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How to get on the varsity basketball team
Robert Griffee How to Make the Varsity Basketball Team at Your High...
Getting on the varsity basketball team can lead to many opportunities for your young career as a player. You get to compete against other high school teams, work on your game, experience high-level team play, learn from a coach and play in front of a crowd. If you’re really good and stand out by your senior year, you can get recruited by top colleges and receive a scholarship.
But everyone has to start from somewhere. Making the team alone takes a good bit of dedication and tenacity, and that work ethic then carries over to the rest of your life.
Here are eight key tips for becoming good enough to make it to your varsity basketball team.
1. Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses
What are you good at? Are you a good ball-handler, an accurate shooter, a strong rebounder, a tenacious defender, or so on? Your strengths are what make you stand out, so make the most of them and find a good way to use them to help your team win.
What are you not good at? While it may be tempting to just do what you do and ignore what you don’t do, you should put time into working on your weaknesses. That’s what practice and off-season are for. The more well-rounded you are as a player, the more useful you are as a teammate.
Of course, you should maximize your strengths. If those strengths help shore up your weaknesses, that’s a good thing as well. Working on your game is all about making your strengths even stronger and turning weaknesses into strengths.
For instance, your jump shot may not be that good. Improving it will surely make you a better scorer and a more valuable player, so you’ll have to look into what you’re doing wrong that may make your shot wonky. A lot of times, it’s using your guide hand wrong. You can correct it by using the Shoot Natural glove during practice to keep it straight. Your shot will improve and become a strength.
But there’s only so much you can do by yourself. When in doubt, ask yourself what will make you a better teammate. At the end of the day, that’s what separates mediocre players from good players. What matters most is what helps the team win.
2. Focus and Be Present
While athleticism, skill, and size are major factors for becoming a good basketball player, what sets apart good players from great players is focus. The one quality that the all-time greats share is the ability to be in the moment throughout each game.
Everyone gets nervous, even those who would go on to become hall-of-famers. But those great players are able to set their anxieties aside once the game starts. They’re able to be in the zone and focus entirely on the game, which lets them perform with the best of their abilities.
When you’re in a game, you may be distracted by many things, like the crowd, your personal problems, and so on. But when you’re there, nothing else matters other than helping your team win. Being present isn’t just about being physically there, but also being mentally focused on the game you’re playing in.
This is especially important during your tryouts. Once you’re in the game, focus entirely on the game itself. Don’t worry too much about messing up and just power through. Make the most of every opportunity, make opportunities for your teammates, and play your best. The coaches will notice whether you’re focused or not.
Hustle on both ends of the floor and play at a good pace. When you make a mistake, make a mental note of that mistake right there and do your best not to repeat it. If you ponder on that mistake, you will slow down and get anxious. That will make your performance suffer and result in even more mistakes.
3. Get to Practice Early and Stick Around
Coaches do their best to instill discipline into their players in various ways. Showing up in practice is the most important thing you can do to show that you have discipline. Every practice is an opportunity to improve your game, so you should relish every chance you have to get better.
Your attendance plays a big part in creating a good impression on your teammates and coaches. You can get there on time every time, which is good. But if you really want to go above and beyond, show up early and get work done before everyone else does. You can also stick around after practice and get more work done while everyone else is gone.
If you’re able to do that while you’re still young, it becomes much easier to do so when you get older. Discipline is a skill, just like everything else in basketball. You can practice being disciplined, and it’s a skill that will take you far both in basketball and in life.
4. Play to Win, Not to Stand Out
This may sound contradictory, being a good player isn’t just about making amazing plays and seemingly impossible shots. No one likes to play with a ball hog, and it can be detrimental to your prospects if you’re seen as someone who plays for oneself and not for the team.
When you play just to look amazing, coaches catch onto those habits as selfish and grandstanding. You may be a good player, but you may be labeled as a bad team-player, which can get you passed up for the team. When it comes down to it, coaches aren’t just looking for potential talents, but winners as well.
Playing to win means playing for the team, and that means getting everyone involved. Let your teammates have a reason to pass the ball to you, and pass the ball to your teammates if you have a reason to. It may be players that score baskets, but it’s teams that win games.
5. Take Nutrition Seriously
You’re still growing, so you want to make sure that you eat food that will make you grow. You’re still young, so you find it easy to eat junk and be fine for practice the next day. But if all you’re eating is junk, then the body doesn’t get anything that lets it grow and be strong.
