Tag: player

You know the score. Broad-shouldered, stoutly built guys are expected to play football. Tall, lanky guys are expected to play basketball.  If your body happens to stretch past six feet, you are likely being stocked by family members and school coaches. If you’re the athlete who doesn’t have long legs- say you aren’t even close to being six feet tall- don’t think you aren’t allowed on the basketball court. History shows us here at the Basketball Goal Store that you don’t necessarily have to be the athlete who towers over everyone, you have to be the athlete with amazing skill… Read more »

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Some people might think that a professional basketball player’s life in the limelight ends the moment he blows his knee out one too many times, or maybe when he’s too old to compete anymore with younger guys on the court. At the Basketball Goal Store, we know there are stories to share about these athletes: Those who think a retired basketball player might just be all washed up and ready to live life as a yawn don’t know the story of one of the NBA’s favorites, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Born April 16, 1947 in Manhattan as an only child, Abdul-Jabbar entered… Read more »

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Here it is 2012 and although women have climbed higher on the rungs of that ladder of opportunity, females in the workplace continue to earn 70 cents to every male’s dollar. Unfortunately, that fact is a huge social bruise when we examine gender differences on the basketball court.  Marian Jones, a well-known athlete who lost all five gold medals in 2000 when she admitted to using steroids, is now a rookie, playing guard for Tulsa Shock in Oklahoma. Her salary? $35,000. Veteran WNBA member, Lisa Leslie, began when the league was launched 13 years ago. She gained a fast reputation… Read more »

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There’s nothing better than a highly competitive basketball game, especially when you’re surrounded by great friends and you have a great view of the court- because you happened to score some great seats. There’s an awesome energy created by the loyal fans. Everything works together- the cheering and buzzers, sudden scores out of nowhere and last-minute wins. It’s all a magical mix of incredible athletic skill that makes for some very exciting entertainment – and we’re all grateful it’s back for 2012! But have you ever wondered why the game of basketball can be such a profitable game for those… Read more »

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Female basketball players have a long list of talented women to thank for the opportunity to not only play the game, but to play it without swishing around in a floor-length dress or a cumbersome petticoat. Women started playing basketball in 1892, but their opportunity to actually embrace the game as an Olympic sport didn’t occur until the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Can you imagine how frustrating that must have been? Wanting so badly to play- yet being excluded because of your gender? Not any more. The number of girls spending hours on their home Goalrilla Basketball Goal courts is growing… Read more »

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As we all know, music plays a huge role in setting a particular mood, whether it’s the gushy stuff played on prom night, some heavy metal blasting in the gym while you lift weights or the pump-you-up tunes to get your adrenalin going on the basketball court. Through the many years of basketball being one of America’s most loved sports, specific tunes, whether they were purposefully written or not for the game, somehow got adopted by basketball enthusiasts. Here’s our Basketball Goal Store top 10 basketball songs: Whoomp! There it is! Performed in 1993 by Tag Team, this tune wasn’t… Read more »

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Have you ever wondered who the tallest NBA player might be? Let me tell you the story of China-born Yao Ming, whose American basketball career was spent as a team member for the Houston Rockets. As an only child, he was born to a father who stands 6’ 7” and a mom that is 6’ 3” tall. It was no surprise that Ming weighed a whopping 11 pounds at birth- that is more than double the average weight of a newborn in China. By age 10, he stood 5’ 5”. And he grew into a 7’ 6” giant of a… Read more »

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More than 20 years ago, a slightly more wrinkled but still interested basketball player stepped up to the proverbial free throw line to advocate for all the other wrinkled athletes. This basketball lover’s name was John H. Morgan Jr. And he made history in 1987 by founding The Huntsman World Series Games for athletes over age 50. That first year, 500 athletes from around the United States happily packed a suitcase and made their way to St. George, Utah to participate. This much interest- especially during the very first gathering- convinced Morgan that he was on the right track. There… Read more »

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Fatigue is a real thing in basketball for players at all levels. Think back to the 2011 playoffs when LeBron James stats starting dropping game by game. He appeared winded and questions about fatigue starting to surface. Even for ballers who are kids learning the fundamentals, all the youthful energy after hard play and needs to be replenished. Building endurance is one of the top priorities for coaches of kids’ teams. That’s why drills so often focus on consistent movement. Even for short 1 – 3 minute drills, pressing with full on intensity is tiring – and builds endurance practice… Read more »

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There are just so many ways for beginners to progress in basketball – so many skills to learn! The Spot-Up Shooting Drill is one that can address a few areas: shot prep position shooting – handling endurance strength development of non-dominate side The beginner level is a bit different than the advanced level of the drill, concentrating mostly on the shot prep position and making it through five shots at the five different positions – each corner, each wing and the free-throw line. All shots are taken at the mid-range level and if you are lucky enough to have a… Read more »

