To break from my normal routine, I wanted to write a blog about several random thoughts, announcements, and updates that have occurred over the past two weeks.

1)     I recently added a profile to Facebook and am trying to create a large network of basketball players – so hit me up if you are on there!

2)     I would like to formally congratulate my friend Keith Stephens for acquiring an elite sponsorship from Nike Basketball for his AAU program; Team Takeover. Team Takeover is based in the Washington, DC area and will become a national power very quickly.  I will be responsible for organizing and supervising Team Takeover’s year round training program.

3)     If you are looking for a great leg exercise as well as a killer conditioning drill, you should try the “plate push.”  Take a 25 pound plate and wrap it tightly in a bath towel (so it doesn’t scratch the floor).  Then, from an all 4’s position (on your feet and hands), push the plate as fast as you can the length of the court and back.  Rest and repeat!  If done correctly, this is a beast!

4)     Have you seen the new ESPN RISE magazine? Terrence Ross, Isaiah Armwood, and Mouph Yarou of Montrose are on the cover and inside is a great feature article about the Montrose Christian Basketball program.  Check it out!  Montrose has a very legitimate shot to win a national title this year (you heard it hear first!).

5)     I highly recommend you read Rick Pitino’s new book, Rebound Rules.  His previous book, Success Is A Choice, is one of my all time favorites.  I am a huge Rick Pitino fan and his new book is incredible.  Here is a quick paraphrase about why most players don’t improve as quickly or as much as they can:

“In order to get better, you can’t just practice, you have to practice deliberately. Many players are willing to pay the price; they just don’t go about it the right way. Use golf for an example.  Simply hitting a bucket of balls is not deliberate practice, which is why most golfers don’t get better. Hitting an eight iron 300 times with a goal of getting within 20 feet of the pin 80 percent of the time, continually observing results and making appropriate adjustments, and doing that for hours every day – that isdeliberate practice.”

I was fortunate enough to meet Coach Pitino this past spring at Montrose.  I had a wonderful conversation with him and he is truly a class act.

Make sure you check out my blog next week, as it will be one of the most important I will ever write.  After reading SLAM magazine last night, I am getting so tired of seeing all of these BS vertical jump programs on the market. So I am going to take aim at the myriad of people out there who claim to be vertical jump training experts and have programs, gizmos, gadgets, and even pills they promise will give unbelievable results.  These guys are not credible strength coaches or performance specialists; they are simply con artists trying to trick honest kids out of hard earned money.  As a legitimate, long time basketball strength & conditioning coach as well as someone who has a valid, justifiable vertical jump training program (MVP), these guys give people like me a bad rap… and I am getting sick of it!
If you would like to contact me about this blog, my MVP Vertical Jump Training DVD, my training and/or camps and clinics, please email me atAlan@StrongerTeam.com.  I will respond as quickly as possible!

Train hard.  Train smart.

Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS
Vertical Jump Expert

Even though my title is “strength and conditioning coach”, I am very much involved in a variety of capacities with the team’s I work with.  With Montrose Christian, I work with the team year round, attend many practices, and sit on the bench (in coat and tie!) at EVERY game.  I am a part of team meetings and events and make sure to know the pulse of not only the coaching staff, but of the players themselves.

In the last 10 years I have been able to work with and be a part of some very exceptional teams, and I know first hand what it takes for a team to be successful.  Below are some questions you need to ask yourself and your teammates on a daily basis if you really want to be the last team standing… and win your state/conference championship.  And with the season getting ready to start in the next few weeks, it is in your best interest to show some leadership and start answering these questions NOW.  If you have any questions as to what your role on the team will be, I highly suggest setting up a one on one meeting with your coach before the season starts and find out what he/she thinks.  Find out what they believe your strengths and weaknesses are.  You might as well find out now while you still have a few weeks to work on your game!  Plus it will show your coach you have the maturity and initiative to improve.

Only a very small percentage of high school players can say they won a state/conference championship. I have known and coached numerous elite level players who never won one.  Here are some questions to ask yourself and your teammates before the season starts:

1)     Aside from winning games, do you know what your team’s goals are?  Is this being effectively communicated to the team?

