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TERESA WEATHERSPOON is one of the top stars in the WNBA. Named theWNBA Defensive Player of the Year in both 1997 and 1998, Teresa isthe point guard and captain for the New York Liberty. She was ontwo U.S. Olympic teams, winning a gold and a bronze medal, and alsoplayed professionally in Italy and Russia.

TARA SULLIVAN covers basketball and football as a staff writer atthe Bergen Record in New Jersey.

KELLY WHITESIDE is a staff writer at Newsday, covering football andwomen's sports.

De la contraportada

Great news for the millions of young hoopsters dreaming of someday running with the pros: two-time Olympian and professional star Teresa Weatherspoon is sharing all of her basketball secrets! In this fun and informative book, not only will you get the inside scoop on passing, dribbling, defending, shooting, and all the rules of the game, you'll also learn why Spoon believes that unselfishness, hard work, and a positive attitude are as valuable as technical skill.

With tons of instructional photos and heaping "Spoon"-fuls of inspiration, personal history, and inside tips, Teresa Weatherspoon's Basketball for Girls delivers all the goods. In no time, you'll be tearing up the courts, burning up the nets, and showing how it's really done!

De la solapa interior

Great news for the millions of young hoopsters dreaming of someday running with the pros: two-time Olympian and professional star Teresa Weatherspoon is sharing all of her basketball secrets! In this fun and informative book, not only will you get the inside scoop on passing, dribbling, defending, shooting, and all the rules of the game, you'll also learn why Spoon believes that unselfishness, hard work, and a positive attitude are as valuable as technical skill.

With tons of instructional photos and heaping Spoon-fuls of inspiration, personal history, and inside tips, Teresa Weatherspoon's Basketball for Girls delivers all the goods. In no time, you'll be tearing up the courts, burning up the nets, and showing how it's really done!

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Teresa Weatherspoon's Basketball for Girls

Jossey-Bass

Contents

Introduction..........................................11 Before You StartWarming Up............................................4Stretching............................................4Warm-up Drills........................................92 DribblingThe Control Dribble...................................14The Speed Dribble.....................................17Advanced Dribbling....................................17Use Both Hands........................................21Driving to the Basket.................................22Dribbling Drills......................................233 PassingPassing Fundamentals..................................29Types of Passes.......................................31Passing Drills........................................344 Shooting and Individual OffenseShooting the Rock.....................................39Three Basic Shots.....................................43Three-Point Shot......................................48Shot Selection........................................48Free Throws...........................................49Triple Threat.........................................50Drill That Shot.......................................515 ReboundingThe Rules of Rebounding...............................57Offensive Rebounding..................................60Rebounding Drills.....................................606 Individual DefensePositioning and Footwork..............................65"D" It Up.............................................67Defense Drills........................................737 What Makes a Team PlayerThere's No I in Team..................................768 Team OffenseThe Team Concept......................................83Set Plays with Two Girls..............................86Using Picks and Screens...............................87Set Up the Offense....................................88Fast Break............................................89Offense Drills........................................919 Team DefenseMan-to-Man............................................95Zone..................................................97The Press.............................................99Communicate...........................................100Team Defense Drills...................................10010 ConditioningThe Off-Season........................................104During the Season.....................................105My Routine............................................106Appendix..............................................109Glossary..............................................111Credits...............................................115Index.................................................117

Chapter One

Warming Up

When I get to the gym, I can't wait to start playing, but I resist the temptation and always warm up first. Why is it important? Because warming up and stretching help keep your body injury-free. Always warm up your body for about five minutes before beginning any stretches to avoid injury. To begin your warm-up, jog around the court three times. Then stand with your arms out by your sides and make small circles, five to the front and five to the back. Increase the size of the circles and do five more in one direction and five more in the other. Now your muscles are warm before you stretch.

Stretching

Remember to stretch before every practice and game. Actually, I stretch after each game and practice, too. It's a good habit to get into. The following routine stretches the major parts of your body that you use the most when playing basketball. The best way to stretch is slooooowly. Bouncing while stretching can cause injury because your muscles will tighten, not relax. Your body needs time to loosen up each of the muscle groups before you can perform at your best. A few guidelines: Go lightly, holding your stretch for about ten to twenty seconds. Relax after each stretch for about twenty seconds. Do each stretch two or three times. Each time try to extend the stretch a bit farther. There never should be pain. If there is, you're forcing the stretch too much.

Here are some simple stretches to help you get loose before a game or practice.

Lower Leg Stretch

Sit on the floor with one leg straight and the other positioned so the heel of your sneaker touches the inside of your opposite thigh. Bend forward at the waist and grab the ankle or foot of your straight leg. Hold for twenty seconds. Repeat on opposite leg.

Hurdler Stretch

Still seated, spread your legs to form a V. With your left hand, reach out and touch your right ankle or toe. Hold that position for twenty seconds. Then repeat the process with the right hand touching your left ankle or toe.

Butterflies

Still seated, put your heels together in front of you and pull your feet close to your body. (Your legs will look like the wings of a butterfly.) Grab your right ankle with your right hand and your left ankle with your left hand. Put light pressure on your knees with your elbows and push forward slowly. Hold for twenty seconds.

