Varsity Head Coach at Watchung Hills: Gene McAteer

          Welcome to Basketball Camp

           Listening Skills

             Listen to what your coaches tell you.

           Show respect by doing what you are asked. This way less time is wasted and you will have more time to play basketball.

           If you listen you will be able to learn, however, you have to work on your own also to become a better basketball player.

          Junior Varsity Coach at Watchung Hills: Sean Mealy

       Drills Done Alone

           Self-discipline

             You have to be able to motivate and control yourself in order to become a great player.

           The highest form of intelligence is self-discipline.

           It is a lot harder to discipline yourself then to have other people tell you what to do.

          Drills

             If you do not work on your fundamental skills on your own time then you will never be able to become a better player

             Spider Drill

·         Keep your legs about shoulder width apart and put the ball between your legs.

·         Try to keep the ball in the same place and then dribble the ball twice in front of your body and twice in back.

·       Keep the ball as low to the ground as possible and go as fast as possible, while still maintaining control.

         Ball handling Drill

·      Sit down on the floor and spread your legs.

·     Use one hand to dribble the ball first on the one side of your body and then between your legs and then on the opposite side of your body.

·     As you get better speed up the ball and use your weaker hand.

        Workout Drill

·     Start with the ball at the right side of the foul line facing the basket.

·     Drive with one dribble to the hoop and then put up a lay-up.

·     Grab your rebound and then cut out to the other side of the foul line

·     Turn around and drive to the hoop again this time using the other hand.

·     Always make sure to keep the ball on your outside hand.

·     Keep going back and forth until you are able to make ten lay-ups in a row.

 Tuesday, July 10

          Varsity Head Coach at Watchung Hills: Gene McAteer

      “Now You Know”

           Camp Trainer: Jen Basini

         Her location is at the corner of Gym 5/6

       If you have an medical concerns or questions please go and see her

         Pass the ball

         A common complaint by campers is “I don’t get the ball!”

         If you don’t pass the ball then you become a ‘ball hog.’

         It is not always the person with the ball who is at fault.

·         There are certain campers that never move to get open and then complain that they never get the ball.

·         There are several ways to get open such as a v-cut, backdoor cut, or setting a screen.

·         If you still feel that you are doing everything you can do to get open and still don’t get the ball talk to your coach.

·         Rebounding is always the sure way to get the ball. Even if your teammate takes a bad shot, if you box out and get the rebound you can then make a good shot.

         Sportsmanship

        Occasionally you get frustrated when playing basketball and you might say or do something that is out of character.

          If you do something that is out of line make sure to apologize.

          If you see something happen that was in poor sportsmanship make sure you address the situation.

         Your coach and league director are there to help you out. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions.

         Mikan Drill off one foot

         Right handed lay-up by jumping off left foot and vice verse

         Turn into the shot

         “Catch it high, keep it high,”

         For 30 seconds you will be under the basket doing lay-ups, while not letting the ball touch the floor and without dribbling.

         You just make a lay up and quickly and under control take a lay-up from the other side.

         Make sure you’re doing a lay up on the right with your right hand then the left side is with your left hand. The object is to make as many lay-ups that you can within 30 seconds.

      Varsity Coach at Linden High School: Phil Colicchio

              How to Work on Your Game at Game Speed

                All drills should be done at full speed.

              Lay-up Drills

         Regular Lay-up from both sides

         Power Lay-up from both sides

         Power Lay-up with dribble from both sides

         Reverse Lay-up from both sides

         Make sure to work at full speed

       In-paint Shoot

         Start with you back to the basket and throw the ball about five feet in front of you

         Catch the ball turn and shoot

         When you can consistently make this shot throw the ball further out but always remain in the paint.

         Use this drill to also work on your jab step and lay-ups.

   Elbow Shooting

         Grab a partner and have the start with the ball under the basket and position yourself at the right elbow.

         Have your partner pass you the ball, step into the ball and then shoot.

         Have your partner rebound the ball and then pass you the ball on the other elbow.

         To work on your three-point shot start at the half court line and then move in to the three point line to receive your pass. Then back up to the half court again and repeat the drill.

