The Basketball Movement can mean a lot of different things to different people. For me, it elevated more than my game.
I was first introduced to the way of The Basketball Movement before it had that title. I was probably 11 or 12 when I first met Robert Yanders and witnessed firsthand what the Movement was all about.
Rob was a hard-nosed player that made up for his smaller stature by outworking everyone else and taking advantage of his strengths. He brings his intensity and intrinsic motivation and uses it to maximum effect as a coach.
I remember going through speed and skill trainings with Robert while I was in Jr. High. Basketball was always my favorite sport, but I knew that I wasn't in it to become a collegiate player or anything.
Training with Robert was probably the most physically demanding thing I have ever done. I dropped gallons of sweat in the same gym where The Basketball Movement still coaches players today.
One of the biggest takeaways from my time was what I learned about mind over body. I remember running lines with another player, my buddy Derrick. Rob set a time we had to make it in. We didn't, so he took time off the clock.
That didn't make a lot of sense to me. We ran it again and of course didn't make the new time, now exhausted, as it was pretty late in the workout. Robert took a couple more seconds off the clock. I was too tired to consider that maybe he was just crazy.
Without saying a word to each other, Derrick and I got back on the line and knew that if we didn't make it this time, we were going to keep running forever. Once Rob said go, I moved my tired body as fast as I've ever run before.
We both made it under the new time, even though we were much more tired and had a much loftier goal than the first few attempts. That taught me a lot about what I could do, and what it takes to achieve even the toughest goals.
The discipline and ability to push myself to the limit were lessons that I applied to my whole life, not just basketball. I overcame tough coaches, tough teammates, and did certainly gain some foot-speed and athleticism.
What I leaned from Robert as a coach and as a man has helped me in school and work. Now, he is helping me pursue my interest in writing by handing me the reigns to The Basketball Movement blog.
I would highly recommend The Basketball Movement to anyone. Whether it is skill training or even just the Saturday open clinic. Parents, get your kids in front of Robert Yanders. Rob is one of the most positive influences I can imagine for players of any age.
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