2)     Do you know what your role is on the team?  Whether you are a starter, or rarely play in games, you still have a role!

3)     Do you know your own strengths and weaknesses as a player?  Do you know each of your teammate’s strengths and weaknesses? 
4)     Do you know what a good shot is?  For you?  For your team?

5)     Do you prepare for practice with the same mentality that you prepare for games?

6)     How do you prepare for games?  How do your teammates?  Do you prepare the same way if you are playing the worst team on your schedule as you do for the best?

7)     Do truly believe that on any given night any team can beat you?  Along those same lines do you believe that you can beat anyone?

If you can’t correctly answer all of these questions, then you and your teammates aren’t doing everything you can to win a championship.

“It is amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.”
If you would like to contact me about this blog, my MVP Vertical Jump Training DVD, my training and/or camps and clinics, please email me atAlan@StrongerTeam.com.  I will respond as quickly as possible!

Train hard.  Train smart.

Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS
Vertical Jump Expert

Many high schools will be starting practice in 3 to 4 weeks, which means it is crunch time!  I have been fortunate enough to have met, talked with, and worked with many of the best coaches to have ever coached the game (from high school to NBA).  I know what coaches look for when picking who plays and who doesn’t.  And trust me; it ain’t who scores the most points!  These suggestions parallel many of the similar themes to what college coaches look for when recruiting players.

Here is a checklist to see if you are doing everything you can to not only make the team next month, but to earn some serious playing time:

1) Do you get to practice 30-45 minutes early to warm-up on your own and get in some shooting and ball handling work?

2) During practice, are you an energy giver?  Is your enthusiasm contagious?  Do you hype up your teammates?

3) Do you step up to the front of the line for every drill and every sprint?  Are you pro-active in being a leader?

4) Do you leave your comfort zone to take a charge or dive for a loose ball?  Believe me, coaches notice this more than they do a long 3 ball or a dunk. 
5) Are you unselfish with the ball?  Do you make sure your team gets the best shot possible, even if you aren’t taking it?

6) Do you take just as much pride and put forth just as much effort in rebounding and defending as you do in scoring?  Can you STOP the guy you are guarding?

7) Do you stay after practice to get in additional shots and/or free throws? 
8) Have you asked your coach what things he thinks you need to work on and what he envisions your roll to be when the season starts?  “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.”

If you can’t answer “YES” to all of these questions, then you aren’t doing everything you can to be the best player you can be, to get noticed by your coaches, and to earn playing time.

“Success always looks easy to those who weren’t around when it was being earned.”
If you would like to contact me about this blog, my MVP Vertical Jump Training DVD, my training and/or camps and clinics, please email me atAlan@StrongerTeam.com.  I will respond as quickly as possible!

Train hard.  Train smart.

Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS

In my 10 years as a basketball strength coach I have been fortunate enough to have worked with hundreds of high school players who have gone on to play college basketball.  These players have gone to schools ranging from Division III to major Division I.  It is important to understand that only a very small percentage of the hundreds of thousands of kids who play high school basketball are fortunate enough to play in college, and an even smaller percentage play on scholarship.  The competition is fierce!

If you are 7 feet tall, a scholarship will probably find you.  If you play for a nationally renowned high school or AAU program, a scholarship will probably find you.  But what if you don’t?  What if you are one of the millions of kids across the world of average size, decent skill level, and a ton of heart? Do you have a chance?  YES.

Trust me; I know what I am talking about.  I played on a basketball scholarship at Elon College (now Elon University) and I have had private conversations with almost every major Division I head coach in America, whom I have met at Montrose, at the LeBron James Skills Academy, and my on the Nike Championship Coaching Clinic circuit.

Here are 5 tips on how you can improve your chances of attaining a basketball scholarship. 

