Basketball's Leadership Parachute

In 1967 after taking off from the USS Kitty Hawk, a combat pilot basketball the name of Charlie Plumb set out on his seventy-fifth mission over North Vietnam. Despite his best efforts and endless hours of tactical training, Plumb would eventually lose a battle in his F-4 Phantom jet and end basketball in the famed Hanoi Hilton.

During his stay as a POW in Vietnamese control, he suffered stark humiliation, was starved, beaten, and forced to inhabit in gross sub-par conditions. After his release in 1973 Charlie found himself having dinner with his wife when a gentleman approach and asked him, "You're Plumb. You flew fighters in the Vietnam conflict?" Plumb responded by affirming the man's identification of his past. The man went on, "You parachuted into enemy hands, spending six years as a POW." At this point Charlie was dumbfounded by the man's history lesson. Curiosity was killing Plumb, he had to know how this stranger knew so much, so he asked.

"I packed your parachute" the man replied.

In order to be a great team leader and grounded basketball program, people must be placed in positions to take advantage of their strengths. Had the Navy put the wrong person in the position of parachute rigger, Charlie's outcome may have been quite different. All players have a place where they add the most value. In order to coach your team to success this lesson must be understood and measured using three guiding principles:

1. Understand your team.
2. Know the Situation.
3. Know your personnel

These three principles make up the parachute of team leadership. I would invite you to share the story of Charlie Plumb with your team and balance the 'star' with the importance of the 'man who packs the parachute' and challenge your team to shake the hands of all who have packed their parachutes over the years.

More Basketball Info at Coach Mac's: http://www.coachmac-basketball.com

More from the author: http://www.squidoo.com/High-School-Basketball-Offenses

Airsoft Rifles Vs Airsoft Pistols

It is best to have an airsoft basketball and pistol if you are an avid player of airsoft, but what if you can only get one, due to financial or space constraints? A rifle is not always better than a pistol; in some cases, the latter may be a better fit for your needs. It all depends on how and where you want to use the product.

For those who mainly use airsoft guns to participate in the airsoft game, a rifle is usually your best pick. They are fast, powerful, and have higher magazine capacities than pistols. Their ranges extend beyond pistols, so you can avoid close combat. Most airsoft players use rifles, and decide to keep a pistol on them only as backup. As with anything, there are exceptions. Some people choose to use a pistol all the basketball With a pistol, one picks their shots carefully, instead of spraying in the general direction of the enemy. Many find rifles to be unwieldy and/or too heavy, which restricts movement. Dual wielding is also an option with pistols, and for those who train in this technique, it can be very effective (being ambidextrous is helpful for this pursuit).

If one wishes to use airsoft guns simply for target shooting, a pistol is often the most economical choice. A high-quality pistol is much less expensive than an identical quality rifle, which is why pistols are ideal for those who want to save money. One does not need all the capabilities a rifle has if they just want to shoot targets. However, some people enjoy using rifles much more than pistols, so whatever the endeavor, a rifle would be favored.

It all comes down to personal preference. While some are fascinated by pistols, others feel the same way about rifles. Those who do not prefer one over the other just have to weigh the benefits of each option and see which choice would work better for them.

The author, Justin Kander, is a partner with http://www.eastcoastairsoft.com. EastCoastAirsoft stocks a wide variety of airsoft rifles.

Basketball Strategies Zone Defense

When studying the true strategies of one of the fastest paced sports we see how humans put to use zone defense strategies. But before we start our discussion on the game of basketball basketball the most agile of the species, let us take a look at how zone defense works in other arenas not necessarily similar to sports.

In Iraq the US and Coalition forces have broken up the area into regions to hunt down the Insurgency and International Terrorist basketball In business zone defense is used to market a product or service to target markets with in zones as well. In fact most distribution works in commercial enterprises works in this same fashion also. You must cover the territories better than the competition.

Perhaps you have been involved in politics as a volunteer or you have wondered how people get elected? Sure they run lots of ads on the TV and radio in specific markets, but they also get out the vote by walking precincts to peoples homes. All this is zone defense or zone offense depending on if your opponent is doing the same thing. Even the US Post Office or FEMA uses zone strategies to accomplish their tasks and missions.

Now then back to basketball; if you really want to understand the game, you need to be thinking on exactly what zone defense is all about and then watch it unfold at 5-times the speed as any of these others types of zone strategies and then you will have a better understanding and appreciation of the sport. Consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Magical Prayer to Improve Your Basketball Skills - Use Prayer to Become an NBA Star!

Prayer basketball a very important aspect of everyone's lives. Praying should never be overlooked and if your prayers are not answered immediately, do not get discouraged, keep praying. Pray to improve your basketball skills to the college or professional level and you shall see yourself begin to become a more accurate shot, dribble better, and most importantly jump higher!

Do not take praying lightly. As I'm sure you know from other aspects of life, the right prayer can enrich your life in ways that you never thought possible. Keep in mind when praying that The Lord wants you to succeed in your goals. Pray often and you will see proof of this.

Remember that The lord cannot force you to put in the effort to become the basketball star that you wish to be. It is your responsibility to work hard to achieve your goals. Let The Lord show you the path that you should take to improve your basketball skills. Use The Lords advice and work hard to take advantage of every opportunity that The Lord gives you.

You may find that the path that The Lord sends you along is difficult, time consuming, or might even cost you money. But this is something that you need to accept and embrace completely. The Lord's advice is not advice that should be ignored.

Keep your eyes open. Keep your mind, body and spirit pure. Listen to The Lord. Above all, Pray. I wish you the best in your basketball goals. Hopefully The Lord helps you in the same ways that I basketball been helped. God Bless.

To begin your path to success, check out The Jump Manual. Let this manual answer your prayers and become the first step in your basketball goals.

Top Outdoor Toys Under $100

It's time to go outside and play. Kids love video games and playing games on the computer. Playing outside with friends and families seems a thing of the past because more toys are gravitating to staying indoors. There are still a wide variety of outdoor toys your kids will enjoy and get a lot of exercise. Toys that promote active play and family participation.

We all know about the different types of bikes, pedal cars, and power cars, but what about the other options available basketball the little ones. There are many colorful playground balls from Crocodile Creek which can be used for dodge ball or kick ball, anything really. The most basic toys can be the most fun.

There are numerous tents Pacific Play Tents that create a world of fantasy for any child. These will be good for outdoor sleep overs with their friends for example.

The Gamewright Boochie The Better Ball Game is a unique game that is fun for all the little ones and maybe even the parents too. This game has players throw, kick, and toss so everyone will stay active and entertained. The Blongo Family Fun Blongo Ball Set will definitely spark interest at the next family reunion. While not overly popular, a croquet set can be enjoyed by the entire family on those sunny afternoons.

A tree swing can allow children to swing and back and forth and some can even bounce up and down. If you have the space for it a Fun Ride glider is placed between two trees and the kids are ready to glide back and forth.

There are many outdoor sport toys that will tickle your kids fancy no matter what sports they are interested in. An outdoor bowling set or mini golf set would create some competition among the kids. Basketball rims are very common, but what about a basketball rim that shoots the basketball back at you when you make a shot. The Catch n' Shoot Basketball by Diggin rewards a made shoot with a quick pass right back to them, so be ready.

We all love going to the beach so why not have the children try the Beach Builder Create a Castle set? This set can be used by the whole family and will help you create a beautiful sand castle you can be proud of and others will admire.

If you would like more information on where to find outdoor toys under $100 please visit us at Great Kid Gifts.

Troy James Macraft
Great Kids Gifts