8 Things to Look for in a Basketball Training Programs

Whenever each term break comes, you’ll want to keep your child active through productive activities. If they’re budding basketball players, you will want to take advantage by enrolling them into a program that provides solid basketball training. If you’re new to school holiday basketball camps, here are 8 things you should be looking for in a proper training program.

It can be easy to let your child’s term breaks just pass by without you noticing. But instead of letting them go to waste, why not use them to help your child develop important lifelong skills through sports training?

With basketball being a fun and fast-paced game with a very relatively simple concept (just put the ball inside the hoop!), it’s become a globally popular sport. And with many homegrown Aussie stars playing in the NBA and even local leagues, children are finding it easier to see themselves as the next big stars. This has included big names such as Ben Simmons, Andrew Bogut, Joe Ingles, Patty Mills, and the list of names keeps growing every year. Thankfully, it’s easy to find great school holiday basketball camps in Melbourne and other major metropolitan centers in Australia. All that’s left is for you to find the right one for your child. Here are just eight of the most important tips parents should keep in mind when looking for a basketball training program.

Analyse the Player’s Skill Level

The most important place to start is to determine what level your child is currently at. If they’ve been playing for a while and you have any previous footage, try to get a good handle on how your child plays by re-watching them. If they’re just starting out, then even basic information such as their current stamina level and physical measurements can help you narrow down the right program.

Know What the Player Wants

Of course, it’s also key to know what exactly any child wants out of basketball. In particular, find out if they’re doing it to hopefully pursue a professional playing career or simply to get the most out of a fun sport that they enjoy. Do they want to simply better enjoy pick-up games at the local court? Or is their dream to become a future NBL or even NBA player? Whatever your child wants out of basketball, surround them with the appropriate environment to keep them engaged the most.

Ask for Referrals

Try to ask other parents who’ve taken their children to basketball training programs. Another parent who’s had experience will be able to give you ideas on what to expect, recommend a camp, or tell you which ones to avoid. However, you’ll also have to understand that personal experiences can vary between different players and parents. Still, you’ll want to get every bit of easy-to-get information that you can to help you decide.

A Nearby Camp Has Its Benefits

If you want to monitor your child’s development, it’ll be convenient to go for a camp that’s nearest to where you live. Additionally, this will also have additional benefits for your child’s development as a basketball player. After all, the nearer the camp, the easier the child will be able to recover—keeping them at their peak more consistently throughout their term break.

Look Up the Training Staff

Commonly, you’ll find ex-professionals on basketball training programs—both players and coaches. Tomorrow’s Stars Basketball, for instance, is headed up by former-NBL player, Brett Rainbow. But based on the previous considerations, you should put star power second and just focus on getting the right type of coaching for your child. Once you have the names of key people on a training staff, just do a quick search and find out what other people say about them. This can give you vital information for deciding from a list of school holiday basketball camps.

Nothing Beats Actual Playing Time

At all levels of basketball, drills are a vital and unavoidable part of training. Still, nothing beats actual playing time when it comes to learning how to play any game. That’s why you want a camp where children can put their skills to good use with some actual on-court minutes. You’ll be surprised how much harder it is to make shots in a game’s proper flow, with defenders and teammates running along with you.

Go for the Appropriate Training Intensity

There is such a thing as overtraining. You don’t want to increase the risk of future stress-related injuries for your child through overly harsh training habits. Keep the player’s current skill level and goals when deciding the right basketball training program. Aside from taking care of your child’s short-term health, developing the appropriate training habits can also pay off in the end.

Remember Who the Camp Is For

It’s easy to forget that in the end, it’s all about your child. Try not to get carried away by putting your own considerations as a parent ahead of those of who’ll actually be playing. Try to continuously talk to your child throughout the entire experience and see where they’re at mentally and physically. This should let you know if the current basketball camp is working well for them. This could also be great for determining if you can keep going to the same camp for the next term break. Alternatively, this can also help you to determine if another holiday training program might pan out better next time.

A Final Word

The right basketball training does more than help encourage a child’s healthy physical development. Indeed, attending basketball training camps can provide many benefits for your child’s development that go beyond simply excelling at the sport. With all the above considerations, you can help your child make the best out of their school holiday with the ideal basketball training camp for them.

Being able to jump high is a desirable skill in many sports, but particularly in basketball, when you want to make a spectacular shot. If you’re struggling to get some serious height, we have some pro basketball coaching tips to help you.

