Games...Games...Games

We constantly field questions regarding different aspects about basketball training for players from parents. Our opinions to those answers are shaped from our experience as players and the coaches we worked and played for. From time to time, we will discuss different topics on this blog based on the questions we receive. Feel free to post your comments, perspective, and opinions.

Now that the basketball season is upon us, I have heard this question a number of times, "How many games is the right amount?" This is a difficult question to answer and can be argued in a number of directions. Much of it is based on what you want to get out of the season. Playing experience is needed. Skill development is needed. Practice is needed. What is the right combination? If you want players to improve their skills, more balance is needed with more practice during the season. Here are my thoughts:

Today, you could sign your team up for a tournament every weekend from mid-October to mid-April. The opportunity to play in an organized tournament is available at a level that we have never before seen. I can understand one side of the agrument that the competition is needed for players to gain experience in a game situation, but when youth teams are running a season longer than any college or high school team and playing three times the amount of games, it is easy to see why players are easily frustrated and dragging at the end of the season.

"Games are simply a test of what the players have learned and developed through practice" I apologize that I cannot remember the coach who said that, but it is constantly echoed across the coaching community. Unfortunately, the trend and belief that is evident in youth basketball is that the players are learning during the games and because of this trend ... they are praciticing less and less. If players improved and developed during a game, quality college and high school coaches would run uncontrolled scrimmages every day in practice. If you could watch any of these practices, you will know this is not the case. The game is broken down and worked on through repetition. While experience is gained during competition, skills are gained through quality repetition during practice.

Players improve by practicing, and the greatest improvement will come when the player takes the initiative to do so. My question is, "Why would you want to practice on your own when there will be another tournament to play in a couple of days?" The number of games that teams are playing and the length of the season can hinder a player's development. If there are bad habits (ex. poor shooting form), playing 60-70 games simply reinforces that habit over and over because shooting form does not improve during a game. Shooting form much like all other offensive skills improves with practice. If you want your players to "test" or perform better in a game, they need to practice or "study" away from the competition. With so many games, it is easy to understand why players would not want to practice on their own. They have had their fill of basketball.

This was long-winded and could have been much longer, but we feel strongly about this topic as we see the trend continuing. Games are important and enjoyable, but balance is needed. Whether they are learning and practicing the skills in our facility or somewhere else, it is important for players to spend more time practicing than playing if continued improvement and development are going to occur.

Matt