The Defensive Slide always looks easy on a seasoned basketball player, doesn’t it? Closing out and transitioning into another stance or direction almost seems like a natural movement.

You can bet the farm that it wasn’t like for the player when he was a beginner. There is just so much to learn and master in the beginning. Beginners really benefit from a Goalrilla Goal Basketball hoop. The height can be adjusted so they learn the fundamentals without straining and the safety and durability of the one-piece pole system makes mom and dad happy because they can get years – in fact a lifetime – of use from one single basketball goal. The Basketball Goal Store is sells more Goalrilla Goals online than any other retailer across the nation. We have the best products at the best prices.

We also like to provide information for players and families like drills, skills and fundamentals.

The Defensive Chair-to-Chair Drill is a great drill for beginners and for coaches of beginners because not only to players practice and develop, coaches can see components that each individual player should work on and develop.

The emphasis for beginners is to stay in the defensive stance on the balls of the feet, keep hands up and out and to drive and recover in consistent motion.

The drill is set up with two obstacles – chairs, garbage cans, tricycles, brothers – whatever – that the player will rotate around. Starting on the left side, the player rotates around two full revolutions, employing the defensive slide, closing out the opponent, defensive slide and then back pedal. All that is done with the shoulders remaining square to the opponent and staying in the defensive stance.

Then the player stops, moves to the right side and repeats the drill from the opposite direction. Two revolutions is a set and the player should do 2 – 5 sets.

Pay close attention to prevent galloping. Some players are taught the defensive slide by clicking together the heels. This makes the player move in an up and down motion that is called galloping. In play, when a player moves up and out of his stance, he then has to move down back into the stance which provides an opening for the opponent.

Watch carefully and you will see other components the player should improve individually. Great for the individual and therefore, great for the team.

-Pat of the Basketball Goal Store Blog Team