How To: Stop Slipping on the Basketball Court
There is an easy fix to sliding on the basketball court because of dust.
It is the fourth quarter with seven seconds left on the clock and the game is tied. The time is quickly winding down against the long-time rival and the ball is in your hands at the top of the key to go one-on-one with the defender. You square up towards the basket. In less than a blink of an eye, you have made the decision to use your crossover to win the game. Fundamentally sound, you take a strong dribble towards the hoop. Before you can execute the play you slip on the court because of dust and your dream season is over. Just like that.
The effects of dust and grit on a basketball court have been felt by every player that has stepped foot on the floor. It is no secret that sliding on the wood takes away a player’s ability to use their speed and full athletic potential. So what is the solution to this problem? Let’s explore the options.
Basketball players have tried taking matters into their own hands (literally) attempting to fix the situation by spitting or licking their hands, then wiping the bottom of their shoes. This way of keeping shoe bottoms clean is actually very dirty and ineffective. Players are never able to clean off entire shoe bottoms and often times spend more time worrying about licking their hands than stealing a pass. Plus, getting all the germs by basically licking the floor can get a player sick and make them miss games during the season. Overall, this method is a bust!
Another method that players have used to clean their shoes is by applying water to the bottom of their shoes with a damp cloth. This can be effective for the first couple strides a player takes, but by the third, the shoe bottom has more dust on it than it did before. This method of cleaning basketball shoe bottoms is once again, a bust!
The final method that has not been used much because of its lack of effectiveness, efficiency, and overall skepticism is by applying liquid stick application to a player’s shoe bottoms. Many of the liquid stick applications are overly small in size compared to an average athlete’s shoe, require the player to apply a foreign liquid to their expensive shoes and at the same time rely on the liquid drying before the whistle blows. Overall, this way of trying to gain traction is a bust!
Now here comes the good part- The solution. The effective solution to stop sliding on a basketball court is to use a basketball traction mat or basketball sticky mat. Basketball traction/sticky mats are typically made up of a base and an adhesive mat that sits on top of it. To use the product, players have to simply walk over the adhesive mat and all the dust will be removed from their shoe bottoms. That means no spit, water, or foreign liquid will ever have to be dealt with.
So now I suppose you are wondering where you can get one of these basketball sticky mats yourself, right? It is as simple as going online. Fast-Brake Athletic Traction Mats (www.Fast-Brake.com) provides basketball traction mats to professional, collegiate and high schools teams that look to alleviate the worry of slipping on the court. Their product offerings range from basic Starter Kits that are either 18”x 19”or 28”x 29” and include a sturdy base with a handle, 60 adhesive sheets and a free customized logo option in the upper left-hand corner, to Diamond Starter Kits that are 18”x 19” or 28”x 29”, with 60 adhesive sheets, and the option to have Fast-Brake fully customize the center of a team’s base with a logo, slogan, or graphic of choice to stand out from the competition. Besides selling athletic traction mat Starter Kits, Fast-Brake also offers athletic traction Replacement Mats that come in white, clear, and blue colors.
When the game is on the line and it is up to you to score, make sure you remember to remove the dust off your shoes by using a Fast-Brake Athletic Traction Mat (www.Fast-Brake.com). It could be the difference between being forgotten and being part of greatness. It’s up to you.
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