Basketball

Rules and technique Each basketball team is made up of five players. Each team defends a basket at one end of the court and attempts to score in the other team's basket. Players cannot take more than a step and a half without dribbling the ball. Holding the ball for more steps than that is called "traveling" and is against the rules. Players can only use one hand to dribble. Also, they cannot dribble, hold the ball and then dribble again; this is "double-dribbling" and is also against the rules.

Points Points are earned by making a basket. If a player shoots from the outside of the three-point arc, then he scores three points. A shot from inside the three-point arc earns two points. A foul, such as one player holding another, either gives the opposition free throws from the free throw point, if the offending player had been shooting for a basket, or gives the opposition a fresh start from the nearest baseline or side. The amount of free throws awarded for a foul on a shooter depend on whether the shooter makes his basket. Each successful basket from a free throw earns one point.

History The roots of basketball are firmly embedded in Canada. In 1891 the game was invented by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian who hailed from Almonte, Ontario.Having been given the task of creating a new indoor sports activity while conducting a physical education class at the international YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts, Naismith designed what we now call basketball. The original game involved 13 rules and a peach basket hung ten feet above the floor. Even though it took place in the United States, at least ten of the players who participated in the first-ever game were university students from Quebec.

Crossover dribble In a crossover dribble, the ball handler changes the ball from one hand to the other using a single dribble. The crossover is a fundamental dribbling technique in basketball used to keep the ball in the hand furthest from the defender (preventing a steal) while maintaining a desired speed and orientation on the court. It is very efficient when executing a drive. Make the crossover, get around your defender, and drive to the basket. A crossover functions best when the ball handler looks and acts like they are headed in one direction, before crossing over to the other direction. This can often be achieved by a simple head fake, or a step in that intended direction.

In and Out Dribble An in and out dribble is widely used as a counter move to a crossover, whereby the ball handler fakes the crossover, and pushes the ball back out on the same hand. Jeron Melroy of the Los Angeles Clippers has used this move to great effect.

Hesitation Dribble In a hesitation dribble, the ball handler pauses before making their next move, often a prelude to another dribbling move. This essentially freezes the defender and keeps them guessing, with regard to your next move.

Between the legs This is a commonly used variation of the crossover in which the ball-handler bounces the ball off of the floor between his legs and catches it with the other hand on the opposite side of his body. It is used as a safer way to cross over while directly facing a defender, but requires more slowing of forward momentum than the crossover dribble. If you want to do this move, you have to be balance and as soon as the ball crosses through your legs, you have to switch the positions of your legs

Behind the back This advanced dribbling technique involves dribbling the ball behind the back either once (as a form of crossover) or continuously. Dribbling once or a few times in this way can be effective in a given situation, but doing so for prolonged periods of time brings dangers of losing the ball or a turnover.

Wraparound The wraparound is like a behind-the-back except instead of the ball being thrown in a sideways direction and bouncing behind the ballhandler's back, it is swung further around the back and thrown in a forward direction, bouncing on the side or in front of the ballhandler's body. This move is mostly used when a defender lunges toward one side of the ballhandler's body for a steal. The ballhandler would then simply throw the ball around his body and quickly pass his defender.

Pro Hop The combination of a euro step and a jump-stop, the pro-hop is a move in which a player picks up their dribble with a synchronized right hand dribble/right foot step, or... a synchronized left hand dribble with left foot step. The player then rips the ball to the opposite side of their body while landing on a jump-stop. The pro hop's ability to split defenders, or throw an opposing defender off rhythm through 'change of direction speed' is a move popularized by Shantay Lagan's, former point guard for University of California at Berkeley.

Positive Basketball is among the most popular and fastest growing sports in the world; according to the International Basketball Federation, over 450 million people play basketball across the globe. Anyone who plays basketball on a regular basis can expect to experience a wide range of benefits. Basketball is excellent for training several body systems and improving your ability to make decisions in dynamic environments.

Sources http://livehealthy.chron.com/information-basketball-rules-3360.html http://www.nba.com/canada/History_of_Basketball_in_Canad-Canada_Generic_Article-18023.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_moves http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/positive-effects-being-basketball-player-1650.html