Take your nutrition seriously early on. After all, you are what you eat. If you want to be the best, you’ll have to eat the best food possible. This may be difficult if you’re not doing well financially, so you’ll have to find ways to get good food from reliable sources.
But it’s also bad if you tend to gorge and put on too much weight. Many pro careers have been derailed due to weight issues, which then make injuries more likely to occur. If you have contact with a nutritionist, take advantage of it and listen to that expert advice.
If you eat right and live right, you will play right.
6. Become a Good Communicator
Communication is the one skill that elevates all other skills. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an artist, an engineer, a doctor, or a basketball player, you can do a lot better if you can communicate with other people.
In basketball, you have to talk to your coach and your teammates. Being able to converse with them properly lets you say what you need to say and listen to what they have to say clearly. This lets you make a good impression and be a good team member.
Good communication as a basketball player means maintaining eye contact with whoever you’re talking to, listening to your coaches and teammates, and making yourself understood.
7. Do Well in School
This isn’t just about keeping your grades up to make it and stay on the team. Cultivating a work ethic in your academics develops the discipline necessary for both college and the professional league. Also, doing well in high school can get you a better chance to enroll in a major university.
If you’re not doing well with your studies now, that gives coaches a reason to doubt your availability for the varsity team and your reliability down the line. Don’t give them any reason to doubt by having good grades and being ahead of the curve.
8. Have Fun and Be Fun
If you don’t love the game, it’s going to affect how you play it. Every game will be a slog and every practice will feel tedious. If you’re into basketball in the first place, then it’s most likely because you love the game.
But it will be hard to keep loving it once it becomes like work. There will be times you won’t find it fun for various reasons, like playing against a vastly superior team, your coach and teammates giving you a hard time, or so on.
It’s up to you to find ways to keep it fun. Understand why you love the game in the first place and what things about it make it fun for you. If you’re having fun, you’ll be more fun to play with, and you’ll be a better player. It’s a feedback loop that’ll make you want to keep playing.
Conclusion
A lot of the things that will get you picked up by the varsity basketball team are also things that will carry you through for the rest of your life. While it’s great to be good at basketball while you’re still young, the qualities that will make you better as you grow are what will truly define you. Now, go out there and show them what you’re made of!
8 Tryout Tips Guaranteed to Get You Noticed (And What To Avoid So You Don't Get Cut)
Do you know exactly what the coach is looking for in tryouts? Do you know everything you need to do?
You may think that you do, but its highly unlikely.
Actually, what you think would help with tryouts may be the exact reason you get cut from the team. Sad thing is that Ive seen players like you make these critical mistakes over and over and over again.
Ive been fortunate to conduct tryouts for youth clubs with over 400 kids. Ive also been part of high school varsity tryouts with 100 kids for a state championship caliber team at the high school level.
Im able to give you the critical tips that can help you make the team and avoid those mistakes that get you cut.
Like this article? Download it as a free PDF! (Download Now!)
1. Do what you do well.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is trying to impress the coach by doing things that are outside your skill set. This often results in a disaster for you.
If you are a good rebounder, grab every rebound.
If you are a good shooter, shoot when you are open.
If you are a good finisher, attack the basket when a lane is open.
If you are a good ball handler, make the simple passes, the simple moves.
If you are not a good 3-point shooter, dont step out and shoot one during tryouts. Ive seen kids literally hit the side of the backboard trying to do this.
The coach will instantly think, Wow. This kid does not know a thing about shot selection. Maybe hes a low IQ kid.
Trust me... with the limited time that a coach can see you... this is not the impression you want to make. Even if you play great the rest of the time, the coach already has impression about you and thats hard to change.
Here is a good measure... can you make 7 out of 10 shots unguarded from a spot. Maybe 6 out of 10 for youth players. If not, dont take the shot at tryouts.
2. Hustle! Hustle! Hustle!
There is no excuse for any player on this one. You just have to commit and develop that mentality.
When the ball is on the floor, dive on the floor. Box out on every shot. Sprint on the fast break. Sprint to spots on the floor on defense.
Communicate on defense and offense. Be loud and do it often.
These are things that every player can do and every player should do.
This is why you see players who arent skilled make the team. Theyre willing to do the little things that make teams good or great.
3. Dont be just one of the guys in the crowd - Make a great first impression.
Here is a great way to make a first impression.
When the coach calls everybody in at the beginning of the first tryout...
Instead of walking out there or jogging out there like every other kid.
Sprint! Sprint directly to the coach and stand right in front of him. Stand tall and keep eye contact on the coach during the entire talk.
