How to start playing basketball again

How to Start Playing Basketball Again

If you stopped playing basketball in the past and is now thinking about returning to the game, come on over there are some things that you need to do to prepare yourself so that you are able to safely and efficiently start playing basketball games. Basketball is a sport that many people can’t stay away from for too long so, understandably, you want to find your way back.

We know how important it is to prepare yourself for this return adequately. We want you to be safe throughout the process, so we are going to share a few tips today about returning to the game of basketball after you have stopped playing for an extended period of time.

Cardio Training

Cardiovascular training is essential if you are returning to basketball after an extended absence. If you were playing other sports and your aerobic capacity is high, you may not need to focus on cardiovascular training. If you haven’t been active after you stopped playing basketball, we would suggest that you do a lot of cardiovascular activity to increase your aerobic capacity.

Cardiovascular training will help to strengthen your heart and your muscles so you do not get as tired as quickly as you would if you did not do it. Cardiovascular training is essential because it will improve the way that your heart, blood vessels, and lungs deliver oxygen throughout your body. 

Strength Training

Strength training is crucial when getting back into basketball because basketballers that are strong are more effective than those that aren’t. Basketball is a very physical sport, and the stronger you are, the more advantages you will have on the court. If you have not been working on your strength after you stopped playing, you should find ways to improve your overall strength.

Basketball is one of the more complete activities, so try to work on as many muscle groups as possible. Your legs and torso and your arms are equally important, so do exercises at home or at the gym to work on your strength.

Agility Training

Agility refers to how quickly you can change directions without losing momentum, and this is a vital aspect of basketball on both offense and defense. Agility is not naturally possessed by a lot of players, so players who have left the game for a while will need to build up their agility before they return.

There are different exercises that you can do to improve your agility both ends off the court. Agility is going to help you to get the by defenders easier, and it will also help you to come up with stops on the defensive end as well.

Weight Loss

If you have gained weight since you stopped playing basketball or are overweight, you should lose weight before returning to basketball. Basketball involves a lot of jumping and running, and being overweight can be very bad when you do these things. If you do a lot of jumping while you are overweight, this can cause stress on your knees and Ankle joints.

This often results in injuries, so you must reduce your weight to what your knees and ankles can handle while you are jumping. If you are overweight, it will be very difficult for you to make it up and down the court repeatedly, so losing weight will help you to run the court and be a factor on both defense and offense.

Weight Gain

On the opposite end of the spectrum, weight gain is something that you may want to consider if you are underweight. Basketball is quite physical, and bulking up can help you with your strength and the physical aspects of the game.

If you are underweight, bigger players could push you around, and you will find it difficult to execute plays if the opponents are playing a physical game. Work on your nutrition and exercise so that you can gain weight.

Protective Gears, Comfortable Clothes, and Shoes

Before you return to basketball, you should also consider buying protective gear such as padded joint covers, mouth guards, and others. Protective equipment will help to protect areas of your body when you come into contact with other players or the floor.

It is also important that you get clothes that are comfortable for you to wear while you play. Try to find good clothes that will not impede you when you play. Finally, the shoes you play in should be carefully selected based on your physical attributes and durability. If you’re looking for the best basketball gear, be sure to check out our basketball gear reviews here.

You should watch tapes and watch live games to see new moves to defend against or use. Depending on how long you have left the game of basketball, many things could have changed, from the rules to the way the game is played.

Basketball is one of the most dynamic sports on the planet, so things are always changing. You do not want to return to the game with your old school rules, and old school moves alone. You should try to keep up with the rules of the game by reading rule books or watching professional leagues. Old school moves could be useful, but you should also work on the new moves so that you can compete in today’s game.

If you are planning to play only at the community center with your friends or in your local leagues, it is equally important that you are able to keep up with how the players are playing today. 

Individual Drills

Since you have not played basketball in a while, your basketball skills may be a bit rusty. Try to find a court where you can be alone so you can work on your fundamentals and other basketball skills.

