Kyle Academy
Higher Physical Education
Basketball Block
Emotional and Physical Factors
Impacting Performance
Sub Factors Covered
Fear (Anxiety)
Agility
Emotional
and Physical
Sub Factors
Self control
(Anger)
Speed
Endurance
Power
Name : _____________________________________________
1
Contents Page
Page 2
Contents
Page 3
Command words
Page 4
Factors and sub factors covered emotionally and physically
Page 5+6
The game of basketball and the rules
Page 7
Positional Roles on the court
Page 8
Point Guard responsibilities and physical requirements
Page 9
Forward responsibilities and physical requirements
Page 10
Centre responsibilities and Physical requirements
Page 11-13
Emotional Factor - Anxiety sub factors notes and the symptoms of anxiety and the
Impact on performance.
Page 14-16
Emotional Factor – Self control and anger notes , causes of aggression and impact
Page 17 -19
Physical factors – Speed Endurance – positive and negative impact on performance
Page 19-21
Physical Factor – Agility – Positive and negative impact on performance.
Page 21 – 22
Physical Factor – Power – Positive and negative impact on performance.
2
Command Words – Read and consider before you put pen to paper
3
Factors (Sub Factors) Impacting Performance
FITNESS
PHYSICAL
SKILLS
SOCIAL
TACTICS
Physical Fitness
Skill Repertoire
Performance
Cooperating/Competing
Consideration
Contributing to a team/group
CRE
Muscular Endurance
Technical Qualities
Personal S + W
Working in isolation
(Speed
Timing
Role Demands
Communication
Rhythm
Team S+ W
Role/responsibility for
Consistency
Opposition
performance
Previous History
Team Dynamic
endurance)
Flexibility
Strength
Special Qualities
Environment
Imagination
Conditions
Power
Etiquette
Respect for self and others
Creativity
Inclusion
Skill Related Fitness
Flair
Principles of Play
Coordination
Fair play
Adjustment
Width
Ethics
Depth
Codes of conduct
Delay
Conduct of self, players, crowd and
Penetration
officials
Support
Social Responsibility
Agility
Reaction time
Quality of Performance
Balance
Control
Core Stability
Fluency
Effort
Citizenship
Communication
Accuracy
Tempo
Touch
MENTAL
Extrinsic/intrinsic motivation
EMOTIONAL
Happiness/sadness
Level of Arousal
(affecting confidence, self-belief, own ability, resilience)
Anxiety
Anger
Concentration/ Focus
(affecting decision making, self-control, controlling or
Motivation
channelling aggression, hostility, frustration)
Decision making
Fear
Problem solving
Attention span
(Affecting decision making, confidence, realising
Mental toughness
potential, panic, confusion, stress, anxiety,
Processing information
nervousness)
Anticipation
Trust
(Affecting self-respect, mutual respect, personal responsibility,
team responsibility, adaptability)
Surprise
(Affecting decision making, confidence, resilience, determination)
4
The Game of Basketball
What does it involve?
Key Elements/phases
REMEMBER
Basketball is a team sport (5v5) where the object is to advance the ball into the other teams half and shoot the ball
through the basket:
2 point field goal- a shot or lay up made from anywhere during play inside the 3 pt arc.
3 Pointer – a shot made from anywhere outside the 3 pt arc.
Free Throw ( Foul shot) – 1 point is awarded to an unguarded shot taken from behind the free throw line while the
clock is stopped.
It is an example of an invasion game. At school level a typical game lasts 24 to 40mins (6 to 10 min quarters)
however adult/professional games last 40 mins (10 min quarters). The game is fast moving and involves a lot of core
skills such as running, sprinting, jumping, turning, sidestepping etc. The man skills required are dribbling, passing,
shooting and rebounding which have to be carried out within the rules.
5
Basketball Basic Rules
VIOLATIONS
Walking/Traveling. Taking more than 2 steps without dribbling the ball is traveling. Moving your pivot foot once
you've stopped dribbling is traveling.
Carrying/palming. When a player dribbles the ball with his hand too far to the side of or, sometimes, even under the
ball.
Double Dribble. Dribbling the ball with both hands on the ball at the same time or picking up the dribble and then
dribbling again is a double dribble.
Held ball. Occasionally, two or more opposing players will gain possession of the ball at the same time. In order to
avoid a prolonged and/or violent tussle, the referee stops the action and awards the ball to one team or the other on
a rotating basis.
Half court violation. Once the offense has brought the ball across the mid-court line, they cannot go back across the
line during possession. If they do, the ball is awarded to the other team to pass inbounds.
Time restrictions. A player passing the ball inbounds has five seconds to pass the ball. If he does not, then the ball is
awarded to the other team. Other time restrictions include the rule that a player cannot have the ball for more than
five seconds when being closely guarded and not dribbling, shot-clock restrictions requiring a team to attempt a shot
within 24 seconds.
FOULS:





