Don't forget the basics

Basics. Fundamentals. We hear this line so often. We learn a sport and it always starts from zero. We all learn the basic how to’s of the game and the skills needed to grow and develop as a player, whether as a competitive participant or a mere hobbyist. But the question is if we ever take it to heart. While this is true for all sports, I’d like to focus on basketball for now, but you’ll notice that what we say here is also true for all other sports.

Athletes always want to reach the top and play like their idols who they see on TV. And the quick reaction is to find ways to move and play like their TV idols. There’s nothing wrong with this except for the fact that young upstarts often forget that they need to start somewhere. They always think that they can become another Kobe Bryant or Lebron James overnight just by watching them on TV and following their moves. So what do they do? They immediately copy the signature moves of their idols and paste this to their games, a big no no in learning how to play. This includes fancy drives, going for slam dunks and double pumping drives. The biggest mistake here is that we aren’t like Kobe and Lebron. They’re of a “different breed”. They aren’t like any of us ordinary Joe’s. This has been the trend in the U.S. and of course us in the Philippines.

Fortunately though, we don’t have to copy and paste the U.S. model. Ironically, Europe’s more systematic approach to learning the game is actually better. In Europe, they have schools or basketball training centers that focus only on the basics. Let’s differentiate it now. The basics refers to ballhandling, shooting, basic movements, basic defense and basic offense. This does not cover the other more technical parts of the game related to actual game preparation, team offense, team defense and preparing a team for an actual game. These are two different schools of thought. The best way I’d like to call it would be to split up this up to Basketball Basics and Basketball Team Play.

Have you ever noticed that many European-grown players dribble, pass and shoot in a very similar manner? Have you noticed how the Europeans move laterally on defense? Take note that they’re not as naturally athletic and graceful as the Americans but they get the job done. And this is all because of their exposure in learning the basics of the game, all under one basic framework. Europe is like one big basketball school with everyone learning the same basics. They all follow the same lesson plans, workshops and drills in the basics. After all, you can’t get fancy and “advanced” when it comes to the basics. You just get better at it.

One thing worth mentioning is that in Europe, there are two kinds of coaches. A coach there is not the same as the ones we have here. They have coaches (actually more like teachers) whose forte is to teach the basics of the game. Then there are coaches who manage and coach ballclubs that compete in various league games. You won’t see a coach finding himself in both positions. One is a basketball teacher and the other is a ballclub coach. In fact, in places like Serbia, coaches actually earn a license to become basketball teacher/coaches. Moreover, all aspiring or hobbyist players attend clinics and camps on the basics of the game, and these are handled by those basketball teachers. This makes them ripe for joining the different ballclubs that are mostly community-based versus our school-based set-up. When they join ballclubs, they are trained by coaches who specialize in team games more than the basics. Focus here is now towards strategies, game plans, teamwork and team play. But they never leave out the basics.

How I wish we could copy the same set-up here in the Philippines. We should find a way to institutionalize a basketball learning philosophy by starting from the basics and following the same system. This can be applied in schools, basketball camps and clinics. It would also help if our various basketball clinic organizers would not try to outdo and compete with each other. They even go into the cheap act of maligning and criticizing other camps. If they’re all teaching the basics, then they should all work together to teach the basics in the best possible way. It’s the only way to go. If all basketball camps/clinics work harmoniously towards developing all players, then we’re assured to produce excellent basketball players.

Let’s all go back to the basics as a country.

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Time-out: The Milo-sponsored BEST basketball clinic will be held May 14-19, 2012, at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Mango Avenue Campus Gym. For info, contact 583-7196, 0908-895-2933 or 0923-342-8193. >>> Happy birthday to Ed Malatag and Rachel Barcelon! >>>You can reach me at [email protected].