Monthly Archives: March 2013

Mar 17 2013
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Basketball Athletes

Ask Coach Parker #60

This question comes to us from our friends at stormingthefloor.com.

Stormingthefloor: Coach, one of my readers messaged me to ask if I had any tips on how to improve as a shooting guard. I’m no coach, but I told her not to neglect her defense while striving to become a better scorer. Since I just discovered your blog, I’d love to put the question to a real expert. Thanks!

Coach Carl Parker: Thanks for stopping by! Defense is KEY! It makes a game exciting and will often mean the difference between winning and losing. I also think it’s the major factor when going to the next level of your game.

In my high school program, we train all players as guards no matter their height. We put a lot of work into ball handling, dribbling, finishing, and footwork.

Specifically for becoming a better shooting guard, learn to exploit holes in a defense — from behind — especially when playing against a zone. That means maintaining spacing on fast breaks and knowing how to play away from the ball in the half-court set. She needs to help balance the floor by being an offensive threat. That means catching the ball on balance ready to shoot or attack. She must be a master at setting screens and finding the gaps. Shooting skills mean nothing if she doesn’t know how to find the openings, draw defenders, and handle the ball pressure.

I hope that helps!

Coach Carl Parker

Mar 10 2013
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Uncategorized

Ask Coach Parker #52

Question: School tryouts, never played school basketball, what to expect? My school tryouts are next week for basketball, but I have never played organized ball. I’ve only played pick-up games, street games. So, all these plays — cutting this way, that way — is new to me.

What should I expect at a school basketball tryout?

Answer: Expect to be nervous. Get warmed up. The jitters won’t last for long. Expect to make a few mistakes. Your basketball IQ will likely be a weakness, but that’s OK if you show the coaches a willingness to learn (don’t be afraid to ask questions). Expect tough competition from new and returning players who want a spot on the team just as much as you do. You will need to EARN your spot AND their respect. And, most importantly, expect tryouts to be a great experience that you’ll ALWAYS remember whether or not you make the team. Enjoy every moment!

When I conduct varsity basketball tryouts each year, I look for students with serious talent and experience, of course, but I also look for those students who possess 4 KEY attributes that are even more meaningful to our successful season:

1. HUSTLE all practice long. Fight for every loose ball and rebound. If a coach calls you over, run it in. It shows me that you would bring great energy to my practices and that necessary spark we need in games. I love it!

2. SPEAK UP! Call out the name of the person you’re passing to. I want to hear you shout things like “PICK,” “I GOT IT,” and “BALL, BALL.” Also, THANK the teammate who provided you the assist. Be the best cheerleader out there — on court and from the sideline. Help your teammates by encouraging them. It will boost their confidence and improve their performance. It shows that you understand that basketball is a team sport, and you would fit nicely on my roster.

3. LISTEN. If you’re not clear, ask the coach to repeat. If you’re speaking while I’m speaking, you’re not listening — that’s disrespectful. If you can’t listen, you won’t play for my team. Maintain eye contact, and speak clearly and confidently: “Yes sir.” “No sir.”

Heard, understood, acknowledged!

4. Be ENTHUSIASTIC. I’m looking for students who appear to enjoy playing basketball as much as I enjoy coaching the game. S\he will develop and grow as an important part of my team, because they will be eager to learn. Enthusiasm is infectious, so enjoy the game. Coaches will want to keep you around!

Have fun and Good Luck!
Coach Carl Parker

Mar 07 2013
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Nutrition, Weight Loss

5 Rules For REAL Fat Loss

It’s not rocket science, so we’re going to keep it very simple. As with everything in life, simple is better. Simple works.

  1. Eat REAL foods. Processed foods are killing us.
    Photo: Associated Press

    Photo: Associated Press

    Eat whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, wild-caught seafood and locally raised meats, and dairy products such as unsweetened yogurt, eggs, and cheese. NO refined grains, refined sugars, no deep fried foods, and NO FAST FOOD.

  2. Lift REAL weights. Building muscle improves your mood, shrinks belt sizes, and helps you burn fat all day long. More lean muscle means your body will need more fuel to support the new muscle. Your main source of fuel is stored fat. Therefore, more muscle = more fat burned. A University of Alabama study finds that you lose more belly fat lifting heavy weights than by doing cardio alone, which takes us to Rule #3.
  3. Kick the cardio machine addiction. Full disclosure: I hate tread mills, and, for the life of me, I cannot understand how people stay on those things for hours and hours… well, unless you’re training for a marathon, and it’s below zero outside in the middle of an ice storm. Bottom line:  If you’re trying to drop 20 lbs, improve your nutrition habits and lift weights. Cardio should be a distant third priority for simple fat loss.
  4. Stay positive, and keep up the good work. Training because you hate your body is a recipe for failure.
    Photo: Getty Images

    Photo: Getty Images

    We all want to look better, but that alone cannot be your reason for working out. Train because you like the feeling of being strong enough to kick someone’s butt. Train because it can help extend your life, and you’ll have more fun living it. Hell, train because you’ll have better sex. Whatever your motivation, keep it positive.

  5. Be patient. “Rome wasn’t built in a day”… blah, blah, blah. Fact is, you didn’t get fat in a day either. It took weeks, months, or even years, and achieving your goal for losing 30 lbs won’t happen overnight. Lock in on your target, and get to work. Be patient, and be consistent — forming new habits take time. I promise that it will get easier.

Now go do this…