LESSONS FOR THE YOUNG POST PLAYER




EAT, PLAY, LOVE
George Galiotos, Rick Mahorn Big Man Camp Coaching Staff

If you are a young inside player just starting out on the path of your basketball career, NOW is the time to develop good work habits and playing mindset that will get you off on the right foot.

PLAY

In my experience, young players should work on their skills from the inside out.  Start with finishes around the basket and build your basketball foundation from there.

Some of the best drills you should be doing are the Mikan drill, drop steps and hook shots. You need to work equally on both sides on a daily basis – the more you do this the more you are building a foundation of confidence inside!!

Work on your shooting form.  Start under the basket and when you make 10 shots take one step back and make 10 shots from there.  Keep doing this until you reach the 3-point line.  Make sure that your legs are square up to the basket and that your leg, hip, elbow and wrist – as well as the ball – are all in a straight line to the basket.  NOW is the time to develop proper form!!!

Work on pick and rolls, including rolling all the way, short roll, and pick and pops.

I highly urge you also to shoot free throws daily until you have made 100.


Some tips for defense

Defense starts before your player gets the ball!! Try to deny your man and take him out of position – get him out of his comfort spots.
On the pick and roll work on playing smart. Read the guard and big that you are defending.
Always box out your man. Don’t look so much at the ball and focus on how to stop your guy first … and then jump to get the rebound.

LOVE

Basketball success is about working hard, but it is also about having fun. So always check that you love what you are doing. You’re never too young to start to formulate a long-term plan.  You can always change it as circumstances change, but unless you have a plan and commit yourself to it you are not as likely to make progress as quickly as you could!! Whatever your plan, stick to it and never quit! 

At a young age, your long-term plan requires patience. No one developed in a couple of years. Allow yourself time to develop and maintain your passion for what you are doing!  At the same time, make sure you are working harder than everybody else. Too many young athletes look for short term success and when things become tough or the challenge is greater than they had envisioned they are tempted to quit. 

Even when you are only 12, or 13, or 14,adopt the routine of a “young professional” as far as both your physical and mental growth.

If you really want to succeed, make sure you are the hardest worker, and have daily goals for your practice.
The Rick Mahorn Big Man Camp can assist you with strategies and forms that we use to help players maintain effective practice goals.

Some players, young and not-so-young, make the huge mistake of thinking that team practice is enough for them to improve. You must be the one to manage and execute your progress – don’t pass this responsibility off to anyone else.  Coaches and parents can be a huge help, but ultimately YOU are the one that must take responsibility for your own progress.
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So if you set a goal like 200 made shots or finishes with your weak hand, make sure you don’t leave the gym before you complete your goal.

Your body needs time to rest and recover. Many veteran athletes report that they wish they knew earlier on in their career how important it is to properly care for their body.  But at the same time, keep in mind that there is always someone out there who may be working harder than you and one day you in the future you may be contending against him for that one remaining spot on the team.

EAT

Part of caring for your body is to be mindful of good nutrition.  Consult with your family doctor or any nutrition professional that your physician can refer you to.  Just like a car need the proper fuel and oil to run efficiently, your body needs the best in fuel.  Doctors agree that there is NO SUBSTITUTE for getting your nutrition from wholesome food.  Supplements sound like a good thing but the body does not use them in the same way.
Proper nutrition gives you energy, helps you gain muscle, and helps your body recover. Proper diet is 75% of how our body looks and functions – workouts only account for 25%.  You need to take this into account to have a complete diet to fit your needs.
You should have a diet from specialist so you make sure that you help your body to recover and to gain muscles .Diet is 70%-75% how our body looks like and only 25-30% the body workouts.so if you consider this information you understand that you start from a complete diet to fit on your needs .

When it comes to working out, it is a lot more that lifting weights or seeing how much you can bench-press.  Your optimal development involves balance and quickness as well as strength. Here too, you should have a schedule and work under the supervision or a properly certified trainer.  You need to work 45-60 minutes 3-4 times a week.

It’s also critical to engage in MENTAL growth as well as PHYSICAL development. Every young athlete struggles at times with staying motivated, with maintaining strong focus, with overcoming disappointments (and learning from them!) 
HERE, TOO, THE RICK MAHORN BIG MAN CAMP TEAM CAN ASSIST YOU IN THIS AREA.
It is important to have a small but trusted team of people who believe in you and from whom you can draw your sense of confidence.  And from their belief in you, you will develop the most important thing of all – your own belief in you!!

EDUCATION
Finally, always remember that no matter how good you are and how hard you are working, there are always things that we can’t control. One unfortunate injury can cost you an entire season, or even you whole career!  And even players who have a long and successful career need to get on with life when their playing days are over.  Be sure to take your education seriously and get your degree  or have some plan for success if basketball doesn’t work out – or when it’s all behind you.

At the Rick Mahorn Big Man Camp we take the goal of helping our players succeed very seriously. Our camps are designed with the most vital learning principles in mind.  If we can be of further help don’t hesitate to reach out to us!!

Best wishes!!!



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