Want to Get More Social? Join a Team

Many people find that they have social relationships with people from school or from work. The problem with having only these basketball of acquaintances is that the relationship is based on the fact that you are in the same location for a certain number of hours each day. If one of you leaves, there isn't enough common ground for you to maintain the relationship and you don't keep in touch over the long term.

If you are interested in making some new friends, what can you do? Joining a team is a wonderful way to meet some people that you may not otherwise meet. Your common interest brings you together for some good times.

Choosing a Team

The first thing you basketball to figure out is what kind of team you are interested in joining. If you are looking at a sports team, like lacrosse, basketball, soccer, or hockey, you need to be honest with yourself about your level of athletic ability and ability to commit to playing on a regular basis. Are you driven enough to play in a competitive league? Are you willing to commit to attending games and tournaments (which may involve travel) as part of the deal? If not, then you may want to join a recreational league and focus on having fun.

Once you have determined how much time and energy you are prepared to devote to this pursuit, it's time to start looking for a team to join. There are a few different approaches you can take to find out what is available in your area.

You can get a lot of good information online. With a few clicks of your mouse, you can find listings for local teams and leagues near you. This is a way that you can learn something about the team and its members to get a feel for whether you would be a good fit. If the first one (or few) you click on don't seem to be quite right, no need to despair...just keep looking.

Another way to find a team to join is to check out the locations where they play. Visit your local soccer field, skating rink, or gym where basketball games are being held to get information. (Many rec centers have adjustable basketball hoops that can be used by players at different ages and skill levels.)The leagues that are active in your area may have posters up or brochures that you can take home.

Advantages of Joining a Team

When you sign up for a group activity, you walk into the situation with something in common with all of your fellow players. If you are a bit shy, you won 't with what to say to continue the conversation after you say hello to your fellow players.

Being part of a team means that you have a sense of belonging, and we humans are very social animals. There is reason why being put in solitary confinement is a punishment, after all! By sharing a team activity, you give your social life a boost, which is something we can all use sometimes.

Find the best basketball hoops and goals at this cool shop. Whether you're looking for an indoor basketball hoop or a portable outdoor unit, you can find the hoop for you here.

Basketball Hoops - A Great Way to Get Some Exercise

Watching basketball is exciting. Seeing players dribble, rebound, shoot, and score can be exhilarating. Why not take some basketball that excitement and get yourself moving? Basketball is a fun way to get some exercise for both yourself and your family. Basketball engages your heart and muscles for a whole body workout.

Basketball gets the heart pumping. One of the biggest challenges in America today is increasing cardiovascular health...in other words, your heart health. Basketball basketball increase your heart rate and a half hour of heart pumping exercise 3 or 4 days a week can drastically increase your heart health.

While dribbling, shooting and rebounding you will also be reducing your risks for many health conditions such high blood pressure and diabetes. Every time you go up for a shot, you can know you are strengthening your bones, expanding your lungs, and increasing the oxygen to your brain. More oxygen to the brain can result in less stress and a more positive mood.

In addition, basketball is a great way to burn fat. You can play with your friends, spouse, parents, or kids and burn away some extra pounds together. The great thing about it is you won't even feel like you are working out.

Playing basketball for exercise can also help build your muscles and strengthen your body. Dribbling helps coordination but also builds up the muscles in your arms. Shooting works both your arms and your legs as you go up for a shot. Not to mention all the running involved. Running helps build your muscles and you heart health.

Why not add this mobile exercise time to your home by investing in a portable basketball hoop? These basketball goals can be used in your front yard, back yard, or the street. You can move and store a portable system as needed. You don't have to make any excuses because you don't feel like driving to the gym. You can just go outside and have some fun playing a little one on one.

If you are looking for a basketball hoop to get some exercise with that can be in a permanent place, a mounted hoop works great. If you have a dedicated area of your driveway, front yard, or backyard that you can use for basketball consider a mounted hoop.

A mounted hoop can be hung on a garage or on the side of a house. You can enjoy many years of great exercise with a mounted hoop. Your family and friends will love getting together to shoot some hoops. With all the fun, you will hardly notice you are increasing your heart health and burning calories.

Exercise doesn't have to be boring and you don't even have to leave your home. Consider adding a portable or mounted basketball hoop to your home today. It is a great way to get your heart pumping and work together as a family towards some healthy goals. So start playing some basketball today.

