The BTS basketball training curriculum is taught in 5-week training cycles. During the first three weeks of each cycle, athletes will complete a variety of drills that are designed to build foundational skills. In the fourth week athletes will prep for the upcoming competition week and if applicable, participate in skill evaluations and Level Up skill demonstrations. During the fifth week athletes get live competition through structured scrimmages and modified gameplay. During these scrimmages athletes are recognized and rewarded for implementing the skills they learned in the current cycle.
LEARNING BASKETBALL SKILLS
During each 5 week training cycle we focus on a specific character trait. At the end of each class a Skills Development Coach will lead a conversation with the athletes and talk with them about why that character trait is important to them on the court, in the classroom and in their community (example: Will Power- our cycle 3 character trait). Athletes raise their hands and share examples of how they have used that character trait to be successful in each of those areas. Athletes can learn firsthand from their peers why these traits are important and how they lead to success on and off the court.
LEARNING LIFE SKILLS
When an athlete joins the program, they start out at Level 1. Each time an athlete completes three training cycles (15 weeks) they are eligible to Level Up. To Level Up athletes will complete an on-court skills demonstration with one of our Lead Skill Development Coaches to show what they have learned on the court. Athletes will also need to complete the classroom and community requirements associated with each level. After passing their skills demonstration and meeting the Level Up classroom and community requirements, athletes are promoted to the next Level. There are 5 levels in the Level Up program.
LEVELING UP
During their first visit to the Academy, athletes will participate in a skill evaluation that will be used to identify their strengths and weaknesses on the court. We will also talk with the parent or guardian to identify their goals for the athlete off the court. During their tenth week at the current Level athletes will complete another skill evaluation to document their progress in the program. Progress reports will be sent out via email and parents are encouraged to reply and set up a short meeting to touch base with the staff and discuss their athlete’s progress.
MEASURING IMPROVEMENT
LEVEL 5
PEER MENTOR/JR. SKILLS COACH PROGRAM
When athletes complete the first four Levels, they become eligible to join our free 15-week, Level 5 Peer Mentor/Jr. Skills Coach program. During the Level 5 program, athletes will continue to improve their skills on the court but now they will have the added responsibility of helping the Skill Development Coaches in several ways. They will be partnered up with new athletes in the program to help them get comfortable on the court and learn the drills. They will have opportunities to apply the character traits that they learned in the first 4 Levels by mentoring their peers, as well as through their involvement in the life skills court chats. As the saying goes
“If you want to master something teach it!”.