Standing Groin Stretch

Stand and spread your feet a little more than shoulder width apart so you feel a slight pull in your groin and hamstring muscles. Bend over and try to put both hands on the floor. Hold for twenty seconds.

Side Lunge Stretch

Take the same position but this time lean to the left, bending your left leg and keeping your right leg straight. Hold for twenty seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Front Lunge Stretch

Facing forward, bend your left leg and keep your right leg extended behind you. Put both your forearms on top of your left thigh. Keep your chest upright. Hold for twenty seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Calf Stretch

Stand a few feet from a wall and put one foot in front of the other. Keep your heels flat on the floor and lean forward against the wall. Hold for twenty seconds, then repeat with the other foot forward.

Trunk Twists

Standing with your feet spread apart, twist your upper body left and right, holding your arms at chest level.

Flamingo Stretch

Standing, grab your right foot with your right hand and pull it behind your right leg to your buttocks. (Sometimes it's hard to balance while standing on one leg, so grab a wall or a teammate's shoulder until you get the hang of it.) Hold for twenty seconds. Repeat with the left foot.

Triceps Stretch

Standing, hold your left elbow over your head with your right hand. (Your left elbow should be above your left ear.) Pull your elbow behind your head. Hold for about twenty seconds. Repeat with your right elbow.

Biceps-Shoulder Stretch

Standing, pull your right arm across your chest and hook it with your left elbow until you feel a stretch. Hold for about twenty seconds. Repeat with your left arm.

Warm-up Drills

Now that your muscles are warm, you can do a few drills to further get your body ready. These drills will not only get you loose, they'll help improve your speed and endurance, making you a better player.

Suicide Drill

As you can guess from the name, this drill is never fun, but it is always useful. Because a basketball game is a series of quick bursts, it's good to do some sprints that focus on changing directions. Line up at the baseline and sprint to the nearest free-throw line; then run back to the baseline. Then sprint to half-court and back. Next, sprint to the far free-throw line and back. Finally, sprint to the far baseline and back. Three sets of these are a good start.

Jumping Drill

Jumping is crucial in basketball, so it's important to practice. This drill will help you jump higher. Stand next to a wall with a piece of chalk in your hand (be sure it's a wall where a chalk mark won't matter). Hold the chalk high and jump into the air, making a mark as high as you can. Then do ten more jumps, and make sure that each one is at least as high as your first chalk mark.

Line Jumps

This drill will help you develop coordination as well as get your legs ready to take all the jumping you'll have to do in a game. Stand with both feet together on one side of a straight line (the baseline, sideline, or whatever) and jump into the air across the line while keeping both feet together. Do this for thirty seconds, back and forth.

Spoon Servings

Full name: Teresa Gaye Weatherspoon

Nickname: Spoon

Height/Weight: 5'8", 161 lbs.

Birthdate: December 8, 1965

Birthplace: Jasper, Texas

Home: New York City and Pineland, Texas

High school: West Sabine High School (Pineland, Texas)

College: Louisiana Tech, '88

Years of pro basketball: 10

Sports I like to play (other than basketball): Softball

Athlete I most admired as a kid: Muhammad Ali because he was an honest man, whether you liked what he had to say or not

Favorite food: Pasta, any kind of way

Favorite color: Dark blue

Biggest sports thrill: Winning the 1988 NCAA Championship

Runner-up: Hitting a shot as a freshman at LA Tech to send the game into overtime against USC and Hall-of-Famer-to-be Cheryl Miller

Proudest moment: Receiving the Wade Trophy in 1988 after Coach Leon Barmore pushed me to be the best I could be

Place I like to be when not playing: Pineland. I love to be at home. I like being around my nephews and nieces, watching them grow.

Number: I wear No. 11 in memory of a favorite uncle who passed away on my eleventh birthday. I also wear eleven braids in my hair at all times.

Music: R&B, soft soothing music. Nothing that would tear my ears off.

Favorite subjects in school: Math and English

Pet: A cocker spaniel named Magic

Hidden talent: No one knows that I can do karate. My dad put me in classes as a kid.

Game day routine: I eat a banana about an hour before the game. It gives me an energy spurt.

Favorite quote: "Your life is successful when you have an impact on another life." -Jackie Robinson

Best advice ever received: My mother always said, "Believe. Times are hard, but believe." If my team is down by twenty, I still believe. You will never see me giving up.

The Olympics

In 1988 we won the gold medal. My teammates were crying, but I didn't know how to react. I don't think that what winning the gold really meant hit me until 1992. When we won the bronze that year, I dropped my head and walked away. I didn't even want to touch that bronze medal. I saw the bronze as a prize for being a failure. But then I realized that when I walked away with my head down, I embarrassed myself. I understood that the Olympics are about more than winning it all. They're about competing, playing for your country. I fought for my country, played as hard as I could for my country. That means a lot to me. Now I cherish the bronze medal as much as the gold medal.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Teresa Weatherspoon's Basketball for Girlsby Teresa Weatherspoon Copyright © 1999 by Teresa Weatherspoon. Excerpted by permission.
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