The Mechanics of a Good Vertical Jump

Good vertical jumpers have some characteristics in common. You’ll need good “spring,” which involves powerful muscles with the ability to dynamically shorten and stretch. It is also important to decent upper body strength to create upward momentum. Unfortunately, if you lack the sprinter type muscles, you may struggle to be a champion jumper, and you’ll need to work hard to maximise your jump height.

Condition Your Body

Just like sprinters, high jumpers and hurdlers, it is crucial to be well conditioned to achieve a good vertical jump. Try incorporating light jogging for 10 to 15 minutes into your routine a couple of times a week.

Training to Improve Your Jumping Ability

To maximise your jumping ability, you’ll need power and strength. You will also need to optimise the muscles you’re carrying, but regardless of your sport, there may be a trade off in jump performance against speed, agility, and mobility. Great strength and large muscles don’t automatically create a great athlete or superb jumper. Remember, there is no benefit to having great jumping talents if you have poor court skills.
The end goal of training for most athletic performance standards including vertical jumping is the execution of power. The power will be a product of speed of execution and strength. There are three phases of training to optimise your power; build basic muscle strength, emphasise strength and convert it to power. Plyometric exercises, such as box jumps, leaps, and tuck jumps can work to complement weight training. This can be accomplished at the gym, at the court or working in a park.

Exercises to Build Your Vertical Jump

The best exercises to convert strength to power are variations of conventional Olympic lifts. The clean, power clean, hang clean, push press, Romanian deadlift and high pull allows that explosive movement necessary to build vertical jump potential. The weight should be light enough to enable that explosiveness, but with enough burden to stimulate adaptation.
You can also add jump squats to this program. These are performed like a normal squat, but on standing, you should vertically push off with a little jump of 15 centimetres. Don’t aim to jump too high, as the landing and impact may cause injury. You don’t need a heavy weight for a jump squat, it needs to be sufficient to burden the jump, but light enough to allow that upward explosion.
A one legged jump squat can be useful, but they may be injury risky, so they are best avoided.

Putting it Together

To bring all of these exercises and new muscle memories together for a great vertical jump, you’ll need to practice. Repeatedly practice vertical jumps at the hoop to build your new skill. Remember that while weight training can be beneficial for most sports, it is crucial to avoid overdoing it.

If you would like to build your skills and are considering basketball coaching in Melbourne, we’re here to help. We offer a wide variety of basketball coaching options to suit all your skill levels.

Whether you’re a keen player or want to make it onto your local team, you may have considered private basketball coaching. Melbourne enthusiasts may be interested to know the amazing benefits offered with a personal basketball trainer.

Individual Attention

While basketball is certainly a team sport, private basketball coaching will allow you to work any weaknesses as you develop and improve your strengths. Private coaching will allow you to get your skills and confidence back after an injury or work on their own unique skill sets, athletic abilities, and characteristics.

Personalised Workouts

Unlike group training sessions, a personal basketball trainer can provide you with a personalised workout. The trainer can evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, assess your current skill levels to develop personalised practice plans. This continually pushes players to make improvements. A customised workout will also squeeze the most out of your training sessions as your specific needs, and wants will be addressed.

Quality Reps

Personal trainers also focus on the fundamentals. During private basketball coaching, you’ll be encouraged to focus on proper form, footwork, core balance and all the other essential techniques that differentiate the high quality reps from bad. A personal basketball training will always ensure that every drill will be properly executed, so you will make the most of every workout.

Quantity

A personal basketball training also encourages 100% participation. There is nowhere to hide amongst a crowd of players on the court. So, you’ll be required to make high repetitions in specific time frames. Your trainer will keep track of your stats, so that you can make significant improvements over time. As a player, you’ll have the opportunity to develop, learn and improve all the individual skills that are necessary to succeed in a highly competitive team.

Individual Insight

Whether you’re a confident player or need a little boost, personal basketball training will allow you to benefit from individual insight. As you’re working one on one with a trainer, you’re sure to develop rapport and trust with them. You’re likely to find yourself encouraged to ask questions and seek understanding. This can be a massive boost to self confidence that can help promote leadership on the court.

Tips and Tricks

Finally, most professional basketball trainers have a great deal of expertise in the sport. Whether they’re former pro players, played on a college team or just love the sport, the trainers will have spent a great deal of time on the court. This means that you can gain access to this expertise and your trainer will provide you with some fantastic tips and tricks to help improve your game and avoid injury. Whether it’s a tip to improve your three point shot or how to more effectively warm up, your trainer is sure to have some tips to help you achieve your basketball goals.

