Questions about AAU basketball in NOVA

[Anonymous]

Any feedback on the Arlington Bulldawgs program?

[Anonymous]

what's the best way to improve basketball skill in short period of time? More skill training or more games?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what's the best way to improve basketball skill in short period of time? More skill training or more games?

One of the things that coaches caution about with playing AAU is the impact that it can have on training. Lots of AAU teams have 10 or even 12 kids, and they may go deep into the bench. Games are maybe 16 minute halves. So a kid may play 16 minutes in a whole game. If they play 3 games in a weekend, that's 45 minutes of basketball for Friday to Sunday, with lots of travel time cramped in a van and bad food. For a weekend at home, a high school player will often work with their team or trainers 4 hours or more Friday to Sunday, plus more time shooting, lifting, doing ball handling, etc. So, AAU games are great for experience but can be bad for training.

If you're asking about just shooting around or playing pickup at the park, I'd be careful. Most guys playing in the park suck compared to a competitive high school AAU player, so kids will learn bad habits and get into a habit of being lazy on defense. Also, my kid found that when he dunked on the short, pretty out of shape adults who usually play at the park, they started fouling the hell out of him. On the other hand, if you can find a game with guys who play or played at a high level, it can be great. My kid's trainer organizes pick up games during the offseason with everything from high school players to college players to recent college grads trying to play overseas, and those games are pretty amazing.

In terms of skill work, the big thing is not to have kids just jacking up shots and trying to jelly the ball and do cool stuff they saw on TV. That's horrible for their game. They should either be working with a trainer or following a progressive training regimen (there are a bunch online) that focuses on good shooting mechanics, good head up ball handling, dealing with contact (lots of pad work and off hand work) and quick feet for defense. They should learn some simple situational offensive progressions (e.g. shot fake, jab, rip, pound, layup; shot fake, jab, rip, pound, pullup; shot fake, jab, rip, one dribble, jumpshot; shot fake, jab, rip, pound, spin move under the basket; etc.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what's the best way to improve basketball skill in short period of time? More skill training or more games?

One of the things that coaches caution about with playing AAU is the impact that it can have on training. Lots of AAU teams have 10 or even 12 kids, and they may go deep into the bench. Games are maybe 16 minute halves. So a kid may play 16 minutes in a whole game. If they play 3 games in a weekend, that's 45 minutes of basketball for Friday to Sunday, with lots of travel time cramped in a van and bad food. For a weekend at home, a high school player will often work with their team or trainers 4 hours or more Friday to Sunday, plus more time shooting, lifting, doing ball handling, etc. So, AAU games are great for experience but can be bad for training.

If you're asking about just shooting around or playing pickup at the park, I'd be careful. Most guys playing in the park suck compared to a competitive high school AAU player, so kids will learn bad habits and get into a habit of being lazy on defense. Also, my kid found that when he dunked on the short, pretty out of shape adults who usually play at the park, they started fouling the hell out of him. On the other hand, if you can find a game with guys who play or played at a high level, it can be great. My kid's trainer organizes pick up games during the offseason with everything from high school players to college players to recent college grads trying to play overseas, and those games are pretty amazing.

In terms of skill work, the big thing is not to have kids just jacking up shots and trying to jelly the ball and do cool stuff they saw on TV. That's horrible for their game. They should either be working with a trainer or following a progressive training regimen (there are a bunch online) that focuses on good shooting mechanics, good head up ball handling, dealing with contact (lots of pad work and off hand work) and quick feet for defense. They should learn some simple situational offensive progressions (e.g. shot fake, jab, rip, pound, layup; shot fake, jab, rip, pound, pullup; shot fake, jab, rip, one dribble, jumpshot; shot fake, jab, rip, pound, spin move under the basket; etc.).

Great answer. Thank you. Can you recommend a good trainer or training program near Mclean/Falls Church area? My son is almost 10 year old and has been playing AAU league for about 2 years. He is talented at basketball but I'm looking for a great program that can help him improve.

