Did you happen to see Erica White from LSU in the women’s NCAA semi-final game? There was a fantastic picture of her on TV, coming out of a timeout, with 7.1 seconds left in the game, down by 1 point at 45-44, with the whole world watching. The picture showed just her eyes as she stepped up to the free throw line to take those shots. She got to the line before the other players and stood there as they walked by to take their place at the line. No doubt, there were some comments made to her from the opposing team, there always are in that situation. She was ice.
The camera focused on her eyes and did not let the picture go. She stood and watched the ball in the referee’s hands. She kept her eyes on the ball as the referee bounced it once prior to throwing it to her. Erica watched it as it came to her, dribbled once, twice, looked at the rim and then shot the ball. The camera pulled back in time to see the perfect result of that level of focus – swish.
She did the same on the second shot – her eyes were the perfect picture of focus. In her mind, there was no one else in the building, just the rim, the ball and Erica. The result of the second shot was the same – swish. It gave me chills to watch it. A great athlete, totally in the zone, playing for the moment. I hope you have been there, I have only been there a few times and I will never forget each of them.
Fast forward to the Men’s NCAA championship game the next night. Check out the look on the face of the Memphis players as they are clinking their free throws and Kansas is breathing down their neck. Memphis had been ahead most of the game, LSU was never ahead. Memphis was playing to not lose the game, Erica white was playing to win it all. The face on Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts was one of fear, they could not look up, they could not look at the ball before it came to them, they knew everyone in the world was watching them shoot those free throws.
It is important to have a routine when you go to the line. A routine that you can follow no matter what the situation, what the score, wherever you are. Erica had that routine and stuck to it, Memphis was lacking a routine to follow.When I watch players shoot free throws today I am amazed at the poor form on the line from many of them. The best men and women players that have great form all do the same basic things:
1) Line up in the right spot for their shot. This is easier to do than most people think. There is a dot right in the center of the free throw line on every court. Find it and you will find your home. Most players will align their shooting foot (right foot for right handed/left for left) with the dot and will place their feet about shoulder width apart. The front foot should be right behind the free throw line, the opposite foot about 3-6 inches behind the front foot. The reason for this stance is that it will naturally allow your body to align your arm in the proper position when shooting. Get the weight on the balls of your feet so you can raise your heels off the floor – your feet are now all set.
2) Hold the ball the same way every time. You should have a pretty good idea how to hold the ball to shoot the right way. If not, here is what I would recommend. There is a spot on the basketball called the air valve. I like to put my index finger just to the right of the valve (I am right handed). The rest of the hand fits naturally around the ball. The left hand is only a guide and is not really involved in shooting the ball – it provides support and that is all.
3) Arm motion into the wrist is relaxed. Hold the ball in the middle of your body, bend your knees slightly (the power from the shot should come from your knees, not your arms), raise the ball above your shooting eye and flick your shooting wrist. Your elbows will form an upside-down V. Relax and enjoy the shot. Leave the follow through in the air for a second. The shot is going in.
When I shoot free throws I feel more weight on my front foot than my left or stabilizing foot. I have a mental picture of the strength running right up my front foot, through my bent knee, through my arm and rushing out of my wrist as I shoot the ball. If you care to count how many times a ball should rotate in the air on a free throw, it is between 1 and a quarter and one and a half (yeah, nerds like me actually count that stuff in mid air).
How high you shoot is totally up to you but the shot should be soft enough and with enough backspin that it has a decent shot at going in if it hits any part of the rim. I recommend shooting a handful of high arc shots, regular arc and then low arc so you can decide for yourself which works best (the middle point usually works best).
That’s it. What you do before the shot is your call. I would prefer to keep it low key, so it does not become something you have to think about. I would always receive the ball from the ref, spin the ball backwards from a low point at about knee height, take a couple of quick dribbles, eye the rim, bend and shoot. I would always leave the shooting spot after each spot, because my routine was to receive the ball and then set my feet. I wanted a routine that was always the same and not moving after the first made shot takes you out of that routine. Do the same thing every time.Practice that routine over and over until it just works. You’ll be close when you no longer have to think about it. I would not stop shooting until I made at least 23 of 25 – that’s 92%.
I hope Memphis reads this page.
Good Luck,
Coach Chuck
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
How to Develop a Great Summer Workout Plan for Your Players This Year
As a basketball coach and fan I have often asked at the end of the season basketball season banquet these words – “Basketball teams are made from November to March, basketball players are made from April to October – what are you going to do between now and October to be a better player?” I then ask what the player’s plans are for the spring and summer, out of school, seasons. I always hope that they will be playing other sports such as baseball or lacrosse and getting ready for football, but I also want them to be playing the game of basketball regularly throughout the warmer seasons.
Without a doubt, basketball is one of the most difficult sports to leave for a period of time and then to try to return to with the expectation that the dribbling and shooting touch will still be in tact – it won’t. I have developed a workout routine that seems to fit many of the players in our basketball program nicely. The program typically takes less than 90 minutes to complete and helps develop the basketball speed, strength, ball handling and shooting aspects of the game.
I also like to give out a chart to each player for them to write down how much they are playing each day throughout the spring and summer. The chart has a simple amount of time played, how many basketball workouts completed, how many weightlifting sessions attended, and how many free throws made that day as part of our goal of making 5,000 each summer and to help track percentages made and missed. I ask that the chart be kept over the summer and given back to me the first day of school. The form will also be used for pre-season evaluations prior to the start of the season so that the players know that I care about the work they do over the summer.
