Kevin Eastman: Six Keys to Quality Skill Development

with Kevin Eastman,
Nike Skills Instructor
and Boston Celtics (NBA) Skill Development Specialist

Coach Eastman's work with Nike is about one thing - making players better. He works with NBA, college, high school and middle school players on the fundamental building blocks of the game. This DVD will stimulate your thinking and greatly improve your ability to enhance your players' skill. Eastman shares his six keys to a quality skill development program. First, practice at a rate equal to or faster than game pace. Second, skill development is a process to improve, involving many steps. The third key is to eliminate fatigue and boredom in your skill workouts. By changing drills and adding variety, a coach can keep a player's interest while still stressing fundamentals. A written workout program for players is the fourth key for successful workouts. The fifth key is to always work on conditioning, dribbling and shooting every day. The "theory of two" is a concept Eastman uses in his teaching. While it takes only two minutes to explain a skill, players must work everyday for two weeks to get comfortable with that skill. Then, it takes coaches two months to have to confidence to put that player in the game. He also explains the four "Must-Haves" in your drill work: Working on weak hand, footwork and balance, playing through contact and contesting shots are mandatory for each workout. Eastman places heavy emphasis on quality shooting workouts and shares his six keys to a quality shooting workout. He preaches that players practice "game shots from game spots at game speed." Eastman uses players to demonstrate his teaching points. Following a series of individual skill demonstrations, drill work is used to illustrate key teaching points. The unique "Argentine Olympic Drill" combines passing, conditioning and thinking. The Intensity Lay-up and Elbow Jump Shot Drill can increase quickness ball handling and scoring. Reverse Elbow Pick-up Drill teaches a player to be loaded and ready to shoot the ball. The Quick Square Drill is an excellent recognition and shooting drill for players at all ability levels. Coach Eastman proves that improvement comes only with focused, difficult practice. Fundamentals apply to the NBA player as well as the Middle School player. This ground-breaking DVD on skill development is creative, intense and opens a whole new world for those who want to become better basketball players.

2006. 58 minutes.

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