Introduction
Here are some simple suggestions a coach can use with teams and/or
large groups to develop shooting that don't require much individual
attention. I'll use the term "kids" to refer to the group,
but this is applicable to groups of all ages and sizes.
From
my experience working with large groups, I've learned how to structure
exercises that encourage and inspire self discovery and self learning!
All of us have learned things on our own. If we're interested
in something and not interfered with, what is called "Natural
Learning" takes place everywhere, all the time. The Key is
knowing where to look, where to focus attention.
The
first step is to have the kids come to KNOW HOW THEY SHOOT NOW.
That's an important step in any learning, because if you don't
know where you start from, you can learn something new but then
slowly old habits can creep back in without being noticed. If
you know both where you were and where you are and can feel and
see the differences, then the learning is deeper. This time (perhaps
20-30 minutes) could be the entire first session if time is limited.
Learning
Where You Are - Simple Distinctions
Here are the areas you can ask the kids to look at:
POWER
HEIGHT (OR ARCH)
SPIN
SET POINT
RELEASE
FOLLOW THROUGH
--- DEMONSTRATIONS FIRST ---
First, have the group sit down around the top of the key. To introduce
these areas of discovery, have 3-4 kids shoot in front of the
whole group and have a conversation about what the kids see in
the shooters' shots. Allow space for the shooters to shoot from
the baseline area where the group can see the arch best. Have
a broad range of shooting skill so the group can start to see
how it is that some shoot better than others. These are "general"
awarenesses.
As we proceed, we'll get more specific. Have each of the demonstrators
shoot a couple shots for each question that follows.
(1) WHERE DOES POWER COME FROM?
Ask the group to notice where the majority of power for shooting
comes from for each shooter. Is it more from the Upper Body, or
is it from a combination (integration) of Lower and Upper Bodies
(it might be 50%-50% , or maybe more upper body (75-25) or more
lower body (25-75)? [NOTE: Most kids shoot more from Upper Body,
some entirely, so watch to see if the observers can see that.
Better shooters will be the "Integrated" type shooters.]
(2) HOW HIGH ARE THE SHOTS?
Next, ask them how high each demonstrator's shots get above the
rim and call out what they see. Ask them to look at the bottom
of the ball relative to the rim. (The top of the backboard is
a good reference point, 3 feet above the rim, and the top of the
white rectangle on most baskets is about 1 1/2 feet.) Is the ball,
at its highest point, 6 inches above the rim? ...1 foot? ...1
1/2 feet? ...2 feet? ...3 feet or more? Ask the demonstrators
to shoot normally and not try to change their arch.
(3)
OBSERVE SPIN:
Watch Spin and notice if it's backspin, sidespin, forward spin
or dead in the air? It might be a combination. If it's backspin,
how fast is it? ...slow? ...medium? ...fast?
(4)
SET POINT
Observe where the demonstrators' Set Points are. (The Set Point
is the momentary stopping point in a jump shot where the ball
gets "Set" before the Release takes place. It's necessary
with all the movement of a jump shot to provide a stable starting
point. With a free throw, there is no need to stop since the body
is already stable, so there does not need to be a Set Point with
that kind of shot.) Is the Set Point below the eyes (the player
looks over the ball at the target) or above the eyes (player looks
under the ball)? Note where it is exactly.
If
it's above the eyes, note where the bottom of the ball is. Is
it even with the eyes, middle of forehead, top of the head or
even higher? Is the back of the ball at the area of the front
of the head, or is the ball brought overhead, to the middle of
the head, or to the back of the head or more? Or is it out front
of the head a few inches?
Look
at alignment, too. Is the center of the ball in line with the
shooting eye (approximately, within an inch or so), or is it off
toward the ear a few inches or more? (It might even be off center
toward the opposite ear.) Is it over the shoulder?
(5)
RELEASE AND SHOOTING ARM
Next observe how the ball is released and what happens with the
shooting arm.