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Ah, patience. Beginning basketball players usually don’t have any, do they? That’s one of the reasons why drills are so good for beginners and drills with shooting elements – well that just makes their hearts race. Because in the beginning, basketball is all about shooting baskets and little else. Parents tell us all the time how excited kids are to make baskets and how the Goalrilla Goal is great for everyone in the family because you can adjust the height of the hoop. That’s one of the first things we hear about when we answer the phone at the Basketball… Read more »

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Healthier habits – isn’t that what we want for all our kids? You just don’t know what it meant to me to hear that Oklahoma City Thunder basketball player, Kevin Durant, said: “I could eat a lot better… This past year, I was really big on eating a lot of foods with vegetables. That’s all I really ate this past year was foods with vegetables. I’m trying to stay away from red meats and the fast food as much as I can, even though it’s tempting.” Finally!! A message for all our kids (and us, too, truth be told). Durant… Read more »

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Eliminate the bob and gallop for your beginner with a good defensive drill like the Wall Ball and Slide Defensive Drill. Gearing the drill down to a beginner level is easy. The main concentration for beginners is staying in the stance with a forceful drive and recover pattern. Concentrate on a few key elements: Stay down in the defensive stance – keep the head level and butt down to prevent bobbing and galloping. Drive and recover – keep the underhand toss of the ball not too high and with enough force to prevent it from bouncing on the ground. Stay… Read more »

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Just about everyone favors one hand over another. There are two camps: those full of right-handers and those with the left-handers. On the basketball court that usually means that one hand is stronger than the other. But there is a great drill to develop strength in whichever side is your weaker side while developing ball handling and wraparound passing skills. That is the Wall and Ball Wrap Around Bounce Pass Drill. The player will need three things: a solid brick or concrete wall (no windows!) a basketball the pad off your Goalrilla Goal Basketball Hoop to stand in as a mock… Read more »

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One of the best things about having that Goalrilla Basketball Goal backyard court is that when you really work hard at practice drills and are really tired, all you have to do is walk indoors. You don’t have to collect up your gear, walk to the car, drive home and lug everything into the house.   With the wide selection of Goalrilla Basketball Goals at the Basketball Goal Store, every family can find the size and features they want in their Goalrilla Goal at a great price and get it delivered quickly. One of the drills that can really wear the players out is the Spot-Up Shooting Drill.… Read more »

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You can run the height on the Goalrilla Goal Basketball Goal in your home court all the way up to the 10-foot maximum because you won’t need the basketball or hoop for this drill. (Just keep it handy for a some practice some baskets if you have the energy left when you’re done with this drill.) Two aspects of playing basketball are critical: skills and endurance. Every player needs to have solid fundamental skills to really be good on the court and making good use of the basketball goal. You know the players that are great – until the end of the game when they just run… Read more »

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An NBA basketball game is set at 4 quarters – 12 minutes each for a total of 48 minutes of game time. We all know that with timeouts and half time that it lasts much longer, but the actual regular playing time is 48 minutes. Think about that – 48 minutes of striving to reach the basketball goal and make some points – requires a lot of energy, doesn’t it? Every armchair athlete knows 48 minutes of motion requires some preparation – a 5-minute mile is a runner’s benchmark – so how many miles does a player run during a… Read more »

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The running and form drills are great for creating body motion memory, but we all want to take some shots at the basketball goal and well, when you do so many drills without taking any shots – basketballers get antsy – or perhaps the better word is bored. So break up the endurance and defense drills with an Elbow-to-Elbow Shooting Drill. It lasts for 1.5 to 2 full minutes and counting the number of baskets made makes it pass quickly. The repetition of shooting using correct form and a strong pivot at the fastest pace will translate onto the court.… Read more »

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School is getting back into session and after sitting and thinking hard all day long, it’s time for the kids to get out and move! Having a backyard basketball court with a Goalrilla Basketball Goal System makes it easy to let them re-energize. The Basketball Goal Store is the largest online retailer of the premium in-ground Goalrilla Basketball Goals and has all the information and assistance needed to create a basketball court at your home for your family. Drills are a great way to focus attention on one skill and routine that allows the player to really concentrate – it’s sort of like an athletic meditation… Read more »

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So you have a son or daughter who got a taste of basketball at summer camp or saw a really exciting clip on YouTube and now they want to play. That’s great! Call us at the Basketball Goal Store and since we are the No. 1 online retailer, we can set you up with the best premium, in-ground Goalrilla Goal Basketball System for your own home basketball installation. (If you didn’t already know, a Goalrilla Goal purchase will get you a lifetime of fun and health benefits and we have great prices and quick delivery!) Anyway, we also like to help parents teach these… Read more »

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