Each day at the NIKE/Elite Hoops Basketball Camps we preach to the players that practicing isn't enough. In order for players to truly get better each day, they must not only practice, but they need to practice with pressure. We hear stories from players all the time about how many hours they practice and yet that practice isn't turning them into a better player. The reason why? Pressure.

When a player shoots a shot during a regular season game there is pressure to make that shot coming from numerous sources: their coach (who wants the score on that possession), their teammates (who want to win the game), their parents (they want their son/daughter to look good on the court), defense (who wants to block the shot) and lastly themselves (they don't want to fail). It's not easy to hit a shot with that amount of pressure...unless you have dealt with it before-and MOST players haven't.

You can recreate game like pressure in practice or at home in 3 ways:
1. Have a defender guard you for the ballhandling/shooting drill
2. Have a clock time you
3. Set a number of makes/reps to perform

To make yourself a really strong player use two or more of these techniques together. In our Living by Numbers series that we perform daily at camp, players have 12 fundamental skill drills that they work on trying to get a certain number of reps/makes in a certain amount of time. By creating pressure for players in drills it makes practice more "game like." Thus, when a player gets into the game and has an opportunity to make a shot, dribble the full length of the court with a defender chasing them, etc. it is much easier for them to perform because they have done it before under pressure.

Today, at the NIKE/Elite Hoops Boys Basketball Camp at Carolina Courts players performed 5 Ballhandling drills: Figure 8, Figure 8 Dribble, Flip Flop, Front/Back Bounce and Front/Back Catch. Each player had 30 seconds to perform each drill and maximize their number of reps. We reminded them today that, "The more you sweat in peace the less you bleed in war." And based upon the effort today from our campers, they won't be bleeding in games nearly as much as they used to.

At our second annual NIKE/Elite Hoops Boys Basketball camp at Carolina Courts, coaches emphasized the importance of "not mistaking activity for achievement." Players were told that just because they were at camp, in a station, or even playing 5 on 5, they were not going to achieve anything (or get better) if they weren't giving their full effort!

This applies to any aspect of their game, whether it is ballhandling, rebounding, shooting, or defense. A player must go game speed to get better, and eventually perform better in games. The goal is to help players develop this type of work ethic outside of camp when working on their game in the off-season because that is when real improvement occurs!

If players continue to work hard the rest of the week, in their stations, 5 on 5, Living by Numbers, and 3 on 3, then they should see tremendous improvement by Friday! The coaches are excited to see what's in store for this talented and hard working group!

Championship Friday was exciting for campers and full of basketball! Players started their morning of with 5 of their 10 stations, where they reviewed what they had been taught all week long. After stations, championship activities began! Players competed in their Living By Number Championships. Below is a list of the drills that players competed in and the champions in each division:

We're back in Homewood, Alabama for yet another round of NIKE/Elite Hoops Basketball Camp, except this time we are at Homewood High School! On Day 1, new faces arrived at check in bright and early, and the coaches could tell the players were eager to work hard and get better. Monday emphasized refining the players' weaknesses. Whether it is ball handling, reading the defense, or something as simple as communication, the slightest improvement makes it that harder for your opponent to beat you. Our camp director, Coach Lee Miller, stressed the importance of training "1 times your strength to 2 times your weakness." Let's say dribbling with your left hand is a struggle for you and dribbling with your right hand is a breeze. If you work 10 minutes on right-handed ball handling (strength), then you should work 20 minutes on your left-handed ball handling (weakness). Sure it is great to be dominant in one area of the game; however, players that are consistenly dominant in ALL areas of the game outlast their opponent in any situation they face on the court.

Throughout the day, campers worked on various ball handling drills that forced them to work on their weaknesses. Although a hassle at first, each camper soon learned the importance of sharpening the dull components of their game. After lunch, the players were teamed together for a little 5 on 5 competition. It was during this competition that players valued the statement that Coach Miller said to them earlier in the day. Campers were able to understand the advantage of being a consistent dribbler with both hands, as opposed to only one, and exactly why our coaches here at NIKE/Elite Hoops Basketball Camp aim to erase any weaknesses our players might have. As the first day came to a close, head coach at Homewood High School, Tim Shepler reminded the players that "it is the average player that goes to the gym and works on their 'favorite' shot or whatever feels natural to them, but it is the champion that pushes themselves outside of their comfort zone because our strengths grow from what once were our weaknesses."