Here is the workout – feel free to use it as you would like.
Thanks,
Coach Chuck
SUMMER WORKOUT ROUTINE
Ball Handling –
1) Drills without dribbling (5 minutes) – Figure 8 (F&B – forward and backward), Rhythm, Slammer, Quick Drop, Round the Head/Waist/Legs (F&B), tap (high to low).
2) Drills with the dribble (5 minutes) – Figure 8, Fingertip, crossover, 2 ball drills – low, waist, alternate height – same time then alternate times. Do drills standing still then on the move.
3) Moves on the move (5 minutes) – Do while running - alternate right and left hands – crossover, spin, through legs (from the inside – out), behind the back. Keep the head up and focus on the weaker hand.
Foot Quickness –
1) Jump Rope
a) For endurance (5 minutes at ¾ speed)
b) For quickness - 3 repetitions of each set listed below - allow 30 seconds of rest between each minute of jumping – build to more reps – do these as quickly as possible.
i. right foot – 15 seconds
ii. left foot – 15 seconds
iii. alternate – 15 seconds
iv. both – 15 seconds
2) Ball Jump – Place a basketball on the floor. Jump for 15 seconds over it from side to side, then for 15 seconds from front to back. Rest for 30 seconds. 3 Reps to start and build to 5 over time. Build to the ability to not hop between jumps.
Passing –
1) Pass to a wall or friend – 2 hand catches on return (5 minutes).
a. Bounce pass
b. Overhead pass
c. Outlet pass (catch, pivot and overhead pass)
d. Side pass (bounce pass from hip – with 2 hands).
Shooting –
1) One hand flip from 8-10 feet – (make 8 of 10, then move on). The goal for the summer is to get each of the boys shooting above their head with the proper form – legs for power with proper footwork and proper wrist flex for aim.
2) Mikan Drills – 30 seconds each
a. Front
b. Reverse with back to the basket
3) 50 shots off the dribble (total of 100) – mix in the following moves and mix in distances and areas from which to shoot:
a. Simulate shooting off the break (pull up quickly)
b. Move on the move into the shot (crossover, stutter step, inside out)
c. Stationary move – fake drive and shoot
Do 5 sets of 10 shots with 2 free throws in between for rest – repeat total set 2 times.
4) 50 shots off the pass (total of 100) – Mix in the following with someone or self-pass (spin back):
a. Step into shot, use inside foot, inside and outside pivots to square up. If working with someone – always V-Cut before coming to the ball. Catch ball with knees bent to allow for quick release.
Do 5 sets of 10 shots with 2 free throws in between for rest – repeat total set 2 times.
5) 30 shots using shot and pass fakes (total of 90) –
a. Pump fake to shot
b. Pump fake to dribble to shot
c. Pass fake to shot
3 sets of 10 with 2 free throws in between for rest – repeat 3 times.
All shots should be taken at game speed – rest by shooting free throws not by going ½ speed.
This Summer Basketball Workout is designed to help players develop the speed, strength, ball handling and shooting aspects of the game of basketball. Check out the additional Basketball Training Aids and Basketball Coaching Videos at our web store – http://www.hoopaids.com/
Without a doubt, basketball is one of the most difficult sports to leave for a period of time and then to try to return to with the expectation that the dribbling and shooting touch will still be in tact – it won’t. I have developed a workout routine that seems to fit many of the players in our basketball program nicely. The program typically takes less than 90 minutes to complete and helps develop the basketball speed, strength, ball handling and shooting aspects of the game.
I also like to give out a chart to each player for them to write down how much they are playing each day throughout the spring and summer. The chart has a simple amount of time played, how many basketball workouts completed, how many weightlifting sessions attended, and how many free throws made that day as part of our goal of making 5,000 each summer and to help track percentages made and missed. I ask that the chart be kept over the summer and given back to me the first day of school. The form will also be used for pre-season evaluations prior to the start of the season so that the players know that I care about the work they do over the summer.
Here is the workout – feel free to use it as you would like.
Thanks,
Coach Chuck
SUMMER WORKOUT ROUTINE
Ball Handling –
1) Drills without dribbling (5 minutes) – Figure 8 (F&B – forward and backward), Rhythm, Slammer, Quick Drop, Round the Head/Waist/Legs (F&B), tap (high to low).
2) Drills with the dribble (5 minutes) – Figure 8, Fingertip, crossover, 2 ball drills – low, waist, alternate height – same time then alternate times. Do drills standing still then on the move.
3) Moves on the move (5 minutes) – Do while running - alternate right and left hands – crossover, spin, through legs (from the inside – out), behind the back. Keep the head up and focus on the weaker hand.
Foot Quickness –
1) Jump Rope
a) For endurance (5 minutes at ¾ speed)
b) For quickness - 3 repetitions of each set listed below - allow 30 seconds of rest between each minute of jumping – build to more reps – do these as quickly as possible.
i. right foot – 15 seconds
ii. left foot – 15 seconds
iii. alternate – 15 seconds
iv. both – 15 seconds
2) Ball Jump – Place a basketball on the floor. Jump for 15 seconds over it from side to side, then for 15 seconds from front to back. Rest for 30 seconds. 3 Reps to start and build to 5 over time. Build to the ability to not hop between jumps.
Passing –
1) Pass to a wall or friend – 2 hand catches on return (5 minutes).
a. Bounce pass
b. Overhead pass
c. Outlet pass (catch, pivot and overhead pass)
d. Side pass (bounce pass from hip – with 2 hands).