1)     Be an outstanding student.  Being a great student expands the ranges of schools you can attend and shows a coach you are committed to excellence and are organized and disciplined enough to handle college academics and playing ball.  Unless you are a bona fide All American, coaches are tired of taking “risks” on kids who are poor students.  This is the first question everycoach asks.
2)     Be a great teammate.  Every coach I have ever talked too looks to recruit players that are coachable and who get along with their teammates.  No one wants a jerk. Be the teammate everyone loves to play with because you are unselfish, are committed to team goals, and raise the level of those around you. Don’t take for granted how important enthusiasm is.  Being a great teammate can raise your stock tremendously!  I have seen players (literally) lose a coach’s interest because of bad body language or acting like a jerk when they don’t agree with a foul call or when they come out of the game.  Before college coaches ask me to evaluate a player’s athletic ability, they always ask, “is he a good guy?” “Do you like working with him?”
3)     If you can’t, don’t.  Stick to what you do best and play to your strengths. Stop doing what you thinkcoaches want to see. If you aren’t a great 3 point shooter, STOP SHOOTING 3’s! Coaches want players who know, understand, and accept their role.  Nothing can lose a scholarship faster than trying to show off for a coach during a practice or a game.  All you are doing is exposing your weaknesses!
4)     Do the little things. Contrary to what most high school players think, it is NOT all about scoring.  To play college basketball, you need to do the little things that make a big difference like: have good footwork, know how to set screens, box out, share the ball, communicate, play solid defense, dive for loose balls, work hard, and be a leader on and off the court.  These things alone will separate you from 95% of the players who are your size and skill level.  The little things can earn you a big scholarship!
5)     Maximize your ability. You can’t control your height, and certainly some folks are born “more athletic” than others.  But you can make sure you are as strong as you can be and in as good of basketball shape as is humanly possible.  You should be on a year round strength & conditioning program and work on your ball handling and shooting daily.  College players do this stuff year round, do you?

Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS

Depending on where you live, and whether you are in Jr High, High School, or College, 2008-2009 basketball season will be here in only a matter of weeks!  Here is a checklist to see if you are really ready to start practice (or try-outs):

1)     Are you on top of your school work? If not, you aren’t going to be able to play so you might want to take care of this ASAP.  Once the season starts, time management will be crucial in making sure you don’t fall behind academically.

2)     Are you getting 8-10 hours of sleep every night?  Sleep is when your body grows! You will NEVER be able to perform up to your potential if you aren’t well rested.  Did you know studies show that getting a great night’s sleep TWO days before a big game or try out is actually more important than the night before?

3)     Are you eating breakfast every day?  Are you starting your day off by refueling your machine (you body!)?  There is NO way you can give 100% for an entire practice or try-out if you are running on fumes.  Pancakes, waffles, bagels, cereal, oatmeal, and fruit are some high energy foods.

4)     Are you drinking enough water?  Your performance can decrease severely with the slightest bit of dehydration.  Don’t wait until you are thirsty to start drinking water… sip all day long.

5)     Are you tending to any nagging injuries or soreness?  If you are having issues with your knees or back… are you doing anything about it?  In most cases, ice is your best friend… if something is sore, ice it down!  If pain persists, make sure you go see a doctor or physical therapist for a professional diagnosis.  Do NOT wait until the season to do this… it needs to be addressed NOW!

6)     Are you getting up 300-500 shots a day?  And I don’t mean going through the motions either, I mean “game shots, from game spots, at game speed.”  How about your ball handling? Repetition is not punishment; it is the only way to get better!

7)     Are you sticking to your workout program?  Are you lifting, running, etc.?  Can you get in, and stay in, a sound defensive stance for 3-5 minutes?

If you can’t answer “YES” to all of these questions, they you aren’t doing everything you can to prepare for the season.  It doesn’t matter if you are going to be on the end of the bench on the JV team or a pre-season All American… you need to do the little things every day to reach your potential. 
“The reason most people fail is because they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”

If you would like to contact me about this blog, my MVP Vertical Jump Training DVD, my training and/or camps and clinics, please email me atAlan@StrongerTeam.com.  I will respond as quickly as possible!

Train hard.  Train smart.
 Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS