First step… Watch this video and focus on how the players land after taking a charge…
Second step to Draw a Charge… Do it Safely
– “Catch the charge with your chest”… don’t expect the referees to give the charge call if it doesn’t LOOK like a charge. One way to make it “look right” is to catch the offensive player’s movement with your chest as opposed to your arms or legs (which would probably get called as a foul on the defender).
– When you watched the video, did you noticed that most players landed on their butts / backs, not their elbows or tailbone and certainly not their heads?Putting your hands out might lessen the impact of the fall but not everyone uses that technique because it is possible you might sprain a wrist or bruise your hand which could impact other aspects of your game such as shooting or dribbling.
– Critical to not bounce your head on the floor. Look up toward the player committing the charge. This will add a curve to your shoulders and back which can protect you head from impacting the floor and causing a serious injury.
– Part of safety is expecting the contact and knowing when it will happen. This leads into the content of the video which presented a number of real-game opportunities to draw a charge.
Situational Opportunities to Draw a Charge!
These are all presented in the video…
1. On Ball charge
2. Help side charge
3. Low post charge
4. Ball Screen charge
5. Transition charge
6. Gap charge
7. Out of bounds… Draw charge
8. Game Winning charge
The charge is a defensive tool and the more you know about how to draw a charge, the more successful your team will be. Review the situations presented in the video and see if you can recognize them in your games.
Be safe… and win!