BLOG

The Most Important Question This Off-Season?

---

April 5, 2016

High School Basketball. What an exciting time in the life of a young athlete. An opportunity to play a sport you love and to learn timeless lessons that you can carry forward long after high school. For anyone who spent time at the Langley Events Center this last March you have to love the passion, the emotion, and the overall drama that the provincial championship tournaments bring year after year.

Players, whether you're still in middle school or entering your senior year do you dream of playing on the big stage under the bright lights? We hope you do, having dreams and aspirations are important. But the problem for most players... their daily habits just don't meet their aspirations.

It's easy to dream of hitting a Steph Curry like shot with thousands of fans watching... it's a lot harder be in the gym every day at 7am executing game like shooting work-outs. It's easy to dream of winning the big game or championship game... it's a lot harder to stay late after practice every day playing 1v1 and 2v2 to the point of exhaustion.

There is no such thing as an overnight success. You will not shine under the lights without putting in the hard work in the dark. You will not gain the confidence to perform under pressure unless you have put in thousands of reps and hours. That is truth! So players... The single most important question you can ask yourself this off-season is:

Wait... Ask that question one more time and be honest. Do my habits truly match my aspirations? Are you spending more time on Instagram then time in the gym? More time just hanging out with friends than time in the gym? More time sleeping in than time in the gym? Now if you truly desire to reach your dreams & to develop the daily habits of championship level players, here are two important places to start.



Ask your coach for honesty. Ask your coach what is the most important thing for you to work on this off-season? Ask your coach the role they see for you on the team and what you can do to expand that role? Ask your coach how you can be a better teammate & leader next season? Ask your coach if your daily habits match your aspirations?

Too many players overlook the simple task of asking their coach these questions. This will give you a better plan to improve this off-season, and will help you build trust with your coach next season.

This is simple. Find the hardest working player in your school or area and start training with them. When I was in high school I always played against older & stronger players in the off-season. We would play 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 until dark almost every night. Playing against older players forced me to play smarter, to learn new moves, and to play at a higher level of intensity. You don't need to travel across America to find better competition, just find the best players in your area. If you are one of the best players then find college players or men's league players to play against. It's up to you!

We hope this post speaks truth into your game, but can also inspire you and give you tools to achieve your dreams.

Written by Impact Hoops Owner/Head Director Jon Schmidt.