Everywhere you go, you hear the same slogan, "Defense wins
Championships"...
And everyone who has ever played at any level knows that that is
much easier said than done.
After all, if it was so easy to be a lock-down defender, everyone
would be great at defense...
But as most of us know, very few players achieve this coveted title.
So, what are the keys to becoming a great defensive player that
coaches love and players fear?
Well, it's actually easier than you might think...
FRAME OF MIND
You'll notice that some of the great defensive players haven't been
the most athletic, yet because of their strong drive and will
power, they have been great defenders.
And that's the first thing, it starts out, like everything else in
life, with your intention. With you own free will, you need to
make that conscious choice to play defense. You need to take pride
and joy in shutting down your opponent.
GREAT FUNDAMENTALS
You need to pay great attention to the fundamentals. After having
the proper mind set, you need to really focus on the fundamentals
of playing defense. That means:
1. Stay low, butt down knees bent, one arm high to contest shots,
and the other low to deflect passes.
2. Focus on moving your feet, stay on the balls of your feet, not
on your heels.
These are the things that you as a defender must perfect.
ANTICIPATION
And lastly, you need to be able to anticipate the opponent's moves.
And believe it or not, this is something that can be developed.
With the proper defensive knowledge and with the right application
of that knowledge, you can start to anticipate what your opponent
will do on offense.
Once you have studied all the defensive positions and movements,
and have studied the different offensive moves your opponent can
make, then you can really start to read the body language of your
opponent and beat them to spot every time...
A wise man once said, "I work smarter, not harder"...
