Tips for Tryouts

Just some thoughts for you Ben -

GREAT TEAMS & PLAYERS:

are self-motivated ...
are intelligent ...
are consistent ...
execute ...
are fundamentally sound ...
out hustle opponets ...
play together ...
do not worry about individual accomplishments. The team is always first ...
win the games they are supposed to ...
can accept constructive criticism ...
believe in their teammates and help motive them by being a positive complimentary player ...
are not just satisfied with a win, but also with how well they played...
I would add this too - Be happy for the team in a Win - don't sulk if you didn't play well or didn't get the playing time you think you deserve
have players who have sacrificed many hours by themselves in the cold, at night, when they could've been somewhere else, in order to become a better skilled individual in order to better help the team...
are not just born, but are developed by hard work, cooperation, and a common goal ...


THE BEST THING IS, IT IS YOUR CHOICE!

Just some thoughts I got from another coach.... Log them in the back of your mind or print them out.... but don't drive yourself crazy over them.... I think you have a GREAT work ethic!

Today I had another game and I scored 7 points on 2-2 shooting, 2-3 on freethrows and 1-1 on 3s. The three free throws were from getting fould on another 3.

Hey Ben: that's a fairly productive night...how was your defense, rebounding, steals, intercepted passes, assists. Sorry Ben not trying to steal your thunder, but scoring is not the only assessment of good play. Ive seen coach Sar's conversations with you and in all Ive read, I saw very little about scoring. Coach Sars emphasized the importance of all the skills I mentioned earlier in this message. He tells me your a great kid and work really hard and I'm sure he's right. I coach Pro basketball so I'm highly critical but I admire your drive, determination and your curiosity about every aspect of the game. good luck young man you sound as if you have a solid foundation, I'll bet you have great parents. Coach Mac

Since we played zone a lot when I was in the game our coach has one guy release and basically cherrypick and I was that guy. But when we did play m2m me and the other guard did a fullcourt man 2 man and other 3 picked up there man at halfcourt so we forced a lot of turnovers. I think I hd 4 assists and 1 turnover in 2 quarters of play.

Ben,

Coach Mac and I would call guys like that " blueliners" an old hockey term for guys that didn't play D ...just looked to cherry pick as you put it. Anyway to get a few points on the board that you might get otherwise works for me. I did that one year with my Varsity team because we weren't getting any EASY points.

If you are forcing turnovers I would say that you and the other guard are doing a great job pressuring the ball. Al McGuire (X coach of Marquette) used to say - " Cut off the head and the body dies. " Meaning, that IF you can get the point guard off his game... the team doesn't function very well.

I've had several players tell me about how we practiced and played... here are two comments from one of them.

I think the way we practiced…ALWAYS HARD…. Made us have that same mentality in games, very important!

To be honest, everything we did in practice had a direct correlation to our games, we had no wasted time.



You have your last tryout for the AAU team this Saturday right? Outhustle everyone on the floor.... leave everything there... GOOD LUCK BEN...

actually the last tryout is tonight so ill post how i did.

Good luck Ben... I hope it works out for you!! :-)

Ben,
Here is something that you might like... I think it fits you -

This is what Tim Duncan's mother sang to him when
he was a child:

" Good, better, best
Never let it rest
Until your good is better
And your better is your best!"

By the way, condsidering that you don't play the entire game I think those are good numbers. Keep up the good work.

Ben...

I don't know how things worked out at the tryouts yet... but I do want to say this one thing to you ( I said this to another poster also ) but regardless of how things went -

" Don't ever stop chasing your dream "

You are a great kid and a hard worker and I agree with Coach Mac - I bet your parents are very proud of you.

Sorry I havent been posting havent had time. Ysterday we came back from a 7 point deficit to beat a team. I had 5 points on 2-2 shooting, 1-2 from the line a couple assists and a couple of rebounds.


I had one question When a guy is riding your hip and pushing out and the ref doesnt call a foul what should you do?

still dont know if I made the AAU team.

Ben: suck it up....push back...but be smart...if he pushes too hard, simply use his weight to your best advantage, step aside and regain great position while he is off balance...dont get sucked into a test of strenght....play your game young man not his..coach mac

Ben: if they are taking this much time my young friend it means they have not yet decided...so you may be a player on what we call the cusp. they are not sure between you and someone else..So..if you have done all the things that Coach Sars and the other coaches taught and advised you to do...then it will be you...Good Luck Coach Mac

Hey Ben -

Hang in there with the AAU team, they must be having a difficult time deciding on some players. I hope you get the spot and IF you did the best you could do, then that's all anyone can ask of you.
Keep a positive attitude and remember this...

"When one door closes another door opens."

IF you keep working at your game you ARE going to become a player, the one you want to be.

Congratulations on the nice comeback Ben. Its always nice getting the W when you are down late in the game... it shows your team has heart!

Can you explain what you mean by riding your hip? Is this when you are dribbling or he is just defending you?

IF he is doing that when you are dribbling... bump him a bit.. to stop him, maybe even knock him back a bit, and when he comes back to recover, use the crossover to beat him. (hard to advise because we cant see it) I saw that in a video that Jeff and Joe had posted for a coaches clinic... Coach Mac has also given you some good advice about this also.

IF he is doing this while trying to defend you without the ball... make a V cut or an L cut..... bump him / freeze him - put your forearm out and bump him a little bit as you make your move.
There were times our players had trouble getting open and we used this (along with putting your inside foot to the middle of his body as you do the above - he isn't going anywhere when you do that) Once you get him stopped - bump and make your move - YOU have the advantage.

By the way, looking at your stats it seems like you are playing a very steady game... points, assistants etc. Keep up the good work.

Keep in touch Ben and let us know whats going on.

I just wanted to tell you about a cool website that I actually found on youtube. The youtube channel is called iAthletes. The website is on the channel.

Also yesterday I made 30 free throws in a row after shooting around

Ben -

30 in a ROW!! :-) That's great shooting by anybody's standards!

I think you have this muscle memory thing down pat.... keep up the good work. You are going to be the kind of player that any coach is going to say - get the ball in Ben's hands and let them foul him.

I will check out that web site and see whats its all about... Talk to you later.

Hey Ben,

Haven't heard from you in awhile.... did you make the AAU Team? How are things going with the other teams you are playing on?

Stay in touch, let us know how things are going?

hey Ben. Keep up the good work and keep posting here. I like reading your updates and then picking up some of the advice that Coach Sar gives you. I myself am playing AAU 15u basketball, so I like reading your updates. It's nice to know that there is someone similar to me on this forum