Players will be given a personal foul for any type of illegal physical contact (e.g. hitting, pushing, slapping,
holding or illegal screens).
Players can be given up to 5 personal fouls throughout a game before they are sent off.
A team can get up to 5 personal fouls in one quarter before the other team will be awarded automatic free
throws for any foul in that quarter thereafter.
If a player is fouled whilst shooting, they are awarded 2 free throws (3 if they were shooting a 3 pointer).
If a player is fouled whilst shooting, but scores the basket, they will be awarded 1 bonus free throw (you
could potentially get 4 points if you scored a 3 pointer and you were fouled).
Travelling
Double Dribble
6
Contact Foul
POSITIONAL ROLES WITHIN BASKETBALL
An understanding of positional roles is fundamental to all principles of play. All players must appreciate that the
options available in various situations can best be utilised in one position rather than another. The shape of play
must maintain its width and depth, while still involving the essential movement that provides its flexibility.





BASKETBALL POSITIONS
1
2
3
4
5
Point Guard
Forward
Forward
Centre
Centre
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Point Guard (1)
The point guard is typically the smallest player in the team who acts as play maker, calling and directing offensive
plays. One of the most well known and skilful point guards in history is Magic Johnston.
An effective point guard must:










Have an instinctive knowledge of the game (court vision)
Be a good ball handler
Be able to make fast and accurate passes
Possess speed and quickness of foot
Be a good dribbler with either hand
Be able to play good, tough defence
Be able to hit the outside shot when left open
Be able to penetrate the key and dish off
Be able to read defence, to decide if a team are playing man to man or zone
Above all, a good point guard must not have an inflated ego that interferes with his / her basketball
judgement. Normally, the point guard receives little publicity for fine play; but, his coach and teammates know
their value to the team.
In addition to this, there are specific fitness demands for point guards. Fitness demands of the game are specific and
relative. The physical demands placed on players will be different according to the specific role they have to perform
within the game.
The specific demands of a POINT GUARD are:
Area of Fitness
Why Required
Strength (Lower and Upper Body)
to set screens and hold positions in attack; to hold position in defence and to
box out when necessary.
Power
to explode into the key; to shoot in a variety of ways; to jump to block in
defence; passing
Speed
to support play quickly; to cover short distances quickly; to close down
opponents
Speed endurance
to continually make repeated runs over varied distances
Cardio-Respiratory Endurance
to run and play the game at the highest intensity for prolonged periods of time.
Muscular Endurance
to continually shuffle in a defensive position; to hustle and harass opponents
Agility
to suddenly change direction or body position while dribbling or to track an
opponent cutting into the key
Flexibility
for the ability to move the joint freely through full range of motion, during
quick changes of direction and for continually jumping and turning throughout
the game
Co-ordination
Hand-eye co-ordination to make and receive passes; to intercept; to shoot
Balance
for maintaining balance while driving to the basket
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Forward (2 & 3)
The forwards are generally the next tallest players in the team, who act as very versatile players who can shoot long
range shots and drive to the basket. Some of the most successful forwards in history include Carmelo Anthony,
LeBron James and Larry Bird.
Effective forwards must:









