Pedagogy

At Total Basketball we believe how we teach is just as important as what we teach. We literally start with the basics and focus on the layout of the basketball court, basketball vocabulary, the general rules of the games, and the overall goal and strategies of the game. We stress non-ball agility drills (if you cannot do a movement without a ball, it will be much more difficult with one), off-ball movement on offense, on and off ball defense, and of course actions with the ball such as shooting, passing, catching, dribbling, and rebounding.

We teach by verbally explaining a skill and its context in a game, physically demonstrating the skill, breaking it down into essential movements, then having the player do the move without a ball followed by with a ball in a static position, then in a dynamic drill which can include ladders, rings, cones, obstacles, and live defenders. Most critically, we offer encouragement and praise for successes and achievements. For challenging skills and situations, we offer detailed feedback, re-teaching of the skill, and additional corrections and repetitions. We do not teach or motivate through negative comments or criticism.

We strive to challenge players in drills by having them play and compete at all times, whether against a timer, the clock, another trainee, a past score, or a coach. Competitive drills games are essential to develop drive, pace, and the character that comes with both winning and losing. We end all sessions with small-sided games of 1-on-1 or 2-on-2 so players can immediately implement and practice what they learned during the training session.