Why In-Season Basketball Training Is Non-Negotiable for Rio Grande Valley Athletes

As basketball season kicks off across Pharr, Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), players are deep into school practices, scrimmages, and game prep. It’s easy to assume that school practice alone is enough to help your athlete improve.

But here’s the truth: team practice and skills training are two very different things.

If you want your athlete to truly stay ahead of the competition, in-season basketball training is absolutely essential.

Here's why.

In-Season Training is Non-Negotiable

As a basketball player, your athlete can’t mistake school practice for skills training. Team practice is focused on game plans, defense, and getting ready for the next matchup. While that's important, it doesn’t focus on sharpening individual skills like shooting, ball handling, footwork, or building confidence.

The best athletes know that real improvement happens outside of school practices. Training is what hones their abilities and keeps them performing at their peak throughout the season.

No elite player stops training just because the season starts. This is when the most growth happens.

Avoid Peaking Too Early—Stay Sharp All Season Long

Here’s what we see in a lot of athletes: they grind hard all summer, come into the season in top shape, and then let the season take over. Slowly but surely, they stop training outside of team practice. And after a couple of months, you can see the signs—confidence drops, skills aren’t as sharp, and their body starts breaking down.

They aren’t shooting like they did in the summer, turnovers go up, and they start to feel like they’ve lost their edge.

This is why in-season training is essential. While others slow down, your athlete can be ramping up, staying sharp when it counts the most. The kids who keep up their skills training are the ones who peak at the right time—when the games really matter. They’re not just maintaining—they’re getting better.

Separate From the Pack

Basketball is a game of inches. The athletes who improve day by day—even during the season—are the ones who dominate the court.

Here’s the truth: if your athlete is only going to team practice, they will fall behind. Team practice is necessary, but it doesn’t target individual growth. By maintaining skills training 3-5 times a week outside of school, they’re stacking progress on top of progress.

In-season training doesn’t just maintain performance—it elevates it. Your athlete will continue building on their skills while others plateau. And when the competition heats up, they’ll have the confidence, conditioning, and skills to shine.

The Path to Peaking at the Right Time

Every athlete wants to be the one who leads the team, hits clutch shots, and stays composed under pressure. This doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built through consistent, focused training, especially during the season.

In-season training is where your athlete will develop the habits, confidence, and endurance to set themselves apart from the competition.

Here’s our recommendation: at least three days a week of skills training outside of school practice. For athletes serious about dominating the court, four to five sessions a week is ideal. The athletes who commit to this schedule are stacking gains, building momentum month after month.

Learn From the Best

As athletes progress from middle school to high school and beyond, the demands of training increase. In high school, they’re training hard—but once they hit college, the workload skyrockets. College athletes are training, lifting weights, and working on their skills—even on game days.

When they reach the professional level, it ramps up even more. Pros are doing team practice, lifting 4-5 times a week, and adding skills training—sometimes even on the morning of a game.

So why should it be any different for youth athletes?

If the best players in the world are training non-stop to stay on top, youth athletes should follow the same path.

The Bottom Line: In-Season Training is the Key to Success

If you want your athlete to go from good to great, in-season basketball training is non-negotiable. This is how they sharpen their skills, stay ready, and peak at the right time.

As the season wears on, the athletes who continue to train are the ones who stand out—on and off the court. Let’s keep pushing, stay relentless, and watch your athlete take their game to the next level.

Call to Action
If you’re in Pharr, Texas, or the Rio Grande Valley, we’re here to help your athlete stay ahead of the competition. Pistokache Gym offers year round basketball training to keep athletes performing at their best. Contact us today to schedule a free session.