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Hoop Masters Drill Guide

Second Edition

DEFINITITIONS and BASICS

Abdomen strength - The muscles in your stomach area are the most important muscles to develop. They are also the most overlooked. A strong abdomen area will allow you to run faster and jump higher. In all of the exercises and drills that you do, concentrate on pulling your strength from the abdomen. For instance, if you are doing a defensive stance drill and start to get tired, pull in the muscles in your stomach and let that strength help the rest of your body to finish the drill.

Dribbling Basics - Head up, eyes forward, hand slightly cupped to fit the curvature of the ball. Fingers and fingertips control the direction of the ball. Hand stays on top or near the top of ball at all times. Dribble as hard and as fast as you can. Soft, floating dribbles are not acceptable.

Dummy Drills - Drills done without the presence of a defender.

Running/Sprinting - Always keep your back straight and your head up. Vision should be forward. Smooth strides with a good kick at the end of each stride. Pump arms with open hands - not closed fists. Relax and breathe deeply as you are running, do not tighten up.

Stance - Knees bent, rear is lowered. Back and neck are straight. Head is up and eyes are forward. Weight is balanced evenly between both legs. Stand on the balls of feet. Open stance is chest, knees and feet pointed towards the opponent or the middle of the court. On offense, a closed stance is turning chest and knees away from a defender (when you have the ball). On defense, a closed stance is turning chest and knees towards offensive player.

STRENGTH and CONDITIONING

Strength

1. Push Ups

Face down, palms under your shoulders. Keep back straight. Raise and lower slowly. Slower push ups done correctly are more effective than fast ones.

2. Sit Ups

Sprints

1. 100 feet

Measure/guess at a straight, level 100 feet track around where you live. In most neighborhoods, the yards are 50 feet wide, so running across two complete yards would be close to 100 feet.

2. 50 feet

BALL HANDLING

One Ball Drills

1. Stationary Dribble

Get in a closed stance with a guard hand extended shoulder height. Dribble ball on or beyond back foot. Head and eyes should be forward, away from the ball. Ball height varies from knee to waist depending on the drill.

2. Stationary Crossover - Pull Back

Get in a closed stance with a guard hand extended shoulder height. Dribble ball on or beyond back foot. Head and eyes should be forward, away from the ball. Crossover by pulling ball and feet backwards (taking a step back) and then crossing over to the other hand. After crossover, keep the same stance/position as before. Crossover must be a quick exchange. Ball height varies from knee to waist depending on drill.

3. Directional Dribble - Front to Back

Get in an open stance. Dribble ball outside of foot. Move ball from front to back with one hand without moving feet. Keep hand on top of ball at all times. Do not allow ball to bounce up high. Ball stays at knee height or waist height, depending on drill.

4. Directional Dribble - Side to Side

Get in an open stance. Dribble ball outside of foot. Move ball from side to side with one hand without moving feet. Keep hand on top of ball at all times. Do not allow ball to bounce up high. Ball stays at knee height or waist height, depending on drill.

5. Stationary Crossover Exchange Drill

Get in an open stance. Dribble the ball outside of foot, rapidly and firmly. Dribble 2-3 times with one hand before crossing to the other hand. For the crossover, utilize your wrist rather than your forearms. "Flick" the ball with your wrist, low across your knees, to the other hand. The hand dribbling should not cross into the middle part of your stance, as if it were following the ball. Using your wrist and fingertips to push the ball across should allow you to keep your arm over your knee during the crossover. For the offhand (the hand receiving the ball), keep this hand near-horizontal, so that the ball does not "kick up."

Two Ball Drills

1. Stationary Dribble - High Dribble

Get in an open stance. Dribble both balls outside of both feet. Keep hands on top of balls at all times. Balls are dribbled at the same time to chest level. Dribble balls as hard and as fast as you can on each dribble.

2. Stationary Dribble - Low Dribble

Get in an open stance. Dribble both balls outside of both feet. Keep hands on top of balls at all times. Balls are dribbled at the same time to knee level. Dribble balls as hard and as fast as you can on each dribble.

