Larry Bird’s surprising summer basketball lesson

  Last week, I shared a story about me getting my butt kicked on the court by a 50 year old player when I was a rising senior in high school...  (This is the last time I’m reliving this painful story from my past! :) !  The reason I shared that story was because I learned an invaluable lesson about the value of playing against older, more experienced players.  Here’s a recap from the other email in case you missed it…  It’s one thing to have a coach tell you to do something…  But to physically be on the court and see somebody executing high IQ plays and to experience somebody beating your butt with a savvy approach to the game…  That’s the ultimate teacher!  And in today’s world, many young players today spend too much time playing structured games against peers of the same age, who often lack the basketball intelligence it requires to be truly great at this game.  So basically, low IQ play perpetuates itself.  However, when competing against older players who may not possess lightning-fast speed or soaring jumps, you discover that basketball IQ can be your secret weapon.  Well today, I want to expand on that theme and share a story that Larry Bird recently told during an interview.  Picture this: a young Larry Bird, an ambitious basketball player with fire in his eyes, trying to find and beat the highest level of competition in Indiana.  He didn’t play summer AAU basketball during his youth, but he played pickup games against opponents two to three times his age… at a court in his hometown.  Now these players weren’t the most talented on the court, but they were experienced and played a smart brand of basketball.  And what’s interesting is that even though Larry was already a standout talent, he learned a lot from them that allowed him to sharpen his basketball IQ and discover unique ways to outsmart his opponents.  I think it’s safe to say that paid off pretty well for him in the NBA… as he turned into one of the most savvy players to ever play the game!  So as you play basketball in some capacity–whether it’s in a formal setting or informally on the pickup courts, keep this lesson in mind:  Playing against older, more experienced players is a fantastic way to develop one of the least practiced but most sought after skills on the court: basketball IQ!  And if you want to channel your inner Larry Bird this summer by playing against players of all ages, skill levels, and experience…  Then consider registering for one of our remaining Breakthrough Basketball Camps with 300+ locations all over the country!  [You can see the full camp schedule and register HERE.Â]( Summer Basketball Camps Starting Soon  Here are some of the camps starting over the next couple of weeks…  Starting This Weekend  June 2-4 - [Fargo, ND](  June 2-4 - [Farson, WY]( - 9 spots remaining!  June 2-4 - [Omaha, NE]( Starting Next Week  June 6-8 - [Clarinda, IA]( - Sold Out!  June 6-8 - [Coalville, UT]( - 10 spots remaining!  June 6-8 - [Colorado Springs, CO]( - Sold Out!  June 6-8 - [Dalton, GA](  June 6-8 - [Dayton, OH](  June 6-8 - [Farmington, UT]( - Only 5 spots remaining!  June 6-8 - [Fayetteville, NC]( - Sold Out!  June 6-8 - [Gilbert, AZ](  June 6-8 - [Grand Junction , CO]( - 1 spot remaining!  June 6-8 - [Lake Crystal, MN]( - Sold Out!  June 6-8 - [Lamar, CO]( - Sold Out!  June 6-8 - [Louisville, KY]( - Sold Out!  June 6-8 - [Mansfield, OH]( - 1 spot remaining!  June 6-8 - [Nampa, ID]( - Sold Out!  June 6-8 - [Perryton, TX]( - 6 spots remaining!  June 6-8 - [Rock Hill, SC](  June 6-8 - [Starkville, MS](  June 6-8 - [St. Marys, PA]( - Sold Out!  June 6-8 - [West Salem, WI]( - Sold Out!  June 6-8 - [Wichita, KS]( - 1 spot remaining!  June 6-8 - [Windsor, CO]( - Sold Out!  June 9-11 - [Anchorage, AK]( - Sold Out!  June 9-11 - [Cheyenne, WY]( - 14 spots remaining!  June 9-11 - [Erie, PA]( - 12 spots remaining!  June 9-11 - [Houston, TX]( - 13 spots remaining! Starting In Two Weeks - On Monday and Tuesday  June 12-14 - [Denver, CO]( - 3 spots remaining!  June 13-15 - [Aitkin, MN]( - Sold Out!  June 13-15 [Bellevue, IA]( - 14 spots remaining!  June 13-15 [Coralville, IA]( - 3 spots remaining!  June 13-15 [Dallas, TX]( - 11 spots remaining!  June 13-15 [Glenwood Springs, CO]( - 1 spot remaining!  June 13-15 [Hicksville, OH]( (K-1st) - 11 spots remaining!  June 13-15 [Hicksville, OH]( (2nd-4th) - 3 spots remaining!  June 13-15 [Hicksville, OH]( (7th-12th)  June 13-15 [Lincoln, NE](  June 13-15 [Maricopa, AZ](  June 13-15 [Mayer, MN]( - Sold Out!  June 13-15 [McPherson, KS](  June 13-15 [Noblesville, IN]( - Sold Out!  June 13-15 [Norman, OK]( - 1 spot remaining!  June 13-15 [Romeoville, IL](  June 13-15 [Spartanburg, SC](  June 13-15 [St. Louis , MO]( - 11 spots remaining!  June 13-15 [Thermopolis, WY]( - 5 spots remaining!  June 13-15 [Winston-Salem, NC]( - 8 spots remaining!  June 13-15 [Yuba City, CA](  You can also view the [entire schedule with 300+ camps]( across the country and filter by state!  All the best,  Joe Haefner Breakthrough Basketball            This email was sent to {EMAIL} because you indicated that you'd like to receive emails and updates from Breakthrough Basketball on 2016-12-16 05:42:39. If you don't want to receive such emails in the future, please [Change Your Email Preferences]( or [Unsubscribe All]( Copyright © Breakthrough Basketball, LLC. All rights reserved. Breakthrough Basketball, LLC. | 5001 1st Ave. SE, Ste 105 #254 | Cedar Rapids | IA | 52402 [email.gif]  .  It’s our mission to build a strong community centered around basketball, personal development and most importantly - fun! We love to create extraordinary and useful products and share them with you! We love to help people learn how to enjoy the game of basketball at the next level by simply creating the right products that they use in their practices and games. Every day we are building and strengthening partnerships with companies and coaches that are in alignment with our own values. We particularly love working with coaches, players, and parents because through their passion and their craft they help elevate the game of basketball. As much as we care about basketball, we also care about your privacy. Breakthrough Basketball is owned and operated by Breakthrough Basketball. We are committed to advising you of the right to your privacy, and strives to provide a safe and secure user experience. Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, store and use personal information, provided by you on our website. When you visit our Web site you may provide us with two types of information: personal information you knowingly choose to disclose that is collected on an individual basis and Web site use information collected on an aggregate basis as you and others browse our Web site. For example, you may need to provide the following information: • Name • Website URL information • Email address • Home and business phone number It also explains how we collect and use non-personal information. By accessing and using our website, you explicitly accept, without limitation or qualification, the collection, use and transfer of the personal information and non-personal information in the manner described in our Privacy Policy. Please read this Policy on our website(s) carefully, as it affects your rights and liabilities under the law. If you disagree with the way we collect and process personal and non-personal information, please do not use this website. This Policy applies to this website as well as all webpages Breakthrough Basketball hosts. It regulates the processing of information relating to you and grants both of us various rights with respect to your personal data. It also informs you of how to notify us to stop using your personal information. We are located in the United States of America. You may be located in a country that has laws which are more restrictive about the collection and use of your personal information. However, by using our website, you agree to waive the more restrictive laws and agree to be governed by the laws of the United States of America. If you wish to view our official policies, please visit our website.