I guarantee youll have the coachs attention. Ive conducted tryouts. Ive been in rooms with coaches discussing who to cut. This makes a difference.
Your buddies may give you some crap, but youll be the one laughing when you make the team or get more playing time than them.
4. Avoid the amazing play mentality. Do something that makes you stand out in a positive way.
This is not what you think. This is not making an amazing play. Remember... do what you do well.
Flashy doesnt impress coaches. It may look cool on the playground, but thats why you dont see NBA guys doing streetball moves during games. Its flash. Its hype. Its not effective against good players.
You should do something with substance that coaches will notice in a positive way.
Earlier, I mentioned communicate on defense.
One time when I was conducting a tryout for 3rd to 8th graders, we were with the 4th grader session.
All of the sudden, across the gym, I hear a blaring yell Screen! Screen! Screen! It was from this little guy named Tommy.
Ten seconds later, I hear Tommy yell again, I got ball!
This continued the whole day. He communicated early. He communicated loud. He communicated often. (ELO Early Loud Often. Kevin Eastman would have been proud.)
There may have been 30 other kids communicating in the gym, but he is the only one I remembered. I didnt know him before the tryouts, but I sure know him now. Guess what... he made the first team.
5. Dont be shy Talk to the coaches before tryouts.
Too many make the big mistake of being too shy to talk to the coach. And this can make a huge difference with making the team.
Sometimes, this simple act will elevate you in the eyes of the coaches because they know that you care and youll do whatever it takes to help the team.
Be specific. Tell the coach that you really want to make the team. Ask them what they need on their team.
6. Be a great teammate Great attitude and sportsmanship
Every coach wants a player who is a great teammate and makes the players better around them.
You can do this by...
Being a great practice player and challenging your teammates during practice to make the team better.
By putting everybody in a better mood with your positive attitude. Lets face it... were all humans and its more enjoyable to have a little fun in life. Nobody wants to be around a person with a poor attitude.
Display great sportsmanship. When a coach sees you helping players off the floor and playing hard but clean basketball, they know that they can count on you not to lose your cool and hurt your team in a negative way at an important time.
7. Get there early / warm up properly.
Getting there early shows the coach that you care and that he can depend on you to show up on time to practices and games.
Also, make sure to warm up prior to playing, so you are playing your best as soon as the whistle blows. First impressions are very important.
8. Who cares if you screw up Next play!
If you make a mistake... oh well, it happens. Everybody makes mistakes.
Always go on to the next play.
The best players react in a positive way to those mistakes and dont let them snowball into a bunch of mistakes.
There are no guarantees in life. However, if you use the tips mentioned above, you will dramatically increase your chances to make the team and earning more playing time.
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To check out the different camps, Click Here.
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90,000 Sports in the USA. How can an athlete from Russia get into the NCAA? Answers to Parents' Questions, Part 1 - Sports and Education in the USA - Blogs
In this article, we will give our point of view on the question asked by many parents who want to send their children to study and play sports in the USA:
" Where is it better for an athlete to go to a university in America, after graduating from school in Russia / in his own country, or is it better to go to school in America for at least 1-2 years and go to university after graduating from an American school? The center of the Russian team - Sasha Kaun as part of Kansas University (left) and Florida Air Academy (right, school team in the USA). We will try to consider this issue in detail and give our point of view on it.
(the article will be in 2 parts, because there is a lot of information).
Are you interested that your child, who goes in for this or that sport, enters a university in America, where he can play his sport at the highest level, fully combining sports with getting a quality education Unfortunately, in Russia it is impossible to combine sports and study (at least at the university level), because with us you either study or go in for sports, it is impossible to combine both. And the level of sports, as well as the level of education in our country in recent years, leaves much to be desired. Take any lists of the Top 100 best universities in the world - at least 70% of the list will be American universities, from Russian universities, God forbid, you can see Moscow State University, Baumanka or HSE (and then at the end of the rankings).
It's no secret that American university education is considered one of the most prestigious in the world, and ordinary students pay an average of $40,000-60,000 a year to study at American universities.
Many parents of athletes know that universities in the US can provide athletic scholarships, ie. provide partial or full funding to athletes for the duration of their studies at the university, in return for the fact that the athlete will represent the university team in a particular sport.
Therefore, the parents of many athletes dream that their children go to universities in the USA, because this is an opportunity for free (or with a large amount of funding) to receive a high-class education, fully combining study with sports.
Why is it better for an athlete to try to enter a university in America, directly from Russia/his country after graduation, or first go to school in America for some time and enter a university after graduating from an American school?
