When I tried out for my first basketball team, I was a sophomore in high school. I started my basketball career at a late age. I had speed and quickness, but basically always drove to the right side of the basket. Players always forced me to go left. I didn't go in that direction well and couldn't shoot left handed. It was a weakness in my game. Still, I practiced and played many hours a day as my dream was to play high school ball.

A month before tryouts started, I jammed two fingers on my right hand pretty severely. Typically that is not a terrible injury, but to a predominately right handed player, it was devastating. I was not about to give up, though. I knew I would be limited in tryouts and began a workout schedule to prepare for it.

I Started to Strengthen My Left Hand Step By Step

I dribbled every day left handed. If I walked down the street, if I dribbled in the driveway, or dribbled anywhere, I would use my left hand. Even if I walked to school, I would bring my ball with me and dribble left handed.

When I practiced, I would not only dribble left handed, but shoot left handed. First I would shoot left handed lay-ups off the square above the basket. I broke it down into steps. I would start a few feet away from the basket, take one step forward off with my right foot and aim off the square left handed. I would be sure to kick my left leg up high (my shooting foot so to speak) so I would jump off my right leg and be balanced.

I would do this time after time until it became less awkward. First step, right foot forward, kick off left leg so you are jumping off your right foot, and shoot left handed. Aim for the square and follow through left handed.

At first, I would walk in a few steps at a time and then eventually run in. It started to feel comfortable so I tried other things left handed. I started shooting all around the basket left handed. I started from five feet out until I gradually could shoot from as far as ten feet out. I would practice my form shooting on a wall and aim for a target. I also tried left handed hook shots.

Moves With And Without The Dribble
I always had a strong jam step move to the left and could drive to the right side of the basket. I could also switch hands left handed to right, and dribble with an inside out move left to right. I was getting impressed with my "left handed game" and started doing the opposite of right handed moves. Jam step right, go left. Switch hands right to left and dribble inside to the right side and go left. I was becoming a double threat.

Start Slow and Go Both Ways
It was key to start slow, one practice step at a time. Get the mechanics first and the foot work, and then complete the move. I also kept shooting on that lower wall to strengthen my left hand.

It started to become obvious to me that this made it so I could drive either way with either hand. I could take whatever the defense gave me. As my right hand healed, I was a double threat. The left hand hook was particularly effective when I played friends one on one. It also was a lot of fun.

Now Expand Your Game
Now I started trying to pass the ball left handed. It seemed to catch defenders by surprise if I could dribble left handed and pass to an open player using my left hand rather than bring the ball to my right hand. It seemed to give me a little extra time to pass off the left handed dribble with my left hand before the defense was ready. I was "double trouble" and it made a difference. Still, my left hand wasn't as strong as it needed to be. I made the team and my coach told me to do everything left handed, not just basketball related but day to day activities. So here are some things I tried to do to become a right and left handed player. It might sound strange, but I actually thought it was fun. It certainly was effective.

What You Can Do Day To Day
• Open doors by grabbing the door knob left handed
• Eat holding your fork and spoon left handed (My parents loved that one!)
• Shake hands left handed (explain you are a basketball fanatic!)
• Reach for things left handed and grab and hold things left handed
• Draw left handed (not in school)

The list goes on and you can add more. Younger children who are beginning to like basketball will find this fun, probably think this is funny, but also become a two handed player when they get older.

What is the result of this little story? I had some interesting things to do day to day as a left handed person and my game improved. It also gave me some good topics for conversation with my friends. To this day I can dribble with either hand, shoot and pass with either hand, and drive in whatever direction the defense gives me. In fact, my strongest move for over thirty years was jam step right, circle the ball to my left side, and drive to the basket. That one was almost unstoppable.

This story really isn't about me, but demonstrates things you can do to become a better player or things you can help your players or children do to strengthen their left handed game. Of course, if you are left handed, do all of the above right handed to develop your right hand for the same reasons. They are so simple anyone can do them, even novice players.

As I improved, I also worked on all the regular dribbling drills, but I did them left and right handed. I never became a great player, but I could take whatever the defense gave me and make a strong move the other way. I broke the left handed moves down into small practice steps and built up to them to became a much better player. Like I said, I was double trouble!