Try to spend at least 30 minutes each day working on fundamental moves on offense and defensive slides. You can practice your lay-ups, your shooting and you’re passing by yourself. You can also work on your rebound. These individual workouts will help you to get into a competitive state. 

Scrimmages

Scrimmages are the next steps that you should take before returning to full competitions. Try to find a friend or a group of friends or teammates that you can play half-court scrimmages with. Try to keep these scrimmages mild, so there isn’t a lot of physical contact between players.

Remember, you are still getting your body accustomed to playing the sport, so you do not want to go too hard too soon and get injured. You can play one on one or team scrimmages with up to 10 players, but remember you’re not to go at game speed.

If you want to be competitive while playing basketball, you need to work on getting back in shape for basketball. We understand how important this is, so we are going to give you seven exercises that will effectively help you to get into shape for basketball.

Jogging

This may seem simple, but it is a great cardiovascular exercise to improve your endurance and of the strength of your leg muscles. If you jog consistently, you will see more benefits than if you do not.

You can gradually increase the speed and the length of time at which you jog so that you can build up your endurance to levels suitable for playing basketball. Basketball is a game that involves constant running and jumping, so the benefits you get from jogging will be helpful.

Suicides

Suicides are on court sprints between the lines on the court that will get your body reacquainted with the constant running. Try to do multiple sets of suicides so that you can continue to build your endurance and overall conditioning. There are a variety of ways in which suicides can be done, and you can do them with multiple persons to make it fun and competitive. 

Full-court sprints

Full-court sprint between the baselines is also another great cardiovascular exercise that will get your heart rate going. Full-court sprints can be quite taxing on your body at first. You can start with small amounts and gradually build up the number of sprints that you do.

Try to do full-court sprints between the baselines as frequently as you can so that you can build your endurance faster. Full-court sprints will also help you to get accustomed to transitioning from offense to defense if you plan to play full-court games.

Lay-up Drills

Let’s go back to basics. Surely you can remember when you just started to learn the game of basketball, and your coach taught you how to do lay-ups. Lay-ups may seem basic, and many returning players may not want to do this, however, doing lay-up drills will help you and your finishing ability when you start to play the game again. Lay-up drills can be performed in various ways, from individual drills to doing it with a partner to increase difficulty.

Defensive Drills

Defensive drills are very important because defense is as important as offense in basketball. Don’t neglect the fact that you will need to also work on your defense when returning to the sport. There are different defensive drills that you can do with and without the ball, by yourself or with a partner.

Remember to work on your defensive slides, and your rebounding while performing defensive drills. Work with a friend or teammates on your defense by allowing them to play multiple positions on offense while you work on containing them and contesting shots.  

Shooting Drills

You don’t want everyone on the court to be shouting “rebound” after you take a shot, so remember to work on shooting drills so that you will return with a shot. Shooting drills are important because if you can’t score, then you can’t win. Some players are defensive Maestros on the court, but it’s very great if you can also contribute on the offensive.

Work on drills alone to get your shooting form right, and you can also work on drills with your friends or teammates to help you get accustomed to what it will be like in games. You can perform shooting drills in a variety of ways to make them more exciting and competitive.

Try to be consistent with your shooting drills so that you can develop muscle memory.

Agility Drills

Agility drills are quite important because if your opponents are more agile than you, you will have difficulties while playing defense, and your opportunities to score will be reduced while you play offense. You need to be able to keep up with your opponent’s movements while you’re playing and agility is quite important in this regard.

There are a variety of agility drills that you can work on to increase your agility so that your opponents will have a hard time getting the better of you when you start playing basketball again. Not too many people work on agility drills, so if you’re able to improve yours, you will be at a serious advantage.

Returning to basketball after an extended period is risky because if you are not fully prepared, you could get injured. Injuries are not something you want to have, so there are various ways that you can work on preparing your body so that it will be ready for the court. 

Buy protective gear

You can buy protective pads to help protect the different areas of your body from collisions with other players and the floor.

Buy compression gear

Compression gear will help with your blood flow during and after games, and this is very helpful in the recovery of your muscles and injury prevention.

