Gym Rat Mentality

 A regular workout period in the gym is important because if you have the “gym rat” mentality it will pay off. For the last 5 years I did not have to worry about trying to figure out what work out I would do or how to do. One of my high school coaches worked me out anytime I needed; he knew what workouts would benefit me the most, and what ways I should do them. I depended on him a lot, and he helped me develop my game on the court, and helped me get stronger in the weight room. This summer when I got back in TX I wasn’t able to call him to workout me out because he is in the Ukraine. Without him being around to help me out, I have had to come up with my own workouts, and hit the gym solo.

One of the things that has helped me on my shot is the gun. The gun catches the ball after the shot then passes it back out to you. Most high schools and colleges have them. I went from never shooting to shooting all the time. The gun had a little to do with that. Besides shooting on the gun I work on all the shots that I think I will shoot in a real game, and individual moves. Also  I work on ball handling with one and two balls.

 The older you get the more on your own you get. With that being said you have to know what you want to get better at, and what you need to do to make it happen. It isn’t always easy to do, but the results are well worth it. 

Don't be afraid to step out

When I first started playing select basketball I did not know what to expect. I had mixed feelings about it because I was kind of shy when I was younger. When I started playing on the Arlington Hoops in the fifth grade I was excited, but nervous at the same time. I had to step out of my comfort zone. Stepping out proved to be a good decision. I was able to go places I never would have been able to go if it weren’t for stepping out. On the flip side I also missed some opportunities for being too content. In my high school years I would have been able to go to Vegas, and some other places, but I passed up  the opportunity to try out for a team in Waco. That is a regret that I have, but like they say we live and learn.

With it almost being time to go back to school the focus should go back to the classroom not on basketball. A player can have all the talent, but if he or she doesn’t have the grades to stay on the court the talent won’t get to be shown. Since players are no longer allowed to go straight to the NBA from high school the thing a player most likely does is go to college. A player may not be able to get into the college he or she wants without the grades.