... strives to "be more" ... expects commitment ... accepts responsibility ... demands work ... gives of self
Monday, July 22, 2013
LeBron James Goes to School
Even the world's best player "goes to school" to learn from one of the game's greats, two-time NBA Champion Hakeem Olajuwon. Here Olajuwon instructs LeBron on scoring moves around the basket. Notice that all the moves begin with INSIDE and OUTSIDE pivot footwork. "You ALWAYS beat the opponent with your feet!"
The Jump Hook for Guards
DRose displays that the jump hook is NOT just for the bigs ... here he comes to a 2-foot jump stop in the traffic and with balance, poise, and control, he outside pivots back into a jump hook. Once again, FOOTWORK and MOVES are the key.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Up, Up & Away!!
NRP players look as if they're ready to take off in flight as they perform "ball push-ups."
The players begin the exercise by doing a one-handed push-up on a Heavy Trainer Ball and balance themselves momentarily on one arm once they complete the push-up. This is a terrific upper body strength and CORE exercise.
Strength & Conditioning -- Plyometric Jumps
Two NRP players working on plyometric jumps with heavy ball. Plyometric exercises help develop leg strength, balance, and coordination.
8th grade summer tournament
NRP Coach Lukens and former NRP All-Stater Rob Rey coaching local 8th grade team in
summer tournament in Wauconda, IL.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Knights on Their Way to Becoming a STRONGER Team
Players are paired and pass Heavy Trainer Ball back and forth with a
CORE strengthening motion
CORE strengthening motion
A comprehensive exercise that works on balance, coordination, upper body strength, and strengthening of the feet and ankles. Performing certain exercises without shoes helps reduce foot and ankle injuries.
Pushups using two Heavy Trainer Balls helps develop upper body, hand, and CORE strength along with body balance.
Pushups with one Heavy Trainer Ball rolled back and forth between reps helps isolate chest and arm muscles along with further developing the CORE.
Bigs Develop Handles
NRP forwards and centers work on dribbling skills just as do guards. The NRP motto is:
"Individual Players are Made in the Off-Season, Teams are Made During the Season."
VISION: one of the 3 keys to good ballhandling
John Stockton displays the court VISION that enabled him as a 6'1" 170 pound guard to set the All-Time NBA records for assists and steals. Stockton "sees the floor" and delivers the ball precisely where the receiver can catch the pass. In his 19-year career, Stockton was an All-NBA selection 11 times, made the NBA All-Star game 10 times, was enshrined in the Hall-of-Fame in 2009, and was selected one of the Top 50 players in NBA History.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Individual Instruction Shooting Workout on "The Gun"
Three NRP varsity guards complete their 60 minute Individual Instruction Session with an 8-minute Workout on "The Gun." As a trio, the players took 200 game condition three-pointers
in the 8-minute workout.
The 8-minute Gun workout included shots from spots on the floor where NRP players
get shots in their offense.
Teaching Youngsters How to Play the Game Right!
An important aspect of the NRP Summer Basketball Program for the coaches is teaching basketball to youngsters in the community. Veteran NRP varsity assistant coach, Brian Lukens, and former NRP All-State player, Rob Rey, volunteer their time during the month of July to coach a local 8th grade club basketball team.
Coach Lukens and Rob teach the finer points of dribbling.
Player development is a PROCESS that begins with experienced coaching instruction that is followed by properly executed player repetitions. Improvement comes with constructive correction from the coaches and direct application of the corrections on the part of the players.
Coach Lukens utilizing the "overload principle" of learning by having the players use two balls simultaneously to develop their dribbling skills.
Known professionally as an excellent teacher of individual skills, Coach Lukens works with young players on efficient and effective 1-on-1 moves.
The Northridge Basketball Program revolves around teaching players how to
"Play the Game Right!"
"Play the Game Right!"
McDonald’s taught Ray Allen an early lesson about CONDITIONING that helped shape an 18-year career
Ray Allen just opted in for an 18th NBA season at age 38. That decision was certainly made easier by the fact his 17th season ended with a championship ring, one the Miami Heat would not have won without him. Plus he is still effective — he averaged 10.9 points a game and shot 41.9 percent from three last season.
Which is pretty ridiculous when you think about it. Playing at that level, keeping your body in tune like that for 1,378 games (regular season and playoffs) and deciding at least 82 more at his age was a good idea.
Few players take their health as seriously as Allen (who is in Washington D.C. this week speaking to congress on behalf of the health of his six-year-old son with diabetes).
Allen can thank a Hartford area McDonald’s for teaching him that lesson early on (and he didn’t have to go the full Morgan Spurlock to learn his lesson).
“There was a time in college where before practice I went to McDonald’s and I had a quarter pounder with cheese, I went to practice that day and I just remembered I felt so sluggish out there,” Allen told ProBasketballTalk. “And I was looking around thinking ‘Coach is just working us too hard’ because I just feel so tired. I ask the guys around me, ‘Do you guys feel tired? Because I just can’t move around like I want to” and everybody is like ‘no, I’m good.’