Championship Friday was exciting for campers and full of basketball! Players started their morning of with 5 of their 10 stations, where they reviewed what they had been taught all week long. After stations, players competed in their semi-finals games of their 5 on 5 leagues. After the semi-finals games, Championship activities began! Players competed in their Living By Number Championships. Below is a list of the drills that players competed in and the champions in each division:

On day 4 of NIKE Basketball Camp at Brown County High School, players continued to work on fundamental skills, highlighted by our final day of "Cut Throat" 3 on 3. With rules that force players to become better communicators and more fundamentally sound teammates, our goal with these 3 on 3 sessions is to make sure that players are ready for a higher level of basketball come this fall. Players showed great improvement throughout the week, as they followed our strict 3 on 3 rules! Hopefully, players will continue to develop these skills throughout the summer. Check out some 3 on 3 action below!

On day 3 of NIKE Boys Basketball Camp at Brown County High School, coaches emphasized the importance of practicing with pressure! Players typically don't practice or train at the same speed and under the same pressure situations as they are expected to play games under. Consequently many players, do not do as well during games as they do when practicing. To help players with this aspect of their game, coaches introduced a couple of pressure layup and shooting drills.

Each day at the NIKE/Elite Hoops Basketball Camps we preach to the players that practicing isn't enough.  In order for players to truly get better each day, they must not only practice, but they need to practice with pressure.  We hear stories from players all the time about how many hours they practice and yet that practice isn't turning them into a better player.  The reason why? Pressure.

When a player shoots a shot during a regular season game there is pressure to make that shot coming from numerous sources: their coach (who wants the score on that possession), their teammates (who want to win the game), their parents (they want their son/daughter to look good on the court), defense (who wants to block the shot) and lastly themselves (they don't want to fail).  It's not easy to hit a shot with that amount of pressure...unless you have dealt with it before-and MOST players haven't.

You can recreate game like pressure in practice or at home in 3 ways:
1. Have a defender guard you for the ballhandling/shooting drill
2. Have a clock time you
3. Set a number of makes/reps to perform

To make yourself a really strong player use two or more of these techniques together. In our Living by Numbers series that we perform daily at camp, players have 12 fundamental skill drills that they work on trying to get a certain number of reps/makes in a certain amount of time. By creating pressure for players in drills it makes practice more "game like." Thus, when a player gets into the game and has an opportunity to make a shot, dribble the full length of the court with a defender chasing them, etc. it is much easier for them to perform because they have done it before under pressure.

Today, at the NIKE/Elite Hoops Boys Basketball Camp at Blessed Trinity players performed 5 Ballhandling drills: Figure 8, Figure 8 Dribble, Flip Flop, Front/Back Bounce and Front/Back Catch.  Each player had 30 seconds to perform each drill and maximize their number of reps. We reminded them today that, "The more you sweat in peace the less you bleed in war." And based upon the effort today from our campers, they won't be bleeding in games nearly as much as they used to. To see the current Living by Number Record Holders click HERE.

On day 2 at NIKE/Elite Hoops Boys Basketball Camp at Brown County High School, coaches emphasized the importance of working hard to develop ballhandling skills. With the Living by Numbers drills today, players were given 5 drills to work on in the off-season to improve hand speed and hand quickness. The 5 drills were Figure 8 without a dribble, Figure 8 with a dribble, Flip Flop, Front Back Bounce, and Front Back Catch.

Day 1 of the First Annual NIKE Boys Basketball Camp at Brown County High School saw campers working hard to improve on individual skills in their morning stations. Stations included skills from perimeter moves to team defense. Two fundamental skill coaches emphasized more than others were rebounding and proper layup form.

Championship Friday was exciting for campers and full of basketball! Players started their morning of with their 9 stations, where they reviewed what they had been taught all week long. After stations, players competed in their semi-finals games of their 5 on 5 leagues. After the semi-finals games, Championship activities began! Players competed in their Living By Number Championships. Below is a list of the drills that players competed in and the champions in each division:

On day 4 of NIKE Basketball Camp at Marietta High School, coaches emphasized to players that they must continue to work on the drills and stations that were introduced during camp. The ballhandling, perimeter moves, defensive techniques, and shooting drills at camp are designed to help players work on form, as well as simulate game-like situations. Our goal is to force players to pay attention to proper technique, while having to think about a defender, speed, time, and the pressure that comes along with playing in an actual game. We want to make trainings as HARD as possible, so games are EASY!