A Basketball Journey

Not every athlete and every basketball player has the luxury of being the best player on the team.  Sometimes, even for very skilled athletes, things don’t come easy.  Your confidence might be lacking, or your coach might not have found a way to use you to the best of your abilities.  You could get cut from a team, you could be coming off the bench, or you could be sitting on the end of the bench and being used mostly as a practice player.  Being ready, being a professional, and being ready to perform when called upon is key.  One of the starters might be in foul trouble, or there might be an injury.  That’s why it is important to continue to practice and continue to stay in shape so you can display your talents when called upon.  

In a professional league like the NBA, sometimes it’s easy to forget that not all of the players are superstars.  Yes, the majority of NBA players have been stars at some point in their basketball careers, but in a league where the playing field is balanced, they might be struggling to find their spot on the team.

Below, we are going to examine some NBA journeymen and detail their struggles trying to find a team suits their talents and skills.  

Kevin Ollie - Kevin Ollie is currently serving as the Head Coach at UConn.   Sometimes finding your greatest strength as a basketball player doesn’t happen until after you stop playing.  Kevin Ollie played for 11 teams in 13 years.  Kevin had a difficult time staying with an organization, but 

teams kept bringing him in because of his character and leadership skills which he is now implanting as a coach.  

Drew Gooden - Drew Gooden was a lottery pick who has played for 9 teams in 8 years.  He is a skilled big man who can shoot and rebound, but was never able to find a home.  Drew Gooden was recently signed to a young Washington Wizards roster who is in desperate need of veteran leadership.  Though Drew Gooden has played on so many teams, you have to admire how he has been able to learn so many different systems and be effective in each role.   

Darrell Armstrong - Darrell Armstrong has played in about every basketball league in the world including the CBA, USBL, GBA, and various leagues in Spain and Cyprus.  Darrell Armstrong was constantly told that he wasn’t quite good enough to make it in the NBA.  Darrell Armstrong stuck with it and kept working hard, and was eventually was signed by the Orlando Magic where he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award in 1999.

These three players might not be rooted for like some of the stars in the NBA, and not too many fans might have purchased their jerseys over the years, but they should not be forgotten about or overlooked as individuals who believed in themselves at times when no one else would.  Their journeys show that there are a variety of different roles that you can fill on a basketball team and should remind young athletes to always be positive, be patient, and be ready.  

 
 
Contributing writer Jasen Sousa for Premier Hoops is the author of a number of poetry and fiction books for young people.  Jasen has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and is a life-long participant and fan of the game of basketball.  

The Shot That Is Free

The free throw line stands 15 feet from the basket.  It’s a psychological shot that has perplexed some of the best players in the game of basketball.  How can someone hit a shot while they are contorting their body with a hand in their face, and then struggle with a shot that is not defended?  When you go to the free throw line, the game stops, your heart stops.  Players come to a stand-still after running at full speed.  The eyes of every single fan in the gym are focused on you.  They expect you to make them.

Becoming a great free throw shooter starts with repetition.  No basketball player’s free throw shot is exactly the same, and we all have own little nuances.   The most important thing to remember is to do the same routine every time you step to the line.  Creating your own routine that works for you usually comes from time spent alone practicing at the park or in the gym.  There are some NBA players over the years who have had some of the most unique routines in recent history. 

Jason Kidd would blow a kiss to his child when he went to the line.  Karl Malone would murmur a phrase as he entered into his rhythm.  Richard Hamilton would bounce the ball in front of him and then take one bounce off to the side.  Jerry Stackhouse would almost sit on the ground before he took his shot!  Jeff Hornacek would touch his face to let his kids at home know he was thinking of them.  Steve Smith would tap a tattoo of his deceased mother on his arm.   Alonzo Mourning would rub his face with his sweatband in the same motion.   The charismatic Gilbert Arenas would loop the ball around his back multiple times.  In the old days, Rick Barry would even shoot underhand!
Check out this video below of some unique routines:

Below is a list of the top 20 statistical free throw % shooters in the history of the NBA.  Google some of their releases and routines and try to notice some of the same principles they all follow:

Members of the Hall of Fame are marked with an asterisk (*)

1.	Steve Nash	.9043
2.	Mark Price	.9039
3.	Peja Stojakovic	.8948
4.	Chauncey Billups	.8940
5.	Ray Allen	.8939
6.	Rick Barry*	.8931
7.	Calvin Murphy*	.8916
8.	Scott Skiles	.8891
9.	Reggie Miller*	.8877
10.	Larry Bird*	.8857
11.	Bill Sharman*	.8831
12.	Kevin Durant	.8818
13.	Dirk Nowitzki	.8785
14.	Jeff Hornacek	.8770
15.	Earl Boykins	.8758
16.	Ricky Pierce	.8755
17.	Terrell Brandon	.8732
18.	Bill Keller	.8723
19.	Kiki Vandeweghe	.8717
20.	Darrell Armstrong	.8714

One thing to keep in mind, is that when you go the free throw line, relax!  Take a deep breath, or two, or three.  Try and blackout trash taking fans, opposing players, and coaches along with the pressure.  Imagine yourself back on the line alone in the park.  Relax.  Conduct your routine.  Bend your knees.  Stay aligned with the hoop.  Release.  Free throws are an often neglected part of basketball, but you never know when you will get fouled in the late stages of a game, and when you will calmly need to go the line and sink the shots which could help your team be victorious.    
 

Contributing writer Jasen Sousa for Premier Hoops is the author of a number of poetry and fiction books for young people.  Jasen has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and is a life-long participant and fan of the game of basketball.  

 

What Basketball Taught Me

I spent many summers as a young boy playing baseball as it was the first sport I fell in love with. 

I was introduced to baseball from playing stickball at the local playgrounds.  For those of you who have never experienced stickball, there are different ways to play with different rules, but it is one of the coolest games ever invented!