Shooting –
1) One hand flip from 8-10 feet – (make 8 of 10, then move on). The goal for the summer is to get each of the boys shooting above their head with the proper form – legs for power with proper footwork and proper wrist flex for aim.
2) Mikan Drills – 30 seconds each
a. Front
b. Reverse with back to the basket
3) 50 shots off the dribble (total of 100) – mix in the following moves and mix in distances and areas from which to shoot:
a. Simulate shooting off the break (pull up quickly)
b. Move on the move into the shot (crossover, stutter step, inside out)
c. Stationary move – fake drive and shoot
Do 5 sets of 10 shots with 2 free throws in between for rest – repeat total set 2 times.
4) 50 shots off the pass (total of 100) – Mix in the following with someone or self-pass (spin back):
a. Step into shot, use inside foot, inside and outside pivots to square up. If working with someone – always V-Cut before coming to the ball. Catch ball with knees bent to allow for quick release.
Do 5 sets of 10 shots with 2 free throws in between for rest – repeat total set 2 times.
5) 30 shots using shot and pass fakes (total of 90) –
a. Pump fake to shot
b. Pump fake to dribble to shot
c. Pass fake to shot
3 sets of 10 with 2 free throws in between for rest – repeat 3 times.
All shots should be taken at game speed – rest by shooting free throws not by going ½ speed.
This Summer Basketball Workout is designed to help players develop the speed, strength, ball handling and shooting aspects of the game of basketball. Check out the additional Basketball Training Aids and Basketball Coaching Videos at our web store – http://www.hoopaids.com/
Saturday, December 8, 2007
The Law of Averages
Last week my son, a 7th grader, played a great game and scored 18 points against one of the best teams year in and year out in our area. He was thrilled. He shot well, played great defense, made a couple of shots that he probably should not have taken at all, and was 4 for 4 from the free throw line.
We go up to the gym after the rec games finish each Sunday evening and shoot for about an hour to get the kinks out of his shot. We turn up the music on the speaker system so he can get loose and have a little fun. During the season the good shooters need to keep up their shooting reps or they will pick up bad habits because they start to get a little tired and alter their shooting form to compensate for weaker legs. I know lots of good shooters who went into a slump and could not find an open gym to go shoot through it – you just do not get enough shooting practice every day practicing 90 minutes with the team. That really is not my story however…
On Wednesday he had another game against a much worse team. After listening to his glowing comments about Monday’s game and almost needing to widen the doorway on the house to let his head in the front door I was a little worried about a downturn. His team was 5-0 going into the game on Wednesday. True to form, it was like another boy was playing in his place. A couple of early fouls got him out of the game for the first quarter, he forced some shots trying to score some points, and we looked up at the end of the game and had lost by 5 to a team we would beat 8 or 9 out of ten times we played them.
Unless it is really positive, I like to let the games die after they are played and re-visit them a day or so afterwards. I heard a great speaker say that the number one things kids do not like about sports is the ride home right after the game - when they get all the wise and free advice from their parents about what they could have done better. When I was in 7th grade I was a bench guy so I pretty much keep quiet about his game unless it involves sportsmanship. He has a lot more talent than I did at that age and I turned out to be good enough to play and love the game in high school so I give him a lot of slack. The points that I brought up to him were two fold: 1) It is difficult to do, but great players are content to let the game come to them and not be the top scorer each time out. Sometimes it just does not happen. They don’t resort to forcing shots up to get their share of the points. They figure out a way to help the team without needing to score. 2) When the jump shot is not falling, great players do something to drive to the basket and get fouled, make some free throws and get a rhythm going. Doing so will make you become part of the game and help the team at the same time.
I told him about the law of averages and that it is designed to take in the good and the bad games. He listened for a moment and went up to his room. Good thing they have another game on Monday.
Coach Chuck
Want to Shoot Better – check out these shooting aids…Basketball Shooting Aids
We go up to the gym after the rec games finish each Sunday evening and shoot for about an hour to get the kinks out of his shot. We turn up the music on the speaker system so he can get loose and have a little fun. During the season the good shooters need to keep up their shooting reps or they will pick up bad habits because they start to get a little tired and alter their shooting form to compensate for weaker legs. I know lots of good shooters who went into a slump and could not find an open gym to go shoot through it – you just do not get enough shooting practice every day practicing 90 minutes with the team. That really is not my story however…
On Wednesday he had another game against a much worse team. After listening to his glowing comments about Monday’s game and almost needing to widen the doorway on the house to let his head in the front door I was a little worried about a downturn. His team was 5-0 going into the game on Wednesday. True to form, it was like another boy was playing in his place. A couple of early fouls got him out of the game for the first quarter, he forced some shots trying to score some points, and we looked up at the end of the game and had lost by 5 to a team we would beat 8 or 9 out of ten times we played them.
Unless it is really positive, I like to let the games die after they are played and re-visit them a day or so afterwards. I heard a great speaker say that the number one things kids do not like about sports is the ride home right after the game - when they get all the wise and free advice from their parents about what they could have done better. When I was in 7th grade I was a bench guy so I pretty much keep quiet about his game unless it involves sportsmanship. He has a lot more talent than I did at that age and I turned out to be good enough to play and love the game in high school so I give him a lot of slack. The points that I brought up to him were two fold: 1) It is difficult to do, but great players are content to let the game come to them and not be the top scorer each time out. Sometimes it just does not happen. They don’t resort to forcing shots up to get their share of the points. They figure out a way to help the team without needing to score. 2) When the jump shot is not falling, great players do something to drive to the basket and get fouled, make some free throws and get a rhythm going. Doing so will make you become part of the game and help the team at the same time.
