I was going through some material and found an article on point guard play written by Coquese Washington nearly ten years ago. It is something that we pass out to our point guards each season and thought I'd share it with you.Without question, the point guard is the toughest position to master in basketball. The point guard is the leader on the court — the floor general who guides all the team’s actions. On offense, it’s the point guard’s job to determine and run plays. The point guard is responsible for getting the ball in the right person’s hands at the right time, to make sure the team can execute its assignments with precision. On defense, the point guard heads the attack. She is the first line of defense and tries to limit the opposition’s effectiveness with tenacious pressure on the ball.
An effective point guard knows everything — her responsibilities as well as those of all her teammates. The best point guards are people who do not mind telling others what to do. They are quick as well as aggressive. They seek an overall vision of the game in motion.
Imagine you have the opportunity to go out of town. How would you plan? What are the tings that have to be considered to prepare for a successful trip? Accommodating your work schedule, preparing the appropriate wardrobe, and let’s not forget the numerous errands to do. Well, I am not offering any vacation, but if you have ever had to coordinate all aspects of your life around one event, then you can begin to appreciate the role of the point guard.
The point guard may also be compared to the human heartbeat. As a point guard, one must keep her hands on the pulse of all aspects of the game. This includes knowing all plays and being responsible for orchestrating the ball on the court. To be successful in the role demands that one be knowledgeable (aware of all plays), resourceful (know each player’s attributes and whom to call on in every situation), insightful (see an unknown from beginning to end), aggressive and vocal.
So the next time you hear the words “point guard,” just think: Point = leads the team in the right direction; Guard = protects the common goal of the team.
