Below is a terrific post from Coach Bob Walsh at Road Island College. Regardless of the level, preparing for practice is essential to getting the most out of a practice.
Mentally Ready For Practice -
One of the biggest adjustments I see for freshman in college basketball has to do with their approach to practice. Our practices are intense, they move fast and there is not a lot of down time. We explain things quickly and expect our guys to pick them up and be able to execute when we go live. They are competitive and require a lot of focus and effort. We expect to get better every day - as a team, and as individuals. Our practices establish who we are as a team. A lot goes into them and we expect to get a lot out of them. They are something you need to be mentally prepared for.
I find that most freshman aren't used to the intensity and competitiveness of a college practice. They are used to showing up in the gym after school at around 3:30 and playing basketball in an environment where their talent is good enough. They aren't used to a practice they need to mentally prepare for. They just show up, play basketball and go home. Few high school practices I have seen are as intense as most college practices, and that's not a knock on high school coaches. The commitment isn't at the same level in high school. There generally isn't a lot of mental investment.
It's hard to get through a college practice if you aren't mentally prepared. I can spot the guys who aren't mentally ready pretty quickly in practice, and it's usually the young guys.
College practices can involve a lot and there is a necessity to get better each day. And there are structural differences between college and high school practices. College practices tend to be longer. There is more film work and weightlifting involved. The season is longer, with practices starting earlier. When college basketballs season starts on October 15th most high schools are still at least a month away from starting - maybe even longer. There is a greater investment involved with playing college basketball.
So learning to be mentally prepared for practice is a major adjustment freshmen in college have to make. It is a lot more than just showing up at the gym and being a good basketball player. They have to understand that it's going to be more intense and more is going to be demanded out of them. And it won't be enough to just be talented anymore.
If you are going make it as a college player you have to mentally prepare yourself every day. It's one of the biggest adjustments college freshmen have to make.