I told him about the law of averages and that it is designed to take in the good and the bad games. He listened for a moment and went up to his room. Good thing they have another game on Monday.
Coach Chuck
Want to Shoot Better – check out these shooting aids…Basketball Shooting Aids
Saturday, December 1, 2007
You Don't Scout the JV Game!
My brother is an assistant varsity basketball coach at a school in my son’s league. They are always good and he is very loyal to them. He has been with them for 8 years and they have won the league championship in 5 of those years. He carries out all the duties of an assistant very well, including scouting as many teams as he can during the course of a season.
My son is a freshman and was moved up from the freshman team to the JV team for his school, which is a big honor. I was a little concerned at first about playing time and how he would be received by the other players but he has quickly become acclimated to the group and is the starting 2 guard, playing almost the entire game. I will write an entry on what helped him most to make this team and when it occurred – the answer will surprise you. Anyway, my whole family was very excited about him moving up and playing JV ball this season. It is fun because the games are at night and many times I get to watch a triple header (freshman/JV/Varsity) in one evening. My brother’s team was not scheduled to play our school until the 5th game of the season and my brother came to 3 of the early games to watch my son play and then to scout our varsity team.
My son had a couple of great games early in the season where he made most of his jump shots and scored 19 and 17 respectively. He also had a 7 point effort in one of the games but I am sure he has forgotten about that one by now. I watched my brother take some notes on some offensive and defensive sets, some out of bounds plays and some general shot charting during a couple of quarters of my son’s game – I did not think much about it. Then we played his team…
My brother had given a full scouting report to his JV team on all of the items above including telling them to not have the person guarding my son play any help defense so he would be left open during the game. Everywhere my son went on the floor the defenders all pointed at him and yelled “SHOOTER!” so they would always be aware of where he was and to not let him catch the ball in a position to shoot. It was a big challenge to even get the ball in bounds against his team. Needless to say, my son had a 4 point night and we lost by more than 20 points.
So now I pose the question – would any of you have done this to your own nephew? I was not bothered by it at the time but then I got home and thought about a couple of things…first off – no one scouts JV games…nobody. If my brother had just come to scout the varsity team he would have showed up before the varsity game, watched it and gone home, paying no attention to the JV game. He took advantage of the fact that he was there to enjoy watching my son play to tell his guys all of our plays and who our leading scorer is. They would have figured that out but would likely not have gone the whole game (from the tip-off) yelling and pointing at my son wherever he went. Secondly, he should have kept his info to himself to allow his nephew to enjoy a more fair contest. He could have seen how my son performed in a straight up contest and enjoyed the outcome. That would have been the better play for my brother to have made.
Oh yeah, my brother’s team also won the varsity game.
Gotta go now…I am going to scout the freshman team at my brother’s school...I heard he may have to coach them a few games this year and I want to be sure the opposing team has a good write up. (Ted, you know I am kidding!).
Yours in Hoops,
Coach Chuck
Check out the latest in Coaching Aids at the following link:Basketball Coaching Aids
My son is a freshman and was moved up from the freshman team to the JV team for his school, which is a big honor. I was a little concerned at first about playing time and how he would be received by the other players but he has quickly become acclimated to the group and is the starting 2 guard, playing almost the entire game. I will write an entry on what helped him most to make this team and when it occurred – the answer will surprise you. Anyway, my whole family was very excited about him moving up and playing JV ball this season. It is fun because the games are at night and many times I get to watch a triple header (freshman/JV/Varsity) in one evening. My brother’s team was not scheduled to play our school until the 5th game of the season and my brother came to 3 of the early games to watch my son play and then to scout our varsity team.
My son had a couple of great games early in the season where he made most of his jump shots and scored 19 and 17 respectively. He also had a 7 point effort in one of the games but I am sure he has forgotten about that one by now. I watched my brother take some notes on some offensive and defensive sets, some out of bounds plays and some general shot charting during a couple of quarters of my son’s game – I did not think much about it. Then we played his team…
My brother had given a full scouting report to his JV team on all of the items above including telling them to not have the person guarding my son play any help defense so he would be left open during the game. Everywhere my son went on the floor the defenders all pointed at him and yelled “SHOOTER!” so they would always be aware of where he was and to not let him catch the ball in a position to shoot. It was a big challenge to even get the ball in bounds against his team. Needless to say, my son had a 4 point night and we lost by more than 20 points.
So now I pose the question – would any of you have done this to your own nephew? I was not bothered by it at the time but then I got home and thought about a couple of things…first off – no one scouts JV games…nobody. If my brother had just come to scout the varsity team he would have showed up before the varsity game, watched it and gone home, paying no attention to the JV game. He took advantage of the fact that he was there to enjoy watching my son play to tell his guys all of our plays and who our leading scorer is. They would have figured that out but would likely not have gone the whole game (from the tip-off) yelling and pointing at my son wherever he went. Secondly, he should have kept his info to himself to allow his nephew to enjoy a more fair contest. He could have seen how my son performed in a straight up contest and enjoyed the outcome. That would have been the better play for my brother to have made.
Oh yeah, my brother’s team also won the varsity game.
Gotta go now…I am going to scout the freshman team at my brother’s school...I heard he may have to coach them a few games this year and I want to be sure the opposing team has a good write up. (Ted, you know I am kidding!).
