Hey! I play girls basketball, and my season just recently ended. Im entering highschool next year, but have been playing for the highschool for the past two years. My coaches stay in touch with us all through the off season just as my teammates do, so I know that we will begin conditioning in about a month. I really want to impress my coaches but Im not sure how. Do you have any tips on how to improve myself during my short off season? Thankyou so much!

If I were you I would ask your coaches what areas they think you should be working on.... I would suggest quickness and footwork... ball handling and shooting. IF you have been playing for the high school team while you were in 7th and 8th grade... they must think a lot of you.

Look back at the things you did the past two years... write down the most important things... the ones the coaches spent a lot of time on in practices. Make sure you stay in shape physically and PLAY as much as you can... maybe find some boys that you can play with... they are usually stronger and quicker and that will force you to play harder - be more intense.

Good luck......

Sammy,

I agree with Coach Sar. Coaches love it when a player approaches them and asks how can they get better, what can they work on in the off-season. This impresses most coaches and it shows that you are committed to getting better.

In the meantime, practice on your own, in the driveway, at the park,
organize pick-up games with your friends, challenge older girls or boys to play against. Keep in shape with jump-roping, running a couple miles a day or maybe some plyometrics training which can help your quickness. Search online for plyometric training.
Search local fitness gyms and performance training centers for week long sports-specific training that they may offer. Sometimes they have package deals that allow you one on one training with a certified trainer specifically geared toward your sport; basketball. This may cost a little for 5 or 10 visits but it will certainly get you in shape. My daughter did it a couple times and it was intense!!

Coach Luck Sammy!!

Coach A