“The Art of Off-Season Improvement”

When do players go from good to great?

Does it happen in front of thousands of screaming fans at the biggest game of the year? Does greatness fall upon someone only after a game-winning jumper smacks the net? Does it take an acrobatic, Kobe-esque, gravity-defying dunk to put you on the hoop map as one of the “great” players?

These may be the milestones that elevate a player in the fan’s eye, but the athletes who make it there, know it actually began long before those monumental moments took place. They can remember the countless days of giving up their free time in hopes of taking their game to the next level…the exhausting individual workouts where the idea of “greatness” became more than just a dream. The truth is, it’s in the off-season where greatness is grasped.

Many young athletes say they want to be great, say they want to play college or even pro someday, but only a few really take advantage of the off-season to improve their ability.

Just look at the top players today. Kobe Bryant has sky-rocketed to the ranks of the NBA elite in a very short time. Though a veteran now, Kobe became the youngest player to reach the 10,000 point mark.

Between hoisting the championship trophy in 2002 and tipping off the season in ’03, Kobe reportedly put in a grueling off-season workout, six-day-a-week, six-hour-a-day off-season program! Yikes!

Keep in mind that Kobe is one of the most well conditioned athletes in the world, but his dedication to improvement is a great example of what it takes to be great.

Another one who knows what it takes is Jackie Stiles. She’s the merciless and yet lovable 5-8 All American guard out of Southwest Missouri State who is the all-time leading scorer in the history of NCAA Division I women’s basketball. Stiles was the fourth pick in the 2001 WNBA draft going to the Portland Fire and was voted rookie of the year. The story of her workouts became something of a gossip piece during her senior year of college. The program began in high school and included making, not shooting, making 1000 shots a day, on occasion keeping her in the gym until the middle of the night.

Oh, by the way, she’s the all-time leading scorer in the history of NCAA Division I women’s basketball. Was that already mentioned? She averaged a modest 31 points per game during a senior season in which she shot 57% from the field and just under 50% from three. A check midway through the 2003 season on the men’s side showed the top scorer (per game) in the country was shooting under 41% from both the field and the three-point line. Stiles can play.

But for both Bryant and Stiles, success came with a price. For them, off-season is not about rest and relaxation, it’s perhaps the most physically and mentally trying time of the year. The great ones have turned off-season improvement into art.

Tips for Off-season Improvement:

*Develop a personal workout
Assess your game and decide which areas you really want to get better at, then develop a workout that involves both skill training and fitness training. Do this with an accountability partner or keep a journal of your progress.

*Be a student of the game
When you watch games, pay attention to more than the score. Pick out the good players, and figure out what they do well. Work to recognize what’s going on with the defensive and offensive strategies. Take notes.

*Come to an NBC Camp.
At camp you will experience several days of hard work, fun, motivation, and excellent skill training. Coming to camp will help you get better physically and mentally.

*Get out and play
You need a place to put your skills to work and have fun with the game of basketball. Find a place where you can get some good competition, play with and against good friends…and get out and play! Have fun.