Yours in Hoops,
Coach Chuck
Check out the latest in Coaching Aids at the following link:Basketball Coaching Aids
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Jump Shot vs Quick Set Shot
Shooting is a beautiful thing. My son is a jump shooter. When he shoots it is pure and natural. He always jumps. He is in the 9th grade and is 5’8” with a slender build. He can shoot for 30 minutes and, when he is on, he will rarely miss. Except for free throws, he always jumps.
This works fine when his legs are fresh at the start of a game or when we are just shooting around at the gym but this causes him difficulty when he has to guard a talented player on defense or when he needs to play a quarter or two at the point guard position. He gets tired and his shots suddenly do not go in like they do when his legs are fresh. His shot gets flat and has quite a bit of backspin on it from his arms having to propel the ball at the rim. It is frustrating for him and it is frustrating for all of us because we know what a good shooter he is.
One of the best shooting coaches today is an old-school shooting coach named Tom Nordland. Tom spent a lot of time analyzing shooting techniques and has discovered that the shooting method that delivers the most consistent results is to generate power with your large muscles in your legs that tend to not get tired, line up with your front leg, elbow, wrist and shooting eye aligned with the basket, use a loose wrist and let it fly. His technique is called The Swish Method and I like it. The video he sells looks old school but the results are fantastic. I suppose the old school look is likely because this is the way that I was taught to shoot (I actually copied Kyle Macy’s form). You can get to Tom’s web site by clicking back to our main site at www.HoopAids.com or go directly to the link at The Swish Method.
I was taught to not jump unless there was a need to because it adds more variables into the process of shooting. If you are in the lane and your shot is contested, then you have to jump but other than that, be quick to shoot. I was taught to play the game very low – to come off screens quickly at a semi-crouched height with your hands up to catch a pass. The advantage to already being low when the ball is caught is that you can then quickly use your legs to generate power for your shot and you do not need to jump high, if at all, to get the shot off. You will beat your defender coming off the screen and the ball will be in flight towards the hoop before they can even get there to get a hand in your face. I worry that my son catches the ball standing upright and then goes lower to generate power to jump, allowing the defender time to catch up, which means he has to jump in order to not get his shot blocked – the defender has that split second to catch up. The good news is that he has a solid fundamental form that should be able to easily adapt to a new technique with a little off-season practice. That way he can have the confidence to shoot however the situation dictates and have the game come to him.
While watching the high school basketball previews of local teams last Friday evening I noticed that most of the high school 3 point shots are indeed quick set shots. The boys catch the ball, square up and shoot quickly most times without hesitation. The best ones look like they are shooting a long free throw when you view them in isolation away from the rest of the game. Whether you shoot a jump shot or a quick set shot, when done correctly - Shooting is a beautiful thing.
Yours in Hoops,
Coach Chuck
Want to Shoot Better – check out these shooting aids…Basketball Shooting Aids
This works fine when his legs are fresh at the start of a game or when we are just shooting around at the gym but this causes him difficulty when he has to guard a talented player on defense or when he needs to play a quarter or two at the point guard position. He gets tired and his shots suddenly do not go in like they do when his legs are fresh. His shot gets flat and has quite a bit of backspin on it from his arms having to propel the ball at the rim. It is frustrating for him and it is frustrating for all of us because we know what a good shooter he is.
One of the best shooting coaches today is an old-school shooting coach named Tom Nordland. Tom spent a lot of time analyzing shooting techniques and has discovered that the shooting method that delivers the most consistent results is to generate power with your large muscles in your legs that tend to not get tired, line up with your front leg, elbow, wrist and shooting eye aligned with the basket, use a loose wrist and let it fly. His technique is called The Swish Method and I like it. The video he sells looks old school but the results are fantastic. I suppose the old school look is likely because this is the way that I was taught to shoot (I actually copied Kyle Macy’s form). You can get to Tom’s web site by clicking back to our main site at www.HoopAids.com or go directly to the link at The Swish Method.
I was taught to not jump unless there was a need to because it adds more variables into the process of shooting. If you are in the lane and your shot is contested, then you have to jump but other than that, be quick to shoot. I was taught to play the game very low – to come off screens quickly at a semi-crouched height with your hands up to catch a pass. The advantage to already being low when the ball is caught is that you can then quickly use your legs to generate power for your shot and you do not need to jump high, if at all, to get the shot off. You will beat your defender coming off the screen and the ball will be in flight towards the hoop before they can even get there to get a hand in your face. I worry that my son catches the ball standing upright and then goes lower to generate power to jump, allowing the defender time to catch up, which means he has to jump in order to not get his shot blocked – the defender has that split second to catch up. The good news is that he has a solid fundamental form that should be able to easily adapt to a new technique with a little off-season practice. That way he can have the confidence to shoot however the situation dictates and have the game come to him.
While watching the high school basketball previews of local teams last Friday evening I noticed that most of the high school 3 point shots are indeed quick set shots. The boys catch the ball, square up and shoot quickly most times without hesitation. The best ones look like they are shooting a long free throw when you view them in isolation away from the rest of the game. Whether you shoot a jump shot or a quick set shot, when done correctly - Shooting is a beautiful thing.
Yours in Hoops,
Coach Chuck
Want to Shoot Better – check out these shooting aids…Basketball Shooting Aids
Thursday, November 8, 2007
How to Make 90% of Your Free Throws
I love free throws. I always have. For me they have always been easy and fun to practice. They are also a great way to add easy points a game to your PPG and can devastate opponents late in the game. I used to go hard through a series of shooting drills and get a little tired. I’d then practice free throws to give my legs a rest. I also thought shooting free throws helped to build confidence in my shots from the rest of the court, so when I would return to regular shooting drills I had a crisp release and a great feel for the ball. I used to practice shooting 25 at a time. If I was shooting the right way the ball would spin back to me about half way up the lane and I did not need to go very far to get it so I could shoot again. I would shoot 100 a day and track my stats on a chart that hung inside my garage.
