"Basketball isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport."
1. Shaka Smart belongs to the "I'm from Missouri" school of SHOW ME as he demonstrates taking a charge pre-game while at VCU.
2. Pictures are worth a thousand words. Outstanding FIBA officiating breakdown video
3. Generally, the ball-carrier committed a charge if all of the following are true:
-The defender was still, or moving sideways or backward but not forward, when contact occurred.
-The defender took a legal guarding position before the contact, that is, one with both feet on the floor.
-The defender was hit on the torso (as opposed to the arm or leg).
4. Taking charges requires both technique and toughness.
5. Anticipation of offensive actions can set up the charge. Defenders can also fake to one side and react to the opposite to "bait" the offensive player into charging.
Brief Shane Battier video with inputs: VISION, ANTICIPATION, COURAGE
Each coach must decide how to coach taking charges.