The Five Steps to Becoming a Great Basketball Shooter

Shooting a basketball, like any other skill can be learned basketball improved with practice. No one is born as a great shooter, all of the great shooters have put in hours and hours of correct practice. It does not do very much good to practice the wrong way. Additionally, mental toughness is essential to being a great shooter. Developing mental toughness is discussed in another section of our site. I believe that there are five stages to becoming a great shooter.

1. The first phase is learning the correct fundamentals of holding the ball, and then delivering the shot. Your shooting hand basketball be set across the seams of the basketball. The index finger of your shooting hand should be placed in the middle of the ball--you should use the air valve as a guide. Your guide hand should be placed on the side of the ball. Point all ten of your toes to the rim-with your shooting foot pointed at the center of the basket and your other foot slightly off center. When you jump, push toward the basket. You should land six inches closer to the basket with your toes still pointing to the rim and your feet in the same position and the same distance apart as when you started. When you release the ball, the ball should spin or rotate backwards off your fingers and that backspin rotation should continue as the ball is in the air toward the goals. The guide hand does not move on its own and only opens up slightly as the ball is pushed to the basket by the shooting hand. After you release the ball, hold a high goose neck follow through as if you were putting your hand in basket with ball. Your eyes should be focused on the nearest eyelet on the basket and your eyes should stay on that eyelet target. You should not watch the flight of the ball! The best drills to practice these fundamentals are shooting on a line and rim flips.

In shooting on a line, you line yourself up on one of the lines on the basketball court. Shoot the ball as if you were shooting at the basket and allow it to land. If the ball lands on the line, mission accomplished! Now do it again and again until you know that you are shooting the ball straight. When doing the rim flips drill, Stand an arms length directly in front of the rim. Set the ball for the normal shot and then take the balance hand away. The entire focus of the drill is on correct shooting fundamentals. Shooting with one hand helps to work on shooting the ball straight and concentrating on the backspin rotation of the ball. This drill is to work on technique, foot position, and body alignment and not to simulate anything close to game speed. Rim flips are solely for refining and maintaining technique and form. Go, SLOW. SLOW. SLOW!! The initial stage of the drill does not involve jumping. Think of it as a short free throw--with one hand. After making 10 in a row without hitting the rim, the shooter moves back two steps. After moving back two steps, place the guide hand on the ball, but use the exact same technique as before with the shooting hand. Once you can make 10 in a row, move back another two steps and work to make another 10 in a row.

Eventually, you will jump toward the basket and land six inches closer just like you were taking a shot in a game. Work on the landing in all three phases of the rim flips drill.

2. Stage Number 2 is repetition shots with no pressure and no movement. Concentrate on the fundamentals from stage one. Clap and ready hands to catch the ball. These shots should be 12-15 feet or whatever distance is a comfortable distance for you. In this stage you will combine proper mechanics from stage #1 above with getting the ball straight. Your aim if you do miss is to never miss to the right, to the left, or short. Get the ball straight and up over the front of the rim and if you have to miss, miss on the back of the rim. The shooting on a line drill helps you to work on getting the ball straight. In this drill, you find a line on the court, line yourself up with your shooting foot in the center of the line as if you were shooting at a basket. Shoot the ball with your normal 10 foot arc and let the ball land on the floor--remember you are not shooting at a basket. If the ball hits the line, then you are shooting it straight. If it goes to the left or to the right, then you know you need to adjust. After working on the line, go to a basket and shoot the 12-15 foot shots.

3. The third part in the progression is moving at a game pace in ways that occur in a 5/5 game to get a shot. The most effective way to master stage #3 is by having an organized individual development workout plan that is designed for the areas you want to improve--and then you must have the dedication to stick to your plan. The most important time to be dedicated is when you don't want to be. Stand under the basket, Toss the ball out so that it bounces once 15-20 feet distance from under the basket, run to get it as if making a cut in a game, grab the ball and imagine that you are catching a pass, square up and shoot. Retrieve your rebound and repeat the process.

4. Stage #4 Shooting with pressure produced by time, performance goals, or one defender. Set up games where you shoot a specified number of shots in a given time, or with someone guarding you. The idea of this stage is to find or create drills that put a type of pressure on you. Keep a record of your performances and compare to determine if and how much improvement you are making.

5. Stage #5 Being able to make shots in a 5/5 scrimmage. You must shoot the shots that you have been practicing in your individual development workouts and plan your workouts so that you are practicing the shots that you get in games. Evaluate yourself as to how and what you can do better.

No matter how long you have been playing, you need to continue to go through all five phases of the shooting progression each day to stay sound on fundamentals and to give yourself a lot of shots. If you are playing a 5 on 5 game, you probably will get somewhere between 3 and 10 shots in one game. That is not enough practice to improve. But, all you need for stages 1-4 are a basket, a ball, some creativity to find ways to make your workouts competitive, and a desire to improve.

The Coaching Toolbox http://www.coachingtoolbox.net is a resource site for basketball coaches and players of all levels. Brian Williams is a former high school coach with over 20 years of experience at various levels. The site is just getting our site off the ground, so we hope that you will visit us and continue to stay and grow with us as well!

ACC Tournament Tickets - Better Get Them Early

ACC Tournament tickets are one basketball the most sought after college basketball tickets of the year, with all of the rabid ACC fans finding themselves under the same roof to settle the dust on a long and hard fought basketball season.

This year the ACC Tournament is being held in Atlanta, Georgia, which allows for greater seating basketball is a departure from the ACC's most common location in the state of North Carolina. The 2009 Tournament will be in the Georgia Dome, most famous for being the home of the Atlanta Falcons.

Tickets for the tournament are sold in 'sessions' which means you get one ticket to watch two games. For example, there is a game starting on the first day at 12:00 noon and then another game at 2:00 pm. These games make up 'Session 1'. Then there are two more games in the same day in the same arena, one at 7:00 pm and one at 9:00 pm. Those two games are considered 'Session 2'. So, if your team is playing in Session 1, you could save some money by only buying session 1.

Of course, there are 'All Sessions' tickets, which means, naturally, that tickets (or 'strip' of tickets' includes all of the games on all of the days, through the entire Tournament. Buying the 'All Sessions' tickets allows fans to relax and not have to wait until the season is over to find out where their team falls in the Tournament bracket.

Fans want to see the tournament in person because It's not only a spectacular display of great college basketball, it's a place where highlight films are created, legends of the Atlantic Coast Conference are born and it kicks of March Madness. The winner of the ACC tournament gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, so a team can struggle through the regular season but still make the Big Dance. The most famous instance of this was the 1983 NC State Wolfpack, who had to win the entire tournament to get an NCAA tournament berth, then went on to shock the world by winning the national title a couple of weeks later.

If you are looking for ACC Tournament Tickets, remember that individual session tickets are higher for some teams, so getting tickets before the schedule is set is probably your smartest move.

Arlen Simmons gets his ACC Tournament Tickets by using a service that scans all available tickets at one time, like this one.

3 Powerful Basketball Jump Training Exercises

Is basketball jump training an basketball element in basketball overall development of a basketball player? The answer is a definite "Yes". If you are a basketball player or coach, then you understand how important the vertical jump is in the game of basketball.