I used to enjoy watching a player from the University of Kentucky named Kyle Macy. I liked all of his form except the part where he would always touch his socks. I thought that was a little weird. His form was the most pure I have seen and I would always try to emulate his style. It worked well for me.
When I watch players shoot free throws today I am amazed at the poor form on the line from many of them. The best men and women players that have great form all do the same basic things:
1) Line up in the right spot for their shot. This is easier to do than most people think. There is a dot right in the center of the free throw line on every court. Find it and you will find your home. Most players will align their shooting foot (right foot for right handed/left for left) with the dot and will place their feet about shoulder width apart. The front foot should be right behind the free throw line, the opposite foot about 3-6 inches behind the front foot. The reason for this stance is that it will naturally allow your body to align your arm in the proper position when shooting. Get the weight on the balls of your feet so you can raise your heels off the floor – your feet are now all set.
2) Hold the ball the same way every time. You should have a pretty good idea how to hold the ball to shoot the right way. If not, here is what I would recommend. There is a spot on the basketball called the air valve. I like to put my index finger just to the right of the valve (I am right handed). The rest of the hand fits naturally around the ball. The left hand is only a guide and is not really involved in shooting the ball – it provides support and that is all.
3) Arm motion into the wrist is relaxed. Hold the ball in the middle of your body, bend your knees slightly (the power from the shot should come from your knees, not your arms), raise the ball above your shooting eye and flick your shooting wrist. Your elbows will form an upside-down V. Relax and enjoy the shot. Leave the follow through in the air for a second. The shot is going in.
When I shoot free throws I feel more weight on my front foot than my left or stabilizing foot. I have a mental picture of the strength running right up my front foot, through my bent knee, through my arm and rushing out of my wrist as I shoot the ball. If you care to count how many times a ball should rotate in the air on a free throw, it is between 1 and a quarter and one and a half (yeah, nerds like me actually count that stuff in mid air).
How high you shoot is totally up to you but the shot should be soft enough and with enough backspin that it has a decent shot at going in if it hits any part of the rim. I recommend shooting a handful of high arc shots, regular arc and then low arc so you can decide for yourself which works best (the middle point usually works best).
That’s it.
What you do before the shot is your call. I would prefer to keep it low key, so it does not become something you have to think about. I would always receive the ball from the ref, spin the ball backwards from a low point at about knee height, take a couple of quick dribbles, eye the rim, bend and shoot. I would always leave the shooting spot after each spot, because my routine was to receive the ball and then set my feet. I wanted a routine that was always the same and not moving after the first made shot takes you out of that routine. Do the same thing every time.
Practice that routine over and over until it just works. You’ll be close when you no longer have to think about it. I would not stop shooting until I made at least 23 of 25 – that’s 92%. Then I would go write it in my garage.
Good Luck,
Coach Chuck
Check out the latest in Basketball Shooting Aids at Basketball Shooting Aids
I used to enjoy watching a player from the University of Kentucky named Kyle Macy. I liked all of his form except the part where he would always touch his socks. I thought that was a little weird. His form was the most pure I have seen and I would always try to emulate his style. It worked well for me.
When I watch players shoot free throws today I am amazed at the poor form on the line from many of them. The best men and women players that have great form all do the same basic things:
1) Line up in the right spot for their shot. This is easier to do than most people think. There is a dot right in the center of the free throw line on every court. Find it and you will find your home. Most players will align their shooting foot (right foot for right handed/left for left) with the dot and will place their feet about shoulder width apart. The front foot should be right behind the free throw line, the opposite foot about 3-6 inches behind the front foot. The reason for this stance is that it will naturally allow your body to align your arm in the proper position when shooting. Get the weight on the balls of your feet so you can raise your heels off the floor – your feet are now all set.
2) Hold the ball the same way every time. You should have a pretty good idea how to hold the ball to shoot the right way. If not, here is what I would recommend. There is a spot on the basketball called the air valve. I like to put my index finger just to the right of the valve (I am right handed). The rest of the hand fits naturally around the ball. The left hand is only a guide and is not really involved in shooting the ball – it provides support and that is all.
3) Arm motion into the wrist is relaxed. Hold the ball in the middle of your body, bend your knees slightly (the power from the shot should come from your knees, not your arms), raise the ball above your shooting eye and flick your shooting wrist. Your elbows will form an upside-down V. Relax and enjoy the shot. Leave the follow through in the air for a second. The shot is going in.
When I shoot free throws I feel more weight on my front foot than my left or stabilizing foot. I have a mental picture of the strength running right up my front foot, through my bent knee, through my arm and rushing out of my wrist as I shoot the ball. If you care to count how many times a ball should rotate in the air on a free throw, it is between 1 and a quarter and one and a half (yeah, nerds like me actually count that stuff in mid air).
How high you shoot is totally up to you but the shot should be soft enough and with enough backspin that it has a decent shot at going in if it hits any part of the rim. I recommend shooting a handful of high arc shots, regular arc and then low arc so you can decide for yourself which works best (the middle point usually works best).
That’s it.
