do we think our defense player is going to move as fast sliding sideways, as his approaching dribbling offense player is going to move sprinting toward him?
I have watched 100+ coaches teach players to shuffle side-to-side on defense. That this is somehow going to “close the door” to the basket for a penetrating offense player on the dribble. I confess, for 25-years I repeated this same mantra to my players. But why? Because I assumed every coach had to say it this way. Not a good reason.
This is now the second thing I no longer teach on Defense–to shuffle-step left and right to stop an offense player from penetrating the ball. To be sure, we should teach our defense player to position his legs wide, and square, in front of the offense player, on the hope this deters him from going around us. But after that, then what? Our human bodies are MADE to sprint forward, not to slide to the side.
Two seasons ago I began to de-emphasize shuffling, and to teach instead an inside-full leg step around method to get in front of an offense player who has gotten around us. It is difficult to explain in words, but easier to see demonstrated on the court. After a couple tries, most players get it, though still some want to revert to their old coaching, and slide.
I call it the Step-Around move.
The player on defense, if beaten to the outside, takes a full step with his inside leg in the direction of the offense player. At the same time he swings his hip and upper body around, planting that foot straight behind him in the direction where the offense player is moving, i.e., toward the basket. Then when he takes his next step, and lands it too on the floor behind him, he immediately pivots on that foot toward the offense player. This results in his body being in a solid defense position between the offense player and the basket. It also happens so quick that I have seen a number of offense players take a charge running into our defensive player.
If the offense player goes to our right, we step around with our left leg; if he goes to our left, we step around with our inside leg. Give it a try, see what you think.
P.S. In this photograph I include, you can tell the green defense player is beaten. She tried to slide her right foot over to get in front of the offense player; it did not work. So now the green player is totally beaten, with no ability to recover.
Terry Boesch is a teacher in Martinsville, IN (home of John Wooden), and also coaches girls basketball. Feel free to email him at [email protected], or call/text at 317-643-6042
by | Sep 5, 2017 | Uncategorized
Coaching is a learning profession. The coach who humbles himself to learn, will grow. The one who fossilizes himself around fixed points, especially of his own imagination, will not.
Here is 1 thing I no longer teach on basketball defense. First, let me say, growing up in Indiana I thought this rule was inviolable, like the 11th Commandment in the Bible. I share this with you, to ask you to think about it yourself (if you still teach this?). Also, to ask you to share something on defense that you no longer teach as a basketball coach. I almost feel like I need to apologize to Coach Bob Knight for saying this,..
Here it is. I no longer teach “Denial” of the pass to the player one-pass away from the player with the ball. I think it fair to say that every coach in America has told his players on defense, I know I have, many times, when coaching the Defense Shell Drill, “WE must do 3 things: We must Stop Penetration, We must Deny the Pass to the player one-pass away, and We must play Helpside Defense.” To paraphrase Meatloaf, “2 outta 3 aint bad,” for the first and last points are true. But the second? I dont think so. Here is why.
As a matter of logic we should never as coaches expect our players to do that which is impossible for them to do. Watch any basketball game, at any level, and you will see it is impossible to deny the pass from the player at top of key to either wing player of his choice, or vice versa. If they want to make the pass, they will make it, even if the player without the ball has to circle high above the 3-pt line to get it, or go way out on the wing for the catch. Truth is, that pass WILL be made 95% of the time. Thus it cannot be “denied.” We are creating frustration and unreasonable expectations in our players’ minds when we scream out to them, “Deny the pass!” when it simply cant be done. To deny means to prevent, stop and render impossible. It is impossible to stop the pass from being made.
More importantly, there are at least TEN (10) times where we WANT the other team to make the pass! In these instances, we should never deny it, but instead, ENCOURAGE it.
For example, we never want to deny passes that move the ball away from the basket; passes to players standing outside their shooting range; passes when the other team is inside the final 5 seconds of a shot clock; passes to the corner, where we can trap the player; passes East & West that accomplish nothing, and which dont hurt us; passes into the post where we can quickly double-team the post player from high and low (stripping the ball); passes from their best ballhandler to a lesser dribbler; passes from their best shooter to a weaker shooter; passes to a player with a low Free throw shooting % near the end of a half or game; passes to any player on the other team who is their #7-8-9-10 on the bench.
We should never Deny these passes–we should ENCOURAGE them. Why?
This is why now I teach “Stop, Steal and Sag” on Defense. The Stop means to stop penetration, while the Sag means to play helpside defense (just like we were always taught). The Steal however means that I place my best, quickest defenders (with best judgment), out on the points of our defense at the high-elbow/3-pt line area on the court (where their best players are positioned). There I teach my players to lay back far enough away from their player to entice a pass (which also helps block penetration lanes), but close enough to steal the ball once it is in the air. I teach players to read the eyes, and body language, of passers. They never lie. I also reinforce to players that as coach I will never blame them if they go for the steal, but come up short. But I will hold them accountable if they go for the ball with less than full intentionality and speed. In other words, the worst thing a player can do is kinda, sorta go for a steal, while still trying to play it “safe.” It is all-in, or nothing. We spend time in practice on how to steal a ball, and how to deflect it. But I also teach, “If you are going for the steal, I better see you flying to get it, at all costs!. For there are no half-steals in basketball.”
Again, my apologies to Coach Knight. But I think “Deny the ball” is impossible to do, is unwise to do in at least 10 instances, and in approximately 4-6 times per game we can steal it–if we read the body language well and truly throw ourselves into it.
So, what do you no longer teach on Defense that you once did as coach?
“Terry Boesch is a teacher in Martinsville, IN (home of John Wooden), and also coaches girls basketball. Feel free to email him at [email protected], or call/text at 317.643-6042
by | Aug 8, 2017 | Uncategorized
by | Jul 18, 2017 | Uncategorized