Be a good scorer, capable of shooting from anywhere, from the wings, from around the key, and under the
boards.
Be able to consistently win rebounds in offence and defence
Be a good ball handler, able to dribble with either hand
Possess speed and quickness of foot
Be able to play tough defence
Be able to hit the 15 to 20 foot shot with consistency
Be able to drive to the basket and dish off when necessary
Know how to move without the ball (cutting)
Run the length of the floor on fast breaks.
The specific fitness demands of a FORWARD are:
Area of Fitness
Why Required
Strength (Lower and Upper
Body)
to box out; to hold position in defence and when posting in attack
Power
to explode into the key; to shoot in a variety of ways; to jump to block in
defence; to explode up for rebounds; passing
Speed
to support play quickly; to cover short/long distances quickly; to close
down runners/space
Speed endurance
to continually make repeated runs over varied distances
Cardio-Respiratory Endurance
to run and play the game at the highest intensity for prolonged periods of
time.
Muscular Endurance
to continually shuffle in a defensive position; to hustle and harass
opponents
Agility
to suddenly change direction or body position while dribbling or to track an
opponent cutting into the key
Flexibility
for the ability to move the joint freely through full range of motion, during
quick changes of direction and for continually jumping and turning
throughout the game
Co-ordination
Hand-eye co-ordination to make and receive passes; to intercept; to shoot
Balance
for maintaining balance while driving to the basket
9
Centre (4 & 5)
The centre, along with the point guard, is easily the most important player on the team. Normally he is the tallest
player on the court and found closer to the baseline. The most famous and successful centre in history is Shaquille
O’neal, measuring in at 7ft 1.
An effective Centre must:


Have quickness
Be an aggressive rebounder and lead the way in blocked shots. He needs to be a little arrogant with
a streak on meanness. He is the “King of the paint” – meaning that he should control all play inside
the key, in attack and defence.

Be a dependable scorer from short and mid range. He must be adept to power-layup, post
up moves, hook shots and jump shots – from both sides of the basket.

Be a good passer and have good vision to see the open space on court for other players to
attack

Be able to read how he is being defended and take advantage of this, especially when posting up.
The specific fitness demands for a CENTRE are:
Area of Fitness
Why Required
Strength (Lower and Upper
Body)
to box out; to hold position in defence and when posting up; to hold strong
screens for the forwards
Power
to jump to block in defence; to explode up for rebounds; passing; to jump
high above defenders when shooting hook and jump shots
Speed
to support play quickly; to cover short/long distances quickly; to chase back
to his role at either end of the court
Speed endurance
to continually make repeated runs over varied distances
Cardio-Respiratory Endurance
to run and play the game at the highest intensity for prolonged periods of
time.
Muscular Endurance
to continually shuffle in a defensive position; to hustle and harass
opponents
Agility
to suddenly change direction or body position while dribbling or to track an
opponent cutting into the key
Flexibility
for the ability to move the joint freely through full range of motion, during
quick changes of direction and for continually jumping and turning
throughout the game
Co-ordination
Hand-eye co-ordination to make and receive passes; to intercept; to shoot
Balance
for maintaining balance when holding a screen and posting up
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EMOTIONAL FACTOR
Emotions seem to rule our daily lives. Our decision making ability is dependent on our mental state. This is how you
are currently experiencing the world emotionally; anger, sadness, boredom, jealousy, happiness, determination and
excitement. As an athlete it is vital you are able to identify your emotional state before/during/after performance as
well as developing approaches to deal with these emotions. By doing this you will become an emotionally fit
performer.
Emotional Requirements

Resilience (Manage Set backs)
 Strength (Fighting Spirit)
 Responsiveness ( Engaged)
“A positive mind will provide a more balanced approach to competition and therefore provides an improved
chance of success”
Emotional Sub Factor
Fear (Anxiety)
“Anxiety is a state consisting of psychological and physical
symptoms brought about by a sense of apprehension of perceived
threat. It is an unpleasant state of inner turmoil accompanied by
nervous behaviour, restlessness, fatigue, concentration problems
and muscular tension. It causes a performer to run away/avoid a
situation (CHOKE) or they feel that they cannot move (FREEZE)”
ANXIETY LEVELS DIFFER ACCORDING TO
SITUATION/
ENVIRONMENT
State anxiety
INDIVIDUAL
Trait anxiety
Anxiety can impact upon your performance psychologically (cognitive) and physiologically (Somatic).