Having an explosive vertical jump is a critical part of a players' ability to rebound, block shots and shoot a jump shot. Basketball players that have an explosive vertical jump are able to perform these skills more effectively and efficiently.

There are three basketball jump training exercises that athletes can perform to help increase their vertical jump - the squat, lunge and step up. These vertical jump exercises are all compound exercises working both the knee and hip joints. These exercises are simple and effective, yet produce incredible results for the basketball player.

Basketball Jump Training Exercises

Squat

The squat is the most effective exercise to increase vertical jump...if performed correctly.

Key points to remember...

• Start in an athletic stance.
• The bar should be placed across the upper back - not the neck.
• The chest should be out. The back should be tight with a slight forward lean.
• The knees should remain directly above the feet.
• Squat to a parallel position, keeping your weight on the heels.
• Concentrate on technique to insure your safety.

Lunges

Lunges are done in one of two ways...Holding dumbbells or with a bar across the upper back.

Key points to remember...

• Start and remain in an upright position.
• Step forward as far as possible without leaning forward with your upper body.
• Step until your front knee is at a 90 degree angle.
• Step back to starting position in one step.
• Perform 10 lunges with one leg, and then repeat with the other.

Step Ups

To perform step ups you need dumbbells and a bench or step-up box. The bench or box should be 16-18 inches high.

Key points to remember...

• Start in an upright position with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Step up on the box or bench with one foot so that your knee is in a 90 degree angle.
• Step up with the other foot so that both feet are on the box or bench.
• Step back down one foot at a time.
• Perform 10 step ups with one leg, and then repeat with the other.

Performing these basketball jump training exercises on a consistent basis will help players dramatically improve their vertical jump.

Want to fly with the big boys with a 40"+ vertical leap?

Elevate your game today at http://www.ultimate-youth-basketball-guide.com

How to Improve Your Basketball Skills - Mindset and Attitude

Improving your basketball skills depends on your own will to become better. It takes determination and patience in order to become a better player. As citizen watch learn how to improve your basketball skills, you should possess the following mindset and attitude in order to be successful at it.

First of all, you will need focus if you ever want to improve on your basketball skills. The ability to concentrate on becoming better on the type of basketball skill that you are working on is very important. As you go on with the process of learning how to improve your basketball skills, your focus will dictate how quickly you may be able to see the results of your efforts.

In relation to focus, you also need the burning desire to succeed as a more capable athlete. Hard work alone won't citizen watch you far if you don't have the passion of doing what you love. You will learn that if you have the desire to get better at basketball, it will be easier for you to make improvements on your basketball skills.

Having a positive attitude is also an important trait to have as you try to get better with your basketball skills. The positive attitude can affect not only as you try to improve on the skills of the game. It can also affect the people around you such as your teammates. Having a positive attitude can help you have enough to get going even if the going gets tough. So if you feel like nothing is going right, positive attitude will help you feel that you still can.

Self-confidence is essential as well. Believe in yourself that you have what it takes to get so much better at the game that you love.

And most of all, the key to improve your basketball skills is to never give up. Keep practicing even though you feel fatigued or think that you have reached what you think is your top-level game. The best players always know that they still have a lot to learn about the game.

There is still a long way to go if you wish to improve your basketball skills. The way to get better at it is having the determination, the proper motivation and the right amount of effort to excel at the game.

Michael Lee is generously giving away over $2355.00 worth of the best self-help ebooks FREE at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/goldaccess.htm for a limited time. Download as many as you want before you miss out!

Protecting Your Mouth When Wearing Braces

Although mouth protection is important at all times and even more so when involved in athletic competition, care should always be taken when wearing braces.

Mouth guards provide very important protection to the mouth when engaged in athletic competitions. Research has shown that even basketball and soccer, which are considered non-contact sports, produce a large number of facial traumas due to blunt force contact. The mouth guard provides protection against mouth trauma from blunt force contact by enclosing the teeth with a protective barrier that adsorbs and redirects the force. When a person is wearing braces or has had recent dental work, the risk of injury is even greater. The mouth guard offers protection not only from damage to the appliances, but also shields the soft tissue of the lips and inner mouth from contact with the braces themselves.

There are three major types of mouth guards available. The stock mouth guards are preformed and factory made. They are simply removed from the containers and placed in the mouth. Although they are by far the cheapest of all mouth guards, you do not always receive a good fit which limits their ability to provide protection. The second type is called the boil and bit. This mouth guard is warmed first and then it is fitted to your mouth. The warming makes the guard malleable and it usually conforms to the shape of your mouth to provide much a much better fit and consequently more protection, than the stock variety. Despite the name, actually boiling the mouth guard is not necessary; it simply needs to be warmed to a flexible state.

The third type of mouth guard is called the custom guard. These are made by the orthodontist or a dentist specifically for an individual patient. Of course, they are much more expensive than the other types, but they do provide the maximum amount of protection. Custom mouth guards are recommended for athletes engaged in any type of sport that could produce mouth trauma while wearing braces. In most cases, full participation in sports is allowable when wearing braces or retainers as long as mouth guards are always used. Remember, this would include participation in sports such as basketball, soccer, or even baseball and softball, that are not generally considered contact sports. In a contact sport like football, nothing less than a custom mouth guard should be used for maximum safety.

There are other products designed to protect the mouth while wearing braces or other orthodontic appliances. These are designed more for the prevention of sores and infections and not for protection from trauma. These include such things as dental wax and oral antiseptic rinses. In the United States, silicone has largely replaced common dental wax as a protective substance. It provides a barrier between the edges of the metal braces and the soft tissue of the mouth and gums. Other types of gels are used to provide further protection and to help keep the mouth clean and free from infections.

The most serious risk to your mouth comes from blunt force trauma that can be the unexpected side effect of engaging in sports. This is why mouth guards are recommended when playing any sport where the possibility of contact exists. When you are undergoing orthodontic treatment and wearing braces or retainers, this becomes more than a recommendation and more of a necessity. The possibility of damage to the appliances themselves is bad enough, but the damage that broken or smashed metal or ceramic braces can do to the soft tissue of the mouth is even worse. Although stock mouth guards do provide protection and boil and bite guards offer even more, custom mouth guards made by your dentist are the best when wearing braces.

Aazdak Alisimo writes for the orthodontist directory at OrthodontistWeb.com.

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basketball

Quick Tips on Getting the Best Roster For NCAA Basketball 2009

Many of the anticipated changes, improvements, and additions made for NCAA Basketball 09 can be experienced in its Dynasty Mode, a favorite method of playing for most, if not all, players. One such feature is the open roster sharing option.

Free Public File Sharing

In NCAA Basketball 09, players are not only entitled basketball create their own teams in dynasty mode, but they can also make legitimate use of named rosters. You have the choice of making your team entirely realistic...or fantastic. After that, let the games begin!

How to Download Rosters for NCAA Basketball 09

There are two ways to download rosters for your game. You can do it the hard but cost-free way by manually downloading them to your console. If, however, the process gets too technical then you could always order a pre-loaded roster online.

Many websites offer such services and when you've chosen basketball website to offer from, you can either mail them your memory card or USB flash drive. Afterwards, they'll load your preferred roster into the device and ship it back to you.

How to Choose the Right NCAA Basketball 09 Roster Service Provider

Consider the factors below when searching for the ideal website to order your NCAA Basketball 09 roster from.

Resources

It's important to know the source of the information their roster choices are based on. You need to verify these sources to ensure that you get your money's worth. If they're unwilling to let you know about their resources, there's a good chance you're about to be a victim of a scam.

Clearly Stated Conditions

A legitimate roster service website isn't afraid of providing information of how their services work. They'll let you up front how much you'll be charged with for the kind of services you're after. They have contingency plans to offer in the event that a glitch comes up in your transaction. Certainly, they show proof that they're a licensed business and with valid contact details.

Terms of Payment

When will you be required to make a payment? What are the payment options available? What kind of security do they offer to ensure that you'll procure the merchandise or services you've availed of?

Customer Service

Is there a FAQ page available? How do you contact them for inquiries and concerns? Do they offer round the clock customer and technical support?

Reputation

Lastly, it's best to search for a well-established company. Read testimonials and reviews to determine the ideal NCAA Basketball 09 roster service provider for you.

Playing NCAA Basketball 09 will be more fun if you have downloaded the most accurate NCAA Basketball 09 rosters. Learn what your options are.

Basketball Strategies Zone Defense

When studying the basketball strategies of one of the fastest paced sports we see how humans put basketball use zone defense strategies. But before we start our discussion on the game of basketball with the most agile of the species, let us take a look at how zone defense works in other arenas not necessarily similar to sports.

In Iraq the US and Coalition forces have broken up the area into regions to hunt down the Insurgency and International Terrorist Groups. In business zone defense is used to market a product or service to target markets with in zones as well. In fact most distribution works in commercial enterprises works in this same fashion also. You must cover the territories better than the competition.

Perhaps you have been involved in politics as a volunteer or you have wondered how people get elected? Sure they run lots of ads on the TV and radio in specific markets, but they also get out the vote by walking precincts to peoples homes. All this is zone defense or zone offense depending on if your opponent is doing the same thing. Even the US Post Office or FEMA uses zone strategies to accomplish their tasks and missions.

Now then back to basketball; if you really want to understand the game, you need to be thinking on exactly what zone defense is all about and then watch it unfold at 5-times the speed as any of these others types of zone strategies and then you will have a better understanding and appreciation of the sport. Consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Improve Your Vertical Jump in Basketball

I'm here to show you how you can improve your vertical jump in basketball greatly by following a few simple exercises that professional athletes haves been using for years. I used to think that all those great basketball players just had these amazing genetics to jump higher. The truth is that they don't. Many have the advantage of just being tall, but most of them had to work daily doing exercises just to add a few inches to their jump. When it comes to this sport and there is money on the line, the best training the methods end up with the athletes and the average Joe misses out. I'm going to expose how the athletes out there train to increase their vertical jump.

The first exercise to help improve your vertical jump in basketball is the squat. It's just an important part of strengthening those muscles required to push you off the ground. Most people think that the squat works the upper area of the legs, which won't help you in your jump, but it does work your entire basketball and strengths all the right muscles.

The problem many people have is that they just do strength training and that isn't the only thing. Having strong muscles isn't the only part of jumping higher. It's similar to the idea of someone putting up 50lbs of muscle to run faster. You also need that springy elastic and explosive push off. If you can't achieve that you're not going to get the best of your strength. basketball is why I suggest that you should walk around on the tips of your toes for 30 minutes a few times a week. It sounds a lot easier than it really is. Try it and you should get some good results.

Act now and get the proper Jump Higher Exercises.

Pac-10 Tournament Tickets - Can UCLA Repeat?

Fans are clamoring for Pac-10 Tournament tickets, but that wasn't always the case.

The Pac-10 Tournament is a single elimination college basketball tournament, deciding the champion of the Pacific-10 Conference and giving the winner an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. While other college basketball tournaments have thrived, the Pac-10 Tournament has had bumps in the road despite the fact that the UCLA bruins play in the conference and are one of the most storied college basketball programs in existence.

The modern tournament was played from 1987-1990 when coaches complaints and poor attendance ended the event. After the tournament was abandoned the automatic NCAA berth went to the conference regular season champion, and during this era two Pac-10 schools, UCLA and Arizona, won national titles.

In 2002 the tournament returned and is permanently held in Los Angeles, unlike some conference where the venue rotates.

This year the Pac-10 Tournament will be played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA from March 11-14, 2009. Like most tournaments, the games are broken into 'sessions', which usually means two games for one ticket. Of course, 'all sessions' tickets are available as well, and some fans purchase these tickets, wait to see which sessions their favorite team will play in and sell the tickets they don't want.

Since 2003, the Pac-10 found what must be the most perfect naming partnership in the history of college basketball tournaments, when Pacific Life began sponsoring the event. UCLA is the reigning champion and looks to be the team to beat, but as with most college basketball conference tournaments, teams play harder when faced with rivalry foes.

Teams of the Pacific 10 conference are: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, basketball USC, Washington and Washington State.

Arlen Simmons uses this tool to find the cheapest Pac-10 Tournament tickets, and during the time he's basketball watching college basketball he writes for several sports sites.

Basketball is in and Boy is it Time For a Little Humor

Are you looking for a book to cheer you up and make you laugh? Well, you are not alone, as a recent psychological study on basketball American People indicated that our population is over stressed due to this recent Global Financial Crisis. What you need is a little humor in your life, well since Basket ball is in due to the election of a basketball playing President, why not hook up with a bit laughter about the game?

May I be so bold as to recommend a very good basket ball humor book? I was fortunate enough to meet one of the authors recently during my travels. The book had me in stitches from the first page. The book is:

"Basketball Humor" by Charles Hellman and Robert Tiritilli - Self Published, LuckySports, Palm Desert, CA - $4.95 ISBN 978-0-935938-38-8

This book is a wonderfully illustrated basketball humor book that will have you on the floor laughing in no time. It is 32-pages of absolutely gut wrenching humor. Even if you are not a solid basketball player or lack the level of skills in the NBA or of our famous celebrity created President, you'll still love this book.

Indeed, it is perfect for a gift too, especially if you have basketball players in your family, all of us have at least one. I basketball this book to a basketball player in our family and she absolutely loved it, she was cracking up and it was fun to see her having such a good time. She's a great basketball player and even says she can easily take on the president and beat him with one hand. Think on this.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

The Impressive Texas Longhorns

The University of Texas has a very interesting history. Even in basketball early 1800, Texas has already wanted a public university. However, circumstance prevented it from turning into a reality. The realization of the movement to establish of such institution took a long time, but it did. The University of Texas has definitely gone a long way from its opening in 1883.

Sport is a vital part in the University of Texas. In fact, they were the recipient of the America's Best Sports College from Sports Illustrated in 2002. They have representations in various sports for both men and women. Some of the sports are football, basketball, and baseball.

Their varsities collectively represent the university as the Texas Longhorns. The name derived from the breed of cattle called Longhorn. It is an appropriate name since these cattle are essential in the growth of Texas as a state.

The Longhorns have been successful in different fields. They have conquered football in a way. Two of their players received the Heisman Memorial Trophy Award. This is a recognition awarded to a college football player who has demonstrated the most outstanding performance. Their players who have received this award are Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams.

The Longhorns have a good overall record in the game, ranking third of the most wins in the history of College football. This is not the efforts of the athletes alone. Fans and supporters should get credit as well. The Longhorns are one of the strongest crowd drawers in the college games. Seeing their schoolmates sporting the Texas Longhorns merchandise surely boosts the morale of the varsity players.

Their basketball team is also a celebration. Thanks to the leadership of coach, Rick Barnes. However, it was not always like that. Prior to Barnes, the team was in a bad shape. The team was in a losing streak and some of the players lost trust to their then, coach Tom Penders.

When Barnes took over, good things started to happen. Impressively, the team started winning. They have become one of the top teams in college basketball. For the first time, a male contender from the university won the prestigious Naismith and Wooden Awards. These are awards given to the best male and female basketball players. T.J. ford was the recipient of the very first for the UT. These progress and recognition made fans proud to wear their Texas Longhorn gears.

The Texas Longhorns also rule the baseball stadium. They have the best records among all the college teams of winnings. They have appeared in several championship occasions. They earned six NCAA championships. They have also produced professional baseball athletes who joined the Major League Baseball. Spike Owen and Huston Street are some of them.

The University of Texas has been an avenue for many promising athletes. Most of their athletes excelled in their respective fields. There basketball team proved that it takes a good leader to bring out the best from its team. Obviously, UT has tons of great leaders guiding their varsity players. No wonder why a Texas Longhorns store is not such a bad idea. The supporters of the University will surely have reasons to continue supporting their teams.

Writer and editor, Freddie Brister, is a former high school football coach of 25 years. His love of the game of football is reflected in his words and memories of growing up in the South and playing football in the back yard with his brother, cousins and neighborhood friends. His biggest thrill is watching former high school players he has coached, play at the college level. His favorite pastime is watching college football on basketball and attending the games in person every chance he gets. Freddie Brister is a huge fan of the SEC and the University of Texas Longhorns. Check out his Texas Longhorns Merchandise at http://www.sportsfantreasures.com/texas.htm

The Hook Kick - Achieving Kicking Excellence Series Volume 7

The seventh book of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series has a purple cover and focuses on the hook kick. I mention the purple cover because each of the books in this series has a different colored cover along with the photograph of author Shawn Kovacich illustrating the themed kick by smashing the first letter. Some people have criticized the covers because it is a bit harder to read with the first letter smashed all over the place, but on the shelf you can read the spine just fine, so I don't see a problem.

The book follows the rest of the series by containing chapters on basic anatomy, warm ups, stretching, strength, speed, and power training. These chapters are very basic and give just enough to show the reader some basics, but to prompt the reader to further their studies in these areas.

The bulk of volume seven focuses on the hook kick and ten of its main variations. Just like all of the books in this series, Kovacich included hundreds of photographs and illustrations among the text of this 236 page book. (This includes the index and pages to take notes) No other written text has as much detailed instruction on the hook kick, and I doubt any ever will. This is the definitive written guide on the execution of the hook kick and its variations.

It takes Kovacich thirty-one pages, which includes eighteen pages of full page pictures detailing every part of the kick, and one page of review photographs, to fully describe the execution of the turning hook kick. Kovacich also uses an illustration of a martini glass to help get his instruction on the path of trajectory. Like I said, this is the most detailed instruction on this kick you will find.

Kovacich then teaches ten variations. In these descriptions he uses smaller photographs, but they still illustrate the kicks very well. Each variations includes a pictorial overview and is self contained. I like this feature. If you want to review just one variation, you can go to that section of the book, review that kick, and get to practicing. It is because of this that I believe this to be an excellent resource to have in any martial art library. This is not a book to read cover to cover for enjoyment. It is a reference text to be used to improve your kicking.

The variations include: Step-Back Hook Kick; Spinning Hook Kick; Hop/Slide Forward Hook Kick; Hop/Slide Backward Hook Kick; Front Leg Hook Kick; Back Leg Hook Kick; Switch Hook Kick; Off-Setting Hook Kick; Jump Turning Hook Kick; 540 Degree Jump Turning Hook Kick; and the Spinning Hook Kick with the left leg. (all other kicks are shown with the right leg only)

Besides the martini glass, Kovacich also uses diagrams of a watch face and illustrations of a top to get his points across. He also includes a smorgasbord of "notes" that cover many important points regarding kicking. He also provides some basic training and practice methods and a trouble shooting guide to assist you in gaining the most out of your training and to increase your kicking skills. Like the other books in the series, Kovacich finishes with illustrations of some hook kick applications.

This is an excellent study guide for learning the hook kick. It sands alone for the hook kick, but more importantly is part of a series that has to be the most detailed examination of kicking ever in print. This series is a fantastic resource for all martial artists. Even if your kicking style is a bit different from that of Kovacich's, you will still find instruction that will help you improve and assist in your teaching if you instruct.

If you own the entire series, you will find a little redundancy in the volumes. Those are the chapters I mentioned early on in this review. However, the detailed analysis and descriptions of each of Kovacich's ten primary kicks makes this series the excellent resource it is. I have all ten volumes in my library and am looking forward to the companion volumes Kovacich is working on now to be released in 2009.

Alain Burrese, J.D. is a mediator/attorney with Bennett Law Office P.C. and an author/speaker through his own company Burrese Enterprises Inc. He writes and speaks about a variety of topics focusing on the business areas of negotiation and success principles as well as self-defense and safety topics. He is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks, several instructional DVDs, and numerous articles. You can find out more about Alain Burrese at his websites http://www.burrese.com or http://www.bennettlawofficepc.com

basketball
basketball
basketball

3 Powerful Basketball Jump Training Exercises

Is basketball jump training an important element in the overall development of a basketball player? The answer is a definite "Yes". If you are a basketball player or basketball then you understand how important the vertical jump is in the game of basketball.

Having an explosive vertical jump is a critical part of a players' ability to rebound, block shots and shoot a jump shot. Basketball players that have an explosive vertical jump are able to perform these skills more effectively and efficiently.

There are three basketball jump training exercises that athletes can perform to help increase their vertical jump - the squat, lunge and step up. These vertical jump exercises are all basketball exercises working both the knee and hip joints. These exercises are simple and effective, yet produce incredible results for the basketball player.

Basketball Jump Training Exercises

Squat

The squat is the most effective exercise to increase vertical jump...if performed correctly.

Key points to remember...

• Start in an athletic stance.
• The bar should be placed across the upper back - not the neck.
• The chest should be out. The back should be tight with a slight forward lean.
• The knees should remain directly above the feet.
• Squat to a parallel position, keeping your weight on the heels.
• Concentrate on technique to insure your safety.

Lunges

Lunges are done in one of two ways...Holding dumbbells or with a bar across the upper back.