Get in shape first

Starting to play basketball again is not like riding a bike. Do your very best to get in shape before getting on the court.

The length of time it will take you to get in shape will be dependent on you. Each person has different requirements to get in shape such as their strength, agility, and cardiovascular fitness. The more work you put into this process, the faster it will be, but do not rush yourself back, take the time to ensure that your body is fully adjusted before playing basketball again.

To start playing basketball again, you will need to get in shape first. Do different exercises to help your body adjust to the dynamic basketball game. After you are in shape, make sure that you purchase the right gear, and finally, after you’ve done all of this, try to do different drills to get proficient in different areas of the game.

Did you find this helpful? Then also check out our other FAQ articles here.

> How to Start Playing Basketball: The Ultimate Guide

> How to Get Better at Basketball: Tips & Drills

3 Tips from a Coach

To get in the right habits from the beginning, we met with Jean-Etienne, age 47, project manager at Decathlon and basketballer from a very young age:

A basketball enthusiast who was able to stay involved with his favourite sport after his career as a player.

And Jean-Etienne shares his passion with the whole family:

This is the first tip for getting back to basketball: take the time to get back gradually!

And above all, getting back to training is an opportunity to create good habits.

Moreover, the right motions go beyond the basketball court

‍
Oh yes, hydration is part of the good habits from the beginning

And on the court, what should you do to get back into the game properly?

The first piece of good news: it's not worth trying to force it. Getting back to basketball involves gradual work, getting the feeling back, and lots of recovery.

‍

The second step for getting back to basketball is to get back to the game and the joy of playing!

On the agenda for your training is passing and lots of dribbling:

And what's next, as you might suspect, is to get your eye back on the basket, both literally and figuratively.

And working on your shot is also all about pleasure and feeling.

“When shooting, take care not to start from too far away. At the beginning of a training session, and even at the beginning of a season, it's not worth breaking your arms to shoot 3-pointers. We start by working on movements and finishing the shot. That allows you to make lots of shots and limits your fatigue. We focus on technique and shot speed before focusing on distance.”

And you might be asking yourself the question: how do I start or get back into basketball as an adult, or how do I get back to competition after being away for a certain time or after a certain age?

Here too, Jean-Etienne explains how to get back to the game:

“You shouldn't think that you can't improve technically after a certain age.

Especially when it comes to shooting, it is never too late to correct little details, gain speed and accuracy... to cover your little flaws. Personally, my role as a coach is to remind you of the little useful details. For instance, your stance is essential for both passing and shooting. It is above all a matter of concentration and fundamentals. And that, you can always work on.”

Now you have a few ideas about the way to get back to the game and the fun of playing.

So what about getting back to competition?

“A fun exercise when getting back to training is to work on shooting after contact. The goal is to get back into the rhythm and conditions of a game. For example, you can use a gym ball to gently push the player as they shoot. That will help them be aware of the importance of core strength during their shot. And mentally, it motivates them to find the basket, even after a foul.”

We're now getting to a specific situation: getting back to sports after an injury . Are you finding hesitations or doubts at the bottom of your sports bag as you get on the court? Here again, your return should be gradual.

This time, preparation also happens in your mind:

And once back on the court, it's time to get back into good habits, to free yourself physically and mentally.

How do you prepare to get back to basketball? Share your tips and feel free to tell us if you liked the article!

It's time to get back into the game! If you miss the sound of shoes on the basketball court, we're talking to you. So to help you return to basketball in the best possible way, we found a coach to answer a few questions.

To start out, what exactly do we mean when we talk about getting back into the game? Getting back into the game after the summer and getting back to the gym? Getting back in shape after a certain age? Or simply getting back to basketball after an injury, for example?

Here are our tips!

How to learn to play basketball from scratch

"School 2. 0" - the best educational project in the history of Russian basketball, has collected in one material all the basic skills that are needed for those who want to jump like Michael Jordan and throw a three-pointer like Steph Curry . We literally chew on you how to play basketball and become cool. Lots of videos are included.