There are many captivating things that come along with playing stickball, like acquiring a bat.  Acquiring a bat usually consisted of stealing a broom from your parents, cutting off the bottom, and covering both ends with duct tape.   Playing stickball in the city usually meant that you played in confined spaces surrounded by houses, cars, and random walking people.  As a young person, there was nothing like the adrenaline rush that came from smacking a monster shot over a large fence and hitting the window of a house, and of course getting extra points for breaking it. 
As I grew older, I became bored with organized baseball, and the speed and athletic ability which existed in basketball began to intrigue me.  
There was a kid who lived behind me, his name was Kenny, and he was considered the best basketball player in the neighborhood, even by the older kids who didn't know anything about sports.  He was a few years older than me, so when I finally reached the age where it was acceptable by young people laws to hang out with him, he introduced me to the game of basketball. 

The summer of 1992 was all about basketball.  The Dream Team was assembled and began putting on a show for the rest of the world.  The Chicago Bulls were on the verge of becoming a dynasty and Michael Jordan was everywhere  in the mainstream media.  Here in Boston, the Celtics had a rising star in Reggie Lewis as the Larry Bird Era was coming to an end.  There were also these cool new videogame systems like Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo, and they had these awesome basketball games like NBA Jam and NBA Live. 

 

 

Basketball just seemed like the thing to do, but I was terrible at it!


I lived directly across the street from an amazing single rim, rusty, one hoop court at Lexington Park.  My second floor bedroom window had a direct view of the court.  I could see whenever Kenny was there (this was before cell phones people!) and I could hear him bouncing the ball and I remember my heart starting to beat faster as the sound would get closer and closer. 
I had just finished 6th grade and my body was mush, like a human 5'3" statue of Jell-o.   I didn't have any power, strength or coordination to me at all.  My jump shot did not have any jump.  I didn't leave the ground at all and while the ball started off in two hands, my shot consisted of me hurling the ball up to the rim, kind of like when I threw from the outfield to the infield.  I was pretty bad.
My friend Kenny taught me how to be good at something.  Basketball taught me how to be good at something.  I knew how good he was and I observed how he practiced.  Kenny and I spent countless hours on the court practicing in the rain, snow, heat, it didn't matter.  It was like a full-time job.  We would wake up early in the morning and see everyone going to work.  We would stay until our stomachs started making weird noises, or until the afternoon sun got too brutal.  We would play a little NBA Jam, watch Bird, Jordan, and Magic in the Olympics, and we would be back out on the court deep into the night until one of the neighbors got sick of listening to the ball echo against their bedroom walls.   
As the days went on, my body, and my mind went through a remarkable transformation.  I dropped weight, gained muscle, learned how to have a pretty shot, and actually gained some pretty decent jumping ability.  I also gained confidence, purpose, and a sense of identity.  I knew who I was and I knew what I wanted to become.  No one was going to sidetrack or influence me to get into destructive behavior. 
By the time 7th grade came along, I was a different person and I will never forget the steps it took to inject change into my world.  I realized that no matter how bad I was at something, that if I wanted it bad enough, I could become better.  Even in the present day, I still use those same principles I learned as a young boy in my personal and professional life.  I feel as though there is nothing out there in the world that I can't learn and become successful at, and that, is what basketball taught me. 

 Contributing writer Jasen Sousa for Premier Hoops is the author of a number of poetry and fiction books for young people.  Jasen has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and is a life-long participant and fan of the game of basketball.  

Basketball Never Stops

NBA Summer League

The 2013-2014 NBA Season recently ended and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.   Basketball is supposed to be done for the summer, right?  Wrong.
Personally, I greatly enjoy watching NBA Summer League.  The Orlando Summer League just concluded with the Philadelphia 76ers defeating the Memphis Grizzlies in the final.  The second edition of the NBA Summer League is currently underway in Las Vegas.
Not too many people travel to Las Vegas for basketball, but I have in the past and really enjoyed the intimate atmosphere where players, coaches, and executives can be sitting directly next to you.  NBA Summer League is like one giant audition for players, coaches, and officials.  Where else can you see Mark Cuban getting interviewed about Shark Tank on one end of the court, while on the other end, Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher (who is trying to impress as a coach) talk about what philosophical book they are going to make their players read this season?
Yes, the games can be sloppy at times as players are plucked from all over the world and placed on a team.  It shows the less glamorous side of professional athletes and the personal and professional sacrifices which have to be made in order to live out a dream. 
The games might not count as much when it comes to historical documentation, but don’t tell that to the journeymen have played basketball all around the world trying to make it onto an NBA roster.  Don’t  tell that to the draft picks who are hoping to cement minutes within their new team’s rotation, and don’t tell that to the NBA veterans who are trying to make it back onto a roster.  Particularly Brian Cook, who was on Orlando’s Summer League roster.  Brian Cook has been out of the NBA for two years to help take care of his wife as she battled cancer. 
To read a very interesting article about Brian Cook and his journey, please click on the link below:

Brian Cook
 
Summer League is also a way to discover players who are likely to have break-out seasons, and players who you will come to follow and support throughout the season because you admire and relate to their stories.  Trying to get an upper-hand in your fantasy basketball league?  Then you would know that Tim Hardaway Jr. of the New York Knicks, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of the Detroit Pistons, James Ennis of the Miami Heat, and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks (“The Greek Freak”) are players who should be on your radar. 
The NBA Summer League is in full swing right now in Las Vegas, so make sure you check it out on NBA TV, through the NBA Summer League App, or by convincing your parents to take you on vacation to Las Vegas.    

WNBA

The WNBA, which is considered to be the most successful women’s professional sports league in history,  is currently in its 18th season.  Rookie Shoni Schimmel has this year’s top selling jersey and Skylar Diggins comes in second on the list. 
If you haven’t been watching WNBA games lately, check out Brittney Griner’s recent dunk!

 
The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup

Football isn’t the only sport having a big tournament this summer.  Though it’s nowhere near as popular at the moment, The World Cup of Basketball is taking place in Spain from August 30th to September 14th.  Make sure to check it out and try and notice the different international rules!
 
Oh, and if you haven’t heard, this year’s NBA Free Agency has been crazy as some guy named LeBron James switched teams. 

 
Contributing writer Jasen Sousa for Premier Hoops is the author of a number of poetry and fiction books for young people.  Jasen has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and is a life-long participant and fan of the game of basketball.  

Basketball Summer Reading

Whether you are reading for pleasure, or trying to fulfill the requirements of a summer reading list, there are a host of great basketball books that are sure to keep you turning the pages.

Qaddafi’s Point Guard by Alex Owumi is a memoir published in 2013 that does an amazing job of bridging basketball and real world problems.  Alex emigrated to the United States from Nigeria as a young boy and landed in Boston, MA.  The narrative jumps around from Alex’s younger days as an emerging athlete struggling to figure out sports and adolescence, to when he is playing professional basketball in Libya.  Young athletes in high school will find this book informative as Alex struggles to select the right college as a student athlete.  His mistakes are well documented along the way and gives insight to a young athlete’s thought process.  It’s also very cool to read about familiar landmarks in Boston as much of the book details Alex’s experience living in the Boston area.  Alex follows his dream to Libya to play professional basketball and finds himself in the middle of war and tragedy.  This book is a good reminder that when we find something we are passionate about in life, it’s important that we don’t give up on it, no matter how bleak and blurry the dream appears.

Another great basketball book to check out is Game by Walter Dean Myers. Game is a fictional book which tells the story of Drew, a high school basketball player in Harlem who has to adjust his game and his life when a European player joins the team and takes away some of his spotlight.  The best moments in the book are when Drew and his new teammate bring one another into their cultural worlds.

Other great basketball books to check out are:

The Basketball Diaries by Jim Carrol (It’s also a movie!)

Fall River Dreams by Bill Reynolds

Heaven Is A Playground by Rick Telander

The Last Shot by Darcy Frey

The Jump: Sebastian Telfair and the High Stakes Business of High School Basketball by Ian O’Connor

Remember, reading shouldn’t be something you feel like you have to do.  Try to find books that inspire you and books that you can relate to.  Reading helps so you can learn about the experiences of others and learn about different cultures.  Reading is also something which is relaxing and something which can help you focus before a game.  Lebron James frequently reads before big games to help relieve some of the stress that comes from having to perform at a high level on a regular basis.  Also, as you read some of these books about the game of basketball, think about journaling during your upcoming season.  You never know when your team is going to have a magical year.  Wouldn’t it be cool to document some of the experiences so others can read about you and your team’s journey?

Feel free to comment with some of your favorite basketball related reading material so we can all add them to our summer reading lists!

Contributing writer Jasen Sousa for Premier Hoops is the author of a number of poetry and fiction books for young people.  Jasen has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and is a life-long participant and fan of the game of basketball. 

Sun, Sweat, and Skills

 

A long season and a long school year has just recently concluded.  It is summer, and along with commitments to work, family, and friends, basketball will also play a large role in your summer plans.  Playing your fair share of actual basketball games either indoors or on the playgrounds to keep your game in rhythm is important.  However, what a lot of basketball players forget to do during the summer is work on and develop their game in unique ways which will better prepare them for a successful season.  Many of the top players in the NBA use the summer to add new moves and new exercise routines to their arsenals.

An alternative exercise which helps with flexibility and mobility is yoga.  Working on specific aspects of your game are also important.  Ball-handling drills can help when the opposition is putting pressure on you while dribbling up-court.  Shooting drills while taking thousands of shots from different areas and angles on the court will build confidence and help make you a scoring threat from anywhere on the floor.  Improving the overall strength on your body is important to not get stripped while driving down the lane, as well as being able to accept contact and complete a 3-point-play.
How about changing the mechanics of your shooting stroke?  It’s not a good idea to adjust your shot during the season as you will lack confidence in your shot and undoubtedly go through a shooting slump.  Maybe you need to add a new routine for when you shoot free throws?  Maybe you have a hitch in your shot that is always making you miss in a certain direction?  The summer is the time to take countless shots, by yourself, in order to gain confidence in your shot for the season.  When you get the ball in a crucial situation you don’t want to think about the mechanics of your shot, you want to catch and shoot in a natural motion and have confidence from the practice you put in during the summer, and not even think twice about letting it fly.
How about endurance?  The summer is a great time to really improve your conditioning to gain an edge during the season.  Many basketball players have told stories about jogging on the beach in order to gain increased jumping ability.  Be careful not to run during afternoon hours in the summer heat, but early morning and late night jogs can be a refreshing way to start or end your day and clear your mind.  Remember that having a mental advantage can also be a factor when competing, so try and stay in a positive space and balance your life with positive people as much as you can so you can stay motivated to exercise, work hard and improve both as a basketball player, and as a person.
This summer, don’t stress over how many teams you can beat, or for bragging rights on the playground, worry about taking care of the areas of your game which are often overlooked so when you are in the game during the season, you can succeed and know it was because of the work you put in during the summer.

Contributing writer Jasen Sousa for Premier Hoops is the author of a number of poetry and fiction books for young people.  Jasen has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and is a life-long participant and fan of the game of basketball. 

Best Shooting Tips and Drills for Baskeball

It takes hours and hours of practice and dedication to become a great shooter.
In this article, we will examine some of the key factors that separate good shooters from great ones.
Basic components that all great shooters share:

• Preparation: All of the best shooters (high school, college, NBA) are always prepared to shoot. They always have their hands up and ready to receive a pass and they have great footwork to immediately be able to shoot the shot once they catch the pass.
• Consistency: Great shooters have a consistent form and technique to shooting that they have developed from hours of practice. Muscle memory will play a big role when a player shoots a lot of shots from different spots on the court.
• Shooting Form: The best shooters may not all shoot the same way, but there are a lot of similarities to their form:
  1) Finishing all shots with a follow through, elbow is above the eyebrow on all follow throughs, finger tips are slightly spread and pointed down to the floor
  2) Shooting elbow, shoulders, and feet are always square to the rim
  3) Guide hand point straight to the ceiling
  4) Knees and elbows move at the same speed (connectivity) to release the shot in one fluid motion

Knowing how to shoot and practicing the form will help a player improve his/her shooting, but this is just the first step to becoming a great shooter.
The next part of the article will outline some guidelines and drills that we like to use at Premier Hoops, which really separate the good shooters from the great ones.
Guidelines:

• Start off close to the basket. Practice form-shooting and close range shots such as floaters to start all shooting workouts.
• Add a “Pressure” variable to all shooting drills. When shooting under pressure, a player imitates game like situation and has to really focus to get through the drill. For example, for form-shooting and floaters, set a number of how many shots to hit in a row before being able to step back to the next spot. The number can be “5″; So, a player has to hit 5 shots in a row in order to be able to step back to the next spot.
• Create competition in drills: When doing drills with your teammates, make a competition out of it. For example, who can make 5 shots first (below is a great partner/small group shooting drill from Coach Sean Miller that we use at Premier Hoops).
• Do timed drills. By timing drills this players can track their progress and this also puts a pressure component into the situation.
• Practice, practice, and practice! It takes a lot of misses and years before developing a great shot. The more hours you spend practicing your shot by yourself and then against others in games, the faster you will develop a great shot.

These are some great drills to do to become a great shooter:
1) “Beat the Pro” Drill
This is a great partner drill to improve shooting: Many professional basketball players use this drill to get a lot of shots up and to add pressure.
The shooter slides or curls from elbow to elbow. Every make is +1 and every miss is -2. If you hit +7 you win and if you hit -7 you lose.

Another example of this drill done by Ray Allen:


2) Great partner shooting drills from Coach Sean Miller of Arizona, which we use at Premier Hoops workouts. These drills incorporate footwork, pressure, and competition.


3) 5 in a Row Shooting Drills
If you are looking to get up a ton of shots and put pressure on the line, then this is a great drill! This drill should take 45 minutes – 1 hour to complete.
Rules: Start from spot one and finish at spot 15.
-The shooter must make 5 shots in a row to move on the the next spot.
-Spots 1-5 are floater shots, spots 6-15 are jump or set shots.
-After 3 misses, the partner who is rebounding becomes the shooter.
-The first partner to hit 5 in a row from all the spots wins.
Visit www.premierhoopsters.com to learn more about Premier Hoops Basketball.

FREE Basketball Clinics in MA during June!

It is so important to work on your game in the off-season to be an elite player.
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “great players are born in the off-season” and this is very true!
Constantly practicing your skills and playing basketball over during the off-season is how you can make a big impact when it comes to the winter season.
Learning new drills and exercises can really help an athlete in his path to greatness.
Join Premier Hoops this month and try some free 2-hour basketball clinics throughout MA!
Local schools and parks and rec centers in MA are teaming up with Premier Hoops Basketball  to welcome all MIDDLE and HIGH SCHOOL athletes to join us for a free basketball skills clinic!
Encouraging all levels of players- whether you love playing basketball or have never played before!
We want to show you the techniques and skills to become a great player on your own!
To pre-register please fill out contact form (please specify which clinics your son/daughter will be attending): Premier Hoops Contact Form (CLICK HERE)

Peabody, MA – Monday, June 9
WHO: 5-12 Grade Boys and Girls
WHEN: Tuesday, June 9
6:00-8:00pm
WHERE: Basketball Gym located at Carroll School: 60 Northend St, Peabody, MA 01960
Lynn, MA – Tuesday, June 10
View flier!
WHO: 5-12 Grade Boys and Girls
WHEN: Tuesday, June 10
6:00-8:00pm
WHERE: Basketball Courts located at Gallagher Park: Ontario St, Lynn, MA 01905
Malden, MA – Wednesday, June 11
WHO: 5-12 Grade Boys and Girls
WHEN: Wednesday, June 11
6:00-8:00pm
WHERE: Basketball Courts located at Malden High School: 77 Salem St, Malden, MA 02148
Wuborn, MA – Monday, June 16
WHO: 5-12 Grade Boys and Girls
WHEN: Monday, June 16
6:00-8:00pm
WHERE: Basketball Courts located at Shamrock Elementary School, 60 Green Street, Woburn, MA 01801
Marblehead, MA – Tuesday, June 17
WHO: 2-8 Grade Boys and Girls
WHEN: Tuesday, June 17
6:00-8:00pm
WHERE: Basketball Courts located at Marblehead Rec Center 10 Humphrey Street, Marblehead, MA 01945
Bedford, MA – Friday, June 20
WHO: 5-12 Grade Boys and Girls
WHEN: Friday, June 20
3:00-5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Basketball Courts located at Bedford High School: 9 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA 01730
Cambridge, MA – Saturday, June 21
WHO: 5-12 Grade Boys and Girls
WHEN: Saturday, June 21
9:00-11:00am
WHERE: Gold Gym Basketball Courts located at The Shady Hill School, 56 Coolidge Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

“If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” – Michael Jordan

“4s” Summer Basketball Training 2014 Massachusetts!

Save 25% on all basketball workouts if you register before May 15!

ELITE 4S 8-Week Summer Training Program for basketball skill development!
With locations all over MA, middle and high school boys and girls can train on their skills and conditioning up to five days per week!
Athletes that come to these workouts are aspiring to play at the next level (high school and college).
WHO: Entering 5-12 Grade Boys and Girls
WHEN: July 6 – August 28
DURATION: 8 Weeks
WHERE: Billerica, Cambridge, Masco High (Boxford), Marblehead, Peabody
JCC – 4 Community Road, Marblehead, MA 01945
St. Val’s Church – 5 Paleologos Street, Peabody, MA 01960
Shady Hill School – 56 Coolidge Avenue, Cambridge, MA
Billerica Boys & Girls Club -19 Campbell Rd, Billerica, MA 01821 (Sundays)
Parker Elementary School – 52 River St, Billerica, MA 01821 (Thursdays)

     

  
Visit www.premierhoopsters.com to learn more about Premier Hoops!

What is Elite 4S 8-Week Summer Training?

The best basketball workouts in MA!
4S stands for speed, strength, stamina, and skills.
4S Summer Training is an ELITE basketball speed & agility / skill developmental programs in Massachusetts!
All Premier Hoops coaches are high experienced and many are high school and college coaches in MA.
2-hour long workouts!