If you’re considering private basketball coaching, Melbourne enthusiasts should speak to us. The Tomorrow’s Stars Basketball team includes experienced personal basketball trainers. You’ll also find our team is ready to answer any queries you may have to help you appreciate how private coaching could benefit your game.

Whether you’re trying out for your school team or simply want to command a little respect on your casual weekend game, there are some pro basketball coaching tips to help get you noticed during team picks.

Focus on What You Do Well

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make when trying to impress a coach or a captain picking a team by doing things outside your skills set. This can often be disastrous, so concentrate on what you do well. So, if you’re a good rebounder, be sure to grab every rebound, if you’re can handle the ball well, make the simple passes and simple moves. For goodness sake, if you’re not good at taking 3 point shots, don’t try to shoot one during a tryout. Many coaches have limited time, so you want to make a good first impression.

Maintain that Hustle

If you want to really impress on the court, you need to commit and develop a committed mentality. If the ball is on the floor, dive for it, sprint on fast brakes and sprint to the spots on the floor on defense. Be sure to maintain communication and be loud. Even if you’re not that great a player, if you can do the little things that will make a team great, you’ll be an asset to the team.

Try to Make a Good First Impression

Whether you’re at a formal tryout or crowded courtside to play a game, you don’t want to be one of those faceless guys in the crowd. So, you want to try to make a good first impression. Show enthusiasm by sprinting and standing tall. Don’t just hang back while the coach is talking, make eye contact and show you’re paying attention.

Be Loud

The court can be a hectic place, so you need to stand out. While you may assume that flashy moves will impress a coach, good communication is far more likely to gain attention. Communicate early, loud and often, so everyone on the court knows you’re ready for action.

Be a Super Teammate

Coaches want players who are super teammates and will make the players around them better. Adopt a great attitude and prioritise sportsmanship. This can help everyone to enjoy the game. Helping players off the floor and sticking to clean basketball, will show that you can be counted on to keep your cool and not have a negative impact on your team.

Arrive Early

Arriving early will not only show the coaches and other players that you care, but also provide you with the time to properly warm up. This will ensure that you’re ready to play a great game as soon as you hear the whistle. You’re also less likely to need a time out during play as you suffer with a cramp or other potential issues.

If you’re considering basketball training, Melbourne based Tomorrow’s Stars Basketball is here to help. We specialise in basketball coaching and can offer some pro tips to help you improve your game.

It is no secret that one of the most important fundamentals of basketball is passing. When teams pass the ball well, they have more open looks and go on to score more points. This is why passing is one of the key elements of basketball training for kids. So, here we’ll explore the most common passes that should be included in your children’s basketball classes.

Chest Passes

As the name suggests chest passes are delivered from the chest. During our basketball classes for kids, your child will be taught to use their fingers to make the throw. Hand placement is important as after the pass the thumbs should be pointing down, but passing with a hand on top using the thumbs is also acceptable. Chest passes with thumbs create a knuckle effect, while regular chest passes create backspin. This type of pass should be thrown with zip; it shouldn’t be floated unless touch is needed. However, if your child is throwing to a wing player, they need to really get something on it, so that the receiving player is in a position to shoot.

Football or Baseball Pass

This depends on who is throwing and how the coach uses the terminology, but this pass has a time and place. This type of pass is thrown like a baseball and is used for one of two purposes; a long pass or a pass that needs some extra fire.

For a long pass that needs to go over a defender, the ball should be thrown high enough, but also where it can be caught by the offense. The extra fire type of pass needs preparation. The ball should be up by your child’s head where it can get some real speed.

Bounce Passes

Some coaches feel very strongly about bounce passes, so they are likely to be a big part of basketball training for kids of all ages. This type of pass is thrown using the same mechanics as chest passes, but the pass ends up at the waist of your teammate. A bounce pass can’t be floated as the ball will slow down; it should be thrown with some purpose. On a fast break, a bounce pass can be used to lead a player, but the lack of speed may not be suitable for point guards to pass to wing players.

