The Menomonie Middle School Boys Basketball Program encourages participation in organized athletics as a positive growth experience for young people. The goal of the program is to promote the development of basketball skills and personal growth through interscholastic play. We strive for fair and equal play for all athletes in the program based on practice participation, grades, and school behavior. The Middle School Boys Basketball program also strives for continued development of responsibility, self-discipline, sportsmanship, and cooperation in each participant. Our season begins the end of October and ends mid-December and any 7th or 8th grade boy is invited to participate.
TEAM PHILOSOPHY
Team goals before individual goals
Work together to reach goals
Do not criticize teammates
Practice with intensity
Communicate on the floor
PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITIES
Players will learn to respect coaches and coaching
Players will attend all practices and be on time
Players are representatives of our school and community. They will always behave in a respectful and positive manner.
Players must listen when coaches are speaking
Players must follow coach’s directions
Players must exhibit a positive attitude toward learning the skills of basketball
Players must develop a strong work ethic
Players must exhibit positive behaviors during the entire school day
Menomonie Middle School Boys Basketball Objectives
The following is a list of basketball skills that should be developed at the middle school level so that athletes may be prepared for future basketball participation at the high school level or as a life long recreational activity.
OFFENSIVE FUNDAMENTALS
1. Dribble: strong and weak hand including speed dribbling, crossover, behind back and between legs.
2. Pivoting both forward and backward on each foot.
3. Passing the basketball using a chest pass, a bounce pass, and a baseball pass.
4. Shooting the basketball using proper shooting technique and shot preparation. This includes power foot back and step into shot, wrist cocked, forearm perpendicular to floor, upper arm parallel to floor, lift and snap the wrist.
5. Offensive Moves:
a. Lay-ups both strong and weak handed
b. Stationary sweeps with pivot plus, both high and low
c. Jab step and shoot
d. Jab step and drive
e. Crossover step both left and right
f. Shot fake
g. Shooting off the dribble
h. Pass fakes
i. Pass and move. Don’t stand on offense.
6. Screening
7. Cutting off a screen demonstrating tight cuts, flare cuts, and pocket cuts.
8. Offensive Rebounding
DEFENSIVE FUNDAMENTALS
1. Proper defensive stance: knees bent, feet wide, and weight shifted on to the balls of the feet.
2. Proper defensive movements: lateral movement with quick feet
3. Proper positioning in relation to man and ball
4. Defensive Rebounding