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Introduction - George Cella was a fine all-round athlete at his native Hack-ensack, New Jersey, High School and, at Springfield College, where he excelled in basketball and baseball. After graduation, his batting power and great throwing arm won him a Red Sox baseball contract. Despite an excellent minor league record, he had to relinquish his baseball career due to a knee injury, and turn to the teaching and coaching profession.

01. Start of Things - In 1891, Dr. James A. Naismith of Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts, devised a game to occupy the stu­dents in physical education classes during the winter months. He nailed a peach basket to the side of the balcony at each end of the gymnasium into which a ball was to be tossed. A janitor sat on a ladder to retrieve the ball from the basket after a player had made a goal. From this primitive beginning came the game now played by thousands of people throughout the world. In the United States basketball attracts more spectators than any other sport.

02. Attitudes - One must have that "do-or-die" spirit and wholehearted determination to give his best at all times. A basketball player, no matter how good, is a detriment to the team [f he does not have a keen desire to play the game.

Several years ago an awkward, 6-foot, 7-inch boy with "disconnected joints" reported for the high-school basketball team. He could not run, catch a ball or shoot a basket. He had two left feet, and wore size fourteen shoes.

03. Individual Offense - In order to win games you must learn the art of putting the ball through the basket. In basketball today every player must be a scorer. A basketball team of five scorers keeps the defense alert. The defense must watch all five men instead of concen­trating on one or two high-scoring players. The many defensive tactics used today can play havoc with a team of one or two scorers. Very seldom are there five players of equal scoring ability, but every player must be a scoring threat.

04. Team Offense - In the preceding chapters, the fundamentals of shooting, passing, dribbling and moving without the ball have been ex­plained. In order to make use of these skills, a system of some type must be worked out to advance the ball into scoring terri­tory. Basketball is a team game. It takes five players working together as a unit to produce the best results. Every team has its outstanding players, but it takes five men to win a game. Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris are very important cogs in the machinery of the New York Yankees, yet they could not win games without the help of their teammates.

05. Defense - The old adage that "the best defense is a strong offense" is over-emphasized in today's basketball. True, winning basket­ball games requires you to score, but it also requires you to prevent the opponents from scoring. Any system of play requires a defense equally as strong as its offense. The good basketball team has a sound defense.

06. Basketball Problems - Players and coaches should have a thorough understand­ing of the solutions to the many problems which may arise dur­ing a basketball season. Listed below are a number of such situations.

1. What is the proper method of covering a shooter after a long shot?

Ans.—Do not turn your head to follow the flight of the ball. Make a quarter-turn and work in toward the basket with the shooter; meanwhile keeping yourself between him and the basket.

Glossary -ALIVE—Offensive player who has the ball and has not yet dribbled.

ALL-COURT PRESS-Close guarding by the defensive team all over the court.

ASSIST—A pass made by a player that directly contributes to a field goal.

BACK COURT-That part of the court between the center line and the end line behind the basket of the opposing team.

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