March Madness is in full swing, with an exciting week of bracket busting games under our belts, and plenty of exciting hoops ahead, including the “Final Four,” and the big Championship game! While many of us enjoy watching the games and filling out our brackets, let's not forget that basketball also provides a fun way to stay active and social.
Basketball is a great way to get your heart rate up and burn some calories. It's also a fun way to spend time with family, friends, and colleagues. Whether you're playing a pickup game or participating in a local league, basketball can help improve your physical health and mental well-being.
If you're new to basketball or haven't played for a while, don't worry! There are plenty of resources available to help you get started. You can find instructional videos online, join a local recreational league, or even just shoot some hoops at one of our many great local parks. And don’t forget, there are plenty of basketball-style games you can play with as few as two people:
Five in a Row
The object of “Five in a Row” is to move as far away from the basket as possible. Begin three feet away from the basket. You must make five shots in a row at that spot before you can move one step further from the basket. Continue moving one step back from the basket with every five shots made.
Knockout
Knockout traditionally begins at the free throw line, but really, you can choose to begin anywhere on the court. Everyone lines up single-file, then the first person in line takes a shot to start the game. As soon as that person releases their shot, the next person in line can take their shot. The object of the game is for the person taking the second shot to make the basket before the person in front of them. If the first person taking the shot makes their shot, they pass the ball back to the next person in line, move to the very back of the line and the game continues. If the first person misses their shot, they have to rebound their shot and make a basket before they can pass it to the next player in line. However, if the person immediately behind them makes the shot before the first player can make a shot, the first player is out of the game. This pattern follows until all but one player is eliminated. The last player standing is the winner.
Around the World
The goal of this game is to “go around the world” with consecutive shots around the court. Typically, the game starts with a layup. The players then must shoot from a spot between a lay-up and the free throw line. Once the player makes the first two shots, they progress to the free throw line. Finally, if the player makes the first three shots, they will make a final shot from the three-point line. Players can decide before the game whether they must make each shot consecutively, or if the play will happen in rounds (i.e. lay-up round, free throw round, three-point line round).
H-O-R-S-E
H-O-R-S-E is always a fan-favorite, go-to shooting game. In this game, each player takes turn shooting from anywhere they choose, until someone makes a shot. When that happens, the following players will have to try to make their shot from the same spot. If they miss the shot the original player made, then they will get a letter. Once a player collects all letters to spell out the word (horse), they are out of the game. This repeats until all the players but one runs out of letters.
Sharks and Minnows – Great for Kids
Sharks and minnows is fun basketball game that doesn’t even require you to have a hoop. You will want four or more players and enough basketballs for at least half the number of players you have. This game works best on a court with a half court marking, but can be played anywhere. You’ll start with one or two players as sharks. The sharks stand at half court without a basketball, while the rest of the players start at one end of the court and have to dribble a basketball to the other end; they are the minnows. The sharks will try to steal a basketball or knock it out of bounds. If a minnow loses their basketball before crossing the court, they will be sharks in the next round. Once all the minnows became sharks or made it to the other end of the court, the next round will begin
As we continue to enjoy the excitement of watching March Madness, let's also take some time to focus on our own health by getting outside and having some fun with our family and friends.