What you do before the shot is your call. I would prefer to keep it low key, so it does not become something you have to think about. I would always receive the ball from the ref, spin the ball backwards from a low point at about knee height, take a couple of quick dribbles, eye the rim, bend and shoot. I would always leave the shooting spot after each spot, because my routine was to receive the ball and then set my feet. I wanted a routine that was always the same and not moving after the first made shot takes you out of that routine. Do the same thing every time.
Practice that routine over and over until it just works. You’ll be close when you no longer have to think about it. I would not stop shooting until I made at least 23 of 25 – that’s 92%. Then I would go write it in my garage.
Good Luck,
Coach Chuck
Check out the latest in Basketball Shooting Aids at Basketball Shooting Aids
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Making The Team
It’s that time of year again...time when 7th graders everywhere around the country are sweating their tryout for the basketball team. It does not matter if you are the best player to have ever set foot in the school’s gym or if you sat the bench for your rec team last year – you are nervous. At some point we will discuss what you should have been doing all summer long and the plan that you should have created at the end of last season and all the conditioning you should have been doing to develop your body, but we will cover that at the end of this season.
Here are my best tips as you get ready and then participate in the tryout:
1) If you have a couple of weeks, or even a couple of days, get out and play. Work on your mid-range shot, your free throws, make all your layups (especially with your off hand). If you have not been playing for a while you need to get the feel of a ball back in your hands. Get a good workout video or set of drills to do and work up a sweat doing them. The feel of the ball will make a big difference when you start working with the other players during the tryout. The football players typically have the hardest time getting their feel back and throw a bunch of bricks during the first week of practice.
2) Try to gage your competition. Figure out who is trying out (most schools have a tryout signup sheet) and rank yourself accordingly. If your school is large this may be hard to do, if it is small you probably already know where you stand. Look at a regular team of 12 players – a coach will keep 4-5 guards, 3-4 forwards, 2-3 centers and normally a couple of good hustle-type defensive players. Figure out where you stand on a depth chart, even if it is only in your own mind.
3) At the actual tryout, make a point to get into drills with players that you are slightly better than. My son had a best friend in 7th grade who was the best player in the class (he was the second best). The two of them would always want to square off in the drills with my son normally coming out on the short end of the competition. While I was always impressed with this type of attitude and desire for competition I have been consistently surprised at coaches who are always ranking the players by position. My son would have been beaten several times by this same boy in drills for a guard spot and his ranking would have likely been low. If the coach had only memories of my son getting beat when the cut was made, he would have faced a challenge to be on the final team roster.
4) Be the hustle guy at the tryout. Each team has a hustle guy who is rewarded with making the team when perhaps the talent is not all there. Hustle is free, you did not have to work all summer at it, you just need to provide it, and you should provide it all the time. I will discuss practice attitudes in a later post but please understand that coaches know and remember the players who hustle, almost as much as the ones they remember who do not. Hustle means to hustle everywhere and to everything – not just in the sprints but during everything – even to and from a water break. If you find yourself talking, walking or hanging out during the tryout, wake yourself up and start moving. Believe me, the coach is watching.
5) Have a sense of common courtesy. You are trying out for a team, not an American Idol audition. Let your play and your desire make the team, keep your attitude and cockiness away. Look your coach in the eye when you speak to him/her, look at him and listen without talking when he speaks. Practice a firm regular handshake, full hand covering each other, your coach will notice. I always shook my players hands to see if they were mature enough to know how to do it correctly. Keep the jokes and the quick witted comments off the court, even if you know you can get a great laugh from it. Don’t knock anyone’s game – ever. You might be the next player to shoot the ball over the backboard on a free throw (you never know). Be on time. Have your equipment with you. Don’t wear clothes that stick out too much from the other kids. Don’t let yourself be judged by anything other than your positive attitude and your basketball ability.
6) Think about the types of drills a tryout typically has in it and physically/mentally prepare for them. 3-man weave with a good catch and release while on the run, off hand layups on the run, shooting drills off the dribble/curl/screen, one on one drills. Lots of coaches do full court drills (11 man drills) to judge players with the ball on fast break, these drills also keep the group moving and can be done by large groups easily. If you have an open gym prior to the tryout and the coach is there, ask him/her what types of drills will be done at the tryout so you can mentally prepare.
7) Know your strengths and try to get them on display. If you know you are good dribbler/shooter/rebounder - be sure that you are able to find a way to showcase that talent without showing off. Do it often. I once knew a boy who could make shots from 15 feet. That was his range – period. He would shoot bricks from 12 and could not throw it in the ocean from the 3 point line. He spent his entire game right around the free throw line so he could get a screen and shoot. He knew and stuck with his strengths.
8) Find a way to tell the coach about yourself. If you played for 5 seasons with a select team, make sure he knows it. If you were your team’s best rebounder last season, be sure to tell him. Even if you are very talented in another sport – be sure he knows. Do it in a way that is factual without being a bragger. Your coach will remember it when he has to make the final cuts.
9) Take a charge and always box out. Find a way to take a charge in a scrimmage. Get good position, feel the contact and then flop on your rear. Coaches love it and you will stand out immediately. Always box out your man. If a shot goes up from anywhere, no matter where you are find your man and box him out (especially if he just shot the ball). So many players will turn and watch the shot, allowing a hustling offensive player to get a ball and an easy stick back while you look silly for letting him by. Remember to box out.
