By Guest Contributor Kyle Ohman of www.BasketballHQ.com (http://www NULL.basketballhq NULL.com/)

In construction the taller the building is the better the foundation needs to be. You can’t build a skyscraper on a grassy field. It takes time and hard work to develop the foundation before you start to actually build the building and see progress, the same goes for basketball players. If you don’t spend the time needed learning how to shoot the right way or how to dribble the basketball with both hands at an early age you won’t be able to build that skyscraper. I have seen so many players that are limited when they get older because they were never shown the proper way to do a specific skill. Here is a simple game plan to building your basketball foundation.

The first step in building your foundation is to learn from someone that knows what they are doing. If you don’t know the proper way to shoot, dribble, or pass the basketball to start then how are you supposed to practice it and get better? Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. If you are practicing something the wrong way then you are probably doing more damage than actual good. Whether you get private basketball lessons or watch Ray Allen shoot the basketball do your best to learn the proper fundamentals of different skills. Learn how to do it the right way before investing your time and energy into it.

Step number two is probably what you think it is going to be and it is simply putting the time and hard work into learning the skills. Once you learn the right way to do something you need to spend the time getting repetitions at it. This is how you train your body and develop your muscle memory. Be consistent with your training and be willing to get in the gym on a regular basis. It is a lot easier to learn and develop good habits when you are younger, so this is an important time. Really focus on trying to do the individual skills the right way and be willing to stick with it.

Different players are naturally gifted with more skills than others, that is just the way it is. However there is no reason that you can’t maximize the talents you have been given. Building a strong foundation allows you to do that. Don’t overlook the importance of learning to do things the right way. If your shot has a hitch in it the ceiling of your basketball game becomes a little lower, if you can only drive with your strong hand the ceiling drops again, if your footwork is bad then it continues to lower again, etc. How many players are there out there that you see play and think to yourself “if he could only shoot (or whatever) he would be so much better”? This all goes back to building your basketball foundation. Spend the time and effort needed to develop a strong foundation for your game and you will see the pay off down the line.

Note from Austin Youth Basketball: We have spoken with Kyle and like his work. Kyle is dedicated to sharing his craft with young players looking to develop. The videos and drills are of suitable production but more importantly, of high content with expert instruction and strong demonstration. Try one today at www.basketballhq.com. Austin Youth Basketball players currently have free access to this site. This is a very strong supplement to the basketball training we do together.