Key points to remember...

• Start and remain in an upright position.
• Step forward as far as possible without leaning forward with your upper body.
• Step until your front knee is at a basketball degree angle.
• Step back to starting position in one step.
• Perform 10 lunges with one leg, and then repeat with the other.

Step Ups

To perform step ups you need dumbbells and a bench or step-up box. The bench or box should be 16-18 inches high.

Key points to remember...

• Start in an upright position with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Step up on the box or bench with one foot so that your knee is in a 90 degree angle.
• Step up with the other foot so that both feet are on the box or bench.
• Step back down one foot at a time.
• Perform 10 step ups with one leg, and then repeat with the other.

Performing these basketball jump training exercises on a consistent basis will help players dramatically improve their vertical jump.

Want to fly with the big boys with a 40"+ vertical leap?

Elevate your game today at http://www.ultimate-youth-basketball-guide.com

Vertical Jump Not a Priority for NBA's All-Time Top 50 Players

There is no debate over the fact that fundamentals skills have eroded slowly over the past 25 years. The Michael Jordan era ushered in a new individual style of play. Instead of pivoting, shooting, cutting, passing, and defending, young players focused on a different set of skills. A thorough analysis of the NBA's All-Time Top 50 players make one thing crystal clear; the best players ever were dedicated to the game's fundamentals of passing, dribbling, and shooting. And they loved the game.

Forget the ads for vertical leap, exploding to the rim, and miracle "jumping shoes". They may help you jump higher but will never make you into a well-rounded basketball player. The game is and always will be about fundamentals. The same is true for the sports of football, baseball, and golf.

Have you ever heard a coach interviewed after a tough loss say, "If we just would have executed more tip dunks or 360 degree slams, we would have won." I doubt you have ever heard that said. Instead you basketball NFL, MBL, or NBA coaches say, "We need to get back to the basics of the game . When we get away from them, nothing good ever happens." That's the statement I've heard hundreds of times over the past 25 years. A commitment to the basic fundamentals of any game lead to progress, growth, and success.

The following is a list of the NBA's All-Time Top 50 Team:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate Archibald, Paul Arizin, Charles Barkley, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Dave Bing, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Billy Cunningham, Dave DeBusschere, Clyde Drexler, Julius Erving, Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, Gerorge Gervin, Hal Greer, John Havlicek, Elvin Hayes, Magic Johnson, Sam Jones, Michael Jordan, Jerry Lucas, Karl Malone, Moses Malone, Pete Maravich, Kevin McHale, George Mikan, Earl Monroe, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Robert Parish, Bob Pettit, Scottie Pippen, Willis Reed, Oscar basketball David Robinson, Bill Russell, Dolph Shayes, Bill Sharman, John Stockton, Isiah Thomas, Nate Thurmond, Wes Unseld, Bill Walton, Jerry West, Lenny Wilkens, and James Worthy.

As you coach young people in the sport of basketball please consider these questions:

• Did Arizin, Cousy, Jones, Russell, and Shayes spend their time working on vertical leap?
• Did Larry Bird lean on his athletic ability throughout his high school, college, and NBA career?
• Why did Julius Erving become a well-rounded, fundamental player after he realized he could jump?
• How much time did Stockton, Monroe, Frazier, Greer, Archibald, Thomas, and Wilkens spend on learning the fundamentals of ball handling and passing?
• Why did Pistol Pete Maravich dribble at the theater and out the window of a moving car?
• Why is George Mikan known as the "Father of Post Play".
• How many of these 50 players spent their time become better jumpers?
• How high would you rate the basketball IQ of this group?
• What are the traits that this group of players have in common?

Without fundamentals, knowledge of the game, and a love for basketball, how many of these 50 players would have made this team? NONE! If you are a coach of young people, heed the message of this article. Bells and whistles work on kid's bikes, but get you nowhere in basketball. The key to improving as a player is and always be about hard work, perseverance, and honoring the time basketball fundamentals of the game. Don't miss this bus!

Randy Brown has passion for the game of basketball. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. Visit him at http://www.coachrb.com for free resources, Q & A, newsletter, and coaching programs. A speaker and writer, he has authored 75 articles on coaching and is nationally published. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona. Resume includes positions at Arizona, Iowa State, Marquette, Drake, and Miami of Ohio, 5 Conference Championships and 5 NCAA appeearances. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. To contact Randy, email him at rb@coachrb.com

What You Need To Look For When Buying Basketball Shoes?

Are you looking for a pair of basketball shoes? Do you know the things that you need to consider when deciding on the most appropriate choice?

It is greatly important to ponder on some crucial factors because playing basketball involves a lot of movements. These movements necessitate a pair of shoes that could provide comfort and stability so as to facilitate easy movement transition.

When choosing a basketball shoes, be sure to arrive at a durable one. Choose the shoes made up of heavy-duty and long-wearing material that can stand al the action that you are going to encounter when engaging in a basketball game.

It does not necessarily mean that you need to rely on expensive brands because you can also find durable shoes at a considerably lower price than signature brands. You can also find signature brands on sale seasons.

When considering the comfort factor, shoes with mid-foot, heel and ankle support are preferable choices. It would be better if you find one with quality lacing system.

And since playing basketball involves frequent jump shots, choosing one with lots of padding and cushioning can provide you with the comfort and support for gaining enough stability throughout the game.

It is also essential that you are certain to come up with the shoe that has traction on the forefoot and the heel so as to minimize slipping that can cause injury.

Basketball games entail a lot of running that can bring about sweating not only to the upper extremities but also to the lower basketball especially the feet.

This is the reason why choosing a pair that has appropriate breathability capacity should be on the top list of choices. The one with uppers fabricated with breathable materials like leather or nylon are preferable to ensure that the feet is kept cool even during an exhausting and active basketball game.

When playing basketball you have to be in style. Not all conforms to this, but it feels good to look great on the court. However, comfort and stability are still the most essential factors to consider when buying your own shoes.

If you love Adidas Basketball Shoes, visit our site at http://www.whalezebra.com for great deals and pricing. Be sure to check out our values for Adidas Running Shoes as well.

12 Benefits of Basketball Coaching Certification

The question basketball why the gap has been closed in international basketball is basketball pressing one. The United States once dominated international and Olympic play. Those days are gone as our basketball structure leaves a lot to be desired. The quality of our coaching has deteriorated, therefore other countries have made great progress due to a motivated coaching movement. Coaching certification for basketball coaches was once just a topic for discussion. It has become an urgent topic and must be seriously be considered by the United States coaching community.

This article addresses the benefits of a coaching certification. Following the lead of countries such as Canada and the UK, the following list represents a good reason for us to follow.

