Recent changes in basketball:
 

In1987 the National Federation of High School Athletic Association instituted the 3 point shot. It took a decade or more for coaches, referees and players to adjust to this new rule and its effect on how the game is played.
 
In reality most coaches and players still have not made the adjustment. I will not comment on referees, I need to work with them in the upcoming college season.
 
I came from the old school of basketball when each team had big powerful centers and power forwards but I quickly learned that speed and skills started to overtake height and size in basketball. Big and slow no longer worked. Walking the ball up the court and getting into slow half court offenses no longer work.
 
What coaches want are quick and talented players not slower and bigger. Quick is not limited to a players physical quickness but also mental quickness. How quick is a player in their decision making process.
 
So what is Workout Ball?
There are three major areas of focus in Workout Ball:

• Transition game.

• Skills: Ball Handling & Shooting (3 point shot).

• All players must be able to score.

 

Transition:
Workout ball is playing basketball at its quickest. Putting players on the court that can play to their skill level physically and mentally as quickly as they possibly can. 
 
Most teams primarily concentrate on offense or defense. That is important in Workout Ball but what is most important in Workout ball is in the transition game. If you cannot transition quickly into your defense or your offense then all your practice time in these areas may be rendered useless. Do not confuse the transition game as just fast breaking. It is much more.
 
Change of Possession: How quickly can a player change from offense to defense or defense to offense? How many times in a game does the ball change possession from one team to another? The better teams will be the teams that can change as quickly and as effectively from defense to offense or offense to defense.
 
Too many players stand and hesitate for a second or two during a change of possession. That slightest hesitation can cost your team 2 or 3 points. The best transition players will score or get into the best defensive position in those couple of precious seconds.
 
Skills:
Being a skill player has always been an important part of basketball but now more than ever ball handling and the ability to stick the 3 point shot on a consistent basis is required. Workout ball concentrates on each player regardless of their height or size to be able to handle the ball with both their right and left hand with proficiency. Also, each player is required to develop some level of proficiency in taking and hitting the 3 point shot. (As my son says “A three point shooter is not a player that takes a lot of three point shots but is a player that MAKES a lot of three point shots)
 
Scoring:
The other major change in basketball over those years is that now all 5 players on the court must be able to score. Having specialist that can just rebound or play defense does not help the team. Each player must have the confidence to try to score if they have a good scoring opportunity.
 
A player cannot pass up an opportunity to score because he or she has not worked and developed those skills. If each player of the court has scoring abilities it opens up the court and scoring possibilities for all the players on the team.
 
Each player must be able to take the ball hard and fast to the hoop. Each player must be able to penetrate and get into the paint. This will produce as many scoring opportunities for each team possible.
 
Above is a summary of what Workout Ball is. It concentrates and teaches: All aspects of the transition game, shooting, ball handling and having the confidence in scoring.
 
At our Workout Ball ‘Small Group’ workouts we train players to be that player that coaches want today; Confidence, attack the basket, take the 3, great ball handling and most important learn the transition game.
 
Coach