Patent Application
20140100061
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system and method for sports training, and more specifically to a drill-tower focused sports training system and method for teaching basketball and other sports.
2. Description of the Related Art
For many years, thousands of elementary, junior high, high school, AAU and even college basketball coaches, and coaches in other sports, have relied on traditional small orange cones and cumbersome fold-out chairs to run their players through various skill drills in gyms across the country. These items are rarely available in gyms and usually are not available in the destination gyms to which they are travelling for practices, clinics or camps.
These aforementioned items are usually used by coaches to mimic opposing players on the court or field, or are used as basic obstacles for players to maneuver around during their skill drills. As an example, folding chairs are often used to place and steady a basketball so the player can bend and grab the ball off the chair at a certain height level, much like receiving a pass from another player. Various basketball skill drills are executed by these coaches to develop basketball player fundamentals, preparing players for the next game or the next level of play in their development. Because of the competitive sports environment today, many kids work by themselves on their driveways or neighborhood parks, either because of an increased desire to practice on their part because of a lack of fellow players to practice with. These players are hungry to become better players and they want to gain a skills advantage over their competition.
What is needed is a system for sports training that is highly portable, light-weight, and customizable to allow for multiple types of drills. The aforementioned traditional items are costly, cumbersome, and not readily available in all gymnasium settings. An ideal system would allow the coach to easily transport the training system from location to location for a reusable and familiar sports training system for the players.
Heretofore there has not been available a system or method for sports training with the advantages and features of the present invention.
The present invention generally provides a sports training system including at least one drill tower. The drill tower is generally comprised of a collapsible assembly with multiple folding panels and flaps. A preferred embodiment includes three panels, each having a base flap which folds out near the base of each panel. A closure flap allows the ends of the panel to be fastened together, forming a generally triangular cross-section.
A weighted ring may optionally be slid over the top of the assembled drill tower resting on three base flaps to add stability at the base. The weighted ring sits atop the base flaps, thereby holding them to the ground to prevent accidental toppling of the tower.
A player or coach may place a ball on top of the tower to simulate receiving a pass. The player may then grab the ball from the top of the tower and run a route toward a basketball goal or other target. A number of additional drill towers may be placed along the route in varying positions and orientations to simulate other players or obstacles.
Alternatively, drill towers may be placed horizontally on the ground with one of the three panels laid flat against the ground. This allows players to practice plyometric exercises by jumping or stepping over the towers.
Another alternative drill incorporates the weighted ring. One or more rings may be placed along a path, which may also include drill towers set up as obstacles. The rings provide agility drills where players must step into and out of the ring without disturbing the ring.
The entire system is designed to be compact when not in use, such that a plurality of towers and rings may be folded up and placed into a single carry-along bag.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating various objects and features thereof.
As required, detailed aspects of the disclosed subject matter are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, base, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as oriented in the view being referred to. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention relies upon a drill tower 4 which can be placed at various locations on a basketball court, a football field, or other sporting venue for use in practicing various drills.
Referring to the figures in more detail,
For instance, a player may grab a basketball from atop the tower, as shown positioned in
The ring 14 is a generally tubular cross-sectional shape. A preferred embodiment is comprised of a flexible or semi-flexible material, such as rubber or vinyl hose. The ring itself may be filled with a weighted element, such as sand, water, weighted pellets, or other means. Alternatively, the ring itself may be made of a heavier material, such as solid rubber or steel. A preferred embodiment would be comprised of a flexible material, however, allowing for the rings to be easily stored in a storage bag along with a collapsed drill tower. A vinyl plumbing hose filled with sand which the two ends of the hose are connected to each other by a barbed plug 15 fitted into each end of the hose is one example of such a ring.
In the example shown, the player would grab a ball 12 located atop the first drill tower 4.1, cut between the first tower 4.1 and the second tower 4.2, cut back across in front of the second tower 4.2, and stop in front of the third tower 4.3, which is laid along the ground. The player would navigate over the third tower 4.3 while maintaining control of the ball, stepping into and out of a weighted ring 14 located on the court, and navigate around the fourth and final tower 4.4, after which the player should score the ball 12 into the basket 24.
This is just one of many examples of how the training system 2 could be used to instruct players to run drills incorporating one or more drill towers 4. Other examples include, but are not limited to: running high-knee drills over a number of towers laid down on their sides in a field; passing between upright drill towers while players shuffle along a line of towers; and shooting a number of basketballs from different locations on a court, each ball initially placed atop a respective tower.
An additional component of the training system 2 would be a well-thought out skill development matrix, showing and describing the player skills being developed based upon which drills are executed by the player in combination with the drill tower 4. This matrix would be customizable, and benefits both the coach and the player. It would provide tried and tested skill drills aimed improving any and all aspects of the player's game.
It is to be understood that while certain embodiments and/or aspects of the invention have been shown and described, the invention is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.
This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/709,720, filed Oct. 4, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61709720 | Oct 2012 | US |
