Basketball Goals Will Encourage Exercise In Your Neighborhood

Basketball goals in a neighborhood are a welcome sight as they generally indicate the presence of active families.  Basketball is a highly athletic sport, yet it is easy to learn.  For people who like to stay in shape, basketball is a very popular sport.  Putting a basketball goal in your driveway, or installing one in your neighborhood playground, will result in hours of enjoyment every day for the kids in the neighborhood.  Adults are also playing basketball for fitness, so do not be surprised to see them playing as well. 

When installing a basketball goal, whether on your own property or in a park, protective padding is important.  Many injuries occur every year from players driving to the basket and running into the post.  Adding protective padding is relatively inexpensive, considering the cost of injuries, and greatly reduced the chance of someone getting seriously hurt.  While injuries can never be completely eliminated in sports, there are ways to reduce them.  Padding the goal is one way to reduce the possibility of someone getting hurt, and can protect you or your neighborhood association from liability due to injury.

Basketball goals for kids tend to be shorter than standard regulation goals.  Basketballs are heavy, and small children have a hard time heaving that large ball high into the hoop.  So, basketball goals for kids are designed with them in mind.  Because they are shorter, they also tend to be less expensive.  Lifetime Products has a line of kid's basketball goals that start at around $100.  Spaulding offers one for as low as $85 from select retailers.  You can find them cheaper than that, but they are not very durable.  Remember that you will be keeping the goals outside, so you want one that will be able to survive a sudden storm.  In the case of major storms, you want a portable goal that can be moved into the garage or taken down to keep it from being damage.  The goal will catch the strong winds, which in turn can send the entire apparatus flying through the air causing significant damage to the goal and to property. 

While portable goals can be moved out of a storm, in ground goals can be sturdy enough as well.  These goals are best for parks, although you might consider it for your home as well.  One disadvantage is that you cannot take the goal with you when you move, but it can be an attractive feature when you are trying to sell your house. 

If you don't have the space for a goal with a post, you can consider a wall mounted goal.  These goals can be dangerous unless they are just being used to practice jump shots as there is no way to get under the basket for a layup.  There are also goals that float in pools or can be attached to the side of the pool for a fun summer activity.

For fun and exercise, it is hard to beat basketball.  Professional basketball players are considered among the worlds fittest athletes.  A typical game includes a lot of running and jumping, which exercises muscles and raises the heart rate.  Basketball goals encourage kids and adults alike to pick up a ball and start playing.  Besides the health benefits, basketball is fun. It is a versatile game and can be played with as few as two or as many as ten players depending on the size of the court.  Pick up games of basketball have replaced baseball in neighborhoods across the country.  As long as there is a goal available, all you need to play is shoes and a basketball, making it much less expensive than most other sports.