Junior college basketball players in the United States often participate in the National Junior College Athletic Association. Although student athletes typically attend these schools for two years, their performance on the court can lead to recruitment by an elite NCAA Division I school. Junior college basketball players must work on speed, agility and overall body strength to excel on the court.
Endurance
The College of Southern Idaho, a junior college in Twin Falls, played more than 40 games in the 2010-2011 season en route to becoming NCJAA National Champions. The junior college basketball schedule is spread over a five-month period. Players must have excellent endurance to perform at their peak for this many games. Basketball players must sprint for short periods during a game and should do interval training to develop endurance. Interval training involves a short, strenuous effort followed by a short rest period. Sprinting the straight portion of a running track and walking around the curves for a few laps is an example of interval training.
Agility
Basketball players need agility and speed to execute fast stops and starts and make sudden movements to elude a defender. There are several exercises you can do to improve your on-court agility and speed. The first drill requires a rope ladder. Dribble a basketball as you jump through the ladder. Another version of this drill is to pass to a teammate as you jump through the ladder. The second drill requires four cones. Place them 15 feet from each other. Dribble a basketball to the first cone. Stop, turn and dribble with the other hand before proceeding to the next cone. Do this until you've reach all four.
Strength
Junior college basketball players cannot ignore weight training. Elite players at the most competitive levels follow a consistent weight-training program both in-season and in the off-season. Even if your coach does not require you to follow a program, it is strongly recommended that you train with weights. The most effective workouts are quick but challenging. Mike Jesowshek, a writer for the Truly Huge website, recommends training four times a week for 45 minutes. Important exercises include the leg press, leg extension, chest press, shoulder press and rows. Do two to three sets of each exercise for six to 20 repetitions. You may not be able to train this often during the season because of practices and games. Fit your workout into your schedule based on available time.
Additional Info
Ohlone College is a junior college in Fremont, California, with a basketball program. The team's website explains its strong belief in strength and conditioning and claims that the school is one of the few junior colleges that requires its basketball players to strength train. It also employs an athletic trainer, which is unconventional for a junior college program. Ohlone requires its players to lift weights the entire year at a minimum of four days per week. Players undergo a body fat test and their weights are monitored.
References
- Sport Fitness Advisor: Interval Training for Sport Specific Endurance
- Body Building.com: Basketball Agility Training
- Truly Huge: Weight Training for Basketball Players
- Ohlone College: Men's Basketball
- College of Southern Idaho Athletics: Men's Basketball
- College of Southern Idaho Athletics: Men's Basketball Schedule
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