Monday, February 8, 2016

Rebounding


Rebounding is like air; without it, you die. One of my daughters got 18 rebounds in Boston Garden in the state semi-finals. That might have exceeded my output for my senior season...rhetorically, I wonder do you 'teach rebounding' or 'find rebounders'? 

We might be able to agree on some characteristics of great rebounders - anticipation, core strength, great hands...but were those taught or innate? 



How do you teach rebounding? All of us can teach "blocking out" with inside and reverse pivots, "hit and get", "jumping frog" technique and so forth, but were great rebounders born or made? We all have rebounding drills, but do they make a difference. 

First, what 'makes sense'? Defensive rebounding is about POSITIONING and TOUGHNESS. Offensive rebounding is about ANTICIPATION and QUICKNESS to the ball. 

"The game honors toughness." I've read that MSU Coach Tom Izzo puts football helmets and shoulder pads on players and coaches rebounding that way. UCONN Coach Geno Auriemma drills and scrimmages his outstanding team against men. Building incremental toughness requires commitment. 




"Hit and Get" drill from Alan Stein.

Maybe I'm being nihilistic, but toughness and a mean streak go a long way in the rebounding world.