• 30 minutes of speed/agility
• 45 minutes of skill development
• 45 minutes of game-play

Practice shooting, ball-handling, passing, perimeter footwork and more in each workout!
All workouts are split by gender and skill level.

PRICING:
25% Off Sale until May 15, 2014!
Unlimited Workouts (40+ workouts in 8-weeks): $999.00  $749.25
Any 24 Workouts (3 x week regiment recommended): $799.00  $599.25
Any 16 Workouts (2 x week regimnet recommended: $575.00  $431.25
Any 8 Workouts (1 x week regiment recommended): $299.00  $224.25

Train up to five days per week in this 8-week program!!!

What will your child gain from Elite 4S?

• Confidence
• Stronger basketball fundamentals
  
• The best basketball coaching in MA (click here and read about our coaches)
• Having fun and making new friends is a big part of Premier Hoops
• Knowledge of new drills to practice outside of Premier
• Drastic improvement in skillsand endurance from 8-weeks of training

4S stands for speed, strength, stamina, and skills; The four essential characteristics for the total player.

• Speed – players need to be able to change speeds and be unpredictable at all times.
• Strength – players need this to get rebounds, finish when getting fouled, and to not get pushed off balance.
• Stamina – players need to be able to peform at the same high level throughout the entire game.
• Skills – players need top level skills to be able to make plays in games

This is the 5th summer 4S!
We guarantee that through commitment and steady attendance to this program, that each player will see incredible improvement in the following areas:

• Endurance (better “basketball shape”)
• Quickness and strength for basketball (and other sports)
• Shooting, ball-handling, and passing
• Basketball moves
• Game understanding (learn the fundamentals for best coaching in MA)

All workouts are split by gender and skill level.

Testimonials:

“When I asked my daughter to describe “how” she got better through Premier Hoops over the past 4 seasons, this was her response: ‘I am faster, stronger, in much better condition, and better at ball handling.  The coaches push you to the limit…. AND they make you want to push yourself.’ Great drills, dedicated coaches, and HARD WORK have made my daughter a better overall athlete. Thank you.”
Mary Ellen Comeau
Mother of Olivia Comeau, Salem, MA
Bishop Fenwick High ’16

“Premier Hoops is a great thing. It’s hard at first but it gets easier throughout the weeks. Premier Hoops is a fun and hard program. Throughout the program you can see improvement towards the end and you make a lot of new friends from different places.”
Bryan Nju-Ghong, Lynn, MA
Select Team Captain
St. John’s Prep ’17

“Our son has been with Premier Hoops for the past 2 years.  He has participated in the skills development programs as well as being a member on several travel teams.  Mike Leykin has been an inspirational coach for our son.  His practices are always very well planned and very well run.  Our son’s fitness and skills have improved significantly, whilst Coach Mike’s passion for the game of basketball is infectious.  Coach Mike and his instructors create a very positive atmosphere for self-development and every practice is both fun and rewarding.  Our son plays multiple sports on multiple teams and we have found Premier Hoops to be the best overall sports program in terms of both physical and mental development.  We thoroughly recommend Premier Hoops to any parent who would like their child to benefit from high level coaching and conditioning.”
Sarah Hart
Mother of Jackson Hart ’20, Marblehead, MA
Marblehead Village Elementary School

Registration:
After registering, please fill out this form: Premier Hoops Contact Form (CLICK HERE)
If you are having trouble registering online, please mail payment directly to: Premier Hoops, 212 Humphrey Street Suite 205, Marblehead, MA 01945

St. Val’s Peabody		8-10am			8-10am
Masco HS			11am-1pm	11am-1pm
JCC Marblehead	4-6pm			5-7pm
Shady Hill Cambridge		7-9pm		7-9pm
Billerica	7-9 pm				7-9pm

Summer 2014 Basketball Camps and Clinics in Massachusetts

For Premier Hoops, this is the biggest summer of skill development training in the program’s history.
Currently training over 200 athletes in Chelsea, Hamilton, Marblehead, Peabody, and Danvers, the basketball skills and conditioning program plans to expand services to Billerica, Cambridge, Triton, and Topsfield in the summer.
One of our goals is to be able to offer Premier Hoops to athletes of any area.
In the next year we will be opening up seasonal training programs in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Check www.premierhoopsters.com for current and future programs.
Benefits of Premier Hoops for youth athletes:
1)     Staying active and getting a good workout
2)     Learning the fundamentals of how to play basketball
3)     Making new friends from different locations
This summer Premier Hoops will be offering New “4S Elite 8-Week Summer Training” starting on July 6 and ending August 24.
Elite summer training is for 5-12 grade boys and girls.
*The 4S training program is not for beginners players.
Athletes from all over MA and NH can choose to workout at as many locations as they want.
Each workout is two hours long and consists of speed/agility, skill development, and game play.
“4S” stands for speed, strength, stamina, and skills; the four essential characteristics for the total player.

• Speed – players need to be able to change speeds and be unpredictable at all times.
• Strength – players need this to get rebounds, finish when getting fouled, and to not get pushed off balance.
• Stamina – players need to be able to perform at the same high level throughout the entire game.
• Skills – players need top level skills to be able to make plays in games

This is the 5th summer of the program and we’ve had incredible results!
We guarantee that through commitment and steady attendance to this program, that each player will see incredible improvement in the following areas:

• Endurance (better “basketball shape”)
• Quickness and strength for basketball (and other sports)
• Shooting, ball-handling, and passing
• Basketball moves
• Game understanding (learn the fundamentals for best coaching in MA)

