Players: Thoughts to Navigate the Next 60 Days

Now that there are a few signs that we have begun a return to some degree of normalcy, it seems the right time for players, their families and coaches to plot a semblance of an action plan if not already done.

Some thoughts:

I drove past an outdoor 3 on 3 pickup game the other day.  It was in a county that had recorded only ten cases of Covid 19 with no deaths. Yet, I still cringed some.  The players were young adults, so they were making their own decisions by being in close proximity to others, especially without masks.  Social distancing is still the watch word and following all the rules and advice.

  • There won’t be a date anytime in the near future on which everything will be back to normal and “safe”.  
  • The athletic term “head on a swivel” takes on greater meaning during this crisis.  Everyone has to be ready to adjust to constantly changing information.  It’s a mistake to get reckless, even comfortable.
  • The 2019-20 NBA, college and high school seasons were affected.  There isn’t a guarantee that the 2020-21 season will happen in the same way as it has in the past.  
  • Summer travel/AAU seasons have been affected so far, and could be indefinitely.

So, with all the doubt-what do we know?

  • Competition will eventually return in some form at all levels.
  • Players will either get better or worse in the interim.  You can’t be the same because if you are, you’ve become worse than the players who used this time to get better.
  • If you haven’t used this time so far to get into the best shape of your life, start today.  
  • There are countless outdoor hoops where you can shoot 1,000 shots a day if you want to.  If you are lucky enough to have a family member feed you, that’s cool.  But if you have to shoot and run down the ball yourself, you’re shooting and getting into better shape both.
  • There are a number of ballhandling videos you can search and imitate as you watch.  Spike Albrecht has one; check it out.
  • If you don’t have some form of personal weight-training, search all the ways to substitute homemade remedies. 
  • With all the old NBA and college games being rerun, take notes-literally.  Write down what you like about players and imitate actions and attitudes.
  • Watch your own games and self-evaluate.  Take notes and be objective.  Watch the good and the bad.  All some players want to watch is highlights. That’s a huge mistake.
  • Stay in touch with your teammates and support and motivate them.

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