Passion for basketball usually begins with the ball hitting the basket. Do not deprive yourself of this pleasure, learn to score from under the basket, then from two steps ... But after that, you should think about what elements to master in order to become a “correct” basketball player. We won't let you get bored - we won't fill all basketball practice with boring stops and turns. But in general, you can’t do without it, because the correct work of the legs, the habit of standing firmly, not mincing, not taking extra steps, quickly and correctly changing the direction of movement is an absolute must for a basketball player. Plus, of course, dribbling and passing.

In general, to start the basketball path, “School 2.0” recommends exercises to develop the following skills during basketball training:

1. Throw
2. Footwork
3. Transmission
4. Maintaining

Do two or three dozen workouts, combining the exercises from the following list, and you will notice real progress. Start each workout with 2-4 minutes of quiet running and such a joint warm-up:

Exercises are performed one after the other without stopping.

1. Shoulder warm-up. Stand up straight and stretch your arms out to the sides. Make circular movements with straight arms 10 times forward, then 10 times back.
2. Pelvic warm-up. Put your hands on your belt, feet shoulder-width apart. Perform rotations in the hip joint, as if twisting a hoop, 10 times in each direction.
3. Back workout. Bend your elbows and press to your chest, feet shoulder-width apart. Do rotations in the lower back 5-10 times in each direction.
4. Knee warm-up. Stand up straight, feet together. Squat down a bit and put your hands on your knees. Then perform rotational movements with your knees, helping yourself with your hands. Do 10 times in each direction.
5. Ankle warm-up. Put your hands on your belt. Place one foot on the toe slightly behind you. Resting on your toes, do 10 rotations in the ankle joint in each direction, then change legs.
6. Squats. At the end, do 5 deep squats, keeping your heels on the floor and extending your arms in front of you.

Throwing

Get used to throwing correctly right away - with one hand (the other can only hold the ball), with reverse spin. The forearm is perpendicular to the floor, the arm straightens completely, the hand “closes”. Listen to how the ball blows up the net - it's a thrill.

1. Shooting stand

1. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, ball in hand.
2. At the signal, take a throwing stance, and at the next signal, return to the starting position.
3. Ready to throw: legs bent, back straight, slightly tilted forward. Throwing hand behind the ball (not sideways!), the second hand holds the ball in front-side.
4. Raise the ball to shoulder level.
5. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

2. Single handed throw on the spot

1. Get into the throwing position. The ball lies in one hand at the level of the head, the elbow is directed forward, the second hand does not help.
2. Squat down a little and with the simultaneous extension of the legs and elbow, throw the ball up in front of you. Stay in the final position until the ball hits the floor.
3. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

3. Throw with one hand into the hoop from one meter

1. Stand under the hoop with the ball in your hand at shoulder height. The other hand does not help!
2. Squat down and at the same time extend your legs and arms, make a throw around the ring. Keep the final position of the straightened arm and closed hand until the ball hits the floor.
3. Try to hit the ball in the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield, then the ball will be in the ring.
4. Throw from different positions. 10 times with the right and left hand.

4. Medium throw

1. Stand at a distance of 3-4 meters from the ring and take a throwing stance. Sit down and with the simultaneous extension of the legs and arms, make a throw around the ring. Keep the final position of the straightened arm and closed hand until the ball hits the floor.
2. Throw from different positions.

1. Stand a few meters from the ring. Make yourself an autopass, take a small jump forward, catch the ball, take a shooting stance, and hit the basket.
2. Perform the exercise 10 times with your stronger arm.

5. Two steps - throw

1. Stand three meters from the ring. Take two steps from the spot and throw the ring.

1. Get on the three-point line. Take a couple of hits with the ball, then two steps and throw the ring.

1. From the three-point line, make yourself an autopass. Then catch the ball, take two steps and shoot the ring.
2. Try to hit the ball in the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield.
3. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

6. Two steps - low shot

1. Get on the three-point line. Take a couple of hits with the ball, then two steps and throw from the bottom of the ring.