Beginner 4S Training is also offered in Eastern, MA.
Testimonials:
“When I asked my daughter to describe “how” she got better through Premier Hoops over the past 4 seasons, this was her response: ‘I am faster, stronger, in much better condition, and better at ball handling.  The coaches push you to the limit…. AND they make you want to push yourself.’ Great drills, dedicated coaches, and HARD WORK have made my daughter a better overall athlete. Thank you.”
Mary Ellen Comeau
Mother of Olivia Comeau, Salem, MA
Bishop Fenwick High ’16
“Premier Hoops is a great thing. It’s hard at first but it gets easier throughout the weeks. Premier Hoops is a fun and hard program. Throughout the program you can see improvement towards the end and you make a lot of new friends from different places.”
Bryan Nju-Ghong, Lynn, MA
Select Team Captain
St. John’s Prep ’17
“Our son has been with Premier Hoops for the past 2 years.  He has participated in the skills development programs as well as being a member on several travel teams.  Mike Leykin has been an inspirational coach for our son.  His practices are always very well planned and very well run. Our son’s fitness and skills have improved significantly, whilst Coach Mike’s passion for the game of basketball is infectious.  Coach Mike and his instructors create a very positive atmosphere for self-development and every practice is both fun and rewarding.  Our son plays multiple sports on multiple teams and we have found Premier Hoops to be the best overall sports program in terms of both physical and mental development.  We thoroughly recommend Premier Hoops to any parent who would like their child to benefit from high level coaching and conditioning.”
Sarah Hart
Mother of Jackson Hart ’20, Marblehead, MA
Marblehead Village Elementary School
Check www.premierhoopsters.com for program information!

Premier Hoops Spring Kick-Off

The spring is finally here! Premier Hoops is excited to kick-off our biggest season to date, welcoming athletes from all over the Massachusetts and New Hampshire areas! During our first week of spring workouts, we have had an impressive turn out every night at every location! The coaches are very pleased with the commitment and work ethic that so many of our athletes have already shown, we are off to a great start!
We are very excited about our new locations that have allowed us to welcome new athletes from different areas on both the boys and girls sides! We now have elite athletes that are representing Premier Hoops from all over, making us one of the most diverse programs around!
New Chelsea Location: We are very excited to partner up with the Boys & Girls Club in Chelsea this spring! Premier Hoops is honored to join forces with such a positive, inspiring organization. Adding this new location has brought athletes from surrounding Boston communities together. These areas include- Chelsea, Cambridge, East Boston, Charlestown, Everett, Somerville, Medford, Melrose, Malden, Winthrop, and Brookline
Additional and Existing locations:  In our biggest season yet, we are excited to be running a new league at our Hamilton location! In addition to our existing gyms on the North Shore, we’re welcoming a plethora of returning and new faces from cities such as Beverly, Swampscott, Lynn, Peabody, Gloucester, Marblehead, Danvers, Saugus, Lynnfield, Newburyport, Wakefield, Middleton, Ipswich and Salem.
New Spring Technology: Premier Hoops differentiates from any AAU or other basketball programs by constantly coming up with new innovative ideas to make our program the best it can be! Another exciting addition to the spring is our brand new “My Premier Hoops” technology. We have worked very hard all winter to create an app to make everyone’s experience more convenient and complete. “My Premier Hoops” is a system we’ve created for every single athlete in our program, with this new program, athletes are able to view their attendance, progress, workouts, and other updates right on their device (phone, tablet, computer). This system will make the communication between coaches and players even stronger.
Be the Best Player You Can Be!
It is no secret, that to become a better basketball player, you need to put in the work in the off-season! Our coaches and trainers know what it takes, brining an extensive background of successful coaching and playing experience. It’s not easy, but if it is what you want, it is worth it. That is why we offer year-round basketball training in a number of locations almost every single night, making it convenient and always available to our athletes. We take pride in our skill development system that we have created with a lot of research and experimenting. The results that we have seen, in one season alone, are remarkable!
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns regarding the spring season or future seasons! We have a few spots left in our spring programs and we always welcome the opportunity to find a program that is a good fit for each individual athlete. Looking forward to an exciting spring season and accomplishing new goals, building new friendships, and seeing results!!

Hard Work Beats Talent

“A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.”- Larry Bird
The best way to get better at basketball is to play as much as you can every single day! There was a point in time where parks and courts would be flooded with athletes playing pick-up basketball. These days, that seems to be a rare find in most areas. Don’t let that be your excuse not to play everyday- Find somewhere to play! Find friends to play with, play by yourself, don’t stop when it gets uncomfortable– keep going. These are all habits of the greatest players of all time! Let’s look at some of the life lessons that Michael Jordan taught us:
10 Life Lessons from MJ
1. You get out of it what you put into it- “If you do the work you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.”
2. Practice everyday- “I’m not out there sweating for three hours everyday just to find out what it feels like to sweat.”
3. Respond to failure- “Failure makes me work even harder.”
4. Set high goals- “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”
5. Love what you do- “Just play. Have Fun. Enjoy the game.”
6. Stay Focused- ” Never think about what’s at stake… If you start to think about who is going to win, you’ve lost focus.”
7. Never Give Up-“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
8. Don’t be Afraid- “I’ve never been afraid to fail.”
9. Be Optimistic- “Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.”
10. Play to Win!- “I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.”
When we look at some of the greatest players of all time, the one thing they all have in common is their desire to be great. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school team and went on to become the greatest basketball player of all time. Being skilled at anything isn’t something that you are born with; you have to work at it every single day. When you are trying to decide which basketball program to be a part of in the off-season, go with the one that allows you to touch the basketball and play the most! Anyone that tells you that you are “guaranteed” to get better when you are only playing once or twice a week is not being honest with you. You know what it takes to be great, it’s up to you to decide if you want to put in the work and be the best you can be!

Successful Team Defense

 ”Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships”

The foundation of every good basketball team is its defense, however, defense is often overlooked. When you first start playing basketball, all you care about is getting the ball and scoring- playing offense is the fun part and scoring a lot of points will get people to praise you! Defense, on the other hand, is not fun and is not usually something you get recognition over. With this mindset, it is hard to enforce and understand how critical defense is to a team’s success.  When every player on a team buys into working 100% on defense and resting on offense, the team will prevail.