10) Have fun. It’s 7th grade basketball, not exactly a breaking point in your life. If you get cut, find a team to play with so you can keep playing and enjoy it. Congratulate the guys that made it, go see some games during their season and tell yourself you’ll be back next year. If you get the chance, ask the coach for feedback on your game. Most will tell you what they thought and give you some solid advice on what to work on for next year. Be friendly if you end up getting bad news on the last cut. That same coach could end up being your coach next year and you do not need to burn a bridge with him. Every school has the story each year of a couple of kids who got cut from the 7th grade team, worked hard over the summer and made the 8th grade team. (did I mention how important the summer is to improve your game?)
Good Luck,
Coach Chuck
Check out other great coaching aids at the following link:Basketball Coaching Aids
Here are my best tips as you get ready and then participate in the tryout:
1) If you have a couple of weeks, or even a couple of days, get out and play. Work on your mid-range shot, your free throws, make all your layups (especially with your off hand). If you have not been playing for a while you need to get the feel of a ball back in your hands. Get a good workout video or set of drills to do and work up a sweat doing them. The feel of the ball will make a big difference when you start working with the other players during the tryout. The football players typically have the hardest time getting their feel back and throw a bunch of bricks during the first week of practice.
2) Try to gage your competition. Figure out who is trying out (most schools have a tryout signup sheet) and rank yourself accordingly. If your school is large this may be hard to do, if it is small you probably already know where you stand. Look at a regular team of 12 players – a coach will keep 4-5 guards, 3-4 forwards, 2-3 centers and normally a couple of good hustle-type defensive players. Figure out where you stand on a depth chart, even if it is only in your own mind.
3) At the actual tryout, make a point to get into drills with players that you are slightly better than. My son had a best friend in 7th grade who was the best player in the class (he was the second best). The two of them would always want to square off in the drills with my son normally coming out on the short end of the competition. While I was always impressed with this type of attitude and desire for competition I have been consistently surprised at coaches who are always ranking the players by position. My son would have been beaten several times by this same boy in drills for a guard spot and his ranking would have likely been low. If the coach had only memories of my son getting beat when the cut was made, he would have faced a challenge to be on the final team roster.
4) Be the hustle guy at the tryout. Each team has a hustle guy who is rewarded with making the team when perhaps the talent is not all there. Hustle is free, you did not have to work all summer at it, you just need to provide it, and you should provide it all the time. I will discuss practice attitudes in a later post but please understand that coaches know and remember the players who hustle, almost as much as the ones they remember who do not. Hustle means to hustle everywhere and to everything – not just in the sprints but during everything – even to and from a water break. If you find yourself talking, walking or hanging out during the tryout, wake yourself up and start moving. Believe me, the coach is watching.
5) Have a sense of common courtesy. You are trying out for a team, not an American Idol audition. Let your play and your desire make the team, keep your attitude and cockiness away. Look your coach in the eye when you speak to him/her, look at him and listen without talking when he speaks. Practice a firm regular handshake, full hand covering each other, your coach will notice. I always shook my players hands to see if they were mature enough to know how to do it correctly. Keep the jokes and the quick witted comments off the court, even if you know you can get a great laugh from it. Don’t knock anyone’s game – ever. You might be the next player to shoot the ball over the backboard on a free throw (you never know). Be on time. Have your equipment with you. Don’t wear clothes that stick out too much from the other kids. Don’t let yourself be judged by anything other than your positive attitude and your basketball ability.
6) Think about the types of drills a tryout typically has in it and physically/mentally prepare for them. 3-man weave with a good catch and release while on the run, off hand layups on the run, shooting drills off the dribble/curl/screen, one on one drills. Lots of coaches do full court drills (11 man drills) to judge players with the ball on fast break, these drills also keep the group moving and can be done by large groups easily. If you have an open gym prior to the tryout and the coach is there, ask him/her what types of drills will be done at the tryout so you can mentally prepare.
7) Know your strengths and try to get them on display. If you know you are good dribbler/shooter/rebounder - be sure that you are able to find a way to showcase that talent without showing off. Do it often. I once knew a boy who could make shots from 15 feet. That was his range – period. He would shoot bricks from 12 and could not throw it in the ocean from the 3 point line. He spent his entire game right around the free throw line so he could get a screen and shoot. He knew and stuck with his strengths.
8) Find a way to tell the coach about yourself. If you played for 5 seasons with a select team, make sure he knows it. If you were your team’s best rebounder last season, be sure to tell him. Even if you are very talented in another sport – be sure he knows. Do it in a way that is factual without being a bragger. Your coach will remember it when he has to make the final cuts.
9) Take a charge and always box out. Find a way to take a charge in a scrimmage. Get good position, feel the contact and then flop on your rear. Coaches love it and you will stand out immediately. Always box out your man. If a shot goes up from anywhere, no matter where you are find your man and box him out (especially if he just shot the ball). So many players will turn and watch the shot, allowing a hustling offensive player to get a ball and an easy stick back while you look silly for letting him by. Remember to box out.
10) Have fun. It’s 7th grade basketball, not exactly a breaking point in your life. If you get cut, find a team to play with so you can keep playing and enjoy it. Congratulate the guys that made it, go see some games during their season and tell yourself you’ll be back next year. If you get the chance, ask the coach for feedback on your game. Most will tell you what they thought and give you some solid advice on what to work on for next year. Be friendly if you end up getting bad news on the last cut. That same coach could end up being your coach next year and you do not need to burn a bridge with him. Every school has the story each year of a couple of kids who got cut from the 7th grade team, worked hard over the summer and made the 8th grade team. (did I mention how important the summer is to improve your game?)
Good Luck,
Coach Chuck
Check out other great coaching aids at the following link:Basketball Coaching Aids
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