“And I was thinking about it all practice — wow I had a cheeseburger before I came to practice, I can’t do that anymore. From that day forward I started thinking about everything I put in my body that was preventing me from performing. I started realizing it is connected.
“So when I got to the NBA I had a pregame routine, a game day routine. How I worked out affected how I ate.”
Allen’s pregame routine and ritual are the most precise and detailed in the league (Dirk Nowitizki comes close). Allen is nearly OCD about his routine — he doesn’t like it changed. He wants that structure in his life.
He said he has tried to preach that to other players over the years — the usual pattern for players entering the league is that they eat pretty badly for a few years, but as their bodies start to age a little they realize what Allen figured out in college.
“That’s the adjustment,” Allen said. “I think so many people fall out of favor when they get to the NBA because you don’t have a structure. It’s important for a lot of guys, when they go through college, you learn a structure, and you got to carry that structure over (to the NBA). But some guys they get to the NBA, or any professional sport at all, and they say ‘I don’t have a coach breathing down my neck all day I can do what I want eating wise, I can manage my own time and do what I want and stay up late.’ Some guys almost rebel.
“But you almost have to go in the other direction. You have to take this as an opportunity to say, ‘I’m in the NBA and I want to make a lot of money, if I want to be around for a long time, I have to make sure I prioritize this job… The money is really a non-issue; it’s really about being effective and successful at your job. The money will come along with it.”
He’s going to get to deal with those professional issues one more year. Thanks to the care he has taken of his body. And with a little nudge from McDonald’s.
(Full article available on http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/10/mcdonalds-taught-ray-allen-an-early-lesson-about-conditioning-that-helped-shape-an-18-year-carrer/)
Which is pretty ridiculous when you think about it. Playing at that level, keeping your body in tune like that for 1,378 games (regular season and playoffs) and deciding at least 82 more at his age was a good idea.
Few players take their health as seriously as Allen (who is in Washington D.C. this week speaking to congress on behalf of the health of his six-year-old son with diabetes).
Allen can thank a Hartford area McDonald’s for teaching him that lesson early on (and he didn’t have to go the full Morgan Spurlock to learn his lesson).
“There was a time in college where before practice I went to McDonald’s and I had a quarter pounder with cheese, I went to practice that day and I just remembered I felt so sluggish out there,” Allen told ProBasketballTalk. “And I was looking around thinking ‘Coach is just working us too hard’ because I just feel so tired. I ask the guys around me, ‘Do you guys feel tired? Because I just can’t move around like I want to” and everybody is like ‘no, I’m good.’
“And I was thinking about it all practice — wow I had a cheeseburger before I came to practice, I can’t do that anymore. From that day forward I started thinking about everything I put in my body that was preventing me from performing. I started realizing it is connected.
“So when I got to the NBA I had a pregame routine, a game day routine. How I worked out affected how I ate.”
Allen’s pregame routine and ritual are the most precise and detailed in the league (Dirk Nowitizki comes close). Allen is nearly OCD about his routine — he doesn’t like it changed. He wants that structure in his life.
He said he has tried to preach that to other players over the years — the usual pattern for players entering the league is that they eat pretty badly for a few years, but as their bodies start to age a little they realize what Allen figured out in college.
“That’s the adjustment,” Allen said. “I think so many people fall out of favor when they get to the NBA because you don’t have a structure. It’s important for a lot of guys, when they go through college, you learn a structure, and you got to carry that structure over (to the NBA). But some guys they get to the NBA, or any professional sport at all, and they say ‘I don’t have a coach breathing down my neck all day I can do what I want eating wise, I can manage my own time and do what I want and stay up late.’ Some guys almost rebel.
“But you almost have to go in the other direction. You have to take this as an opportunity to say, ‘I’m in the NBA and I want to make a lot of money, if I want to be around for a long time, I have to make sure I prioritize this job… The money is really a non-issue; it’s really about being effective and successful at your job. The money will come along with it.”
He’s going to get to deal with those professional issues one more year. Thanks to the care he has taken of his body. And with a little nudge from McDonald’s.
(Full article available on http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/10/mcdonalds-taught-ray-allen-an-early-lesson-about-conditioning-that-helped-shape-an-18-year-carrer/)
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
5,000 Made Jumpers Shooting Workout
Steve on his way to a 300 made jumpers individual workout on "The Gun" ... currently he is on pace to be the FIRST Knight this summer to earn a t-shirt for made jumpers. The opportunity is there for any Knight to catch and pass him ... who will accept the challenge?
It's all about COMMITMENT, RESPONSIBILITY and WORK!!
