Basketball: Tom Abercrombie's coaching tips for kids, Court Kings giveaway

Tom Abercrombie, of the Breakers and the Tall Blacks: "Practice with purpose." Photo / Getty Images

A bronze medalist at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Tom Abercrombie is a star with the Breakers and the Tall Blacks. He's also part of the Court Kings team and is sharing his top training tips for helping young people get the most out of basketball.

1. Mistakes are good

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone is the best way to improve – as they always say: We learn more from our mistakes.

2. Enjoy the game

Smile and have fun. We all started playing basketball because we love it. Never forget it's just a sport and the most important thing is to make sure you are getting enjoyment and fulfilment from basketball.

3. Repetition

There's no substitute for hard work, and there's no substitute for getting the reps up. If you want to be a better shooter or ball handler, you need to put in the work and repeat those skills thousands of times.

4. Practice with purpose

Going out and just mucking around shooting some hoops is fun, but if you want to get the most out of your trainings, make sure you go in with a plan. Quality over quantity always wins out.

5. The friendly games

Practice with some mates. If you have friends who share your passion for the game, encourage them to come and train with you. It can be hard to motivate yourself sometimes, but having support and encouragement — along with a bit of smack talk — from your mates can help you get a lot more out of your training.

6. Learn from the best

Watch the pros. Get in front of the telly and watch the NBA, the NZNBL and — of course — the Breakers. You can learn a huge amount from watching professionals go about their business. Even at my level, I'm constantly watching and breaking down footage to better myself and gain insight into my opponents.

One deserving school or community group will be receiving a Court Kings basketball court worth up to $50,000, thanks to Court Kings, Flava and the New Zealand Herald. Court Kings will design and build the court including hoops and a playing surface worth up to $50,000. To nominate a school or community group, follow this link and fill out the details.