How to Structure Your Summer as an Aspiring D1 Hooper

One thing that separates good from great is the desire to do more than anyone else to achieve it. I have often heard from many players that they want to be a college D1 athlete and how they hope to earn a scholarship to play at the next level. It’s a dream most young athletes have at some point in their young careers. Unfortunately, most athletes don’t understand the sacrifice and what it takes to become an elite athlete. They don’t understand what it takes to be in the top 5% of players in the country. With that being said, if you’re a player looking to go to the top level, here’s what your summer should look like as an aspiring D1 hooper.

Individual growth

If you're an aspiring D1 athlete it's non-negotiable to work hard and develop every summer as a player. Every basketball season brings new challenges that must be overcome. These challenges need to be addressed in the off-season, especially if they aren’t handled correctly in the winter. The ability to adjust your skill sets to become the best version of yourself within your team is challenging but starts in the summer. Figure out what skills need growth and what you can do to help your team win.

Getting into the gym and just playing doesn’t help as much as having a plan and getting after it. The best players are in the gym minimally 5 days a week and some won’t miss a day. This doesn’t mean working out until extreme fatigue hits. It means getting some sort of work in to see improvement and growth each day. This could be shooting a thousand shots, working on ballhanding, or speeding up footwork. It could also be working on conditioning and strength. The skills each player needs to focus on varies, but the common denominator is the effort and amount of work they are putting in.

Competitive play

Every single D1 athlete knows how to compete, and loves to compete. That's one thing they all have in common. It’s essential to find players that are better than you to compete with during the summer. This is often in AAU or local gym runs. It could also mean finding players that are simply better than you in certain skill areas. Challenging yourself to beat better players promotes growth and the desire to be the best. If you’re not competing at some level each week you’ll simply fall behind. Working on individual growth is important, but it then must be applied in a real setting to see what the results are. Playing in the summer allows for players to adjust and continue to tweak their training efforts. The ultimate goal is to feel comfortable in your new skill sets against the top players in your area. Which leads to a higher level of confidence in the future.

Strength and nutrition

My junior to senior year I made a huge leap in my personal goals to become a D1 player and it started with strength and nutrition. I was weak and I didn't always give my body the fuel it needed to be great, day in and day out. Once I realized these two things were holding me back from my true potential, I started to lift weights properly to gain strength and I started eating properly to help my body sustain growth. If you can lock in a personal trainer for this it would be ideal but if not, there are several resources online to help guide athletes in the right direction. Hoopers should lift at least 3 days a week while working on conditioning to not only maintain but grow their bodies in the summer. These two areas will help young athletes stay healthy throughout the regular seasons and also prevent injuries in the future.

If you’re looking for nutrition as well as strength training programs from professional trainers, check out our Dr. Dish Off-Season Player Guide here.

Film Study

I can remember watching myself play on film the first time and thinking the person I saw wasn't me. My coaches always harped on areas I needed to improve on, but it didn’t really hit me until I saw it with my own eyes. I can recall missing assignments on the court and not making the correct reads on both the defensive and offensive ends of the court. Watching game film, in particular the mistakes, helped me understand what I needed to prioritize in my workouts and how it was important to listen to my coaches during the season. Some of the mistakes I made could’ve easily been corrected and others were things I needed to dedicate time to.

Ask your coaches for game film and not highlights. Game film will allow you to consume the game as it was viewed from an outward perspective. Try to pay attention to not only yourself but also your teammates so you can see how to navigate and work with them better. Every week in the summer should include film time. This is where the mental growth for players can be achieved.

Rest And Recovery

It's important to make sure each day includes some rest and recovery. And this means getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night and giving yourself some time to think about other things than hoops. Mindfulness and mental strength will help maintain players through tough practices and games, which is great for building resilience. Be sure to cool down and stretch after each workout no matter how tough it is. If injury occurs, make sure to take the proper time off to heal, but be sure to keep a basketball mindset through it all. I’d personally recommend 1 day a week for total rest and recovery. But for multi-sport athletes, it can sometimes be necessary to take a few days off to recover. If your goal is to be a D1 athlete you’ll need to be healthy and available to practice and play at all times.

Lastly, be sure to surround yourself with like minded people. Workout, hangout and communicate with other aspiring D1 athletes. You’ll learn from them and also keep yourself accountable throughout the summer. Stay focused and understand that sacrifices have to be made. The payoff is worth it in the long run so don’t give up on your goals and keep working hard each and every day!