       Three man drill

         Start with one man under the basket and one man at the top of the key and a third man on the side of the key. The players underneath the basket and at the side of the key start with a ball.

         The player at the top of the key steps in to receive a pass from the person at the side of the key and then takes a shot. The player underneath the basket passes the ball to the side of the key and then grabs the rebound.

         Work from different places on the court to work on different aspects of your shot.

       Team Drill

         Split up into two lines underneath the basket, one of the lines starts with a ball and the other one doesn’t.

         The first player in line passes the ball to the coach standing at the top of the key.

         The player that passes the ball is now on offense and the first player from the other line is on defense.

         The player on offense now has to receive a pass from the coach and then try to score. You only get one shot.

       During these drills don’t worry as much about if you make or miss the shot. Your first concern should be your footwork and technique while still going at game speed. The rest will eventually fall into place.

       It is better to shoot 100 shots at game speed to then shoot 500 shots without breaking a sweat.

Wednesday, July 11

       Varsity Assistant Coach at Watchung Hills: Justin Salton

       Physical Conditioning

       If you make a commitment but you are not consistent you will not get better.

       Basketball is a game of reaction, you have to me able to see what is happening as the play develops and react accordingly.

       Box Drill

         Start at the left side of the foul line, and sprint to the baseline

         Slide across the baseline to the other side of the paint

         Backpedal back to the foul line and the slide across the foul line, touch the elbow and then slide back across.

         Sprint back down to the baseline, and slide across the baseline.

         End the drill by backpedaling back to the foul line.

         Time yourself and try to improve your time every time.

       Dot Drill

         Set up this drill by putting five dots on the ground the same way they appear on dice.

         Start by hopping in a two-one-two pattern for five times.

         Then hop with both legs on all five dots for five times,

         Switch to your right leg and hop on all five dots five times, then switch to your left leg.

         Finish by hopping in a two-one-two pattern and then turning around and going back in a two-one-two pattern.

         Make sure that your shoulders are squared up the entire time during this drill.

       Pushup Ladder

         Start by doing ten pushups, if you are not strong enough to do a regular pushup keep your knees on the ground to make it easier.

         Sit up on your knees and then do ten shoulder presses without weight.

         Next do nine pushups and then nine shoulder presses

         Continue doing this until you get down to zero.

       Plank

         This is a great exercise for your core.

         Start by getting in a pushup position but rest on your forearms.

         Hold this position for one minute, make sure that you keep a nice flat back and don’t stick your butt into the air.

         If you get stronger you can increase the time that you hold the position for.

       Spider Drill

         See Sean Mealey’s notes for a description.

       Perfect 50

         Start at the top of the key and shoot a three pointer, it is worth three points.

         Grab your rebound and come back to the original spot. Shot fake and then one dribble to the right elbow and take a shot, it is worth two points.

         Grab your rebound and come back to the original spot. Shot fake and then one dribble to the left elbow and take a shot, it is also worth two points.

         Grab your rebound and come back to the original spot. This time drive to the basket and take a lay-up. It is worth one point.

         Grab your rebound and come back to the original spot. Take a free throw, if you make a free throw it is worth one point.

         This time grab your rebound and go to the side of the key and repeat all the same shots.

         Grab your rebound and dribble out to the wing, and repeat all the same shots.

         Repeat the same shots on the other side of the basket.

         All together the shots are worth fifty points. Try to get as close to fifty points as possible.

         Make sure to go at game speed so that you get a good workout.

    Varsity Head Coach at Watchung Hills: Gene McAteer

        Shooting the Basketball

       Basketball is the greatest game in the world because even if you never make it to the top level it is still a game that you can play and have fun with the rest of your life.

       Most people will never make it to the top level in basketball; it is hard to even make it to the top level in high school.

        Even if you have the determination you still need the size and speed to become an elite player.

       One of the aspects of your game that you can improve immensely even if you don’t have the best physical attributes is shooting.

       Like anything else in life, if you devote enough time to basketball you will become a better player.