3. Directional Dribble - Front to Back

Get in an open stance. Dribble balls outside of both feet. Move balls from front to back with each hand without moving feet. Keep hands on top of balls at all times. Do not allow balls to bounce up high. Balls stay at knee height. Dribble both balls at the same time and on the same count.

4. Directional Dribble - Side to Side

Get in an open stance. Dribble balls outside of both feet. Move balls from side to side with each hand without moving feet. Keep hands on top of balls at all times. Do not allow balls to bounce up high. Balls stay at knee height. Dribble both balls at the same time and on the same count.

DEFENSE

Stance and Footwork

1. Stationary Stance

Get in a defensive stance and hold that position for 15 seconds. Rest for 7 seconds and repeat.

2. Big Step Slide

Get in a defensive stance. The trailing foot pushes and the lead foot extends as far as possible, almost like a leap step. The trailing foot slides across the floor while the lead foot comes off the ground when extending. Shoulders should stay the same height - no bouncing up and down. Head and eyes stay up and back should be straight. Stay on the balls of your feet. Cover as much ground as possible with each step without losing your balance or losing the quality of your stance. Slide three or four steps in each direction.

2. Diamond Closeout

Get in an open defensive stance. Sprint 2 steps and then closeout on an imaginary shooter or stationary object (such as a chair or garbage can) with hands extended. From closeout position, drop step right and big step slide to the right 3 steps. Then drop step left and big step slide to the left 3 steps. You should now be relatively close to where you started. Closeout again on the shooter. From the closeout position, drop step left and big step slide to the left 3 steps. Then drop step right and big step slide to the right 3 steps. Again, you should be near your starting point. Closeout on the shooter one more time.

PASSING

1. Chest Pass

With a partner or against a wall. Get in an open stance. Ball must be under chin with elbows extended. Hands should be positioned near the side of the ball. Make sure hands mirror each other - do not have one hand farther back than the other. Fingers should be comfortably spread. Grip/hold ball tightly. Step and pass ball at the target (chest of the receiver). Do not dip ball below chest. When passing, push hands almost in a downward direction, allowing ball to spin slightly off of your fingertips. Thumbs should be pointing at the ground when finished - keep hands/arms extended after pass. Only take one step. Rock back into stance to receive ball. Do not straighten up.

2. Bounce Pass

With a partner or against a wall. Get in an open stance. Ball must be under chin with elbows extended. Hands should be positioned near the side of the ball. Make sure hands mirror each other - do not have one hand farther back than the other. Fingers should be comfortably spread. Grip/hold ball tightly. Step and pass ball at a point slightly more than halfway between you and the receiver. Do not dip ball below chest. When passing, push hands almost in a downward direction, allowing ball to spin slightly off of your fingertips. Ball should bounce to waist of the receiver. Avoid high/low bounces that would be difficult to catch. Thumbs should be pointing at the ground when finished - keep hands/arms extended after pass. Only take one step. Rock back into stance to receive ball. Do not straighten up.

3. Wrap Around Pass

With a partner or against a wall. Get in an open stance. Ball must be under chin with elbows extended. Hands should be positioned near the side of the ball. Make sure hands mirror each other - do not have one hand farther back than the other. Fingers should be comfortably spread. Grip/hold ball tightly. Take one low step to one side, extend the ball away from your body to the same side you are stepping towards. When passing, utilize the hand that is behind the ball to pass the ball. Throw a bounce pass with a slight top spin that will cause the ball to bounce up and inward towards the receiver. Ball should bounce to waist of the receiver. Avoid high/low bounces that would be difficult to catch. Only take one step. Rock back into stance to receive ball. Do not straighten up.

3. Fake Overhead Pass

With partner or against a wall. Get in an open stance. Have partner throw a pass to you or pretend to catch the ball from an imaginary passer. Move ball to forehead, gripping it tightly with elbows extended. Slightly pivot in the same direction as the received pass and step fake a pass, as if faking a swing pass across a zone. Pivot back to the passer and pass from the forehead to the target.

REBOUNDING

1. Box Out Stationary Object

Get in a closed defensive stance facing an object (like a garbage can or chair) or a person. Imagine a shot being taken and stab/turn and box the object out. Be sure to move the object one step with your rear. Stay in balance and imagine seeing the flight of the ball as you turn to box out. Practice turning either direction on either foot.

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