When you know you may face an opponent that has skill, speed, strength and plays a relentless trapping defense, you worry more in the preparation of your team in practice to get them prepared. Why is that? Do you get them prepared in that week or should you get them prepared in the preseason? Should you place a great deal of expectations early and not in the week leading to "the big game"? What should I emphasize to my players? I have run into these scenarios many times and w

I am in the middle of a 5th Grade Basketball Season. I have 15 players on my team and we play travel teams with less players but not with less talent. I was privileged to have 29 kids try out for our 5th grade travel team and with one team had to let 14 of them go. Not an easy solution but one none the less. Fortunately those players can play basketball in the school recreation program. My philosophy is to have hard fundamental practices including footwork, shooting, dribblin