Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-01-25
HOW TO PLAY BASKETBALL
A Practice Session--The Defense.
BY BILL" REYNOLDS

n iEathtC nNh~A hS'&h'N'
THE COACH:
ball. lii fact it has been proven practically impossible to reach the high
est standard. am speaking now of the ordinary club teams SON OF
these teams really get SO, from continually playing, that they win qntea
number of their games, and it is often a fact that enthusiasm to vim While
PLAYING instfIs the "instinct of the game" into these payers-where a
above, a "cinch' to coach school and college squads, where there are from
20 to even 100 men 20 pick from; to pit against each other rim crimmages,
and to discard when you find a man VINO is faster, n follows instructions
better, etc. There are n "stars" who think they ar too good to snow up
for practice. and who has imbued the idea in the minds of the other four
men or the team that without him" the team will bust up!'
ROUTINE:
the schedule season opens), it would be we'll to first develop the wind of
the men. This could be done by taking a short u before turning the
squad out on the board floor of the basketball court. These runs eei not
necessarily be MarathOns, and could be regulated as to distance to suit the
strength OF the weakest la in the squad. After coming in from a short
run, let the men fool around with the ball for about ten Or fifteen
minutes. Let them try for baskets, or just fossil he ball back and forth
to each other. Is they may desire. This will enable them to get used to
the change from the outside to the inside. and if any of the squad were
weakened from the run, 1t will act as a rest period.
/ will mention here that it is the idea generally of teams active local
y that a practice" or practicng, means nothing more or less to them
than a means of advancing their knowledge of the game IN the offensive;
and wen mor generally on the discriminating end (ony) of that side of
the game. They have no idea of practicng for the defense The tst
idea | would instnl in the minds of a team II squad would be, conjunctive-
h: Team work, handling the ball m the defense; handling the ball on
the ofense, and lastly. Shooting l viii now try to portray a method
for coaching a team in handling the ball and passing and playing u the
defense. that could be adjusted to conditions prevalent locally. We Will
therefore, line up for scrimmage two sides of five men each. the men to
take their positions as in a regular game; the coach being the Judge IS to
which position the lei are best qualified to fill. One of these sides we
will call the Regulars Cor tn. team who Is having the pracIce), am the
other team will be known as the scrubs.
In the first two or three practice sessions there will be two serim-
minutes, to be of ten minutes duration. The ball will be thrown mp at
center,a and 1t is to be the object Of the Regulars ito obtain possession Of
the ball; to keep going" as fast as they possibly can, and to continually
keep passing and repassng the ball up and down h court. Ihey should
pass accurately and with judgment while going at top speed. During this
fifteen minute scimmage, and during the following ten minute session,
the Regulars shall make n o attempts o. tys for the goal. The Scrubs
however, are to shoot for baskets a in a regular game. When the Scrubs
are in possession of the ball, the object OF the Regulars should be to re-
gain possession of same, o that they may continue their passing.