The best of the best?

Who is the best player in Boise? The best in the Treasure Valley? The best in Idaho and the Northwest? You may not hear their names in the paper or on TV. But without out doubt, the guys that are playing in pick up games and in rec leagues know who the best are.

The debate continues on March 17-18 in the Fast Eddy's BAM Jam Elite divisions.

Several players have staked their claim to the title over the years, winning the summer and spring 6'0 and Over & 6'0 and Under divisions. Some will try to claim both titles at once.

Is 3 on 3 a team game or a 1 on 1 game?
"In 3 on 3 there is a lot more break down work. You play together as a team as much as you can but you can really show out what you can do individually," said Chris Allen.

Allen should know. He is a 3-time winner of the summer BAM Jam and this spring he will be competing in the 6'0 and Over & the 6'0 and Under Elite brackets, trying to become the first ever double champion.

But the field so far is making that path look difficult. Booker Nabors, a 6 time visitor to the title game (spring and summer combined) hopes to throw up a road block in the 6'0 and Over division while a slew of other players have their sights on the 6'0 and Under title. And don't forget about Kelly McCarty, the defending spring BAM Jam Elite 6'0 and Over champion. He's trying to make a habit of winning the spring title.

The best player? We'll see. It could be a BAM Jam veteran. Or will a new name jump on the scene and make a name for themself?

The Elite Benefit
Why do teams compete at the Elite level? The motivation varies from team to team but for most it is the overall experience.

All Elite games are played on a featured court, getting the most attention. All games are officiated by certified officials. Teams get to check in at a separate area that is more convenient.

The stakes are higher too. Not only is the competition level the best around but bragging rights are also on the line.

And the champions packages aren't bad either. All Elite champion teams receive a Nike Champions shirt, LeBron shorts and Nike socks all packaged in a BAM Jam sack pack. Plus some other great items are included for the winners.

But, registration is filling fast. Get your team in ASAP or you might be watching from the sidelines instead of getting into the game!

Week 3 Preparation

Week 3:

Bam Jam: Preparation for Game Day sponsored by St. Luke’s Men’s Health.

How are you feeling? Stronger? Faster? Taller? Keep up the good work!

We’re going to talk a little about two types of stretching this week.

Stretching is important! It helps keep our bodies flexible and moving fluidly. If you don’t have stretching in your workout schedule, you’re not getting the most out of your workouts and you’re not at your top playing abilities. Flexibility is affected by age and gender (among other factors), so is especially important as we mature, but it is important at any age!

1. Static stretching
2. Dynamic stretching

1. Static Stretching- stretching without movement. You stretch a muscle (or group of muscles) to its farthest pain-free point and then holding that position 30-60 seconds. Ease into it, a stretching sensation and pain are two different feelings so don’t confuse the two.

Static Stetching will:

• Increase flexibility
• Increase range of motion
• Derease your chance of injury

When to use static stretching. When you have tight, sore muscles and/or after practice. Keep in mind, muscle soreness is not necessarily a bad thing but you want to work the soreness out in order to keep progressing your fitness and performance level.

You need to treat joint soreness differently than muscle soreness. Joint pain can be a sign of injury, which you don’t want to push through. If a nagging pain is not improving and it’s affecting your practice, call me for a free sports screen and one of our ATCs will evaluate what’s going on. Our goal is to keep you playing safely, now and the years to come.

So, if a muscle feels tight, stretch it statically but don’t overstretch, and hold 30-60 seconds.

2. Dynamic stretching- what you want to do before practice or games. It prepares the body for physical exertion and optimal sports performance.

Dynamic stretching will:

• Improve explosive power moves.
• Increases range of movement, blood and oxygen to your muscles.
• Improve your performance.
• Decrease your chance of injury.

Dynamic Stretching- stretching that involves movement as you move the width of a basketball court.

• Simple leg, arm and trunk motions (with or without the ball) that gently bring you to your full range of motion (ROM).
• Start with small motions and end with big ones, gently propelling your muscles towards their maximum ROM.
• Don’t use jerky or forced movements (this may cause injury). 
• Don’t move past the limits of your ROM but you should feel the muscles stretch as you warm up.

There are great routines for stretching. Here one you can try:

There is a lot of controversy about stretching but one thing to keep in mind is.....a prgram with consistant dynamic and static stretching will make you a better player and increase your longevity and the court.

