Summer is known as the off-season to those who only know basketball as a winter sport. To this player, though, summer is a prime time to make great strides and improvement in many aspects of their game. Summer is simply the “time to get better.”
10-Part Summer Checklist for the Motivated Player:
1. With the input of your coach, create a summer workout schedule. Once written, it will become your tool for becoming a better basketball player this summer.
2. Concentrate on specific areas of your game. Instead of identifying “ball handling” as an area you need work on, focus on some specific areas of ball handling. For example, you could work on weak hand in the open court, dribbling against pressure, or driving into the paint against physical play. The results you get this summer on specific parts of your game will depend on whether you are able to identify them in the first place. ASK your coach to outline specific things for you to spend your time on.
3. Use open gym for individual or small group work. The idea of pick up basketball in the summer can make a coach ill. These games are nothing but the reinforcement of bad habits. Pass up those pick up games and say YES to focused individual work. The results will be incredible. Remember, you get out what you put in!