We believe that it is much more expedient for an athlete to first unlearn at least 1 year at a school in America, and then go to university. Let's explain why and give arguments in support of our point of view: - The level of sports in schools and universities in America.
The most popular collegiate sports in the USA (basketball, hockey, tennis, volleyball, football) are at a very high level and the teams are future professionals. Accordingly, in order to receive a full scholarship to a college or university in the United States, an athlete must perform at a really high level.
Euroleague Under 18 Video Stella Azzurra (Italy) - Cedevita (Croatia) Athletes from abroad who do not compete at the high school level in the US will only be judged by university coaches by their videos. A coach carries far more risks when he takes a person from abroad on video than a player he can see live at an American high school competition.
In schools in the US, the level of sports is slightly lower compared to the student level and, accordingly, it will be easier for foreigners to adapt in terms of sports. Also, the requirements for an athlete to receive a sports scholarship to school will be lower than for an athlete entering a university. A foreign athlete who will compete at the school level in the United States has the opportunity to light up live in front of university coaches. In addition, the athlete will develop in a much more competitive sports environment than in his own country, with high-level coaches, which will allow him to come to university more prepared in sports terms by the time he graduates from school.
An example of a basketball player from Russia who first spent 2 years at the school level in the US and then entered a prestigious university is Mark Tikhonenko.
Mark Tikhonenko (b. 1998, 206cm), son of Valery Tikhonenko, Olympic Champion in the USSR national team, is spending his 2nd year at the school level in the USA at Hamilton Heights School in Tennessee. At the beginning of the current academic year, Mark accepted an offer for a full sports scholarship from Arkansas State University and from next year he will play in the 1st division of the NCAA. A very important difference between studying in an American school is that in America they usually finish school at 18-19years. This is due to the fact that children go to the first grade later, and also study in their schools for twelve years. For this reason, for those who graduate from a Russian school at the age of 16-17, it would be more expedient to enter the senior classes of an American school for one or two years.
It will be very difficult for athletes from Russia, immediately after leaving school at 16-17 years old, to adapt to the level of training of American athletes in college / university, who are stronger and older. Because of this, it will be difficult to get enough playing time, as well as financial support (scholarship) from the educational institution. At school, there will be more game practice, which means that there is a high probability that the athlete will be noticed by coaches from good colleges / universities. In the second part of the article, we will highlight the rest of the nuances and arguments in favor of going to school in America to prepare for entering the university NCAA leagues. ________________________________________________________________________________________
Author: Alexander Skryagin If you have any questions about sports and study in the USA or you are interested in the possibility of entering schools, colleges or universities in the USA, you can contact me in the following ways:
My blog, where you can find out more information about sports in the US and Europe, as well as about players from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other CIS countries playing abroad: vk.com/public77518496
You can contact me personally on Vkontakte or by email: VK: vk.com/alexskryaginFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/skryagin.sasha
Email : alex.skryagin.rus@ gmail.com
How to Apply for the University of Worcester Basketball Scholarship 2022
Did you know that you can combine education with high level sports while your degree is paid for you?
Without a doubt, this is by far the smartest way to develop your talent and achieve your academic goals.
If you love playing basketball, this is your chance. We have established several basketball scholarships for developing countries. Read to access application details.
Students from the underdeveloped or developing countries of the world, including some parts of Africa , Asia , Latin America and the Middle East, experienced basketball players can access a number of international scholarship programs.
These scholarships aim to attract a more inclusive and diverse student demographic to top colleges and universities around the world.
Don't miss this chance. Apply now!
How to Get a Basketball Scholarship 2022
Just like in the college football world, college or university basketball scholarships are highly competitive. Selecting from the less developed or still developing countries of the world makes things a bit more difficult.
You need to have a great talent for the game, as well as an excellent academic record that puts you ahead of the average students in your area, combined with some preparation for this opportunity.
In order to improve your chances of receiving a scholarship package at the right time for you, it is recommended that you begin the process of finding and applying for scholarship programs to which you are eligible earlier.
You can start by researching and monitoring promising colleges and universities, as well as follow the development of new scholarships around the world, keep in touch with these colleges and create high academic results.
In doing so, do not forget to develop your talent and skills in sports, as this is your main ticket to these scholarship programs.
Basketball Scholarships 2022 General Requirements
Many Funds for Basketball Scholarship is supervised by the NCCA, which entails that great attention is paid not only to the talent of the athlete, but also to academic achievement, as scholarship recipients must meet certain requirements academic evaluation.