       Shooting Technique

         Your elbow has to be underneath the basketball, if you don’t the ball can very easily fall out when you remove your non-shooting hand.

·         When you are shooting around you should stop, and take your guide hand off the ball. The ball should not fall out of your hand, if it does work on your elbow being directly under the ball.

         When you release the ball your shooting hand should go up. This will help put a nice arc on the ball. When your arm is extended you should follow through.

         Use your knees to shoot at different lengths. Your hand motion should always remain the same; the only thing that should change is how much power comes from your legs.

         In order to be a good shooter from midrange you have to be a great shooter from up close.

·         When practicing, before attempting a midrange shot make ten shots from up close first.

       Game Speed Drill

         Start with the ball at the block with your back facing the basket. Turn pivot and release. Then grab your rebound and go to the other block and shoot. Stop once you make ten shots. Make sure to go at game speed.

       Beat the Pro

         You’re playing a game to ten against the imaginary professional.

         For every shot you make you get one point, for every shot you miss the professional gets two points.

         This means that in order to win you have to make two shots for every one that you miss.

          If this becomes too easy for you then you can make it that the professional gets three points for every missed shot instead of two.

         The first player to ten points wins.

Thursday, July 12

    Varsity Head Coach at Watchung Hills: Gene McAteer

       Two Man Drills

       Shooting Drill

         Start out with one person underneath the basket with the ball and the other person about five feet away from the basket.

         The person underneath the basket passes the ball to his teammate who steps in and takes a shot. Stop once you make ten shots total and then switch.

         Make sure to concentrate on your footwork and form.

         Once both of you have gone, set up at the box instead and make ten shots and then switch. When shooting from the box don’t be afraid to use the backboard.

         To make the game competitive see how can get to ten baskets quicker.

         Pick different spots on the court where you want to shoot from.

         To make this drill more of a workout, the person underneath the basket comes out to put a hand in the shooters face, and then the shooter goes and grabs his own rebound and then passes the ball to the player that just ran out. The first player to seven made baskets wins.

       You have to make sure you work on your basic shots. Those crazy shots are always fun to take but they don’t help improve your game.

Carl Riccio

             Motivational Speaking

       Carl was a top athlete at Watchung Hills excelling at both wresting and baseball. In his junior year, while wrestling he suffered a tragic accident which has left him a paraplegic.

       Adversity in life

         Even if you think you are not able to do something, use your mind to figure out a way to overcome these challenges.

         By having a strong will you will be able to preserve

         The only things you can’t do in life are the things that your mind won’t let you.

         It is inevitable that everyone will face problems in life, and it is at these times in life that your mental toughness will lead you through these hard times.

         Jimmy Valvano was the basketball coach at NC State in the 1980’s. He became famous for his expression, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.” “Cancer can take all my physical abilities, but it can not touch my mind, can not touch my heart, and can not touch my soul.”

         You have to realize that you need to live every day to the fullest and take advantage of all opportunities that are given to you.

       Plans for the future

         Carl is currently attending Villanova University and is perusing a degree in finance and wants to join the business world.

         He is a strong advocate for stem cell research.

Friday, July 13

     Freshman Coach at Watchung Hills: Kyle Helbig

      Improving Your Game

       Even if you have a great shot you have to be able to incorporate other parts of your game to become a good player. You have to be able to pass, dribble, and shoot to be a good player.

       If you are a good shooter and have nothing else, eventually opponents will realize that all they have to do it get in your face, if you have great ball handling and passing skills you will be able to become a dynamic player that become very had to guard.

       Shooting Drill

         Start out on the baseline by the three point line.

         First shoot three, three point shots. After that pump face once, step in and then shoot, for you final shot drive to the basket and take a lay-up.

         Slowly work your way around the key taking the same five shots at each location.

       Triple Threat Moves

         Start out with the ball on the foul line. Get in the triple threat position and from there either step back and shoot, pump fake and then shoot, or dribble to the basket.

         Work on all aspects of your game to become a complete player. If you are a one dimensional player you will become too easy to guard and your skills will be wasted. 

 Camp Notes – Week 2

 Defense Defined