Defense

[SoonerNorm]

When I played basketball, we were taught that whenever you attempted to steal the ball, you made sure your palm was face up and you used your fingers to pop the ball back toward you where you had a chance to grab it. Even if you popped the ball straight up, you still had a chance to grab it. We were taught to never reach in with your palm down because they would almost always call you for reaching or slapping. Sometimes the call would go against the defender even if you slapped down and hit all ball.

Was this method taught to any of you? If so, do you know of any coaches who still teach it?

 

[35TangoTango]

I've heard that many times.

 

[sybarite]

I was taught position, but instructed not to slap. Feet, not hands.

 

[35TangoTango]

I was taught position, but instructed not to slap. Feet, not hands.

Norm was talking about stealing the ball. If you can steal the ball with your feet, you're more talented than the rest of us.

 

[sybarite]

We were, more or less, instructed not to try to steal. Force a bad shot, stay close enough to get some turnovers, but don't try to slap at it.

 

[MsProudSooner]

The game has allowed so much physical play over the past few years that most players have either forgotten or never learned the finer points of stealing the ball without fouling. Why go to all that trouble if you can just mug someone? They are going to have to unlearn lots of bad habits.

 

[sybarite]

Norm was talking about stealing the ball. If you can steal the ball with your feet, you're more talented than the rest of us.

Incidently, having grown up in a school that had only soccer from grades 1-8, I would much have preferred anything that allowed me to use my feet.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I've heard that many times.

I virtually never see players attempt ball steals with their palms up these days. Does anyone know if that technique is still taught by coaches?

 

[rocjunkie]

Yes, Palm up but move up and away to the left or right, then step through and go get the ball. Don't slap and never come from the top down. You will get called for a foul.

 

[ou4ever]

This thread on technique of stealing the ball reminds me (on the men's side) of Mookie Blaylock, one of the best ball stealers around. He almost always used the palm-up method.

 

[sybarite]

Given the rule change, which goes somewhat back to when they were enforced in the first place, why use such a technique? Aren't the passing lanes still the best option to force turnovers without touching?

There was a time when touching was a foul.

 

[SoonerNorm]

This thread on technique of stealing the ball reminds me (on the men's side) of Mookie Blaylock, one of the best ball stealers around. He almost always used the palm-up method.

A couple of hours ago I started to mention Mookie but decided to let it ride but, he was the very best at using the palm up technique.

I wonder why we don't see it used today?

 

[SoonerNorm]

Given the rule change, which goes somewhat back to when they were enforced in the first place, why use such a technique? Aren't the passing lanes still the best option to force turnovers without touching?

There was a time when touching was a foul.

You use it because you almost never get called for a foul. If your palm is facing up, you are trying to touch/flip the bottom of the ball. The ball handlers hands are on top of the ball. Therefore, there is clear distance from where you are attempting the steal the ball vs where the ball handler's hand/arm is. If you can tip the ball out of the control of the ball handler you have a good chance of grabbing it. The object is, to not touch the ball handler, only the ball. But, as others have said, if the palm is down, you then will likely come in contact with the ball handlers hand or arm and get whistled for the foul.

If you watch our girls, they almost always have the palm down which is why they draw the fouls.

 

[35TangoTango]

If you watch our girls, they almost always have the palm down which is why they draw the fouls.

From my observations, that is not an accurate statement. I think the majority of times some Sooner is actually trying to steal the ball, we do it with palm up as you've described. Of all the fouls we get, very few come from trying to steal the ball by slapping down.

 

[SoonerNorm]

From my observations, that is not an accurate statement. I think the majority of times some Sooner is actually trying to steal the ball, we do it with palm up as you've described. Of all the fouls we get, very few come from trying to steal the ball by slapping down.

You might be right but I have not seen anyone using palm up.

 

[sybarite]

How often do we attempt to steal the ball, as opposed to intercept a pass or tip a ball that isn't under control?

 

[SoonerNorm]

How often do we attempt to steal the ball, as opposed to intercept a pass or tip a ball that isn't under control?

When a defender is going nose to nose with the ball handler, that is one of the things most players are trying to do.

 

[sybarite]

When a defender is going nose to nose with the ball handler, that is one of the things most players are trying to do.

Maybe. I just don't see a lot of attempts to get the ball while it is clearly in possession. Most of the "steals" that we seem to get that aren't stolen passes or tipping a ball that is slightly out of control are on the interior, and I don't see what actually happened for us to get that call.

 

[35TangoTango]

You might be right but I have not seen anyone using palm up.

The hand is often quicker than the eye. A lot of times (from my seat in row 11), I don't see the hand at all; just the ball suddenly flying free.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Based on what I've seen, most of the coaches seem to be emphasizing keeping your hands up and high above your head to show the officials you aren't fouling. Perhaps that's why we don't see many of the steals described in this thread.