Remember in the movie, Hoosiers, when the Coach (played by Gene Hackman) instilled courage and confidence in his fearful, small-town team? He measured the distance from the rim to the floor of the basketball goal in their home gym and showed them the distance was the same in Hinkle Fieldhouse where they would play for the championship.
Their David-complex evaporated and Goliath wasn’t as much of a giant anymore.
Change perceptions on your team’s basketball court
Perceptions play a big part in confidence for players – especially kids, when they haven’t had the experiences winning, and losing, on the court. It’s the fear of the unknown and things always look bigger, more difficult, imposing and challenging.
But they don’t have to. As a coach you can show them the measurements – they’re concrete, real, and put things in the proper perspective.
You can recreate the Hoosiers measurement.
Another measurement that may improve their scoring involves the rim and the ball. The rim on a basketball goal is 18” in diameter. A standard basketball is 9” in diameter. That means two basketballs would fit inside a rim at the same time!! Two!
So getting just one ball through the hoop all of a sudden sounds easier, doesn’t it? Changing the perception of difficulty for a young player could change his stats – because it reduces the pressure – his ball has more room now.
What’s your perception of home basketball courts?
It’s the same thing with the perception that all in-ground basketball goals are the same. Far from it.
Just like 9 inches makes a difference in scoring potential, it’s the little things about premium basketball goals. Take the Goalrilla Basketball Goal:
- One-piece poles eliminate the corrosion of joints that mean the pole will bend and break.
- Welded support arms instead of bent metal (which is weaker) supports.
- Adjustable height from (a safe) 7.5-feet to 10-feet accommodates players of all sizes.
- Removable handles on the height actuator to prevent vandalism.
- Breakaway rims that flex to prevent backboards from breaking.
These sound like little things, but they add up to one quality basketball goal. And since the Basketball Goal Store buys in high volume, we can keep a huge inventory here, so you can get a quality Goalrilla Basketball Goal at a great price, delivered lickety split!
Quality and quantity – great combination (that might just change your perception about a basketball goal and court at your house!)
-Pat of the Basketball Goal Store Blog Team