Benefits of Individual or Small Group Training
Team Practices Can Be Lecture Heavy
Student athletes are overly distracted, and nowadays it takes a highly structured and hands-on approach to earn their attention and keep them engaged for extended periods of time. Much of the team/groups time is spent explaining and walking through offensive and defensive sets. This is vital to any group/team, but can also leave an athlete to spend time standing around. Individual/group sessions laser-focus on basketball fundamentals, and can help boost a player’s skill and performance.
Focus Is On Proper Mechanics
It is essential for basketball players to dedicate time to developing proper basketball mechanics. This includes working on footwork, passing, athletic posture, shooting form, and strength and conditioning. Breaking bad mechanics is a very tough thing for young basketball players to accomplish. It can take several weeks and many hours to break bad form and to learn proper basketball techniques. Only individual or group instruction heavy with structure and game-speed repetition, will help build the necessary muscle memory and strength to set a player’s true potential free.
Not Enough Game Time
With rosters at or around 10 players, and with most games only lasting about 40 minutes, game playing time can be scarce. Most basketball players only average about 10 minutes of actual game time. The less skilled athletes play even less or none at all. Much of it depends on specific organization and coach’s philosophy and/or the league or tournament they are competing in.
Which Type of Training is Right for Me?
INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION
Otherwise known as a one-on-one or private lessons. Private lessons can be helpful for any player, but we typically recommend them for a few reasons:
- Confidence is important for players of all ages. For players just getting started, privates can be a great way to get comfortable with the basics of the game before jumping into a group setting.
- As players get more advanced, we want to help them develop position-specific skills, motor function skills, multitasking, and reaction time. Private lessons offer a unique opportunity to focus on improving certain aspects of a player’s game through 1-on-1 instruction and repetition. Each session is tailored to your skill level, position and individual needs.
- Private lessons are a time for players to learn what they should practice on their own time. Take what you learn during your lesson, and commit to working on it on your own.
- Student-led learning – it is the best time for players to voice what they would like to improve about their game and set both lesson and long-term goals.
- Private lessons create opportunities for parental participation. Parents are encouraged to ask specific questions and learn how to best help their son/daughter while developing realistic goals.
SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION
There are two basic options one has when considering instruction in a group setting: Group or Team Instruction.
Group Instruction is simply working in a small or large group with other similarly-skilled athletes. Team Instruction is designed to involve players who compete on the same team and often includes the team coach. These can serve to be especially productive for coaches hoping to not only expose their players to additional high-quality instruction, but also desiring to learn more about the game and effective teaching methods used to teach it successfully. Group/Team Development is one of the most powerfully effective teaching forums for off-season and in-season development. Why? Because basketball is such a team game and must be learned to be played with others.
Group Development is a vitally important step to developing the complete player and take your skills to another level. Despite being in a group setting, you will develop individual skills, which will be applied in the team setting. It adds an essential element to developing a Team Mindset and Team Skills when learning the game. This can be an important life skill as well.
Working with your peers can be especially effective in motivating through the use of modeling, peer mentoring and positive reinforcement. This also allows the instructor to improve the most important basketball skill: Game IQ. When players understand the game, they are able to recognize and anticipate, thus giving them the ability to execute their individual skills most efficiently.
Any player who is serious about taking his or her game to a higher level of play will benefit from our personally designed skill training programs. In the end, team competition truly is great and definitely the most fun aspect of any sport. It teaches young athletes about sportsmanship, leadership, roles and building trust. Alone, however, it is not enough to elevate a player’s game to the next level. The best approach is actually a combination of the Team, Group and Individual Training.
HOW & WHEN DO WE GET STARTED?
Players above the age of 5 usually have enough comprehensive skills to benefit from taking private or small group lessons. Group lessons should be skill level / age appropriate but both private and group sessions are beneficial at any age or skill level.
Groups can be formed on your own, and then set up, through Liberty Edge, based on specifically requested day and time availability. Groups can also be formed by Liberty Edge, connecting individual athletes who have expressed a desire to work on their game in the off-season. You are welcome to join any of our pre-scheduled group sessions listed below or on our website.
Private lessons can be scheduled upon request. Requested times will depend on requested day and time availability.
For those interested in additional information, forming their own groups, joining a Liberty Edge group or booking a private lesson, please use our ONLINE BOOKING FORM or call 941-444-9542.