Basketball is a tough sport that can easily get a player down. This is especially when the margin between your team and the opposition starts to widen unfavourably. We all know just how hard it can be to bounce back from even just a few points down let alone a massive margin!
This is where resilience enters the court.
Every player – and consequently team – has to build their resilience. Because if one player starts to noticeably get down in the face of on-court adversity the whole team is likely to follow. The last thing you want is a team who puts their head down as soon as the margin widens to a minimum of four points – it will only continue to widen.
Yes, there are many reasons why every baller should have resilience at the top of their priority list, and we are going to share them with you below:
You can help your team bounce back
Basketball Australia is known for its tough and resilient players. Our national teams have secured an incredible comeback win to show our competitors on the international level that we are no walk over. That’s part of the reason both our mens and womens teams sit firmly around the top of the world rankings.
Each and every professional Aussie player has resilience built into their playing psyche. They know that the game can be tough and that once you go down by a few points it can be near-impossible to turn the score around. But they have done it time and time again and will continue to do it just like you can!
By focusing on your resilience, your ability to bounce back, to take it to a team who thinks they are walking over you, you will show that you are a formidable opponent who is, in actuality, the stronger competitor. This can help you get the win in the most adverse circumstances as your persistence starts to pay off.
You will lift up your teammates
There is nothing worse for you and your teammates than putting your head down once the margin starts to widen in your opposition’s favour. Coaches across the world notice how teammates’ confidence falls like dominoes once one or two players put their head down and concede defeat long before the final siren sounds.
Instead, a true leader will continue to rally his teammates and instil that necessary resilience to ensure that they at least give winning a massive crack. It may not be the final outcome, but you will earn the respect of your coach and teammates if you continue to rally the team and this is what every coach looks for in a leader.
It can help you bounce back from losses
Yes, returning to training after a loss can be a disappointing experience. The team may not be too thrilled about the outcome and this can make training feel like a futile endeavour. But there have been very few teams in world sports that have enjoyed an unbeaten season (we can only think of the classic Arsenal side of 03/04!).
Essentially, most teams lose at least a few games in their regular season, and so you should come to every training session with the desire to turn your loss into a winning mentality. This typically includes analysing where you went wrong collectively and working on those faults – whether defensive or offensive – until you’ve developed those skills and will then take your resilient nature into the next game!
