Comments on: Should You Teach Youth Players To Shoot A Basketball With Both Hands Equally?

By: ....

.... — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 04:15:23 +0000

i can shoot with both hands it comes in handy wen ppl think they can stop your gudd hand u can switch ova

By: Jesse Schiel

Jesse Schiel — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:53:31 +0000

I agree with others that learning to shoot with both hands is beneficial. However, I would caution against teaching or encouraging players to learn to shoot equally with either hand. The benefits of using either hand are mainly (a) dribbling/passing, and (b) shots around the basket. Being able to shoot well or equally with your right or left from 15 feet and out has almost no useful purpose other than developing dexterity in your off-hand.

Trust me. A player on my college team shot equally well with his right and his left. He never played and was an unreliable shooter. He could never decide whether to shoot with his right or left, and thus the constant indecision resulted in inconsistent and often poor shooting.

Like I said, there are clear benefits, but don’t get carried away.

By: Suneet

Suneet — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:05:26 +0000

Well….That’s an obvious answer

Learning to play well with both hands is a huge advantage…

The player becomes tougher to guard and he can drive in through almost any angle

One-handed dribblers can be stopped easily through some well applied pressure by the opponent

By: Damian Hilton

Damian Hilton — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:19:45 +0000

Look at Micheal Beasley the guy is a monster with either hand. The Heat would do a lot better if he saw the basketball a little more. He can hardly ever be stopped with a basketball in his hand. Left Right it is truly amazing!

By: Alton Sutton

Alton Sutton — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:25:28 +0000

In my opinion that is the only way to teach basketball. Kids need to learn to use both hands when they first begin learning basketball or any other sport. When I first taught youth basketball I made all my players use both hands. They definitely had to learn to shoot layups correctly with both right and left hands. I will never forget, one year I had a very good athlete who was not good with his left hand. But all year long I made him use both hands in practice. If looks could kill, I would be dead now. He would give me awfully mean looks. But he went on to be an excellent point guard in high school. He now realizes what I made him do was for his own good.

Alton Sutton

By: SAULAWA ALIU IBRAHIM

SAULAWA ALIU IBRAHIM — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:16:31 +0000

What is important in training the Youth is putting in mind Principle of Health Promotion, the fact that it is easy to adapt a habit but difficult to eradicatre it. Whatever we are teaching we should try and avoid imparting wrong techniques to the learner.

By: SAULAWA ALIU IBRAHIM

SAULAWA ALIU IBRAHIM — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:14:52 +0000

What is important in training the Youth is putting in mind Principle of Health Promotion, the fact that it is to adapt a habit but difficult to eradicatre it. Whatever we are teaching we should try and avoid imparting wrong techniques to the learner.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 09 May 2009 08:07:03 +0000

Absolutely…learning to use both hands gives you an advantage.Being able to drive to your “off” side or shoot with your “opposite” shooting hand keeps defenses guessing….

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 09 May 2009 02:29:09 +0000

I’ve always heard the rule for ambidextrous pitchers was they couldn’t switch throwing hands during a game or something to the effect that if they did, they could not switch back. I agree with teaching younger kids to shoot with both hands as it can only benefit them.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:37:11 +0000

I think it is a no brainer as far as whether or not it is a good idea - I also don’t think it would be that hard to teach or train. Especially in young kids those muscles respond so fast that it would not take much repetition to get them to be able to shoot functionally from close range with both hands - which not only leads to a more well rounded athelete, but also makes you twice as dangerous as an offensive player.