1. Stand three meters from the ring. Take two steps from the spot and throw the ring from below.

1. From the three-point line, make yourself an autopass. Then catch the ball, take two steps and shoot the ring.
2. Try to hit the ball in the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield.
3. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

Footwork

Glue your feet to the floor. No extra steps! Otherwise - "jog", whistle, give the ball to the opponents.

1. Jump stop

1. The exercise is performed on the spot. Make yourself an autopass, catch the ball with two hands and at the same time do a two-foot jump into a basketball stance.
2. Determine the axial (supporting) leg and perform turns on this leg forward and backward.
3. Then imitate the following sequence of actions:
   take the ball in your hands, being completely in the air;
   land on both (!) feet at the same time;
   do turns around the same (!) leg.
4. Repeat the exercise 10 times: 5 times turning on the right foot and 5 times on the left.

2. Step stop

1. The exercise is performed on the spot. Make yourself an autopass, catch the ball with both hands and stop at the same time with two steps into the basketball stance.
2. The axial (supporting) leg will be the one with which you took the first step - on this leg, perform turns forward and backward.
3. Repeat the exercise 10 times: turning 5 times on the right foot and 5 times on the left.

3. Zigzag without a ball with a jump stop

All changes in the direction of movement are made by a clear turn around the near leg - even through the “face”, even through the “back”. This is very important in basketball!

4. Zigzag without a ball with a stop in steps

It is performed in the same way as the previous exercise, but the stop at the cone is one-two, not a jump.

Transmission

Mastering the culture of passing will not only earn you the respect of your playmates, but it will also give you a lot of fun. Maybe even more than hitting the ring.

1. Passing with two hands into the wall

1. Stand 3-5 meters from the wall. Pass the ball into the wall with both hands from the chest.
2. Hold the ball with both hands from the sides and direct it to the wall with a wrist movement. As a result, the arms at the elbows should straighten, and the hands should “close”.

1. Move further back to make longer passes. At the moment of such a transfer, one leg takes a step forward. Catch such a transmission from the floor.
2. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times.

2. Passing with one hand into the wall

1. Stand 3-5 meters from the wall. Pass the ball into the wall with one hand from the shoulder.
2. Hand behind the ball, thumbs up. Carpal movement.
3. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times for each hand.

3. Lying One-Hand Pass

1. Lying on your back, pass with one hand up.
2. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times for each hand.

Dribbling

Great basketball dribbling is the key to all doors. Not to mention how effective it is.

1. Palms on the ball

1. Take the ball in your hands and move it from hand to hand, hitting it with your palms.
2. Start slowly and then speed up. 15 seconds slow, 15 fast.
3. Repeat 1-2 times.

2. Ball on fingers

1. Quickly toss the ball with your fingertips from one hand to the other: raise and lower in front of you;
   sit down and get up;
   raise and lower in motion.
2. Perform each exercise 2-3 times for 15 seconds.

3. Ball around the body

1. Move the ball from one hand to the other as quickly as possible: around the body;
   around the head;
   in the round-leg basketball stance;
   in a basketball stance figure eight around the legs.
2. Do 5 reps each side.

4. Low dribbling on the spot

Low ball dribbling in different positions:

1. Basketball stance, feet parallel. Dribble to the side of your foot. Free hand in defense position.
2. Sit on the floor and dribble the ball from your side, bringing the ball closer or further away.
3. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

5. Medium dribbling in motion

1. Medium dribbling of the ball (height - to the waist) in motion. Do it at speed.
2. Make a turn leaving the ball in place and picking it up with your other hand.
3. Dribble two courts with each hand.

