7 STREET GAMES THAT MADE ATHLETES/BASKETBALL PLAYERS BETTER

Many years ago, players from urban cities, were infamous for their ability to create or reinvent games that ultimately aided their basketball / athletic abilities. In doing so, and prior to the social media and computer crazed world, players bonded together, created a safe community which fostered "friendly" competition and solidified friendships.

Out of a sense of "lack of" players created a myriad games such as STICKBALL, hide & seek, and red light - green light 1-2-3 which became urban America staples, however there are several activities / games that amplified players' basketball ability.

ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT via "STREET" games

• "HOPSCOTCH" 

is a popular playground game in which players toss a small object into numbered pattern of rectangles outlined on the ground and then hop or jump through the spaces and retrieve the object. It is a children’s game that can be played with several players or alone.

• "TAG" 

is a playground game involving one or more players chasing other players in an attempt to "tag" and mark them out of play, usually by touching with a hand. Usually, when a person is tagged, the tagger says, "Tag, you're 'It'!" The last one tagged during tag is "It" for the next round.

• "DOUBLE DUTCH"

is a game in which two long jump ropes turning in opposite directions are jumped by one or more players jumping simultaneously. In the early 1980s, Double Dutch was strongly associated with New York hip hop culture.

• "TAPS"

There are up to 10 people in a circle. One person would toss the ball to another and that person would jump up and while in the air tip it to someone else. If you flubbed, you were out. Game went on till there was only one person left.

BASKETBALL SKILL DEVELOPMENT via "STREET" games

• "21" - In different parts of the country the game goes by "UTAH", but the premise is the same.  The player with the ball competes against a group of players at which point, he/she looks to score two points.  After the player scores two points, he/she is rewarded by an opportunity to earn another 3 points by making 3 consecutive free throws at that point he/she will repeat the entire process.  If foul shot is missed, whoever grabs the rebound will become the offensive player where he/she will attempt to score on the entire group.  Generally, the first player to earn 21 points will be deemed the winner.   

• "52" - The game is played with a group of players (ideally 2-3).  Players shoot from top of key (High School 3 point range) and all shots made from that spot will earn the shooter 5 points. At that point, after the 5 point shot is MADE (must make the 5 point shot to begin game) wherever the ball lands (stops) the shooter has the chance to earn another 2 points by converting they next shot. IF shooter converts both shots, he/she will repeat, but if the shooter only converts one of the two shots the next shooter will go. First shooter to reach 52 points is the winner.  

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  “THE 1’s" - A very simple game where player A plays against player B and first player to agreed upon final score is crowned the winner.

As we fast forward to today's world, we find that most of today's children are instead of playing "street games" are playing computer generated games and are NOT outside.  These games not only were fun, but they provided members of the community a sense of togetherness, enhanced player's self esteem, and the above (and other) "street games" created tougher and competitive players. In addition, via "athletic development" games players developed fast twitch muscles and learned movements that aided in the creation of an athletic player.

In conclusion, today we have tons of apparatuses that can aid the development of players, however there is NOTHING wrong with using the "basic" aka  old school approach especially today's "NEW NORM" world.

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