Concentration
You identifed concentration as 'The Ability to concentrate on the important tasks and not get sidetracked by external stimuli'.
This page is developed to assist you in improving your concentration. The following are methods and techniques that you can practice and trial to help develop your concentration in basketball. Along with information on the techniques I have provided links for you to gain a further knowledge on improving your concentration. If you want further information or guidance please feel free to contact me, my email address is on the left of every page. Hope this page helps you. David Sluis.
One technique you may want to use is CUE WORDS. Cue words are a form of self-talk in which you say a word or phrase that triggers a desired response for you (Weinberg & Gould 2011). For example if you have trouble focusing when you take free throws you may say to yourself "relax" or "bend your knees" as a means of focusing on what is important for you when taking a free throw. In our meeting you talked about how you like Larry Bird, well I discovered he too used cue words throughout his career for example he used the cue words "nothing but net" on his free throws (Burton & Raedeke 2008). If you decide to use cue words you should also use them during practice (Burton & Raedeke 2008). For more information on cue words I have provided links to a video (Stankovich 2011) and website (Stankovich 2012). Notice that in the video he talks about how you can write your cue words on your hands and use acronyms, which might appeal to you more than saying them to yourself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQXLCy21VRk https://blog.drstankovich.com/cue-word-triggers-for-athletic-success/
You said sometimes you tend to get sidetracked by external stimuli and therefore struggle to concentrate. One way to that may help you improve this is by SIMULATION IN PRACTICE (Weinberg & Gould 2011). This means you try to make as many factors as possibly in practice the same as in the game (Weinberg & Gould 2011). This may include recording the crowd in one of your games and put that on your Ipod and listen to it as you train. It could also mean that you eat the same before training, and try to manipulate the conditions so you experience conditions like anxiety and stress like you would in a game. Mirroring these situations might be prentending that you only have one shot with ten seconds to go. Also you might not like shooting at hoops with springy hoops so you avoid them in practice, instead you should practice under these conditions so when you have a game with springy hoops you are prepared and therefore don't get sidetracked. I have again provided a link to a website (Carnes 2011), it gives an example of simulation in basketball, and also provides information on other techniques you may want to use.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/134188-definition-sport-psychology/
Another way to assist you in focusing your concentration is by establishing ROUTINES. Routines are a series of behaviours that you do before performance that feel comfortable for you (Weinberg & Gould 2011). For example before each free throw you could take one deep breathe and two bounces before each shot. It is important that you use routines constantly and that they are comfortable for you, also you should use them in practice situations as well as games (Weinberg & Gould 2011). Routines draw your attention away from irrelevant factors and onto the relevant factors of the skill, reduce anxiety levels and can increase confidence. You could also develop routines that are pre game like eating the same food before a game or wearing the same pair of socks. The following video link (National University Golf Academy 2012) is a great one that explains routines and how you should use them every time doing a skill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwvDGT1KHVA
I have also provided a link to a page by the Australian Institute of Sport (2013) that talks more about mental routines and how to develop them.
https://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/sssm/psychology/brainwaves/factsheets/mental_routines
For more information on routines Ph. D Jim Taylor (2012) has created a page on routines and the importance of routines in sport.
AROUSAL REGULATION is an effective way of improving concentration. This means that you can better control your arousal levels if they are too high or too low, which in turn helps you focus on the relevant cues while playing basketball (Weinberg & Gould 2011). One way to relax is through progressive relaxation which is the tensing and relaxing of muscles. Once trained at this you could use this at time outs and intervals in the game. It can also be used outside game situations and will help you identify the difference between muscle tension and relaxation. Here is a video (Graef 2012) on progressive relaxation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrAR7CVSvyU.
On of the best ways to control arousal and anxiety is through breath control. By taking a large deep breath the body relaxes and is less likley to be distracted by irrelevant cues. The following is a link (Peters 2011) to breathing in sport.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/355328-sports-breathing-techniques/.
Deep breathing could be beneifical for you before free throws to relax and concentrate on what you need to do or at time outs. Also if you are underaroused and feel lethargic you could increase breathing rate, listen to music or use cue words to increase arousal back to optimal levels (Weinberg & Gould 2011).
Another good way to help develop concentration is through GOAL SETTING, for information on this I will direct you to the goal setting page on this website.
Trial the above techniques and see what works best for you and contact me if you need more assistance. Also all this techniques take time before they will be effective, they are like practicing a new dribble move they take time and practice for improvements. Thus practice them first in practice before game situations and don't feel disheartened if it takes a little while for improvements to be seen. On a lite note to finish it is important to be able to concentrate on relevant cues so you don't get distracted by people like this in the following video (Lau 2010). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjNbZRNkMu8
Reference List
Australian Institute of Sport, 2013, Mental Routines, Australian Institute of Sport, Australia, viewed 1st October 2013 <https://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/sssm/psychology/brainwaves/factsheets/mental_routines>.
Burton, D Raedeke, T 2008, Sport Psychology for Coaches, Human Kinetics, United States of America.
Carnes, D 2011, Definition of Sport Psychology, Livestrong, Santa Monica, viewed 1st October 2013 <https://www.livestrong.com/article/134188-definition-sport-psychology/>.
Graef, S 2012, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Aultman College, Ohio, viewed 2nd October 2013, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrAR7CVSvyU.>.
Lau, D 2010, Shifting basketball player concentration while having foul shot, United states of America, viewed 5th October 2013 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjNbZRNkMu8 >
National University Golf Academy, 2012, Sports Psychology: The Importance of having a golf routine, Calafornia, viewed 1st October 2013 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwvDGT1KHVA>.
Peters, B 2011, Sports Breathing Techniques, Livestrong, Santa Monica, viewed 2nd October 2013 <https://www.livestrong.com/article/355328-sports-breathing-techniques/.>.
Stankovich, C 2011, The Sports Doc Minute: Tips for Using Cue Words, Ohio, viewed 1st October 2013, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQXLCy21VRk>.
Stankovich, C 2012, Cue word triggers for athletic success,Ohio, viewed 1st October 2013 <https://blog.drstankovich.com/cue-word-triggers-for-athletic-success/>.
Taylor, J 2012, Sports: Why the World’s Best Athletes Use Routines, Psychology Today, New York, viewed 1st October 2013 <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201207/sports-why-the-worlds-best-athletes-use-routines>.
Weinberg, R Gould, D 2011, Foundation of sport and exercise psychology, 5th edn, Human Kinetics, United States of America.