"My Fault"

Taking ownership decreases the amount of problems and complications that could arise if someone were to not take ownership. In Stuff Good Players Should Know, Dick DeVenzio talks about getting into the habit of taking the blame yourself when a mistake is made involving you and another teammate. By owning up to mistakes, it makes everyone feel better and it won't anger others.

DeVenzio explains that, there are too many times in a game where one makes a mistake and they happen to blame it on the other person, which leads to both of the players to be angry at each other and hardly prepared to work together to stop the other team from scoring. It is an immensely different feeling when one makes a mistake and takes ownership for the mistake and the other person takes the blame as well. When both players own up to the mistake, it makes the both of them determined to do better next time, pass better, and are prepared to play a good team defense in the meantime (DeVenzio 168). Taking the blame makes the court more of a positive environment to play in. If people are always negative, it won't do the team any good.

After reading about taking the blame, I realized that I should take ownership more often. So, I started to apologize to teammates if a mistake happens that involves me, and it didn't anger anyone. "This kind of attitude, of taking the blame yourself, does wonders for team morale and will help you win games" (DeVenzio 168). The author informs the readers that having a positive attitude will help you win games and will decrease the tension between teammates. Examples of taking ownership on the court are, "Sorry, bad pass," "My fault," etc. The list goes on. 

Overall, taking ownership is better than blaming others. It helps people learn from the mistake and move on. 

Do you take ownership in your mistakes? Why or why not?

DeVenzio, Dick. Stuff Good Players Should Know: Intelligent Basketball from A to Z. 3rd ed. Stafford, TX: PGC Basketball, 1983. Print.

Communication

Communication is an important component to obtain in the real world, but to be specific, it is a prime aspect in basketball. Talking keeps a team organized, able to be coordinated in its activities and assures that everyone is working as a unit to prevent indecisiveness (DeVenzio 243). In Stuff Good Players Should Know, Dick DeVenzio shares the importance of communicating with who you are working with to achieve a goal because it is helping each other verbally.

In basketball, communicating huge to teamwork. "Talking ends any possible confusion that may arise.. Talking, even saying the obvious, helps you win games" (DeVenzio 243). Communicating with your teammates stops the pace of your team from slowing down and brings up the intensity. DeVenzio enhanced that getting in the habit of communicating will make a big difference.

I am writing about communication because when I came across this part of the book, it made me realize that it is better to talk more than to not to talk at all. I took DeVenzio's advice to talk more to my teammates during the action and it helps a lot. I have been communicating more on the court by calling out who I am guarding, letting them know when a screen is coming, saying to cut through the lane, etc. It has prevented the other team from scoring and has helped our team score more. 

Not only is it good to communicate in basketball, but it is also important to communicate in everything else that you do. By letting someone know what is occurring, it will prevent complications and confusions. Basketball is a sport that teaches many life lessons that are needed in the real world, and communication is one of them. I hope you guys take this into consideration to communicate more with the people around you because it will prevent confusion, indecisiveness, and curiosity.

Have you ever experienced a time when you realized you should have spoke up? When was it?

DeVenzio, Dick. Stuff Good Players Should Know: Intelligent Basketball from A to Z. 3rd ed. Stafford, TX: PGC Basketball, 1983. Print.

Nervousness

Being nervous is a normal and common feeling anyone may encounter. In Stuff Good Players Should Know, Dick DeVenzio explains to us that every basketball player experiences nervousness and it is totally usual, but every player should embrace the nervousness. He tells the reader, "Be nervous, enjoy the fact that you have a game to play, a contest to win, a challenge to confront, that is right out in the open, in front of people who care whether you succeed or fail" (DeVenzio 170). What he means by telling the readers to be nervous is that it's good to be nervous because it shows that you choose to battle hard for wins while knowing that you have a chance of losing (DeVenzio 171). 

Nervousness is a big part of an athlete's life. DeVenzio says, "The next time you get that nervous feeling, you ought to recognize it as the great opportunity... and say to yourself, 'Here's the nervous feeling, that hope-and-fear quality that makes playing sports such a special opportunity. I'm not going to hide from it... I'm nervous. Great. Just what I wanted'" (DeVenzio 171). He says to acknowledge the nervousness because of the opportunity behind it. 

I chose to write about this part of the book because I feel like I experience nervousness before every game, tryout, and even sometimes before practices. After reading this in the book, it made me realize that it's normal to be nervous, and that I shouldn't let the nervousness scare me. 

I learned that you can let the nervousness break you down, or you can just enjoy it. So, now when I'm nervous, I choose to enjoy the nervousness and not worry about it. Reading this has really inspired me to be less scared while playing basketball and just embrace the feeling of being nervous. Some ways I can cope with nervousness when I can't find a way to enjoy it is to just keep calm and play how I am supposed to play. Also, I can take deep breaths and do what I have to do to help win. 

So overall, nervousness is something that shouldn't be something to hold someone back from doing the things they do. Nervousness is just showing you that you have an opportunity to win.

Have you ever encountered nervousness? How did you react to it?