Psychologically means our thinking or cognitive processes are affected

Physiologically means our body or somatic processes are affected.

Behavioural – By patterns of behaviour.
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Symptoms of Anxiety
Cognitive
Somatic
Behavioural
Indecision
Sense of confusion
Feeling heavy
Negative thoughts
Poor concentration
Irritability
Fear
Forgetfulness
Loss of confidence
Images of failure
Defeatist self-talk
Feeling rushed
Feeling weak
Constant dissatisfaction
Unable to take instructions
Thoughts of avoidance
Increased blood pressure
Pounding heart
Increased respiration rate
Sweating
Clammy hands and feet
Butterflies in the stomach
Adrenaline surge
Dry mouth
Need to urinate
Muscular tension
Tightness in neck and shoulders
Trembling
Incessant talking
Blushing
Pacing up and down
Distorted vision
Twitching
Yawning
Voice distortion
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Loss of appetite
Sleeplessness
Loss of libido
Biting fingernails
Lethargic movements
Inhibited posture
Playing safe
Going through the motions
Introversion
Uncharacteristic displays of extroversion
Fidgeting
Avoidance of eye contact
Covering face with hand
Performers suffering from anxiety tend to respond reactively instead of proactively and the fear of failure
prevents performers stepping out of their comfort zone which is often required in challenging contexts to tackle
a threat head on. Instead of taking positive risks, which empower the athlete to influence the contest, they allow
the opposition to take control and dictate the direction of play. Players in this mental state are crippled and
consumed by emotions and self doubt and have no sense of adventure at match winning moments and will do
the bare minimum as the fear of failure is so great.
SUMMARY OF STRESS
Stressors
Conflict
Competition
Climate
Frustration
Crowd
Fatigue
Stress Response
Alarm
Resistance
Exhaust
Increased Heart Rate/Sweat
Adrenalin
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Stress Experience
Positive or Negative
Depends on Perception
Can you meet the threat?
Anger and
frustration
(Unreasonable
response) due to
disappointment
in self and team.
Low confidence
levels as self
doubt and talk
block decision
making and
performance.
Avoidance
Behaviour – Pass
rather than shoot
due to panic and
anxiety.
Irrational
thinking. Making
a stupid foul at a
crucial moment.
Poor listening
skills –
instructions and
plays missed so
not fulfilling role.
Negative
impact of
Fear
(Anxiety)
Dip in
concentration
and reactions to
respond to cues.
Results in ball
watching as you
freeze.
Poor execution of
core skills and
caught out of
position. Level of
arousal
impacted.
13
Running about
like a headless
chicken as your
mind goes blank
and tactics
forgotten.
Emotional Sub Factor
Self Control
(Anger)
“An emotion whereby the individual has normally been offended,
denied, wronged and a tendency to react through retaliation.
It is a strongly uncomfortable emotion after been provoked.
It could be said that self control is a necessary requirement in all activities. If you are in control of your emotions
then you will not get angry at yourself or others around you. This makes self-control a positive influence on your
performance. If you are in control of your emotions, you can deal well with the demands of a performance.
Self control can be stretched and can hinder performance. This is often the case when you;