However, coaches may be a little less flexible about the entry requirements for their colleges or universities, depending on your level of talent.
In any case, you must prepare as much as possible for Opportunity and not only that, you should not sit around waiting for the opportunity to come, see for yourself.
Quite a few scholarships for basketball players who come from not yet developed or developing countries often come with additional criteria such as a specific subject of study, a specific destination or country of origin, affiliation with a specific university, etc.
Considering this it may take a tricky scholarship hunt and a bit of flexibility to get one that suits you. Although, in fact, no one is stopping you from applying for 5, 8 or even 10 international scholarships at the same time.
Some of the best basketball scholarships in developing countries are listed below:
#1.
University of Worcester Basketball Scholarship
This is a basketball scholarship offered by the University of Worcester. The university offers three basketball scholarships for talented basketball players who are studying.
These categories of students who are eligible for the offer can apply for student or postgraduate programs at the school.
This scholarship program is sponsored by a partnership between University of Worcester and the Worcester Wolves Basketball Club.
The scholarship includes the following:
Academic fees and accommodation
Opportunity to play BBL for the Worcester Wolves professional basketball team.
The opportunity to play in the British Universities Championship for the university team
Free game registration
Full game and practice schedule
Free gym membership
Free access to coaching and refereeing awards
Sports science support
Financial support and more
Candidates who are interested in this basketball application scholarship, must have an outstanding record of achievement or high potential to become a successful BBL player. They must also be able to meet the criteria for their specific preferred tuition debt.
How to Apply for the University of Worcester Basketball Scholarship 2022
If you are interested in applying for the University of Worcester Athletic Scholarship, please read our Athletic Scholarship Information Packet and complete the application.
# 2.
DAAD Scholarship for Developing Countries
Slot Machine DAAD Scholarship is an initiative of the German Academic Exchange Service. It provides scholarships for a range of courses to promising young international students from developing countries in South America, Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe. Europe , Pacific Island, Asia etc.
The initiative is divided into blocks of scholarship support programs with various full or partial scholarships. Some of them:
Holland Scholarship | Basketball Scholarships for International Students
Slot Machine Holland Scholarship is part of the DAAD Scholarship. It is intended for international students from developing countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
Students who wish to continue their education at bachelor's or master's level at universities in the Netherlands are part of the DAAD initiative.
The scholarship package is worth 50,000 euros, which the recipients will receive during their first year of study.
Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program | Basketball Scholarships for International Students
The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program is another unit designed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attract top international students to French Masters and Undergraduate institutions. Candidate . programs.
The Scholarship Program pays monthly stipends to award recipients. This program also covers other expenses such as health insurance, cultural activities, return trips, etc. It does not, however, cover tuition fees.
There are a number of other scholarship programs that you could receive as a student in any of the developing countries in the world, depending on your eligibility for such scholarship programs.
At the end of the day, that’s what separates mediocre players from good players. What matters most is what helps the team win.
You can get there on time every time, which is good. But if you really want to go above and beyond, show up early and get work done before everyone else does. You can also stick around after practice and get more work done while everyone else is gone.
When it comes down to it, coaches aren’t just looking for potential talents, but winners as well.
Many pro careers have been derailed due to weight issues, which then make injuries more likely to occur. If you have contact with a nutritionist, take advantage of it and listen to that expert advice.
Cultivating a work ethic in your academics develops the discipline necessary for both college and the professional league. Also, doing well in high school can get you a better chance to enroll in a major university.
Understand why you love the game in the first place and what things about it make it fun for you. If you’re having fun, you’ll be more fun to play with, and you’ll be a better player. It’s a feedback loop that’ll make you want to keep playing.
Sad thing is that Ive seen players like you make these critical mistakes over and over and over again.
Sprint to spots on the floor on defense.
This makes a difference.
Be a great teammate Great attitude and sportsmanship
Yet it works with NBA and pro players at the highest level... (more info)
A foreign athlete who will compete at the school level in the United States has the opportunity to light up live in front of university coaches. In addition, the athlete will develop in a much more competitive sports environment than in his own country, with high-level coaches, which will allow him to come to university more prepared in sports terms by the time he graduates from school. 
This is due to the fact that children go to the first grade later, and also study in their schools for twelve years. For this reason, for those who graduate from a Russian school at the age of 16-17, it would be more expedient to enter the senior classes of an American school for one or two years. 
________________________________________________________________________________________ 
They must also be able to meet the criteria for their specific preferred tuition debt. 
It is intended for international students from developing countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). 