DeVenzio, Dick. Stuff Good Players Should Know: Intelligent Basketball from A to Z. 3rd ed. Stafford, TX: PGC Basketball, 1983. Print.

Mentally Resilient

It is known that in many sports, players are needed to be physically tough. But not only do they have to be physically tough, they also have to be mentally tough. There are many people who are not mentally tough. It is hard for people to have mental toughness if they are focusing on their mistakes or the negative things that could happen, rather than being resilient and doing their best. Mental toughness is a mental habit that becomes a part of your pride and identity. Having mental toughness is a must-have for encounters in everyone's daily lives (DeVenzio 164). 

In Stuff Good Players Should Know, Dick DeVenzio points out that mental toughness is a key aspect of basketball and life as well. He explains that even if a player is very skillful, they aren't as great of a player if they aren't mentally tough. He encourages players to have mental toughness. "Develop a noble quality of mind. Learn to do your best quietly, methodically, without regard for tiny problems and adverse conditions. There are players who ignore all the negatives and give... everything they do their best shot... That is what every player should strive for" (DeVenzio 164).

I chose to write about mental toughness because I am sometimes not so mentally tough myself. After reading this part in the book, I contemplated on how mentally tough I am and I realized that I need to improve on it. So, I started to focus less on the negative parts and my mistakes when I am playing basketball. Instead of being upset about messing up, making excuses, or letting minor problems get to me, I choose to think about things that I can do to improve and resolve the problems. It is challenging, yet so amazing to have an opportunity to be on a varsity team with all of the players being so talented. It's challenging because it means that I get less playing time than everyone else on the team, but it's magnificent to be on this team because by being on such a talented team I can see my teammates as motivation for me to work harder to improve on the court. 

I have drastically improved on my mental toughness. There are things that are able to lower my confidence, and I used to let them get to me. But now, I realized that I can just use those things to work around the obstacles and inspire me to be more resilient and hardworking. Being mentally tough has really enhanced the way I play. It has helped me be less shy on the court and not be upset about my mistakes. By thinking more positively, it has made me feel better about the way I play. Being mentally tough is very important.

When have you needed to be mentally tough? How were you tough?

DeVenzio, Dick. Stuff Good Players Should Know: Intelligent Basketball from A to Z. 3rd ed. Stafford, TX: PGC Basketball, 1983. Print.

Dancing In Basketball

"Good is the enemy of great" is a quote said by Jim Collins. A person can be good at the things they do, but shouldn't be satisfied with just being good. They should strive to being great. There are many things that a basketball player, or anyone, can work on to becoming a better competitor. In Stuff Good Players Should Know, by Dick DeVenzio, the author informs the reader different things a player can do to step up their game. Even extremely talented players don't do all the "little things" that are listed in the book. I chose to read this book because I have played basketball for most of my life. Reading this book has been an eye opener to many things that I should be doing while playing, because they will give me opportunities to improve the way I play.

You might think the title is unusual, dancing in basketball? Yeah, I said it, dancing in basketball. This "dance" should be done by all basketball players, no matter what position they play. In the book Stuff Good Players Should Know, Dick DeVenzio states, "Dance is a word used to refer to a simple four-step routine that should be an every-time habit of all defenders when a shot goes up" (DeVenzio 65). DeVenzio explains how this technique of the "dance" is a very convenient thing to do while on defense, and rebounding is a major part of being on the court. The "dance" he teaches the reader is four steps. The steps include:

"1. Hand up, yell hey!
 2. Turn around and block out
 3. Move toward the basket
 4. Fast break" (DeVenzio 65).

This process can be used from all players, even the players who normally do not rebound. By using this technique, it will prevent players who fail to go towards the ball, and who are in the habit of standing and watching, from losing tipped balls they could get during games (DeVenzio 65).

After reading this, I really took his advice into consideration. While scrimmaging during practice, I remember the four steps and it has enhanced the way I play. Though I am normally the smallest girl on the court, playing against girls who are 6 feet tall, this strategy is still achievable. By using this technique, it can increase the amount of rebounds, assists, and points I can get. No matter how tall a player is or what position they play, anyone can do this and it will really change the way a game goes. If everyone on a team were to do this "dance", it should lead to persistence and will help the team execute better. Whenever I grab the rebound, I am always transitioning fast to look up the court to see if any of my teammates have beaten the opponent down the court for an easy fast break. Or, if my teammate has already grabbed the rebound, I sprint down the court so I am visible for a pass to score off a fast break.

As you can see, in this picture I am blocking out my teammate at practice who is 6'4, after a shot has gone up. But, height does not matter when it comes to putting in an effort to grab a rebound. Anyone can do something that isn't their typical thing to do because eventually it will become normal to that person.

Do you do a simple routine when it comes to doing your favorite activity, what is it?
How does height impact activities you do and how do you work around it?

DeVenzio, Dick. Stuff Good Players Should Know: Intelligent Basketball from A to Z. 3rd ed. Stafford, TX: PGC Basketball, 1983. Print.