Author Bill Parsons is the creative author of a variety of online specialty stores that offer both items and information for all your athletic equipment needs. Today, he writes about how playing basketball can be a fun form of exercise. All you need is a ball and a basketball goal. Bill is an expert on basketball hoops of all kinds, from residential to institutional. Also make sure to check out other basketball hoop related blogs for even more information on this subject.

A Regular NBA Season

After a break in basketball summer, basketball-training camps begin in October. During this time, coaches decide which players to add to the twelve person active roster. Following training camp there is a series of preseason exhibition games. The regular season for the NBA starts in the first week of November.

Over the course of a regular season, an NBA team will play 82 games that are divided into an even number of home and away games. Over the course of a season a team will face teams in their own division four times each, teams from their conference three or four times each and teams in the other conferences twice each. The NBA remains the only major league sport where a fan can see every team in the league play in their hometown at least once in a season.

In February, fans vote on the top players in each position for the All-Star game. Coaches vote for the remaining fourteen players. There are two teams during the All-Star game, the East versus the West. A Game MVP award is given to the player that performs the basketball After the All-Star game teams can no longer exchange players with each other although they can still sign and release players. Most of the major trades in the league occur right before this trading deadline.

The NBA regular season ends in April. At this time, the NBA awards are handed out to players. During the postseason players are put into teams of five players who are the top in their position. Three All-NBA teams have the top players in each position and are often the most desirable players for the next season. Two All-Defensive teams have the top defenders from the previous season. Two All-Rookie teams have the top first-year players no matter what their position.

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Today's Chicago Bulls Hope to Charge Into More NBA Championships

If you live on Earth, then you probably have heard of the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan. You also probably know that the Bulls twice won back-to-back-to-back NBA Championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998). However, fewer people are aware about the pre-Jordan history of the Bulls, or about the Jordan-era seasons in which the team failed to win NBA titles.

How was the Chicago Bulls born? The Bulls' basketball season was in 1966-1967. The first owner of the Bulls, Dick Klein, named the team in honor of the prolific livestock business in the city. This was actually the third NBA team to play in Chicago, following the Chicago Stags (1946-1950), and the Chicago Packers/Zephyrs (1961-1963).

The Bulls played an outstanding first season. Chicago won their first franchise game 104-97, over the St. Louis Hawks. Amazingly, they completed their first season with a 33-48 record, and earned a spot in the playoffs. Ironically, the Bulls lost their first series to the St. Louis Hawks, 3-0. However, their first season's record was the best record basketball a first year NBA team.

The Bulls struggled for several years, to advance in the playoffs. They went 0-6 in first playoff series, during their first six years. However, during the 1973-1974 season, the Bulls won their first playoff series, against the Detroit Pistons. However, the Milwaukee Bucks then swept them in the Western Conference Finals.

From the 1974-1975 season until the 1983-1984 season, the Bulls only made the playoffs three times (1975, 1977, 1981). The deepest they got in the playoffs was in 1975. During that year, the Bulls earned another spot in the Western Conference Finals. However, they lost the series to the Golden State Warriors, after taking a 3-2 lead in the series.

The Jordan-era Bulls that most people are familiar with began in 1984. Following the 1983-1984 season, the Bulls picked Jordan as the 3rd overall NBA selection in the draft. He would replace Reggie Theus, who the Bulls had traded during the previous season.

Many people forget, or are not aware, that Jordan played several years for the Bulls, before winning his first championship. Here are the results of the Jordan-era Bulls seasons, prior to winning their first NBA championship:

1984-1985: 38-44 record; lost in first round to the Milwaukee Bucks
1985-1986: 30-52 record; lost in first round to the Boston Celtics (note: Jordan scored 63 points in Game 2, to set a postseason record in the NBA)
1986-1987: 40-42 record; lost in first round to the Boston Celtics
1987-1988: 50-32 record; lost in second round to the Detroit Pistons
1988-1989: 47-35; lost in Eastern Conference Finals to the Detroit Pistons
1989-1990: 57-25; lost in Eastern Conference Finals to the Detroit Pistons

However, the Bulls won their first NBA championship in the 1990-1991 season, by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Chicago Bulls made history during the Jordan era. Cheer them to more Bullish success, with an array of Chicago Bulls merchandise that is available!

Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of Rick's articles focus on chicago bulls merchandise. Many articles are related to nba merchandise and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village