12 Benefits of a Basketball Coach Certification program

1. By becoming certified you will increase your knowledge of the game of basketball.
2. You will immediately be part of a small group of certified trainers to facilitate your learning and application of the game. Your knowledge will be sought by other coaches.
3. Certification will prepare you to run your own training program or youth basketball camps.
4. A comprehensive learning approach with a classroom setting and on floor setting will enhance your learning curve.
5. 12 hours of learning will equal the amount of learning gained in several coaching clinics.
6. Can be completed in a 2 or 3 day period to fit your schedule and other responsibilities.
7. You can add references to your resume to grow your coaching network.
8. Your will gain access to hundreds of coaching contacts in high school, college and NBA basketball.
9. You will begin to compile your coaching philosophy in your own "Black Book" of coaching.
10. You will demonstrate initiative and enhance job prospects.
11. For the cost on ONE Nike clinic you will exposed to every part of the game from a teaching and philosophical standpoint.
12. You will develop your own coaching philosophy, techniques and methods of teaching the game.

The main step to take in this process has to come from those in leadership roles. The National Association of Basketball Coaches, the NBA, the NCAA, and the thousands of coaching associations around the country must all embrace this effort toward improving basketball coaching. Until we do our game will continue to struggle for identify and quality.

Randy Brown has passion for the game of basketball. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. Visit him at http://www.coachrb.com for free resources, Q & A, newsletter, and coaching programs. A speaker and writer, he has authored 75 articles on coaching and is nationally published. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona. Resume includes positions at Arizona, Iowa State, Marquette, Drake, and Miami of Ohio, 5 Conference Championships and 5 NCAA appearances. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. To contact Randy, email him at rb@coachrb.com

3 Powerful Basketball Jump Training Exercises

Is basketball jump training basketball important element in the overall development of a basketball player? The answer is a definite "Yes". If you are a basketball player or coach, then you understand how important the vertical jump is in the game of basketball.

Having an explosive vertical jump is a critical part of a players' ability to rebound, block shots and shoot a jump shot. Basketball players that have an explosive vertical jump are able to perform these skills more effectively and efficiently.

There are three basketball jump training exercises that athletes can perform to help increase their vertical jump - the squat, lunge and step up. These vertical jump exercises are all compound exercises working both the knee and hip joints. These exercises are simple and effective, yet produce incredible results for the basketball player.

Basketball Jump Training Exercises

Squat

The squat is the most effective exercise to increase vertical jump...if performed correctly.

Key points to remember...

• Start in an athletic stance.
• The bar should be placed across the upper back - not the neck.
• The chest should be out. The back should be tight with a slight forward lean.
• The knees should remain directly above the feet.
• Squat to a parallel basketball keeping your weight on the heels.
• Concentrate on technique to insure your safety.

Lunges

Lunges are done in basketball of two ways...Holding dumbbells or with a bar across the upper back.

Key points to remember...

• Start and remain in an upright position.
• Step forward as far as possible without leaning forward with your upper body.
• Step until your front knee is at a 90 degree angle.
• Step back to starting position in one step.
• Perform 10 lunges with one leg, and then repeat with the other.

Step Ups

To perform step ups you need dumbbells and a bench or step-up box. The bench or box should be 16-18 inches high.

Key points to remember...

• Start in an upright position with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Step up on the box or bench with one foot so that your knee is in a 90 degree angle.
• Step up with the other foot so that both feet are on the box or bench.
• Step back down one foot at a time.
• Perform 10 step ups with one leg, and then repeat with the other.

Performing these basketball jump training exercises on a consistent basis will help players dramatically improve their vertical jump.

Want to fly with the big boys with a 40"+ vertical leap?

Elevate your game today at http://www.ultimate-youth-basketball-guide.com

How to Jump Higher in Basketball - 2 Sure Fire Ways

Are you looking for a way to jump higher for basketball? Well then let me put a great big smile on your face because there are ways of accomplishing this goal. First of all you should know that there is no magic pill that you can take that will basketball you jump higher, there just is not anything like that yet. In order to jump higher you are going to need to work your ankle muscles because when you jump it is those muscles that are being used so it is important that they are strong so that they can give you the extra lift you need to do your layup or dunk. Either way, my point is, you need to do something in order to jump higher (I will tell you in the next paragraph), you cannot sit around and hope for hops.

Now for the 2 ways basketball promised you, here they are:

#1- You can do ankle push ups which are basically going on your toes and coming back on your feet. These can be tough in thebeginning but eventually you will be able to to 100-200 per day and it does not take long. I can do 200 within 10 minutes but I have been doing this for quite some time now. You will also notice that people who jump higher than you can do these easily!

#2- You can wear ankle weights around your leg (just a little bit higher than the ankle) and you will feel like you are carrying extra weight in the beginning but as time goes by, you will no longer feel the extra 2-5 basketball and the second you take them off (1-2 weeks later, not just 10 minutes) you will see some incredible improvements in your jump.

To learn more about the best techniques to jump higher, visit my blog where I write a review of The Jump Manual. Click Here to go there now and increase your jumping ability.

Secret to Improve Girls Basketball Skills

I watched a youtube video of basketball Conley, Memphis Grizzlies point guard, going through some basketball dribbling drills. This young man has some great dribbling skills.

He is dribbling the basketball in front of his body, basketball the side of his body, between his legs, around the back, using both hands at the same time. He can handle the basketball just as effectively with his left hand as his right basketball You can tell that he has been working on his skills for a long period of time because of how confident he looks.

In his message about the video, he describes that the video is just the beginning of his workout routine he performs EVERYDAY of the summer. The video was just the warm up. It was a very intense warm up.

How does this relate to improving girls basketball skills? Mike Conley said that the video was a part of his everyday summer workout routine. Mike Conley knows the key to improving his game and reaching his goals. He did something everyday. To improve your skills do something everyday. Or do something consistently.

I was known as a great shooter. But how did I become a great shooter? I did what Mike Conley said he did during the summer. I was consistently working on my shooting. I would practice my free throws. I would practice my 3 point shots. I would practice shooting from the corners.

Your basketball skills will not improve in one day but over a period of days or time.

Visit http://www.girlsbasketballtips.com to get your copy of the 6 Girls Basketball Tips that will Explode Your Game!!!

Basketball Strategies Zone Defense

When studying the true strategies of one of the fastest paced sports we see basketball humans put to use zone defense strategies. But before we start our discussion on the game of basketball with the most agile of the species, let us take a look at how zone defense works in other arenas not necessarily similar to sports.

In Iraq the US and Coalition forces have broken up the basketball into regions to hunt down the Insurgency and International Terrorist Groups. In business zone defense is used to market a product or service to target markets with in zones as well. In fact most distribution works in commercial enterprises works in this same fashion also. You must cover the territories better than the competition.

Perhaps you have been involved in politics as a volunteer or you have wondered how people get elected? Sure they run lots of ads on the TV and radio in specific markets, but they also get out the vote by walking precincts to peoples homes. All this is zone defense or zone offense depending on if your opponent is doing the same thing. Even the US Post Office or FEMA uses zone strategies to accomplish their tasks and missions.

