The wonderful thing about basketball is the fact that it can be shared and enjoyed by players on a wide range of skills level. It is a very simple game that can be understood immediately by just watching people play. Essentially, basketball can be made into a simple game, or it can be made into an extremely complicated game – you decide.
Its simplicity and beauty is one of the main reasons why it has become one of the most popular sports in the world. By learning three basic skills, one can begin to start playing the game – ‘hooping it’ is how they say it in basketball lingo.
The most basic skill that you need to master is dribbling the ball. Of course, you don’t need to dribble like a professional just yet. As long as you can do the basics, you would be able to play basketball like a beginner. Now, you might be wondering what in the world does dribbling mean.
Well, to put it simple, dribbling is walking or running with the ball.
You begin by bouncing the ball while standing still. Make sure that you do this back and forth between your two hands. Once you’ve got a hang of this, try walking while bouncing the ball on your side or in front of you. When you become comfortable with this, try to run with the ball. The key to this is practice, practice, and more practice.
Next, you should proceed to learn correct passing techniques. Basketball is a team sport; therefore, you don’t want to keep the ball to yourself. If you play this way, you wouldn’t be making many friends on the court. Pass training is easier to do with a partner.
There are two common passing methods. These are the chest pass and the bounce pass. In chest pass, you position the ball at your chest level and aim to pass to your partners’ chest. Bounce pass, on the other hand, utilizes the bounce of the ball on the court. This is a great way to evade defenders and create some open spaces.
The third essential skill is shooting. You wouldn’t be having much fun on the court if you can’t shoot a basket. Shooting the basket becomes almost natural once you’ve mastered the form. When shooting, you should use both hands. Whereby, one hand acts as the shooting hand while the other acts as the guiding or support hand. The support hand should extend above the head and cup the ball. When shooting, extend your arm and flick the ball with your wrist. Remember; use your wrist and not your arm. It takes constant practice to be good at shooting the basket.
If you are really serious about basketball, you should learn more about the rules of the game. This can be done in many ways such as watching matches, reading books or just asking around. These days, it’s real easy to get information on any subject that you wish to.
Now that you’ve learned about the basic skills that need to be covered, you are well prepared to start playing basketball. If you don’t succeed when you first start, don’t give up. After all, it takes practice to reach perfection. That’s how they coined the term ‘practice makes perfect’ anyways.
Let me know: What made you start playing basketball?