Communication is the base of every good defense. Constant communication on defense is key. Too many times, there is no talking on defense, which is a tough habit to break. Talking on defense requires you to use your voice while you are going your hardest defending, talking while you are tired is something your body needs to be trained to do- this starts at practice! Players need to let their teammates know if a pick is coming, when players are flashing and cutting, and if they need help. Constantly talking on defense will help your team play together as one unit and will also frustrate and confuse your opponent. Think about games you’ve played in before where the other team was obnoxiously loud on defense and you couldn’t concentrate and got flustered. When everyone talks and brings energy, your team sets the tone of the game.
Top Defensive Techniques of a Good Basketball Team:
1. TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR DEFENSE: if you are in man-to-man, take it personal when the person you are guarding scores. Pretend you are playing 1on1- maybe you had a great offensive game and scored 20 points, but if you gave up 30, you are hurting your team.
2. Defend Without Fouling- Fouling leads to points for the other team.
3. NO Transition Baskets: sprint back, locate the ball, communicate with the members of your team and get into your defense.
4. Voices Up and Hands Up CONSTANTLY: when all 5 members of the team are loud with active hands, they are a 100 times more dangerous.
5. Discipline: great defensive teams remain discipline throughout the ENTIRE position. Don’t put all that work in and let up once the shot clock is winding down.
6. Box-Out and Rebound: finish every stop with a rebound. Once the shot goes up, your job isn’t done until the ball is in the hands of you or your teammates.
7. Proper Rotations: move when the ball moves with a purpose. Don’t get caught in no mans land.
8. Win Every 50/50: every player on the court should do everything in their power to win a loose ball no matter what.
We hope that this post has inspired you to pick up the intensity on defense! Set the tone of the game and take initiative among your teammates. Hold yourselves accountable and take it personal when the other team scores. The team with more stops at the end of the game will win… Defend to win!

The Benefits of Playing Team Sports

Youth sports in this day and age seem to be getting a little less popular by each season. Other interests seem to be taking over by popular demand, which is unfortunate because there is truly so much value in playing on a team.  Preparing for the real world and what problems they’ll face in the future often is a smoother experience if you have years of playing on a sports team under your belt.  In addition to a brighter future, team sports can be helpful during the teenage years as well.
Staying Out of Trouble: One challenge of being a parent to a teenager is keeping them out of trouble.  Having minimal free time on your hands is one way to avoid mischief. A teen on a sports team has homework, practices, games and team activities to balance which leaves very little time for a social life outside of that.
Setting Goals: Setting goals as a group and working towards those goals is so important in life and sports is one of the best ways to enforce that hard work gets results. This also helps kids understand accountability within the team because you depend on each other and hold each other accountable.
Healthy Lifestyle: Being active is part of living a healthy lifestyle. Exercising every day is important and promotes good habits. In addition to working out, it is important with nutrition consumption. You can’t perform effectively in athletics if you are eating junk food. More importantly, you can’t perform in athletics if you are putting drugs and alcohol into your body.
Being a Part of Something Bigger Than Yourself: The best part about playing sports is belonging to something and making a difference. A group of people can get more accomplished than just one person.
Making Friends: One of the best friends you will make throughout your life are your teammates. Spending countless hours in the gym together, you really become a family. In high school, you can be on a team with kids who are older or younger than you and you are forced to work together whether or not you were friends before. Being on a team cuts across social divides and gives each member a sense of belonging.
Time Management: When you are a student athlete, you are forced to learn how to manage your time effectively. It can be extremely challenging at times to balance homework, studying, practices/games and getting enough sleep.  Student athletes learn to use there free time wisely. This is a trait that they will carry over to the real world.
Memories: The memories that you make throughout your life by playing sports will stay with you for the rest of your life. Big victories or upsetting defeats will remain with the individuals of the team long after the season is over!
“Even when you’ve played the game of your life, it’s the feeling of teamwork that you’ll remember. You’ll forget the plays, the shots, and the scores. But you’ll never forget your teammates.”

AAU Basketball or “AAU Basketball” in Massachusetts?

“AAU Basketball” in Massachusetts?
Ask many youth hoop followers and they’ll tell you that you can now choose from hundreds of AAU basketball programs in Massachusetts.
This is a quote from the Wall Street Journal Online article called “American Kids Flunk Basketball 101″ which features an interview with MIchael Beasley.
“By the middle of the last NBA season, as concerns build about his dwindling playing time and rough transition to the NBA, last year’s No. 2 overall pick, Michael Beasley of the Miami Heat, finally conceded a fundamental flaw: No one, at any level in his basketball career, had asked him to play defense. And especially not in AAU. “If you’re playing defense in AAU, you don’t need to be playing,” he says. “I’ve honestly never seen anyone play defense in AAU.”
Also, Coach Stan Van Gundy had this to say:
“It’s a bad system for developing players,” says Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. “They aren’t learning to handle the ball, they aren’t learning to make plays against pressure. The emphasis with our high-school players is to get exposure and play as many games as you can and show everybody how great you are. If I can win the 11-and-12 year old league and tell all my friends about it, that is a whole lot more important than if my kids actually get any better or learn anything about the game.”
In Europe, Mr. Van Gundy says, “those guys are doing five or six practices for every game. They are spending a lot of time in the gym working on individual skills. It’s reversed here.”
The average cost to play on an “AAU” team is between $450-$750, depending on the season and quality of the program.
…I had an interesting conversation with an old college basketball teammate of mine the other day. I told him that an average varsity team can beat over 50% of the high school teams playing in AAU. He said that when he was in high school, AAU was only for the D1 players. he said that he never played AAU basketball, but he practiced a lot. He was still able to play at a good D3 college.
“AAU” has become a big “money maker” and almost a different league of its own.
There are still good programs around…
…but the only problem is that the majority of programs in MA do not make any cuts after tryouts.
Instead, these programs split teams in to A, B, and C divisions.
This becomes a “pay to play” program, which is when if you can write a check then you can play on a team.
So, “AAU” basketball in MA is now filled with poorly skilled basketball players playing on a team in weekend tournaments called AAU tournaments.
Making money of teams is the business of many AAU programs.
Typically the fully sponsored AAU teams are where players should aspire to play, because everything is paid for.
The emergence of more teams and new AAU basketball programs has been very detrimental to the skill development in youth basketball.
By offering a “pay to play” program, players are usually only practice once per week in a given season.
AAU programs scramble to find coaches to fit the demand for teams, which makes the quality of coaching poor.
The high costs in gym space, tournaments, and coaching makes it hard for AAU programs to offer a lot of practice times for the players.
The more athletes practice, the better they get.
Unfortunately, practice time costs money and for many AAU progams, the margins are to small to allow for more practice times for it’s players.
Now, in many AAU clubs, you have poorly skilled players, paying to play on a team, which practices once per week and plays in a small amount of weekend tournaments.
The youth athletes are paying more and practicing less because of so many structured “pay to play” programs around.
Many of them claim to be ELITE, but they are not.
When considering investing money in a basketball program in Massachusetts, these are some of the things to consider:

• If I sign my son or daughter up for AAU, will he or she practice with good coaching 3-4 nights per week?
• Is my son or daughter a standout athlete or gym-rat, that will benefit from playing in high level AAU?
• Does it make more sense for my child to work on his or her skills 3-4 nights per week or practice with a team once per week?
• How many teams does the AAU program have? If there is more than one team per age group, this tells you it is a “pay to play” program.

