Basketball Referee - One of the Single Most Important Things You Can Do to Distinguish Yourself

Want to know one of the single-most important things that you can do to distinguish yourself as a referee?

This is a skill that ALL great referees have in common.

Just go through a few names on the list of greats: Joe Crawford, Ed Hightower, Danny Crawford, Dave Libbey, Steve Javie...just to name a few.

What do all of these officials have in common?

They are all excellent at dealing basketball conflict on the court.

They are all great communicators.

In fact, basketball of the best deal so well with conflict that you can hardly tell that there ever was any.

As is said in my course...

I think first and foremost you must be consistent with your personality. Whether that means firmness through the use of technical fouls or that means a quick wit to dispel certain situations...whoever you are must consistently be brought out. My background has always been to meet strength with strength. That's a fine balance, because that doesn't mean that you go around meeting every situation with strength.

If players or coaches are coming to you in a way that is respectful and we're all talking as men; for you to meet that with this hard core strength is not fair to the participants; because they're already coming to you from a point of respect. If you abuse that sense of power that a referee has, no one ultimately will trust that abuse of power. That being said, if you're met with strength, you must meet it with strength in my opinion. That doesn't mean a technical foul always; a quick wit is a very firm point of strength. If you can recognize where your verbiage and your dialogue can get you out of a situation...that is a point of strength. Asking for something, regardless of how you do it is not a point of strength. You've been entrusted to run the game as a referee. Run the game with your personality.

Also, remember to be "consistent over a long period of time."

That is real solid advice.

So, take that advice with you on the court and we'll see you next time!

Ed T. Rush, Former NBA Director of Officials spent 40 years in professional basketball and is a veteran of 33 NBA Finals Games and 5 NBA All-Star Games.

If you have ever pictured yourself refereeing in the NBA Finals or the Final Four, Mr. Rush can teach you how to get to your goals faster and easier with his extensive e-mail course on becoming a top-level referee.

This free course is designed to help teach you the many requirements to reach the game's highest levels. You may be surprised at how a few small changes in your approach can make a world of difference in whether you succeed or fail to reach your officiating dreams.

You can sign up for this free officiating course online at http://www.probasketballreferee.com

Basketball Skills - How to Beat Taller and Stronger Players in 1-on-1, 2-on-2, and 3-on-3 Games

This is article will take your basketball IQ to a new level. I have perfected this material over the past 25 years playing high school basketball, college basketball, city-league basketball, 3-on-3 tournaments, and pick-up games all over the country.

The most memorable implementation of these strategies was in the finals of the 3-on-3 tournament sponsored by the NBA at the 1995 NBA All Star Game held in Phoenix. In that final game we faced a starting line-up of 6'4", 6'8", and 6'10"-- all former Division 1 players. In contrast I am 6'2" and my teammates where 6'1" and 6'5". This stuff works.

Lets get started.

First, and most importantly, in order to defeat a taller and stronger player you must develop an excellent 15-20ft. jump-shot. Pick-up games are usually started at the top of the key--so make sure you are a deadly shooter around the top of the circle--on in to the free-throw line. Also make sure you basketball take a couple of dribbles to your right and to your left, square-up and nail the 15-20ft jumper.

Secondly, learn how to shoot lay-ups equally well with both hands. This is easy to learn but unbelievably important. Otherwise a smart defender will force you to your weaker side. basketball you are a deadly jump-shooter and can shoot lay-ups ambidextrously you are virtually unstoppable (think Steve Nash). When a defender crowds you, go around them for a lay-up. If the defender plays off you, make them pay with your jumper.

Thirdly, you absolutely must understand how to execute the pick-and-roll. The pick-in-roll will be your main strategy in 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 games. It is virtually unstoppable if those executing it can hit their mid-range jump-shots and make their lay-ups.

Lastly, you have to play defense. When you are playing bigger and stronger players they will usually try to back you down into the paint, turn and try to shoot over you.

This is how you defend it.

Hold your position and battle them as hard as you can as they try to back you into the paint. When they turn to shoot, use your quickness to strip the ball before it gets above their shoulders.

To sum it up, this is how you beat taller and stronger players.

1.) Become an excellent midrange jump-shooter (15-20ft.)

2.) Shoot lay-ups equally well with both hands

3.) Learn how to execute the pick-and-roll

4.) Develop hand quickness and foot speed for defense (stripping the ball).

Good luck and have fun.

Visit http://www.JumpHigherSports.com for more tips and strategies on playing better basketball.