[Anonymous]

For a nine year old, one of the best ways to improve at basketball is to take the spring off from basketball and play flag football, soccer, or lacrosse instead. Sounds strange I know, but great basketball players have a solid base of athletic skills. If you are okay with tackle football (fall sport), skills like playing through contact and exploding into gaps will transfer to basketball. It's more fun for a kid to simply play a different sport with transferable skills than to work 1/1 with a basketball skills trainer. If your son really just wants to play basketball, Evolution Basketball in Merrifield has clinics for younger players, and those are fun also bc it's a group setting. In the end, the best training is intense 3 v. 3 with a coach who understands the game. I'm not saying Evolution necessarily provides that. Frankly, almost no one does. But just playing AAU games or just training 1/1 with a skills trainer won't be as effective as playing 3 v. 3 or 2 v. 2 with coaches pushing the players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a nine year old, one of the best ways to improve at basketball is to take the spring off from basketball and play flag football, soccer, or lacrosse instead. Sounds strange I know, but great basketball players have a solid base of athletic skills. If you are okay with tackle football (fall sport), skills like playing through contact and exploding into gaps will transfer to basketball. It's more fun for a kid to simply play a different sport with transferable skills than to work 1/1 with a basketball skills trainer. If your son really just wants to play basketball, Evolution Basketball in Merrifield has clinics for younger players, and those are fun also bc it's a group setting. In the end, the best training is intense 3 v. 3 with a coach who understands the game. I'm not saying Evolution necessarily provides that. Frankly, almost no one does. But just playing AAU games or just training 1/1 with a skills trainer won't be as effective as playing 3 v. 3 or 2 v. 2 with coaches pushing the players.

This is really good advice. There is a huge amount of skill transfer from football to basketball, and learning to play with contact is a big help.

Also re: 2 on 2 and 3 on 3: I was driving home with DS last night talking about a teammate who has great skills but fades into the background in 5 on 5. DS commented that DS used to be that way until he started playing 2 on 2 and 3 on 3 in scrimmages organized by his trainer a couple of years ago. There's nowhere to hide in those situations, and kids have to step up. Kids that are nervous in 5 on 5 don't have time to be that way in 2v2 or 3v3 and they will enjoy those situations a lot more.

[Anonymous]

Agree with all that's being said here. This thread is calmer and more useful than some of the soccer threads lol.

[Anonymous]

Nice post and good discussion.

It is hard to find enough age and skill appropriate peers without a lot of hustle for younger pre-teen age kids, especially girls.

I have barely nine year old and very athletic 6 year old girls, We play 2v2 or 3v3 pickup with average skill 10-11 year old boys in local YMCA where girls are on my team. Older boys do not to seem to mind because they get to play against someone of real size and my girls gets used to cutting, etc, since I can set them up with passes that kids of this age just can't do yet. I just sort of channel action in a appropriate way for kids to learn off the ball movement.

Me v. 2 kids is also educational since I can overplay certain situations and force kids to make appropriate decisions.
I am old enough that I actually break a sweat doing this and kids have fun as well. I did play in college a long time ago so that helps.

Anyways this works for us at this stage and my kids are at least a year or two ahead of their pampered suburban peers

Soccer even at town league level seems to be useful to develop good motor if kid is self driven and does not just stand around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a nine year old, one of the best ways to improve at basketball is to take the spring off from basketball and play flag football, soccer, or lacrosse instead. Sounds strange I know, but great basketball players have a solid base of athletic skills. If you are okay with tackle football (fall sport), skills like playing through contact and exploding into gaps will transfer to basketball. It's more fun for a kid to simply play a different sport with transferable skills than to work 1/1 with a basketball skills trainer. If your son really just wants to play basketball, Evolution Basketball in Merrifield has clinics for younger players, and those are fun also bc it's a group setting. In the end, the best training is intense 3 v. 3 with a coach who understands the game. I'm not saying Evolution necessarily provides that. Frankly, almost no one does. But just playing AAU games or just training 1/1 with a skills trainer won't be as effective as playing 3 v. 3 or 2 v. 2 with coaches pushing the players.

