Method and apparatus for basketball defense training, football interception training, and physical therapy

Abstract

This invention discloses a method and multiple batons intended for sports training and physical therapy. First and second embodiment batons are intended, primarily, as a basketball defensive drill training device. The first embodiment baton is intended, secondarily, as a football hand-coordination training device. The third embodiment baton is intended, primarily, as a football and rugby hand-coordination training device. The second embodiment baton is further intended for use as a hand-coordination or foot-coordination device for other sports using spherical balls, such as soccer and volleyball. Finally, any of the four disclosed batons, and primarily, the first embodiment baton, are further intended to be used by physical therapists in rehabilitation exercises where eye-hand coordination and peripheral vision improvements are targeted, such as is the case with stroke or accident patients. (133)

1 . A baton for use in combination with drills intended to improve hand-eye coordination for ball-centered sports, said baton comprising:
 a cylindrical handle having a hand grip;   a resilient foam head secured to an end of said cylindrical handle; and   a cover which encloses the foam head.   
     
     
         2 . The baton of  claim 1 , wherein the foam of said foam head is preferably a resilient, low-density foam of closed-cell construction that is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene foam and ethylene vinyl acetate foam. 
     
     
         3 . The baton of  claim 1 , wherein said foam head is cylindrically shaped and coaxial with the handle. 
     
     
         4 . The baton of  claim 2 , which has a total weight of about 170 grams, thereby enabling the foam head to be accelerated to realistic play speeds with a flick of the wrist. 
     
     
         5 . The baton of  claim 1 , wherein said foam head is spherically shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The baton of  claim 1 , wherein said foam head is a prolate spheroid having the shape of a regulation-size football. 
     
     
         7 . The baton of  claim 3 , wherein said foam head is of a length about equal to the diameter of a regulation-size basketball. 
     
     
         8 . The baton of  claim 5 , wherein said foam head has a diameter about equal that of a regulation-size basketball. 
     
     
         9 . The baton of  claim 5 , wherein said foam head has a diameter about equal that of a regulation-size baseball. 
     
     
         10 . The baton of  claim 5 , wherein said foam head has a diameter about equal that of a regulation-size softball. 
     
     
         11 . The baton of  claim 1 , wherein the handle extends from the foam head about 30 cm. 
     
     
         12 . In combination with the baton of  FIG. 1 , a series of repetitive physical exercises wherein the baton is used to represent a basketball for the purpose of improving hand-eye coordination. 
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein said series of repetitive physical exercises is used to improve reaction time and to teach and improve ball catching, stealing, and blocking skills. 
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein the series of repetitive physical exercises are performed in a one-on-one interaction between a coach and a player, with the coach holding and moving at least one baton, and the player interacting with said at least one baton held by the coach. 
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein the series of repetitive physical exercises are performed in a one-on-one interaction between a physical therapist and a recovering patient who has suffered neurological damage from a variety of causes, including strokes and accidents. 
     
     
         16 . A series of repetitive physical exercises intended to improve hand-eye coordination of basketball players, said exercises being performed in a one-on-one interaction between a coach and a player, with the coach holding and moving a baton, a head of which simulates a basketball, said baton having:
 a cylindrical handle with a hand grip;   a resilient foam head secured to an end of said cylindrical handle; and   a cover which encloses the foam head.   
     
     
         17 . The series of repetitive physical exercises of  claim 16 , wherein said foam head is cylindrical in shape, about 6 cm in diameter and about 24 cm in length. 
     
     
         18 . The series of repetitive physical exercises of  claim 17 , wherein total weight of the baton is about 170 grams. 
     
     
         19 . The series of physical exercises of  claim 16 , wherein said interaction between the coach and the player is used to improve reaction time. 
     
     
         20 . The series of repetitive physical exercises of  claim 16 , wherein said interaction between the coach and the player is used to teach and improve ball catching, stealing, and blocking skills.