Game Time Basketball Camps

It depends on the age and ability of the player.  

It also depends on whether I am doing live in person instruction, or live over-the-internet instruction.  

I work with really young kids (as young as 3,  to very advanced players)  

When I first start,  I like to talk with the player, their parents, and any of their coaches (if possible) that may have feedback for me.  

I will also have them show me various fundamental skills with and without the basketball.     

Running,  stopping, jumping, turning, pivoting, sliding.   Passing, receiving.   Dribbling.  Shooting.  Rebounding. 

Various other forms of footwork and hand and body work. 

I may ask them some questions about game situations,  terminology, locations of the court, etc.  

I usually get a pretty good idea during the first lesson of how I want to proceed that I believe will give the player the most improvement.  

Beginners obviously will need work on all facets of the game - fundamentally-speaking.    (Every player,  no matter what level, even the top professionals in the world, continue to refine their fundamentals)  

For beginners, it would be their first time actually learning them.  

But I will still try to focus on only a few things during each lesson, as that makes it easier to learn, build muscle memory,  and put in some focused conditioning on specific skill development.  

Again, it depends on the level of the player I am working with.   

I also like to teach, by having my students do a series of related and/or sequential actions, like  running, catching, passing,  stopping, changing direction, cutting,  and then catching again and dribbling, adding in some faking, some shooting, rebounding, etc.  

No matter level of player I am working with, I want them to have fun.  Fun means learning, making progress, putting in some hard work, keeping things interesting, and creating opportunities for those I teach to be successful, to become better basketball players, and hopefully to continue to grow as people at the same time.  

Again, it depends on the player.  

For more advanced players, we can get very intricate with this  - I can watch and critique game tapes,  I can go to live games, and make observations, and take notes.  

I can do an extensive interview with the player, as well as their parents, and coaches, and teammates, together, or separately.  

I can look for habits - the most key habits that I feel should be changed, or developed,  to make the most improvement.  

We can hone in on a specific area of the game - such as post play, or defensive play.  

We can focus on specific develpment of a skill - like rebounding.  

We can focus on breaking a specific habit for however long is needed, like losing track off the ball, or turning one's head away from the ball, on defense.  

We can focus on ball-handling, and specifically developing an aggressive, but under control, Attack, Protect, Create mentality.

I will also always try to incorporate some games, for part of the lesson, appropriate to the level of player I am working with.   These could be simple games where I time how many shots are made in minute, how many dribbles,  how many passes,  and can include 1 on 1 games against me,  or a parent or sibling that may join in.  

I can spice up the lesson with particular requirements or restrictions (like "shooting layups with the left hand only"), or "only 3 dribbles allowed", the ways and means of creating a very specific, dynamic, and fun, and appropriately challenging lesson, and progressive training experience, are virtually limitless.  

This keeps things exciting, and gives more meaning to the drills.   

Thank you for reading, and hope to work with you soon.  

Coach Gil Llewellyn

Owner and Founder, 

Game Time Basketball Camps

I have extensive experience, teaching and coaching the game, and playing it.   For more information,  you can go to my website at www.gametimebasketballcamps.com,  and visit my profile.  

You can also visit my "endorsements" page on the site here: 

http://gametimebasketballcamps.com/endorsements/

or send me an email to me at [email protected] where I can send you a photographic profile.   

Looking forward to helping you get to whatever your next level is.  

Coach Gil 

Yes.   My basic rate is $50 per hour.   Lessons are conducted usually on outdoor courts at local parks or at the client's house or facility they arrange.    

Mileage is free within the first 25 miles roundtrip.  Otherwise, there is a 53 cents per mile fee after that.    

I got started teaching myself how to play basketball, nearly 40 years ago (in addition to help from my various coaches) by watching better players play,  whether this was on TV, or in the parks, gyms and arenas, or watching instructional videos, and from reading books, and asking my coaches questions.   

I have worked with boys and girls ages 3 to 18, all levels of players, in recreational and more competitive situations, as individuals, in partnered (two person), small group, and team settings.  Both in practice and game setting, and camp and clinic settings.   

Including "at risk", special needs, and other special situations.  

I have also worked with men and women in college, WNBA, NBA, minor league, overseas, streetball, Senior Olympic,  Harlem Globetrotter, and other showcase team players. 

I have worked with players from nearly 60 countries.  

There are many.   I have recently been working with a young boy from India who is 7 and a half years, and is tall, and very new to the game.   In a matter of a few weeks, I have helped him improve his skills tremendously, shooting, passing, dribbling, and rebounding specifically.  

He is having fun.  His dad is happy.  Improvement is obvious.  

He is eager to practice on his own, too.  

That is what I live for.  

Look for someone who loves the game.  Someone who obviously knows enough about the game, to teach the various fundamentals or whatever you are trying to learn.  

Find someone who is patient.  Find someone who can listen, and can employ multiple ways of teaching various skills - as not everyone learns the same way.

Find someone who can make things fun AND challenging just enough.  

Find someone who does not just focus on drills, but incorporates game-like situations, too to help bridge the gap from practice to game time execution. 

Find someone that is conveniently located, or that you are eager to travel to, if you feel they are worth it.  

Good luck.  

Coach Gil

A good coach can help them ask and answer these questions, for themselves.   I think whatever questions the student has, should be asked.  

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I think students should ask themselves why they are playing the game?    Take a moment to think about that. 

Am I having fun?  Why or why not?  How can I have more fun?  

Why do I like or love it?  Or do I like or love the game?  

Am I here, because someone else wants me to be here?  

Do I have my specific reasons, and goals for playing the game? 

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What do I most want to improve on?  

What makes me nervous the most? 

What do I feel I am having trouble with - what do I think are my weaknesses? 

What have my parents or coaches, or teammates, or others told me to improve on?  

What terminology, or things have I seen or heard, that has made me confused, or uncertain?  

What do I think would be the most fun to learn?  

What do I have questions on?  

I think these are some worthwhile questions to ask and answer.  

Coach Gil Llewellyn  

Owner/Founder 

Game Time Basketball Camps

www.gametimebasketballcamps.com