6. V-dribbling in front of you

1. Stand in a basketball stance.
2. Dribble with one hand in front of you in a V, with your right and left hands in turn.
3. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

7. Crossover

1. Move the ball in place in front of you from one hand to the other.
2. First do the exercise for each stroke.
3. Then - for every third hit.
4. After translation, touch the floor with your free hand.
5. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

8. Underfoot transfers

1. Transfer the ball between the legs from one hand to the other.
2. Translate every third hit with the ball.
3. After translation, touch the floor with your free hand.
4. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

That's it for starters. Of course, it would be nice to learn how to fly - in the sense of jumping high without a trampoline. But that's another story. If you only jump, you are a jumper. And if you have mastered these exercises, you are almost a basketball player. Then you can already learn to play in a team, in real contact conditions.

Why Andrey Kirilenko created School 2.0:

And remember,

"School 2.0"

will introduce you to people who you want to follow an example from: winners in whom at first no one believed; music and movie stars going crazy about basketball; heroes who, thanks to sports, managed to overcome themselves.

School 2.0 will recommend movies and books, and they will help you move mountains. With us you will be in trend and understand that success breeds success.

School 2.0 has no entrance exams. Do you want to be beautiful, healthy and smart?

You are already accepted.

BTW, WE ARE DOING FREE OPEN TRAININGS TOGETHER WITH THE GREATEST GROUND #HARDCOURT. ON THIS WEDNESDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, VICTOR CHEIRU WILL TEACH EVERYBODY TO THROW THE BALL.

FOLLOW ALL OUR TRAINING HERE

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“I don't regret at all that I missed the children's 'club' basketball”. Start your career at the age of 20 and play in the Superleague - Basketball. 63rd region - Blogs

Samara forward Nikita Ivanov explains why he played only at the amateur level until he was 20, and recalls how he started his professional career. And at the same time invites everyone to play hockey with him.

Nikita Ivanov. Center/forward. Genus. October 31, 1991 Height 205 cm. Played for: the youth team of Krasnye Krylia (Samara, 2012-2013), CSK VVS-Krasnye Krylya (Samara, 2013/2014), the team of BC Khimki (2014-2016 ). Since the summer of 2016 - in the sports club "Samara". Participant of the World Summer Universiade 2011 as part of the student team of Russia. Winner of the Eurocup 2014/2015 with Khimki.

- You are playing for the Samara team for the second time. How has the city changed during this time?

– My first trip to Samara was more youthful. Now I play in a team that faces serious challenges, and the championship, compared to recent years, has become stronger. During the two years that I spent in Khimki, Samara has noticeably changed: roads have started to be built for the 2018 World Cup, which is very nice. I myself am from Siberia, from Krasnoyarsk, and every spring I thought that we had the worst roads. But when I first came to Samara in 2012, I saw that there are regions that even lag behind Krasnoyarsk in this regard. But in general, Samara is a beautiful city, there is a beautiful embankment here, which is especially beautiful in summer. In my free time, the guys and I went there to play beach volleyball, swim - in Siberia, for this you need to get far out of the city, but here everything is nearby, so many cities can envy Samara.

- It was in Samara that you started your professional career...

- It so happened that I didn't go through the traditional "school" of basketball. Youth championships of Russia, CYBL - I missed all this. And I came to the professional team from student basketball: I played for the SibFU team in the ASB championship, and after my fourth year I decided to try my hand at professional sports. First, I went to see Nizhny Novgorod, took part with the team in the pre-season tournament, where the Krasnye Krylia coaches noticed me - so I moved to Tolyatti, where their youth team was then based. I was considered a promising guy, with good physical data - and I was “pulled up” to the main team. Moreover, there the players had injuries, so they took me to practice, to get a taste of professional basketball.

Basketball has always been interesting to me, I have always liked to practice and give myself to the cause. And with the university team we played at a high level: the All-Russian Universiade, the finals of the ASB ... And the guys in the team were experienced, who played at a professional level, in the same Yenisei. Children's basketball in Krasnoyarsk is under the auspices of Yenisei, but somehow it turns out that there is not a single pupil of my own in the main team ... And I decided that I would study and play, and I would take a step towards professional sports at the end of my studies in university.