Deal with the emotions experienced when you suffer what you feel is a bad decision from an official.
Deal with emotions linked to competing against an aggressive opponent.
Deal with being on the receiving end of a foul.
Deal with disappointment associated with losing.
Deal with happiness/excitement associated with winning.
Dealing with emotions linked to criticism on your performance.
Dealing with emotions linked to being substituted or start on the bench.
Anger and aggression in sport can be very useful in the right situation. This gives a performer a certain degree of
determination and ensures they commit fully. However, it is all about controlled aggression and this needs to be
channelled effectively. For example in rugby, a player will move aggressively to cover a play, tackle a player and bring
them down to the ground. More often than not it is about how a player controls their aggression that makes the
difference to their performance. Opponents look to ways of irritating each other in the hope it puts them off a game
plan or affects their performance. Consider the next time you watch an NBA basketball match. Look closely as a
player takes their free throws. “Trash talk” is a verbal attack quietly into an opponent’s ears to distract them and
put them off and hopefully affect their state of mind (EMOTIONS) causing uncharacteristic actions.
Remember that Thoughts
affect emotions which then
affect actions.
14
Aggression/Anger
Un
Controlled
Controlled
Intent to
harm
No Intent to
Harm
Within the
rules
Outside the
rules
Motivated
and
Considered.
Reactive
Causes of Aggression
Type of sport
Importance of Event
Contact
Social Learning
Environment
Over Arousal
Unfair
Decisions
AGGRESSION IN SPORT
Stress
Personality
Traits
Frustrations
Losing
Intimidation
Expectations
15
Blow to self Esteem
Negative impact of Anger on Performance.
Too much aggression in basketball has a significant effect on performance. This can lead to injury if thought is not
applied to your actions on court. Also, increased tension in the muscles impacts negatively on the fluency of play.
Over arousal impacts a player’s ability to respond to situations and make appropriate decisions on court resulting in
a decline in form. It can be as simple as a player shouting at themselves after a bad shot, physically lashing out or
even exerting themselves in a skill, such as too much power off the back board. Uncontrolled aggression leads to
frustrations and results in a player acting irrationally and this increases a players self -doubt. A player can be drawn
into making silly fouls against him and eventually anger and lack of self control built up too many fouls until a player
is benched or fouled out in the game. Players with a lack of self control will lash out verbally at their team mates and
blame others for their own failings. This seriously impacts the cohesion of the team when players have to deal with
an unpredictable, volatile personality. A bad attitude will impact concentration and can lead to a team losing by a
bigger margin as this player can become less involved in the game due to lack of motivation. They cannot “Park “a
situation and move on. This could take the form of arguing with the referee and being sent off for bad sportsmanlike
conduct.
Positive Impact of Controlled Aggression/self control on Performance
No hesitation when
passing driving to the
basket.
More aggressive
offensive mentality.
More assertive so will
carry out duties with
confidence and
commitment
Clean discipline record
with few fouls allowing
a positive contribution
to the game.
Faster decsion making
under extreme
pressure.
Can assess own errors
and move on without
frustrations.
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Physical Sub Factor
Speed Endurance
”This is the ability to repeat short sharp bursts of speed over a long
period of time”
Anaerobic (speed) endurance means working without a steady supply of oxygen.
This is where you work in short, sharp bursts, e.g. to sprint to get a pass in basketball. You will have experienced a
situation where you have been required to perform a few of these movements in quick succession and you found
you could not maintain the effort. This is lactic acid building up in your muscles. As you perform these quick
movements your muscles cannot take in the required oxygen to maintain effort resulting in oxygen dept. You need a
rest before being ready to carry on with this type of activity, e.g. you cannot keep making fast breaks to support
forwards without taking a breath to let your muscles recover.
In basketball you need to move your whole body up the court in a fast break situation, to keep up with team mates
in support. Short bursts are necessary to get into space to receive a pass or drive at the basket. Off the ball, speed is
essential to get to the ball before opposition and also to lose a marking player. This is also the case when an
opponent tries to lose you. Speed is an asset; a quick change of pace when dribbling can get you past opposition and
set up a numerical superiority in offence (overload) giving you more scoring opportunities.
Many dynamic actions in basketball also require a high level of anaerobic endurance. A good level of fitness here is
essential so that you can jump to catch a ball, shoot the ball, rebound, perform jump balls or shuffle at speed in
