High Volume, High Energy

Basketball is a game that should not be played in silence, yet I often find players being too timid when it comes to their volume on the court.  When you bring a lot of volume to the court, it brings energy with it.  A loud five players on the court can bring energy to the team’s bench, and a loud bench off the court can give a lot of energy to those players on the court.  Not only does high volume add certain benefits to your team, but it can play a crucial role in determining the outcome of a game.

Communication is such a big part of basketball.  If your team does not talk to each other, it is hard to find success.  On the offensive side of the ball, it is a must to call for the ball at times or call out different offensive plays or sets.  You may need to help your teammates who are out of position or call out a player’s name if you see they are open.  The simple act of calling for the ball when looking for a pass sometimes gets overlooked as well.

On the defensive side of the ball is where your team really needs communication.  Letting your teammates know you are picking up the ball handler, calling out screens, calling out cutters, yelling out when a shot goes up, and letting your teammates know you are there for help are all great ways of communicating to your teammates.  This is where your team can really pick up that high energy.  Being loud and communicating with each other on the defensive end is not only great for your team, but it can often disrupt the flow of the offense as well.  When your team defense creates long offensive possessions for your opposition, it allows everyone to feed off of it and create more energy for your entire team.

Create this type of atmosphere at practice.  Encourage your players to be loud on the floor and see what kind of energy it gives off.  Find ways to incorporate more volume and communication in your drills, even if it is something simple like calling out a teammates name while passing and yelling for the ball when receiving a pass.  After all, you do play the way you practice.