Monday, July 8, 2013
Strength and Conditioning -- CORE WORKOUT
Pictures below show Northridge varsity players working on strengthening the CORE. The CORE is a muscle group in front, back, and side of an athlete that extend from the armpit down to just above the knees. Strengthening the CORE is essential for athletes in all sports. Specifically in basketball, a strong CORE helps prepare a player's body for the rigors of the game especially in the area of positioning, increases jumping ability, and reduces back and hip injuries.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson
Along with Celtic great John Havlicek, #15 Vinnie Johnson holds the distinction of being one of the most effective bench players in NBA history -- for about 30+ years, no one filled the "Sixth Man" role better than Havlicek (1960s and 70s) and Johnson (1980s and 1990s). Vinnie teamed up with Hall-of-Fame guards Isaih Thomas and Joe Dumars to form one of the most dominant and productive 3-guard rotations ever to play in the NBA. This guard trio led the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back NBA Championships in 1989 and 1990. Known as "The Microwave" for his ability to "heat up instantly" and score clutch points for his team, the 6'2" Johnson possessed an unstoppable and deadly mid-range pull-up jumper that he developed as a young player competing in Brooklyn, New York playgrounds. Johnson scored over 11,000 points and had more than 3,000 assists in his 13-year NBA career. He graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
Northridge players: In Individual Instruction this summer, you are working on 3 Scoring Moves from a staggered screen series that we will call "LOOP":
1) "Quick Draws" -- Catch and shoot off of a 1-2 inside foot square up
2) "Vinnies" -- Shot Fake, 2 Dribble Pull-up to the "core" (named after "The Microwave")
3) "Reggies" -- Reverse pivot, 2 Dribble Pull-up to the "baseline" (named after Reggie Miller)
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Summer Trip #2 to St. Louis Billikens Basketball Shootout
For the past 7 summers, the Northridge Basketball Varsity Knights have taken a team trip to compete against top high school teams from other parts of Illinois and surrounding states. Besides tough competition, the Knights visit college campuses and meet some of college basketball's best coaches who usually take time to share their thoughts on a variety of topics with them. Past trips have taken NRP Hoops to various locations in southern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. This year the Knights traveled to Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana and to St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. Below are pictures from both trips.
Knights' Basketball Summer Strength and Conditioning Program
Northridge varsity cagers "walking tall" on their toes to help reduce ankle sprains and foot injuries while carrying heavy balls to strengthen arms and upper body.
Under the watchful eye of Knights' varsity assistant coach Hunt, the Knights perform lateral slides while rolling heavy balls. This exercise develops strength in the gluts, hamstrings, and quads while also strengthening the core muscles.
Varsity assistant coach Hunt directs the players in front to back line jumps. The jumps strengthen ankle, foot, and lower leg muscles. In addition, the players move the heavy balls in a chopping motion in order to strengthen upper body and core muscles.
The players now perform the line jumps in a side to side fashion while also moving the heavy ball from side to side to strengthen the abs and related core muscles.
**The Knights' coaching staff have adopted the Strength and Conditioning Program used by Coach Alan Stein at nationally renowned DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, MD.
Under the watchful eye of Knights' varsity assistant coach Hunt, the Knights perform lateral slides while rolling heavy balls. This exercise develops strength in the gluts, hamstrings, and quads while also strengthening the core muscles.
Varsity assistant coach Hunt directs the players in front to back line jumps. The jumps strengthen ankle, foot, and lower leg muscles. In addition, the players move the heavy balls in a chopping motion in order to strengthen upper body and core muscles.
The players now perform the line jumps in a side to side fashion while also moving the heavy ball from side to side to strengthen the abs and related core muscles.
**The Knights' coaching staff have adopted the Strength and Conditioning Program used by Coach Alan Stein at nationally renowned DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, MD.
Summer Trip #1 to Purdue Boilermaker Shootout
The Knights traveled to Purdue University for a taste of Hoosier Hoops Hysteria as they participate in the Boilermaker Basketball Shootout. After 4 hard-fought games, the Knights gather on the floor at Mackey Arena.
Purdue University Basketball: Home of Champions!Varsity assistant coach Lukens takes a load off his feet and enjoys a court side premium seat at Mackey Arena.
It's ESPN's College Game Day featuring several Knights players (from lt to rt): sophomores Patrick Hunt and Joe Eck, seniors Mike Kane and Steve Leazer, junior Matt Brown, senior John Penner, and junior Charley Newell. Matt Brown points to Game Day host and former Fighting Irish basketball coach, Digger Phelps.
Former Knights' 3-Point Record Holder Still Has Touch
Former Knights' IBCA 2nd Team All-Stater and 3-Time IHSA Class 2A Regional Champion, Rob Rey (Class of 2010), puts The Gun to work this summer as he prepares for a men's league game in Mt. Prospect. Rob holds Northridge 3-point shooting records for career made 3s, season made 3s, highest season 3-point percentage, and career 3-point percentage. In addition, he is the most recent addition to the Northridge 1,000 Career Points Club. Rob will be a senior student at Notre Dame next fall. Rob 61% of his 3s on 200 attempts during his workout -- not bad for an old-timer!
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