Division I is composed of schools that sponsor either at least seven sports for men and women or six for men and eight for women. Furthermore, they have a minimum and maximum number of scholarships to award. Meanwhile, Division II is composed of schools that must sponsor at least four sports for men and women. GETTING STARTED Whether you are playing to lose weight or just to have fun, there are some considerations first before you finally decide to engage with the sport. Before buying all the gear needed for playing basketball, you must determine first the real reasons why you want to engage in sport. For some, they play basketball because they want to lose weight while for others, it s because they enjoy playing with others. These include Adolph Rupp, John Wooden, Dean Smith, and Pat Riley. Indeed, they coached the talented players in history. Looking into the masters of the court who made remarkable fast breaks and slam dunks, one must take a glimpse at every actor in the actor guards, forwards, centers, and coaches. Guards play a vital role in team s strategy. This is why there are many professional leagues that can be found at various countries all around the world. To give you some briefing about what to expect with the game, here s a peek about the rules and a look at the standard equipments used during the game. Basic Rules Although some rules about measurements and time limits may vary depending on the league and tournaments, these are the basic rules that are followed by international leagues, including the NBA. In fact, many people play basketball because they want to maintain an ideal weight and they want to be active. PLAYING BASKETBALL IMPROVES SKILLS Aside from gathering people together, many don t realize it but sports that are played by team such as basketball can bring about many advantages compared to those that are played by individuals. There are three kinds of basketballs, those made of leather, synthetic and rubber. Leather made basketballs are best for indoor games, synthetic basketballs for outdoor games and rubber for children. Of course, the basketball hoop is important and there are different kinds of backboards to choose from.