Dave Zalewski is a Peak Performance Coach. He uses his experience as a USPTA Tennis Pro , former College Basketball Player, and Multi-Million Dollar Realestate Agent to change peoples lives. He loves to help clients discover the time-tested principles that lead to lasting success. Stay tuned for more power packed articles.

Youth Basketball - Teaching Offense to 9 and 10 Year-Olds

I am often asked about how to teach offense to 9 and 10 year-olds.Those asking usually fall into two categories: 1) Those in rec programs and 2) Those in competitive programs. While the former would like to win, it isn't their overriding motivation.They really want to know how to teach offensive skills and what kind of an offense would be appropriate for that age group.

The latter group cares more about having a winning offense and less about teaching the whole group offensive skills. They will usually verbalize something about preparing the kids to be successful high school players, but inside they really want a group of the best 9-10 year old studs/studettes they can muster.After all, winning is their real motivation for asking my ideas about what kind of an offense to run.

I have consistently stated that I think 9 and 10 year-olds don't need offensive systems. They need to be taught fundamentals--how to move without the basketball. When one player has the ball, the other four teammates should be moving with a purpose without the ball. This means cutting to the basket for a pass, screening away for another player or moving to balance the floor. This is continuous motion, and when the player with the ball passes, that player also joins the purposeful movement. The player with the ball is looking to pass, shoot or attack the basket. On offense, it's an unending cycle of cuts, screens and floor balance movement.If you teach these things to a 9 or 10 year-old, with everyone moving purposefully, in unison, you have offense. Some coaches either don't understand this or still want to have a set offense.

So, quickly, here's my idea about how to win at 9-10 y.o. basketball-and it doesn't basketball much teaching of offense.Teach aggressive zone defense, trapping the dribbler at every opportunity (because they usually don't dribble all that well).Force the other 4 offensive players to move well, pass well and shoot well from long distance-all of which they don't usually do well at this age.Defense trumps offense here at this level.Teach aggressive team rebounding, especially from the zone defense. Teach fast break from every opportunity, utilizing the rewards of tough zone "D" and rebounding.The fast break will become your offense, resulting in layups and saving all that practice time trying to teach more sophisticated offensive sets.

The above scenario would work basketball for a competitive situation where they have more practices and more games to hone their skills.It works well for coaches who just want to win and aren't too big on teaching skills.Competition leagues usually allow for more practices, an expanded game schedule where they gain playing experience, and have no rules about substitution (so the STUDS can stay on the floor together), pressing defenses or running up the score on opponents.

The biggest drawbacks for rec programs are lack of practice time and rules of play within the program. YMCA programs at this age level, as an example, usually require that everyone plays at least half the game, substituting every 4 minutes with an 8-minute running clock, have no fast break, no pressing defense, and a 20 point rule for stopping keepingscore.In rec programs a couple of 2-man plays will work better than any offensive set involving 5 players who may have questionable skills.My opinion--I think designing offense at this age for rec programs is a waste of time.Teach the fundamentals instead and let offense happen as a result of play.

Frankly, no competitive offense will function well without each player being able to understand the nuances of playing both with and without the ball, keeping good floor spacing for the players, making good and timely passes, dribbling with control, able to finish at the basket, rebound, shoot, and play man defense.Having 5 players on the floor who can do all these things well, at this age, seems a stretch,much less to run a continuity, flex, 3-out, 4-out, or whatever flavor-of-the-week offense.Yet... coaches still want to have offenses that will have a WOW factor.

There are so many offensive elements that need to be taught, drilled and perfected at 1-on-1, 2-on-2, 3-on3 levels, before even attempting putting the five-man game together-and this is at the high school level.Sadly, lots of youth coaches think their group of 9-10 year-olds are going to be up for it.

If I haven't dissuaded everyone yet, for those die-hards who must have an offense, here's a place to begin.Go to this page on my website to read the rest of the article:http://www.top-basketball-coaching.com/9-10offense.

Coach Ronn Wyckoff has spent more than fifty years in basketball. As an international consultant, his programs have reached hundreds of players and coaches around the world. He has coached four national teams and conducted national player camps. In forty-plus years of coaching boys, girls, men and women, from the playgrounds to national teams, they won over 70% of their games. The international club teams he coached won over 80%.

His 4-hour teaching DVD, "Basketball On A Triangle: A Higher Level of Coaching and Playing", has received high praise. His newly released book of the same title has received accolades from those who have reviewed it, as being unique in it's detailed approach to teaching life lessons through the teaching of the game, as well as teaching coaches how to teach fundamentals.

For more info go to http://www.Top-Basketball-Coaching.com