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"Do
Not Be Intimidated"
By: Tony Alfonso
There will be
many times throughout your days of playing basketball that you have to go up against a superior team and/or a better player.
You may be playing the best team in your conference, league, county, or state. You may have to guard against the best
player you have ever seen. Maybe one of the best basketball players around has to defend you during a game. If
you play basketball long enough, you will inevitably have to deal with these or similar situations. How do you, as a
player, handle it?
It is certainly
okay if someone who is better than you beats you. However, make up your mind right now that you will not beat yourself
by letting someone intimidate you. The next time you play against an overpowering, confident team and/or player, tell
yourself that he is going to have to beat you. Then tell yourself to forget about him and play your game one possession
at a time.
A confident person
expects to win and puts pressure on his competition. However, all you have to do to increase your chance of winning
is to put doubt in your opponent's mind by playing him close or even. If this person or team is not winning or dominating
as easily as expected, the doubt will start to creep in. As soon as he doubts himself, his game will weaken. He
will more than likely make a couple of mistakes and give you the opportunity you need.
So get mentally
strong and look forward to playing overpowering and confident teams. Don't concern yourself with beating them, just
play your game and stay close. Once your opponent starts looking over his shoulder and you are still there, you got
him. Self-doubt will force him out of his game and he will end up beating himself. The trick is that you have
to play your game. Forget about your opponents and enjoy turning the tables against them.
"Reduce your
Fear"
By: Tony Alfonso
Basketball, as
life, cannot be played with fear. Fear is public enemy number one on the list of negative emotions. Thinking about a future outcome causes
fear. In turn, fear adversely affects your ability to perform thereby controlling the outcome.
If you think about
it, fear cannot exist in the present. Your goal is to execute to the best of your ability. How well you control
the present, determines the future outcome - good or bad. It is only when you think about a future outcome that fear
enters the equation and throws off your performance.
You
can train your mind to ignore the outcome. By
focusing on mastering the process, you can stay in the present. Not thinking about the outcome is a huge undertaking
and it may not be easy, but it can be accomplished.
You have practiced
the game of basketball for countless hours. You have worked hard at developing your shot, ball handling and passing
skills, strength and speed. You practice and play as much as you can. You do this to improve your skills, but
you also do this to build up your confidence. This confidence will enable you to focus on what you are doing at the
moment you are doing it. You will have nothing to fear because you have the skills and you believe in your abilities.
If you fear the
outcome (missing a shot, committing a foul, making a mistake) you will lose control of your ability to perform at your best.
There is nothing to fear! What is the worst outcome? You miss the shot or make a mistake...big deal. Centuries
ago, samurai warriors were highly skilled in the martial arts. To be at their best, they were trained to fight without
the fear of dying.
Basketball is
a game! It is not a life or death situation. So relax. Learn to have fun on the court and train your mind
to stay in the present. If you do, you will have less fear and your game will improve.
"Dwayne Wade"
2006 finals MVP Dwayne Wade was asked by Steven A Smith "If you were down by one point, and you could pass
to anyone in NBA history for the last shot..who would it be?"
D-Wades answer: "Wait, So i'd have to pass it?(laughing)"
This is the way you need to think sometimes, realize that all the hours you've put in working will pay off
and just believe in your talent. If you miss the shot big deal.If you miss 99 shtos out of 100 but the one you hit is the
game winner...which shot in that game do you think they'll be talking about? just ask Gary Payton in game 3 of the finals.
Now I'm not saying throw up 80 shots a game, but just keep in your mind that your better then the person guarding you, and
your going to make the shot.
-Bron- aka Lord-Have-Mercy
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