This is really good advice. There is a huge amount of skill transfer from football to basketball, and learning to play with contact is a big help.

Also re: 2 on 2 and 3 on 3: I was driving home with DS last night talking about a teammate who has great skills but fades into the background in 5 on 5. DS commented that DS used to be that way until he started playing 2 on 2 and 3 on 3 in scrimmages organized by his trainer a couple of years ago. There's nowhere to hide in those situations, and kids have to step up. Kids that are nervous in 5 on 5 don't have time to be that way in 2v2 or 3v3 and they will enjoy those situations a lot more.

Does anyone know of 3 v 3 or 2 v2 in or near Alexandria city? Merrifield is too far out for us,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a nine year old, one of the best ways to improve at basketball is to take the spring off from basketball and play flag football, soccer, or lacrosse instead. Sounds strange I know, but great basketball players have a solid base of athletic skills. If you are okay with tackle football (fall sport), skills like playing through contact and exploding into gaps will transfer to basketball. It's more fun for a kid to simply play a different sport with transferable skills than to work 1/1 with a basketball skills trainer. If your son really just wants to play basketball, Evolution Basketball in Merrifield has clinics for younger players, and those are fun also bc it's a group setting. In the end, the best training is intense 3 v. 3 with a coach who understands the game. I'm not saying Evolution necessarily provides that. Frankly, almost no one does. But just playing AAU games or just training 1/1 with a skills trainer won't be as effective as playing 3 v. 3 or 2 v. 2 with coaches pushing the players.

This is really good advice. There is a huge amount of skill transfer from football to basketball, and learning to play with contact is a big help.

Also re: 2 on 2 and 3 on 3: I was driving home with DS last night talking about a teammate who has great skills but fades into the background in 5 on 5. DS commented that DS used to be that way until he started playing 2 on 2 and 3 on 3 in scrimmages organized by his trainer a couple of years ago. There's nowhere to hide in those situations, and kids have to step up. Kids that are nervous in 5 on 5 don't have time to be that way in 2v2 or 3v3 and they will enjoy those situations a lot more.

Does anyone know of 3 v 3 or 2 v2 in or near Alexandria city? Merrifield is too far out for us,

It's tough to find sometimes. We lucked into 3 opportunities like that when DS was invited to train with groups that trainers and coaches ran. 2 of the 3 experiences were very uncomfortable for DS at first because he was the youngest, smallest, least skilled, least confident kid in the group, but he grew into the situation over time and those experiences transformed his confidence playing with his AAU and school teams.

Other than lucking into an invite, your best bet for finding a situation like that would be finding small group training through an organization that has AAU and developmental teams. I think, for example, that MADE in Rockville MD does a whole multiweek program based around 3 on 3 where they switch up teams, do instruction and then do 3 on 3. I'd search AAU basketball in your area and make some calls. You can also just google "small group basketball training Alexandria" and see what you get.

[Anonymous]

Whatever team you choose, make sure the coach doesn't have a child on the team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whatever team you choose, make sure the coach doesn't have a child on the team.

Lol. Yeah some coaches try to build the team around their own kid. This can certainly be a problem, especially for a kid who wants to play the same position as the coaches son.

[Anonymous]

Every team we’ve ever had a problem with has been coached by a dad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever team you choose, make sure the coach doesn't have a child on the team.

Lol. Yeah some coaches try to build the team around their own kid. This can certainly be a problem, especially for a kid who wants to play the same position as the coaches son.

So true. Recent game w/ one of the "best" teams in the league had point guard that didn't pass and made about 10 3 points shots -he made 3 but most his misses were airball.

[Anonymous]

I bet I know what team that was!