With summer just around the corner, it’s hard to imagine yourself stuck on a stuffy indoor basketball court practicing skills for the upcoming season. Good thing there are plenty of outdoor courts to help you get your game on! Many know that the offseason can sometimes be a tumultuous one. Often times you’re involved in other sports, clubs or extracurricular activities and it becomes difficult to make time for practicing your basketball skills and keeping in shape. However, it doesn’t have to be a struggle balancing your different activities!
Koa is a huge supporter of playing a plethora of different sports and always trying your hand at something new and exciting. Sports are supposed to be fun after all! We do not wish to promote that you only focus on one sport and neglect other activities that make you happy—that would be crazy. We only want to highlight the importance of personal improvement and what it takes to become a truly successful athlete.
Keeping up your skills in the offseason can be as simple as playing a pick up game with your friends or neighbors. As long as you’re hustling hard, staying positive and challenging yourself with new moves or by playing different positions, you will continue to grow as a player. If you feel your left hand is weaker on the dribble than your right, take a few minutes out of your day and dedicate them to dribbling with your left hand. And the great thing is, you can do that anywhere—though maybe not in the house where things are liable to break. Perhaps you feel nervous when you step up to the line to take a free throw; no problem, spend 10 minutes with a friend or a willing sibling and/or parent who can be your rebounder as you practice your shots. Even the smallest amount of effort can end up making a big difference.
The offseason is also the perfect time to find out what might be your new niche. This is to say that maybe during the winter you felt most comfortable playing the center position, though you always wanted to try out being point guard but were too timid to step up. Practicing in the offseason will give you the confidence to return to your team anew as a player with stronger skills, a heightened feeling of assurance in your abilities and the swagger to step up and show the team what you’ve got! With some offseason practice you could go from a good center to a stellar guard! As long as you maintain your motivation and patience, you can develop your ideal playing style.
The offseason doesn’t have to be full of strenuous workouts (unless you want them to be, of course), what is most important is that you continue to remember your dedication to sports that you might not be currently engaged in. Just because your team isn’t practicing regularly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be! Always stay involved and come season time, I guarantee you’ll reap the satisfying rewards of a hard summer’s work.