Week 2 workout

Week 3 workout 
 

Yours in Sports,

Lorie Allison, LAT, ATC

St Luke’s Sports Medicine

208.484.0730

Week 2 Preparation

Week 2 workout courtesy of St. Luke's

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BAM Jam: Preparation for Game Day brought to you by St. Luke’s Men’s Health

By now you should be doing some type of activity 3-6 days a week to prepare for BAN Jam. It just feels good to get out there and move! You don’t have to take a long time but you have to be consistent to make changes in your fitness level. Get your body ready to play! We are going to add some core strengthening to the program we started last week.

Why train the core, you ask?

• Strength and power moves begin at the core.

• Improve performance- Good core strength will help your jumping ability as well as your balance, agility and endurance.

• Injury prevention- Basketball can be a rough game and nobody likes to be injured. Stabilize with core strength and decrease you chance of injury.

Core strength will help you hold that screen as well as come off a screen faster and with greater resolve. 

Don’t know what a plank is?

Hold a straight body position, supported on elbows and toes. Brace the abdominals and maintain a straight body line through feet, hips and head. For even better results talk to someone who knows yoga or pilates.

Have a great workout and think about the fun you’ll have at BAM Jam!

Yours in Sports,

Lorie A. Allison, LAT, ATC

Certified Athletic Trainer

Core 2 X :30 seconds

• Plank
• R plank
• L plank
• Plank with your feet on the ball
• Bicycle
• Flutter Kicks-lay on side, repeat other side
• Cross Overs-lay on back-alternate leg on top

Exercise program provided by Kevin Taylor, MS, ATL, ATC. Head Athletic Trainer for the Idaho Stampede

Getting ready for the tourney

You can never be too prepared. And with the BAM Jam tournament just a month away, St. Luke's wants to help you get ready. Here is a great workout that anyone can do to get in shape and be ready to perform their best. And stay tuned for more great workouts!

Week One:  Preparation for Game Day

Are you ready to:

• Improve your acceleration and speed around the court.
• Improve your range of shots and passes.
• Improve your explosive power - in particular your vertical jump.

If you have not been exercising you should check with a physician before starting your program. Build your fitness so you can keep up with the game.

Basketball is about quick bursts of speed. You can improve your ability to move the ball, and to adjust quickly between offensive posture and defensive posture. We start today with a few strengthening and endurance activities and all you need is a ball and your own body weight.

If you haven’t been doing much, start with intervals of 10 seconds for each exercise and build as you get into better shape. Allow 30-60 second rest between exercises.

• Body Weight Circuit  2 x :45 sec each
• Basketball Push-ups (Both hands on the ball)
• Mountain Climbers
• Push-ups
• Wall Sits
• Bench Dips
• Side Lunge
• Basketball Push-up (Left hand on ball, push-up, roll ball to right hand and do another push-up)
• Burpees
• Lunges
• Squat Jumps

Exercise program provided by Kevin Taylor, MS, ATL, ATC. Head Athletic Trainer for the Idaho Stampede

Guide to getting your team registered

So, you want to play in BAM Jam. But you aren't quite sure how to get started.

How do I get a team together? How do I register? How do I know when I play?

1. Mark your calendar. The first thing to do is make sure that you have tournament dates down on your calendar. To play you have to be available!

2. Pick your teammates. More than likely you are going to be the team captain. This means that you get to pick who you get to play with. Think about the type of players you want to play with. Are you trying to win the whole thing? Are you just trying to have fun? Do you need an outside shooter or an inside threat? The players are all around you. At work. At school. At church. Maybe even in your neighborhood or a team you are on right now.

3. Pick a division. For adult teams, look at your teammates and your goals and decide if you want to play recreational (just having fun), competitive (a little more serious) or elite (the true test of your 3 on 3 skills).

4. Time to register. Since space is so limited the time to register is now. At the top of this page under the "PLAY" link is a "REGISTER" link. Pick a good teammate, fill in the team's info, fill in your player's info, make a payment and you're registered. You should get an email saying that your team has registered. Verify that the information is correct.

5. When do we play? As we get closer to the tournament the team captains will receive information on where and when to check in their team. We will also be posting all the brackets and game times.

That's it. Now it's a matter of perfecting your jump shot, working on the crossover and getting ready for Idaho's biggest indoor tournament!