defence.
Examples of Speed Endurance in Basketball:
Offence
Defence
On the ball
Off the ball
Maintain a range
of shooting
options
Maintain sharp
passes
Dribble or drive
into space
Give and go (cut
into a space)
Sprint up the
court to receive a
pass.
Cut and drive to
the basket.
Chase a loose ball
Lose opponent &
create space
Explode into the
key to receive a
pass
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Prevent opponent from cutting / driving into
space
Deny space in a zone defence
Intercept passes
Tight man mark
Chase a loose ball
Maintain “basketside” position
Sprint back and defend
Prevent opponent fast break
Prevent unopposed fast breaks
Defend counter attacks
Positive Impact of Speed Endurance in Basketball
As a basketball game lasts 40 minutes you will have to use bursts of speed throughout therefore speed endurance is
important. Good speed endurance essentially gives you the same benefits as speed with the exception of it is usually
well into or towards the end of the game. If you are up against someone of a similar speed you may struggle to get
away from them in the early stages of the game, however, if you have superior speed endurance, you will be able to
get away from them more easily as the game progresses. Some examples of actions you will be able to carry out in a
game are shown in the table below. Having a high level of speed endurance would help you to carry out these actions
efficiently, particularly towards the end of the game.
1.
Guard
Offence
Dribble the
ball up the
middle of
the court
(ahead of
the defence)
Create fast
break
scoring
opportunitie
s
Forward
Defence
Pressurise the
opponents
guard
Force
opponent to
make errors
Deny space at
the top of the
key
Centre
Offence
Defence
Offence
Defence
Fill the
lanes in a
fast break
Drive to
the basket
for layups
Beat
opponent
up the
court for
an easier
shot
Deny
opponent
space and
time
Prevent
opponent
driving into
the key
Sprint in for
rebounds
Get
position
close to the
basket to
post up
Sprint for
rebounds
Gain space
in the key
Deny
space in
the key
Gain
position
for
rebounds
(box out)
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Negative Impact of Speed Endurance in Basketball
Example answer:
In the first two quarters of the game I was reasonably satisfied with my performance. In the 3rd and 4th quarters,
particularly the 4th, my lack of fitness showed in several ways.
As a forward, I was unable to sprint up the court to receive a pass for a fast break in offence or support the breaking
player by filling the lanes. This meant that the fast break was a man short and often faced a 5v5 set offence situation
instead of a 3v2 or 3v1 overload, thus decreasing our scoring rate significantly. As a forward I am responsible for
driving towards the basket, rebounding and receiving cuts into the key to create scoring opportunities. However, in
the later stages of the game, I had lost my sharpness so was unable to lose my opponent with a change of pace,
hindering my ability to cut and drive to the basket when the opportunity arose. In defence I was unable to move
quickly back to my own half to defend a fast break or attack giving my opposition numerical superiority. I was
gasping for a breath and jogging when a faster pace was essential, limiting my contribution to the game. This
recovery time was necessary to provide the working muscles, which had been starved of oxygen with a much needed
supply and my decision making and concentration was negatively affected.
Physical Sub Factor
Agility
”This is the ability to move with speed, co-ordination and balance,
and being able to adjust position or change direction quickly whilst
maintaining control”
Agility is a very important aspect of skill related fitness that is needed for successful performance in basketball.
Agility combines speed, co-ordination and balance which is essential to turn quickly or adjust position to
outmanoeuvre opposition to cut to the basket. Quick changes of direction are often fundamental, to create space or
receive a pass. In a 1v1 situation I will often fake a shot but then drive past the opposition using agility and pace to
move in for a high percentage shot. As a forward, I frequently need my agility to collect a rebound or chase a loose
ball, to then counter attack. Having agility I can mix set, jump and layup shots in the game to add an element of
surprise. Being able to adjust position quickly means it is very difficult for opposition to man mark me to restrict my
time and space on the ball. On the occasion that opposition intercept and break up the court, I am able to turn back
quickly to pressurise opponent to defend the key.
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Why is agility important in basketball?
To get away from a marker to
create space and gain time on
the ball
To fake and drive to the basket
for a high % shot.
To turn quickly and track back
and defend a fast break to
prevent an overload
To adjust position to collect a
rebound off the ring
To reach for a loose ball and
turn and counter attack
Being agile allows a forward to
mix their shots and add an
element of surprise.
To adjust position and intercept
a pass and tightly mark in a 1v1
situation.
Positive impact of agility on basketball performance