Now basketball back to basketball; if you really want to understand the game, you need to be thinking on exactly what zone defense is all about and then watch it unfold at 5-times the speed as any of these others types of zone strategies and then you will have a better understanding and appreciation of the sport. Consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Basketball Coaching - Executing an Effective Passing Game

Passing Mindset

This is something I believe players can be born with. I think John Stockton, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird all were extremely gifted as passers and some of that was inherited. However, the passing mindset is something that can be worked on. When I'm working with young players I tell them to really think about the purpose of offense every time they have the ball. Think about how the point is to get the best shot possible closest to the basket or any shot that is uncontested. When players realize this they really start to get a sense of what to look for. I love faking a pass to the wing to get the zone to shift and then hit the high post who in turn hits a low post man who sealed basketball defender as a result of the fake pass. That may not basketball sense right now but good passers will see how one pass will lead to another. It is contagious and if you understand this it will lead to more playing time. Study the defense, make good reads, create good angles and don't be afraid to throw the ball. If a player is open get it to him.

Wing Pass

I played in typical offenses where the plays revolved around getting the ball to the wing. When I was a wing player I had to be good at getting open so my point guard could get me a good pass. I used that later in life when I became the point guard. The first key is to make sure that you have a good angle to get the ball to the wing and that the spacing is correct. Never be close enough to your own teammate that one defender can guard 2 people. The point guard or anyone passing to the wing should rarely be on the same level as the wing player. They should be above and have a direct line. Throw this pass with a purpose and try to avoid the bounce pass whenever possible because it can be too slow and get picked off.

This is a pass that has been forgotten about by many. A good wing player should be excellent at this and most aren't. It simply isn't practiced as much as it should. I coach it by making sure that you are reading the defense correctly. A good post player will get both his hands and elbows up to secure position. A good defender will pick a side and play the post a certain direction. On defense I coach to force things to the middle while others like to coach to use the baseline. Read the defense and if the defender is playing baseline side then throw it where the defense isn't, but you have to read the defense and make a smart pass.

After reading the defense, obtain the correct angle to throw the ball. This is where most mistakes are made and I blame it on laziness. Sometimes you need to dribble to get the correct angle but instead some players will throw it and hope for the best. An example is the defender playing top side defense and giving up the baseline to the post player. What should you do as a player with the ball on the wing? I coach for the wing to take a hard dribble to the baseline side to create a better angle to throw the pass. If you throw it from the wing it gives the defense a much better angle to knock it away. They will knock it away and you'll end up on the bench. This can be practiced by having the wing players throw contested passes to the post players who are being guarded in a variety of ways underneath. It teaches players how to read the defense and react to the situation. By the way, don't float the pass to the post. The softer the pass, the more time it gives the defense to react and defend it.

Ball Fakes

A ball fake is exactly what it sounds like. It's a fake pass. Fake passes make the defense shift and adjust and as a result it opens up passing lanes. When a point guard is being pressured and the defense is guessing a lot, I coach them to fake a pass to get the defense to react. Sometimes the most minor shift will open up everything for the offense. This is extremely effective against tough pressure and against a zone. This is something that is practiced basketball experience. Make it a regular part of your offense because it keeps the defense on their heels and always guessing.

Brian Schofield is a former college basketball player who writes for the basketball training website HoopSkills.com.

How Can I Train Myself To Jump Higher And Slam Dunk?

So have you asked basketball "how can i train myself to jump higher?" If so you are reading the right article because I'm about to give you a few easy exercises that you will have you leaping to the moon basketball no time. Ok so maybe not the moon, but enough to easily slam dunk. Does this sound good enough for you? Well there are some other exercises in my bio box that can make you easily double your vertical jump, but thats for later. For now lets get this started.

First you need to know not to over train yourself and go too fast. This will only lead to an injury soon or in the future. The muscles that are really involved in jumping higher are your calves and Quad muscles plus a few other small ones. I am going to give you a simple little exercise that has helped a lot of people jump higher.Well how can i train myself to jump higher overnight? If you asked that question you need to realize you cannot! It will take days to months to start seeing changes.

First thing you need to do is get in a position where you are standing on your tip toes. Stand on your tip toes and walk around like that 15-30 minutes. After doing this you will need to walk on your tip toes backwards for 5-8 mins. I know this may sound like a lot of time for you to be on your tip toes, but this strengthens your calf muscles in a slow manner. If you notice any great pain while doing this at first simply lay off for a few minutes and try again. I hope this little exercise will help you and you can stop asking yourself "how can i train myself to jump higher." Its ok if your always asking yourself that, because jumping higher is really important when it comes to basketball. Good luck!

John is a basketball proclaimed Vertical Jump Expert. You can see more vertical jump exercises and get a step by step guide that will easily double your vertical jump at his site and learn How To Jump Higher Quickly at How Can I Train Myself To Jump Higher?

How to Teach Beginner Girls Basketball Dribbling I

Having dribbling skills gives a player an awesome advantage in girls basketball. During my experience in basketball, it is one of basketball most lacking skill. However it is one of the most important. When you have a great basketball dribbler on your team, you have someone that can bring the ball up the court basketball get the ball to other basketball That is very important. Let's look at ways to teach girls how to dribble.

Develop Ball Handling Skills

One of the first ways to teach girls how to dribble is to develop the ball handling skills. This can be done with the finger tip drill. During the finger tip drill, have the player move the basketball ball back and forth using only the finger tips. Start with the arms extended directly in front of the body. Then over time bring the extended arms up above the head. Then bring the extended arms back down in front of the body, while still tipping the ball back and forth with the finger tips.

Another drill would be to practice wrapping the basketball around the waist. Practice wrapping the basketball around the ankles. Then practice wrapping the basketball around the head. Then practice wrapping the basketball around the right leg and left leg. Now practice wrapping the basketball around both legs in a figure 8 motion.

Practicing these ball handling drills allow the player to get comfortable handling a basketball which also helps with dribbling. But not only that, it helps with passing, rebounding and shooting the basketball.

Visit http://www.girlsbasketballtips.com to get your copy of the 6 Girls Basketball Tips that will Explode Your Game!

Can You Work On Your Basketball Shot During the Season?

I come up against this all the time, coaches saying they dont want their players messing with their shots once the season starts. So whats the truth?

WHY IS BASKETBALL ANY DIFFERENT?

The first question that comes to mind is why should basketball be any different from other sports? The great PGA golfers are working on their swings, short game and putting all the time. They probably dont try to adjust anything right before a round, but afterward they get with their coaches and work on such things as tempo, swing plane, club face at contact, ball flight, this and that. Baseball players have hitting and pitching coaches to work with them throughout the basketball Tennis players work with their coaches all the time. If they could talk to them during a round, they surely would. (Its kind of unfair that golfers can have caddies [who can be coaches and teaching professionals] and talk to them throughout a round, but tennis players cant even talk or signal their coaches in the stands during matches.)

Basketball is no different! In fact basketball shooting is a much more forgiving skill than hitting a 90 mile an hour fast ball, or controlling a golf clubhead traveling at 120-140 miles/hour. The basketball rim is about twice the size of a basketball. Free throws are taken only 13 feet nine inches from the center of the rim. Jump and Set Shots are taken from just a few feet away up to 20 feet or more, not huge challenges.

NOT MAJOR CHANGES!

By working on your shot, I dont mean you should make major changes to your shot during a season (usually), because it takes time for the body to adjust to and trust a very different shot action. But minor things can be worked on and tweaked all throughout the season. And if your stroke is really suspect (a nice way of saying poor), what is the risk in a major change? If youre losing playing time or games due to poor shooting, why not address it, both individually and as a team, whatever it takes?

