My 19-year old son likes to give me a hard time about never having a basketball goal in our driveway. Says he would have played in high school if a better shooter.

 

While his teasing is all in good fun, if I had to do over again, I might think differently about purchasing home with sloped driveway.

 

What's your experience with sons/daughters (or personal) progress based on immediate access to goal on own property?

 

Can you think of good players without such access?

I learned A LOT from playing with older kids in our driveway, especially older brothers (and their friends) that were ruthless.

Used to have a home with a sloped driveway. We put in a goal anyway. Kids did not use it much, too difficult.

 

When we moved here and were looking at homes, I would not even go inside to see a home unless it had a flat driveway. We moved our goal from the old house.

 

My kids use the goal all the time, as well as the neighbors. Neighbors even when we are not home. :thumb:

 

But I will also add that lots of kids in the hood to play pick up games with is a big part of it as well.

A lot is gained from those pickup games for sure.

 

A key element I'm thinking of as well . . . does the individual dedicate his time to the game by shooting/dribbling, etc. on his own, when no pickup games readily available?

 

My son's teasing & the Jake Thelen headline got me thinking of this. I saw Jake many times on his own in the driveway.

I personally think its a must. Maybe not for 5 Star AAU recruits but for the average high school BBaller, a must.

 

From personal experience, I spent countless hours shooting in my driveway. While I wasn't a great all-around basketball player, one thing I could do is shoot and did so at a solid clip in high school.

 

I think a lot of it is because of having a goal in my drive way. I'd bring out my boom box and listen to music. Setup my own 3 point contest with my favorite players and shoot for all of them. Play my own around the world. Plus, lots of neighborhood games of knockout.

 

Big believer in it.

Had a driveway goal and played with the kids...especially horse and 21 when they were growing up. I couldn't tell you if it helped, but the youngest shot >40% from 3 in HS and college and right at 90% for his free throws.

 

We didn't have any pavement where I grew up, nor a gym at my school - so not a lot of opportunity for basketball. We were all good baseball and football players and stunk at hoops for some reason.

I had one growing up and thinking back on it, I'm not sure how I would have spent a lot of my time outside without that goal. I played basketball, but it was never one of my top sports to play. I do think that it made me a way better shooter though. I'm money from the wings.

If you can learn to dribble on a gravel driveway, then you'll be fine in a gym

I learned A LOT from playing with older kids in our driveway, especially older brothers (and their friends) that were ruthless.

 

I think a lot of times this is the case. I know a couple of families that had 3-4 kids. By far, the best players were the youngest ones, simply because they had siblings that didn't take it easy on them.

First started shooting on a goal mounted on the side of a barn on the farm I lived on when about 7 year old. Moved from there to a house in the country 'burbs with a concrete driveway when 10 yo and dad put up a goal. I was a very good shooter and would spend hours out shooting in the driveway. As far as shooting goes I think a lot of guys my age and older learned how to shoot out in the driveway. Personally I don't think that's anywhere near the case now, I hardly see anyone out shooting in the driveway anymore.

We used ours alot as kids, as we got older middle school on up most of the time was spent playing at the YMCA. There were just more kids there to play against. The snow days with no school were awesome.

I built my house 20 years ago when the oldest TACster was 1. I told the builder I wanted the hill cut so I could have 30 foot of flat driveway for a basketball hoop. The first hoop was installed the very first year.

I'm on my 3rd right now. I'd have to say the investment paid off for me. Plenty of dribbling over the last 20 years, some great dad/son battles, many son/son battles, many pick up games by my boys and their friends, neighbors use it when ever they want and one full ride out of it.

I think a lot of times this is the case. I know a couple of families that had 3-4 kids. By far, the best players were the youngest ones, simply because they had siblings that didn't take it easy on them.

 

I agree wholeheartedly, but as the youngest, I am biased. I do think it's a huge advantage, though. Growing up, I learned how to effectively use both hands just so I could have a chance at getting my shot off. I fine tuned that in the driveway by myself, and shortly thereafter was using both hands in the lane as a youngster down at Turners.

Ervin Stepp told me that his father cut an inch or two out of their rim and welded it back together smaller. He said after shooting on that rim all summer that the school rims felt like shooting it into a giant trashcan. I've always wanted to try that.

Ervin Stepp told me that his father cut an inch or two out of their rim and welded it back together smaller. He said after shooting on that rim all summer that the school rims felt like shooting it into a giant trashcan. I've always wanted to try that.

 

That is a terrific idea.