Agility is vital in basketball as it allows a player to stay on their toes and produce sharp, fast movements when driving
to the basket or attempting to lose their opponent. Basketball demands the ability to move quickly and efficiently up
and down the court. Agility requires both speed and flexibility to enable a player to cover the court efficiently. For
example, “if my opponent is closing in on me near the basket, my agility would help me to fake a pass one way and
quickly drive past my opponent in the opposite direction. If I anticipate the movements of my opponent wrongly, then
this could result in my opponent stealing the ball off me and points being lost.” A player with good agility will be light
on their feet and constantly be close to their opponent in defence, putting them under pressure. While attacking they
will be zig-zagging past their opponent, looking for passes and creating vital space on the court. They will be tiring
their opponents out so they will have more time to make decisions and passes under pressure, if their opponent fails
to keep up with the pace. Good agility is essential in basketball as it adds variety and maintains an element of
surprise if you can catch your opponent off guard. With effective agile movements a higher standard of performance
is sustained far longer.
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Negative impact of Agility on Basketball Performance
A basketball player who has poor agility will struggle in a game. Even with a high level of accuracy in shooting,
passing etc they will not be able to use them to an advantage with a lack of agility. Poor agility and the inability to
change direction quickly will result in an untidy performance. A player who lacks agility in offence will not be able to
move quickly into a space away from their opponent to receive a pass, nor will they be able to change direction
quickly after a change of possession. For example, “when my team lost the ball, I was unable to change direction
quickly to run back in to defence and support my team, this resulted in the other team having numerical superiority in
attack and scoring an easy basket”. Agility is also useful when rebounding in basketball, if a player lacks agility, they
will be unable to react to an unpredictable bounce off the backboard or the rim of the basket to collect the rebound,
this will result in the other team gaining possession or even having another chance to attack. In defence, agility is
vital for any player on the court. Without agility, a player will not be able to stay with their player for any time in the
game. Being unable to match a quick fast dodge, would result in the opposing player’s having time and space to
create an opportunity for a high percentage shot, close to the basket.
Physical Sub Factor
Power
“This is strength applied at speed and is sometimes referred
to as explosive strength.”
Power is vital when rebounding, making jump shots and lay ups to gain height to overcome opposition.
Power is useful in basketball, in order to:
Jump high to grab a
rebound
Explode into the key
Jump to block in
defence
Shoot in a variety of
ways
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Positive impact of Power on basketball performance
Power is required in basketball throughout performance, no matter what position you play. When rebounding, good
leg power allows you to jump higher and catch the ball at it’s highest point giving you a better chance of securing the
rebound. In a defensive situation this gives you an excellent platform to fast break from and when attacking this gives
you another chance to score. Good rebounding = more possession! Good leg power is also vital to contest shots being
made, e.g. blocking. If you are able to jump high enough in front of your opponent, you will have the chance to block
their shot and prevent it from going towards the basket. Good leg power is also useful when shooting as it can help
you to jump higher than a potential blocker, allowing you to get more power into your release. Arm power is also
important when shooting or passing in basketball. Good arm power will allow you to shoot from greater distances
(e.g. a 3 pointer), whilst allowing you to focus more on your technique. Arm power also helps you to pass over greater
distances and also helps to make passes faster and sharper which will prevent them from being intercepted.
Positive impact of Power on basketball performance
The following is an example of a writing framework for an evaluation of the positive impact of power in
basketball.
Knowledge point 1:
As a centre in basketball, power is needed in my legs to jump high to catch a rebound.
Understanding point 1:
In offence, this allows me to jump higher than my opponent and gain possession of the ball.
Justify point 1:
This gives my team the chance to attack again which could result in winning more points for my team.
Knowledge point 2:
In basketball, having good arm power allows me to shoot accurately from a greater distance
Understanding point 2:
This allows me to score more frequently from the 3 point line.
Justify point 2:
This means that I can mix up my attacking options by being able to shoot from inside and outside the 3 point line,
keeping my defender on their toes at all times.
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