Winning Low Post Play
by Larry Dean Jackson
SEVEN REASONS POST PLAY IS IMPORTANT
1) Post shoot higher percentage shots.
2) Post draw more fouls on the opponent.
3) Post can get more ”Three Point Plays"
4) Post can foul out opponents.
5) Post can put pressure on the opponent’s team defense.
6) Good post play opens up more and better outside shots.
7) With a post attack close games are more easily won.
MENTAL APPROACH TO POST PLAY
POST PLAYERS MUST:
1) Be aggressive.
2) Love contact.
3) Want the basketball.
4) Want to score everytime they get the ball.
5) Communicate.
6) Be strong and ”play strong.”
7) Be in great condition.
8) Be good to great free throw shooters.
9) Be hard workers.
10) Play without fear.
11) Utilize quickness and fakes properly.
12) Pass out of double teams to the proper player.
DEVELOPING THE YOUNG AWKWARD POST PLAYER
You don’t have to be tall to play the game of basketball, but every coach should learn to develop the tall young players in his program. The tall player who can move, play aggressive defense, is coordinated, has agility and mobility and know how to operate in the low post is a gem in any offensive system. Often these tall youngsters seem to develop at a slower pace than their smaller more active teammates. As a result some coaches either drop them from the program or push them to the side in order to work more with their more agile teammates. However, more and more coaches are realizing how important it is to give these tall uncoordinated youngsters the opportunity and time to develop. Coaches are realizing that if these youngsters want to improve and really want to play, they can indeed become a diamond for their team. This helps these youngsters to develop the poise and confidence they so desperately need. And for the coach it could give his program a real ‘force’ in the post position. There is no easy way or magic formula for developing these young players. The only way is by hard work with proper guidance followed by hard work, followed by more hard work. Another important ingrediant is patience, by the coach as well as the player. Often times it must be the coach who instills this patience in the player to keep them from becoming discouraged. The coach must show a real interest in the player and motivate him in every positive way possible. But the actual hard work must come from the player spending the extra time on his own development. The coach just needs to show that he cares. One true statement is, “players don’t care what a coach knows, until they know he cares.” One certain program will not work to develop every young tall awkward player. These youngsters need indivilualized workouts tailor made for them that they can use year round. Some items that could go into the workout are:
1) jumping rope
2) ball handling drills
3) stretching drills
4) all types of jumping drills
5) tipping drills
6) weight training
7) a running program - both short and long distance
8) all types of agility and quick foot movement drills
9) free throw shooting drills
10) post shooting and moves.
Others could be added but the most important thing is it must be tailor made for each individual youngster. It is important when planning a program that the coach does not give the player so much to do that he is over-whelmed and loses interest. The activities should be fun and challenging while at the same time requiring the player to work hard. These activities should be set up in such a way that the youngster can see results and realize that they are improving, thus, motivating them to work harder. The coach should encourage the youngster to play in pick up games during the summer against older and more experienced players. Emphasizing that playing against older, bigger, smarter, etc. players will only help improve their own playing ability. Most important the coach must take an interest, motivate, be postitive, encourage, verbally acknowledge improvement, praise hard work, correct and lead the youngster on his quest for improvement.