In general, I started studying at an ordinary regional school. There was a good company, together we played basketball on the street, and ran crosses for the school, and participated in regional volleyball and hockey competitions - our sports development was versatile. Gradually, I fell in love with basketball more, especially since I was genetically tall, and began to pay more attention and time to it. And now I do not regret at all that I missed the children's "club" basketball. In adolescence, such loads, and suddenly an injury - and that’s it, you can no longer “get to” professionals.

Although for the first time I felt the "taste" of professional sports in 2011. Before the World Universiade, I, along with a group of players from the ASB and American universities, were taken to the training camp of the Russian student team. There were also players from professional clubs: Dmitry Golovin, Petr Gubanov, Vyacheslav Zaitsev, Anatoly Kashirov, and Evgeny Pashutin was the coach. As a result, I and another guy from Siberia, Alexander Kalenov (now playing in the Super League for Temp-SUMZ-UMMC - ed.) passed the training camp and got into the team. Of course, we did not play a special role, but in training, in terms of energy and emotions, we gave all the best. Then I "live" saw the world of professional basketball - this predetermined my desire to try myself at this level after university.

- Are you interested or doing anything other than basketball now?

- Recently, the volleyball team Nova moved to the MTL Arena, and I, Dmitry Golovin and Evgeny Minchenko live very close by. Sometimes we go to their matches to support the guys. There are, of course, a lot of people there, there are various nuances, such as there is nowhere to even sit down. I also love to skate. We bought a hockey stick with Dima Golovin, we go to one of the city “boxes”, we skate, we work out some elements - this is quite interesting and at the same time difficult: unusual ligaments and joints work, there is a good load. If someone has a desire, come to the site on Lenin Avenue, we will see you not only at basketball. It happened that with the guys who work there, we set up the goal and play, we try to “depict” something at speed, similar to hockey. But everything is neat, after all, our main occupation is basketball.

Nova captain Vladimir Syomshchikov: “If I had time to take the oath, I would be in the military now”

- What is the most difficult thing when you start your professional career at the age of 20?

- In terms of "physics" it was much easier. But in understanding game situations, in responsibility for the result, everything is completely different. For example, “for young men” you have a big credit of trust, you run and do whatever you want. And here everything is already stricter. Each player has his own strengths and weaknesses, in the attack you need to bring the ball to the “snipers”, look for profitable situations for partners, despite the fact that the time for making decisions is minimized: you need to do everything faster so that the defense does not have time to react and you scored easy points. This is the main difference.

Although I would not say that the level of college basketball is very weak. When I studied and played, we had about 70 matches during the season - the city championship, the ASB championship, the semi-professional First League, where we traveled, probably, half of Siberia ... We trained, maybe at a minimum, but game practice we have always been good: you are always in rhythm, always “run”. That was amazing. I think that such a system should be practiced. I think it can give an even better result than when you play 22 matches in a season, like we do in the Super League. It turns out that every game is responsible, you can’t relax a bit - it’s very emotionally fettering, and the level of “game” development also suffers from this. Although this is just my personal opinion.

- At the same time, Sergei Bazarevich almost immediately began to involve you in training with the Krasnye Krylia main team. What are your impressions of working with this coach?

- I can say to myself that at that time I was a little unprepared for a new level. First of all, it is psychological. In terms of decision-making, some skills, I noticeably lagged behind my partners. Nevertheless, I was connected to training with the base. I am a physically strong guy, I always fought to the end, did not give up - and achieved my goal through perseverance. And Sergey Bazarevich is a very competent and good coach, he develops young players, for whom he has a credit of trust. He always has energetic workouts, his favorite phrase is: “The main thing is a good mood and give energy!”

- Then you found yourself in a similar situation in Khimki: you get game practice in the second team in the Superleague, but you regularly train with the first team... including me. It's one structure, one club. And Khimki-Podmoskovye is a stepping stone between the youth team and the main one, so that their personnel are not lost, so that young guys do not go somewhere, but stay and gain experience in their club, having the opportunity to hang out with the “muzhiks”. And if you show yourself well, you will definitely be noticed and given a chance to try yourself at a higher level.