AWARENESS IS HOW TO DO IT

The way to do this most gently is through awareness rather than telling someone (or yourself) how to do things. Awareness is how our marvelous body/brain/nervous systems work (lets call it the body). Awareness gives the body the feedback it needs to know what is happening, and then it can make the, usually, subtle changes it needs to learn and perform better. Patience is important, too, as the body cannot be rushed. If you are always short, for example, yelling at yourself or a player isnt of much help. In fact it would hinder growth. But simple awareness and then observation of how such-and-such feels, and what the results are, will lead to solid, lasting learning.

EXAMPLES OF AWARENESS COACHING/LEARNING

Lets say a player shoots everything flat and has a low shooting percentage. The awareness questions to ask are How high are you shooting now? and What might you do to shoot higher? Once the player has some knowledge of the height of her/his shots, then invite him/her to play with the answers to the second question. The player could aim higher with the arm action, one possibility, or the player could jump more strongly to shoot. Also you could notice when in the jumping motion (or down-up for a Free Throw) you are shooting. Is it early, middle of the jump, or at the top? With experimentation, the player will learn that shooting quicker is a simple and powerful way to increase the height of shots. Then play with this instruction -- Shooting quicker -- and the player will LEARN about height and how to get it. The major part of the work on improving height can be done by the player, just noticing things, giving precise feedback, and then getting out of his/her own way. Letting the learning happen!!!

(A note about Letting Go! It means to stop interfering and give your magical body the freedom to perform what it knows to do. You might ask, then, How can I do perform with excellence if I dont yet own the skill, dont know how to do it? One of my mentors put it this way: If you know what to do, then LET IT HAPPEN! If you dont know what to do, LET IT LEARN! The magic is in the LETTING...)

YOUNG KIDS ESPECIALLY

Kids should be coached and encouraged to work on their own on their shots all year long. These are the developmental years, so allow them to try new things throughout the season. Teach them to be responsible (able to respond) for their own learning! Thats whats so powerful about the Swish videos, THEY TEACH KIDS TO COACH THEMSELVES! Its in the practice that theyre going to develop themselves more than in the few and far-between coaching sessions. Coaching can get them started beautifully, but its in the follow up (and repetition with awareness) that theyll learn the most. And, coaches, dont worry about losing games! Skill development for your players is much more important at the younger ages.

--------------- ---------------
I asked a few coach friends to give me their comments on this subject, and their input is included below.

Like you, Tom, I believe there is no time like the present to work on and improve a player's shot. The old chestnut that you don't want to play around with a player's stroke during season should have gone out with the two-handed set shot!

Golfers continually work and refine their swings; there is no reason why shooters should "wait" until the off-season to maintain and refine form and technique.

The great players always want information and look for ways to get the slightest edge. Coaches need to have the courage to provide this information and not be worried about the chance it might cost a game along the way.

The other poignant point in this discussion/debate is when is it a good time to make change and work on technique? In Australia, the basketball "season" never seems to end, and in the US, the advent of endless AAU tournaments leave little time to wait until there is a spare 3 months period in the coaching calender.

It is a similar argument to not changing a player's shot once they have reached a certain age. This is such an important skill, why would any coach not want to provide players of any age or experience with information and knowledge to improve in this area?

- - Peter Lonergan, NITCP Head Coach, Basketball New South Wales, Australia

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Tom, I believe every year we could benefit from going back and getting brushed up on the raw basic fundamentals of shooting to help keep our shooting in top form and keep accurate and, hopefully, improve. I have found from my own experience in life, that sometimes when I have done something so long, I do tend to neglect certain "small" things that can add up to a big difference. If I stay on top of those "small" things, I can be more successful. I would recommend that basketball during the year, players go back to the elementary basics and start from scratch and work their way back to where they are at to keep from ignoring something that may make a big difference in their shot.

- - Tommy Huneycutt (Tommys Playbook website:

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Just a quick thought here ... I think the age and experience of the players is a big factor. Assuming the player is advanced and needs only refinement, then, yes, you work on the shot, but don't overhaul it, because winning in the short term is too important (like on a college team).

However, taking that mentality to anything under HS varsity does a great disservice to the kids. Can you imagine a high school C team coach, for instance, not wanting to change a player's shooting form just to protect his W/L record? First, the whole point of youth sports is to prepare players for higher level play. The sooner the better for fixing shooting form. If your subject player doesn't change ASAP, basketball may never be ready for varsity play. If his performance in the C team level hurts his team (by missing a few shots, I guess), then that is a very small price to pay.

Second, the longer you wait to change form, the harder it is to train new habits. Even when you can prove to a high school player that a form change is beneficial, when the pressure is on, he will resort to old habits. Only the exceptional students of the game will willingly change their fundamental habits when they are older.

- Steve Jordan, Coaches Notebook

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My thoughts on how kids are training are very similar to what Bob Bigelow (bobbigelow.com) has been saying (Ed. note: Steve, Bob and I met this fall in Massachusetts; Bob is an expert in Youth Sports and how they could more effectively be coached). So much time is devoted to game preparation and conditioning ... and so little time is being spent on developing players skills. Kids are playing too many games and not enough time is being spent on just shooting a basketball. How many kids today go outside and shoot for an hour everyday?

I recently did a clinic for a youth basketball team, and after I was finished my with my skills segment, the coach had them go right into a game. Just running up and down the court throwing shots from everywhere. Shooting is a skill, an art, and a science which needs to be worked on everyday. There's nothing more satisfying than shooting at the park or in your driveway and swishing shot after shot.

I sympathize with youth coaches today. The youth sports system puts so much emphasis on winning games that it doesn't allow for coaches to spend the needed time on fundamentals such as shooting. Our kids can run 4-5 offensive plays and zone trap, but they can't hit a free throw.

Some suggest blowing up the system ... but that's probably not realistic. I suggest working to improve the system. Traditionally town travel teams practice a couple times a week and play games on the weekend. Parents should consider basketball skill and shooting coaches to supplement their kids practice schedule. Working with a coach will focus them more on developing their skills than on winning basketball games.

And for the kids who might have been cut from an AAU or travel team, they can now gain an advantage by working with a coach who helps them develop their skills.

- - Steve Smith (basketball coach at Forekicks, a Golf and Indoor Sports Complex in Norfolk, Massachusetts)

Tom Nordland is a shooting expert and coach from California via Minnesota. His videos, coaching and writings are inspiring a Renaissance (a rebirth, a revival) in shooting around the world as players and coaches are taught the things that really matter in shooting. A great shooter as a youth, Tom was given a gift of seeing shooting like few have ever seen it. He sees the essence of great shooting and how to get there. The good news is that its very simple. The few great shooters of today and yesterday mastered simple things, not complicated motions. Improved shooting is now possible for everybody in the game, and mastery is available to those who sincerely dedicate themselves to it. Visit Toms website (http://www.swish22.com/) to read of his background and his articles and newsletters, and to view the remarkable endorsements and amazing testimonials for this approach to shooting.