These are some good articles to read about AAU basketball and it’s impacts on youth basketball development:

• ESPN: “Former NBA player Steve Kerr says the AAU culture is having a negative impact on the development of young players.” This was taken from: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/58828/steve-kerr-on-the-age-limit-and-aau

• WALL STREET JOURNAL: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204621904574248282288269744

• THE HOOP CONSULTANTS: http://www.hoopconsultants.com/2012/03/what-is-wrong-with-the-game-of-basketball/

• CSN CHICAGO: http://www.csnchicago.com/article/aau-basketball-good-bad-and-ugly

Coach Leykin
Premier Hoops
N3xt Level Performance Training

The Benefits of Training Everyday!

Improving in basketball takes consistent practice and hard work!
It is common knowledge that if you practice something everyday that you will improve in it.
For basketball, players can get good quick, but to master the skills a player must work at it all the time.
This article will discuss some of the benefits of training on your game every day and is based on Premier Hoops seasonal basketball developmental programs (currently offered in Massachusetts)
Basketball training is a combination of skill development and conditioning drills.
Practicing ball-handling and shooting drills by yourself or with a friend can really elevate your game!
The main benefits of basketball training every day!
In no particular order.

• Increased flexibility, endurance, and strength for basketball
  From all of the dynamic warm-up and endurance performance drills our athletes do, we have seen an incredible improvement in their in-game conditioning!
• Improvement in ball-handling, shooting, and passing
  Weekly practice on fundamental basketball drills with some of the best coaching in MA leads to more confidence in “real game” situations!
• Getting a lot of “ball touches” from playing in 1 on 1s, 2 on 2s, and 3 on 3s
  Playing more basketball and getting more “ball touches” against good competition is how players make each other better!
• Get tips on skills from some of the best coaches in Massachusetts!
  Each night of training is run by high level basketball coaches, who have experience coaching at the high school and college level. Some of these coaches have also played in college, semi-pro, and pro basketball so the tips they can provide on a daily weekly basis can go a long way!
• Increased confidence
  Each training workout consists of strength and endurance drills, which involve hard work! Players gain a significant amount of confidence on the court and off the court from the program!
• Doing Well in School
  Premier Hoops provides consistency and structure of youth athletes in MA! If an athlete is not doing well in school then they are not allowed to participate in the program. We take deep pride in connecting youth athletes with good coaches, mentors and roll models. The Prime Motor Group Scholarship Fund aids Premier Hoops’s Families every year to make it possible for need-based athletes to attend the training program.

To summarize this article, combining the time an athlete spends practice alone with 3-5 nights per week with Premier Hoops can add many benefits. Our players do not only gain confidence and strength for basketball, but it also carries over into other sports and other areas in life. Throughout the past four years of Premier Hoops training programs in Massachusetts, there has been a tremendous increase in player performance on and off the court. Many of our athletes keep above a 3.0 grade point average!  We have found that training every day can make a positive impact in the classroom…. our athletes are more focused and discipline from the workouts and are also mentored by some of the best trainers in Massachusetts!
We invite an athlete to try Premier Hoops!
“4-Season Program”
Spring – Summer – Fall – Winter
Visit www.premierhoopsters.com or “like us” on facebook!

Best basketball clinic

These are great ways of getting better

Be a Good Teammate

The foundation of a successful sports team is within the members of the team. Great teams have positive leaders and supportive teammates. In order to be a good teammate, it is vital to have trust within each other. Every team sets out to achieve a common goal, trusting your teammates and having their back is crucial. To be a winner, you must have the right mindset and understand how important your teammates are and how much you need them.
Every member of a team is an ingredient to its success! This is a fact that tends to be over-looked by everyone. All teams have different levels of talent and different strengths and weaknesses. Whether you play 1 minute or 32 minutes, you contribute to a win or a loss. Giving your best effort at practice to make your teammates better is part of being a good teammate. Always remember, “You practice how you play, you play how you practice”. If you are someone who doesn’t see a lot of time during games, do your best to make your other teammates better! Not giving your best effort is only cheating yourself and your team.
Being a good teammate means doing all of the little things.  Little things such as boxing out every time a shot goes up. All it takes is one person to not box out and the rest of the team (who did box), did that work for nothing- don’t let your teammates down. Go hard after a loose ball; don’t be afraid to dive on the floor! One possession can be the difference between winning and losing a game; a good teammate will sacrifice their body for a loose ball. Make good passes on offense! Making a good pass is crucial in executing your offense. Don’t make a sloppy pass that is hard to catch or a bad pass to your teammate that will put them in a bad position. Set good picks for your teammate. Give up your own shot if someone else has a better shot. The little things make a big difference in a game. If every member of the team acts as a good teammate and conquers the little things as an individual, the team will have a lot of success.
Have the right attitude on and off the court. Being a good teammate means you must respect yourself, your team and your program. Come to games and practices on time, well rested, and ready to go. Practice good sportsmanship, trash talking and dirty play will get you nowhere. Always play hard, play with class and with enthusiasm.  There are certain things in basketball that we cannot control- referees, the dynamics of the court, the ball you are using, and the gym you are playing in, the spectators, etc. Don’t let these things control the way you play! Play hard, play to win, and leave it all on the court!