If you’re a basketball fan you’ve probably enjoyed playing a little in high school or college, and maybe you’ve got to the point of thinking it would be good to start playing more. This is a great game for fitness, invented by a Canadian physical education professor as far back as 1891. He was also an instructor, and originally basketball was played with a soccer ball and a peach basket instead of a hoop. It’s come a long way since then and today the benefits of playing basketball include promoting team building and social skills, as well as improving fitness levels. Here are a few things to think about when planning to restart your basketball practice:
Essentials
The basic necessities to play the game are two hoops, 18 inches in diameter, at the correct height, a basketball and a marked court; your choices however depend on at what level you plan to play. Perhaps this is purely a recreational activity, or maybe you aspire to a competitive league? Leagues have regulation sizes for basketballs for men and women, which differ slightly – the women’s basketball being approximately one inch less in diameter than the men’s version.
Basic clothing
House and local league teams wear matching basketball jerseys and knee-length shorts. Sometimes these are customized to display a team logo. It’s not necessary to spend a fortune on clothing or equipment, as you can find many great quality items online and second hand on for-sale.in/outdoor-basketball for some fine examples. Shoes, of course, are likely.
Shoes of course are likely to be your biggest and most important investment and it’s worth making sure you get the best quality you can afford. Cheap gym shoes don’t last as well as upscale ones, which can help you execute sharp turns and are to your advantage if you’re a slam-dunk fan and want to be able to launch upwards with confidence to play a shot. The level of grip and the tread in your shoes is thus vital to the quality of your play, and many professional and amateur players are now also using protective equipment such as jockstraps and ear, eye and nose protection during games, to mitigate the effects of accidental injury.
Additional options
Hoop height has been in the news lately, with the National Basketball Association (NBA) having taken the decision to raise the regulation height, which is currently 10 feet above ground level, to 11 feet above ground level in 2018. There are mixed feelings about the effect this will have on the game. Shorter players have long favored tear drop shots as a way of overcoming their height disadvantage and it is not clear how the changes will affect their moves.
Although not all hoops have backboards, those courts that do use them in league games adhere to the regulation backboard size, which is 72 inches wide by 42 inches tall, with an inner rectangle that is 24 inches wide and 18 inches tall. In some cases, backboards are made with Plexiglas, so that audience members can see the action without their safety being compromised.
Choosing the best ball for basketball can be tricky. Standard sizes for NBA balls are between 9.5 inches and 9.85 inches in diameter, although practice balls used in training exercises are often much larger (up to 12 inches in diameter). Each ball has an inner bladder, inflatable and generally made from rubber, which is surrounded by layers of fiber and finished with an external surface that is generally tacky. Balls can be rubber, synthetic or leather and you can choose indoor or all-purpose varieties; the latter are generally cheaper.
Local clubs
Professional basketball player Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks once said: “You’ve got to have fun on the court. If you ain’t having fun then basketball ain’t fun.” A knee injury is troubling the player, according to the Seattle Times but like most devoted basketball players, he hates to let the team down. To become part of a team you can seek out a local club where you can play basketball – this is a really good start to boosting your motivation and confidence.
While the NBA will keep you up to date with all the recent news about the various professional leagues, USA Basketball – formerly the Amateur Basketball Association of the United States of America (ABAUSA) – will be able to provide you with important information and contacts at local level. This nonprofit organization is the national governing body for basketball in the US and they address youth basketball, coach training and a number of other key initiatives in basketball development.
Fans searching for local youth teams can check on comparison websites to find their nearest available club. There are also clubs for wheelchair basketball players and adult basketball players.
Building your own court
To keep your basketball practice sharp, you may want to consider building your own court in the backyard, garage or basement. With a little bit of online research you can find companies that specialize in creating safe playing surfaces. In fact, a multi-purpose playing court is a great investment as it is suitable for a range of sports activities, including, but not limited to basketball. Most of these safer surfaces are shock absorbing, so they’re kinder to feet and legs than standard surfaces and they reduce the possibility of injury.
For practice purposes, there’s no need to build a full-sized basketball court – a partial three-point arc is sufficient and if shooting hoops is the key element then you can manage with a modest space requirement. The most important thing when you take up basketball and want to improve your game is to remember what Carmelo Anthony said – basketball is a great sport and it should also be fun. Release your inner athlete, by all means, but don’t forget to enjoy what you’re doing along the way.