Tamika Catching and Marie Ferdinand are two WNBA players who I have been working with for the last two years about the power of  "Speed control" and knowing what a good pace is in a pro-game.  As Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce demonstrated in the NBA 08 Playoffs, "the slower you go-the faster you become."  So, in the NBA we're trying to slow players down and take advantage of the skills of the game, but, on the high school levels the players are taught to "go faster, faster, come on you have to work harder," why ?

 

If you ever train (not just workout) an NBA Player, most of the time is spent on the understanding of the skill-sets that are being taught, little time is spent on over-speed, sweat (not that they don't sweat), but the emphasis is to get better and learn the fundamentals, the principles of the game and how to use all the information for their advantage.

 

I was riding to practice with Tamika Catchings and discussing how much her "speed control" was in her last game, and hearing her say, "Yeah Doc, but everything I have ever learned in basketball has been about going faster and faster, and then I meet you and you slow me down, and you teach me how to use my ability, and the fundamentals to destroy my opponents." I was very happy to see that she understood and was seeing the teachings work for her.

 

Tamika is a player that as the saying goes "will run through a wall for her team, she will leave it all on the court," she is someone that you love to see succeed.  Tamika is also a human being, made of skin, muscles and bones, so along with the understanding of "Speed control," enabling her to bring out all her talent (skills) in the most productive way, it saves her body from any more unnecessary wear and tear, something for all players to consider !

 

So, again, I ask you today, speaking all the way from South Africa, what is more important when it comes to mastering your shot and mastering the game, working out, or learning more, sweating, or writing, getting the understanding of the "whys and whens" or playing every chance you can.........one is just working the body and the other is learning, working the mind and then the body !

 

"Lasting Confidence is derived from Knowledge and  Proper Preparation" 

 

Marvin Harvey, HSTA, "Educating Shooters since 1982"

NA4TB, "For the Betterment of the Game and All involved"

 

"Check out all our Blogs, there is much to be Learned !"