Behind the Back Passes

Many consider this type of pass to be showing off, but it does actually have a purpose. This type of pass is taught as it can be useful in certain situations if it is properly prepared. The ball needs to be in the player’s strong hand and rested. The ball should be taken behind the back and rested again. By simply flicking the wrist, the ball will go. While this isn’t easy straight away, but after some practice is a useful shot. A good way to practice is to stand against a wall and pass it over and over. As your child gets more confident, they’ll be able to handle these basics and start working on the harder stuff.

If you’re considering basketball training for kids, you should speak to us. We offer a range of basketball classes for kids of all ages. We would be delighted to help your child develop their skills and confidence to nurture their love of the game.

Athletes new to the game may initially be skeptical about private basketball coaching. Melbourne based players should understand that every great player probably had the same reservations at some point. There is a huge difference between a friendly game at home and playing the game in a professional arena. Every great player has had private basketball coaching to harness their raw talent and to help them to reach their full potential. In this article, we will look at five of the main benefits of structured basketball training.

1. Personal Attention

Basketball is a fantastic team sport, but private training can quickly identify weaknesses and errors that could have crept into your game. A player can advance at their own pace which is especially crucial during a rehabilitation period. The coach will work with the player one on one to develop their skills and make them a stronger player.

2. A Tailored Approach

One key advantage of professional coaching is that the coach will be able to assess the player’s current skill level. This will help the coach to prepare a tailored practice plane to push the player to improve. A customised workout will allow the player to get the most out of their training efficiently and make the most of their training time.

3. High Quality Repetition

Mastering the fundamentals of the game is a major part of improving to a higher standard of play. This includes elements, such as core balance, footwork, correct form and key basketball techniques. Each of these fundamental aspects of the game can be taught quickly, but this isn’t where the training ends. It’s vitally important to repeat those moves until they become second nature and build up muscle memory. This can only be achieved with high quality repetitions conducted under the watchful eye of a professional coach. This will ensure that errors don’t creep into the player’s technique before it becomes natural.

4. High Quantity Repetition

Professional basketball coaching can be conducted at a higher repetition rate with individual participation. This allows for a higher quantity repetition in a very short time frame. This can help to improve the players game quickly, building confidence and helping to develop the skills needed to work as part of a team.

5. Professional Insight

When a player works one on one with a basketball coach they will build a relationship of trust. This will foster an environment where both the coach and the player will be able to ask questions and offer suggestions to improve the coaching experience. This is often where the player can discover those tips and tricks of the trade that push their game to the next level.

If you are looking for private basketball coaching in Melbourne, players should get in touch with us here at Tomorrow’s Stars Basketball. We can provide training to help you take your game to the next level and compete at a professional level. A personal basketball trainer can help you to strengthen your existing skills and add some new techniques to improve your game. Speak to our team about our basketball coaching programs and how they can improve your game.

When many players think about basketball programs, it can be hard to realise that the greatest players all needed help at some point in their careers. Every player had to start somewhere, and it can be hard to truly understand the game without professional training. There is a world of difference between a friendly pickup game with friends and playing professionally. This is where personal training becomes essential to give you the skills and techniques you need to improve your game. Let’s take a closer look at some of the things that you could expect to learn with structured basketball training.

Evaluating Your Skill Level

Every good basketball trainer will first start by evaluating your skill level and how well you understand the game. Fitness levels are also, and even a slight adjustment in your training schedule could boost your performance significantly. Players that have learned the game informally could have easily picked up bad habits that need to be identified and corrected. Finally, it will be essential to identify where you would best fit into a team and what your ideal position would be.

One on One Training

This one on one training is very important when getting professional basketball training. Your game can improve very quickly when you receive personalised training and advice. The coach will work with you to reinforce your current skills and add some new ones to your repertoire.

This kind of instruction simply is not possible in a group dynamic where the focus would be placed on tactics and improving the team dynamic. A plan will be developed for the player covering a workout regimen, skills to practice and even dietary requirements. The plan will be updated to keep an accurate picture of how the player is progressing in their mastery of the game.

Over time a relationship based on trust will develop between the player and their coach, which will lead to a deeper understanding of how to improve the players game even further. The ultimate goal here is to match the player’s commitment levels and make them into the best player that they can be. This is the same regardless of the level that the player would like to play at.

If you are thinking about professional basketball training  in Melbourne for yourself or your kids, get in touch with us here at Tomorrow’s Stars Basketball. We give  our clients the training tools they need to take their game to the next level. We change your life not just your game!

Our basketball training  team has a wealth of experience in the game and can give you game ready skills to take to the court. Our team is happy to answer any questions that you may have.