Training is something I didn't focus on and I wish I had. It would have helped me perform better on both offense and defense.
Getting in shape for basketball is very important. Players who are not in shape will not be able to perform long in a game. To avoid fatigue in the second half of games, players need to work on conditioning. Since basketball involves sprinting, stopping, and changing direction, the exercises that target these should be the focus of the conditioning. For this reason, long distance running should only be a warmup of about five minutes around a track or gym. Sprints such as suicides should be the main focus.
Other things to work on besides running are flexibility and strength training. Stretching is always a important to avoid injuring muscles and strength training will help build muscles in the legs to jump higher and in the arms to shoot better. Players should be encouraged to do push ups, sit ups, and pull ups on their own.
For younger players ages 10 to 14 strength training should be done 2 to 3 times a week for about 30 to 45 minutes. It doesn't mean lifting weights, but rather doing strength training exercises like squats and jumping rope.
Another way to help improve your skills is to attend a basketball camp. They can be expensive, but there are some out there that aren't too bad. Our team went to Colby College for a weekend team camp. This is a great way to bond with your teammates and the coach. We had a lot of fun and actually came in first place for our division.
2013 Summer Basketball Camp At Colby College