Is
the Release ...
a Pushing Action?
a Throwing Action
a
Wrist Flipping action?
What
happens to the shooting arm during the Release? Does it...
straighten
or is it short-armed?
stay
straightened in the Follow Through or break down?
If
we could imagine the person as a clock, and the shooting arm is
the hour hand, what time on a clock does the arm point to in the
Release?
(Let
9 o'clock be parallel to the ground and 12 o'clock straight
up.)
Is
the "time" ... 10 o'clock? 11 o'clock?, 10:30?, 11:30?,
etc.
(6)
FOLLOW THROUGH: SHOOTING WRIST AND HAND
Is the Follow Through held for a second or two?
Are
the wrist and hand...
tense?
or
relaxed?
Does
the hand bounce during the Release?
Does it stay pointed in the direction of the basket? ...
or
does it turn one way or another?
These
general distinctions will help the kids start to understand shooting
better, both as observers of others and as observers of themselves.
Discover
How You Shoot Now
Now it's time to break up in pairs and go to a basket and observe
these same aspects in their shooting. Before they break, explain
that they are to do just a few shots for each area of discovery,
and ask them to please make it about what they are noticing, not
whether or not they make the shot. (STRESS THIS VERY STRONGLY
-- THE KEY THING HERE IS AWARENESS, NOT PERFORMANCE!)
Set
up the first three awarenesses (Power, height & spin) and
have them go off and examine how they shoot. With one partner
shooting and one rebounding (if pairs), tell them to take only
2-3 shots for each area, do all three areas, and then switch with
their partner. As soon as both partners have shot, return to the
gathering spot. Ask them to observe their partner's shots, also.
(If you have a mature bunch of kids, you might even tell them
they are to report on their partner AND themselves and be able
to point out differences.)
<<<
Break for shooting in pairs - for about 5 minutes max! >>>
Then
gather and discuss quickly what they discovered. To save time,
ask for a raise of hands for each area of focus (if you have time,
you might ask individuals to describe what they saw in their shooting):
POWER
How
many saw they used mostly Upper Body power to shoot from?
How
many saw their shots were more Integrated (75-25 upper/lower,
or maybe 50-50)?
HEIGHT
How
many had a "Low" arch, 6 inches to 1 1/2 feet above
the rim, in the area of the lower half of the backboard?
How
many had a "Medium" arch, 1 1/2 to 3 feet above the
rim, the upper half of the backboard?
How
many had a "High" arch, higher than the backboard,
3+, 4 or 5 feet above the rim or more?
SPIN
How
many had Backspin?
How
many had Sidespin?
How
many had Forward Spin?
How
many had a combination of Backspin and Sidespin?
If
Backspin, how many had a Slow rate of Backspin?
If
Backspin, how many had a Medium rate of Backspin?
If
Backspin, how many had a Fast rate of Backspin?
Then
set up the last three areas: Set Point, Release and Follow Through.
<<<
Break for shooting in pairs - 5 minutes max! >>>
SET
POINT
Above
eyes or below?
If
above, is bottom of ball even with eyes, middle of forehead,
or at the top of the head or higher?
Is
back of ball even with front of head, overhead a bit, overhead
a lot?
Is
it held out front of the head?
Is
the center of the ball aligned with the shooting eye, or is
it right or left? How much?
RELEASE
& ARM
How
many THREW the ball toward the basket?
How
many FLIPPED the ball with their wrists?
How
many used an upward PUSHING action to send the ball toward the
basket?
FOLLOW
THROUGH AND WRIST/HAND
How
many held their follow through?
How
many pulled back?
How
many hands were tense?
How
many hands were relaxed?
Did
any hand actually bounce, it was so relaxed?
How
many hands stayed pointed in the direction of the basket?
How
many hands moved to one side or the other or pulled back?
If
done in a spirit of discovery and curiosity, the team/group will
come to a powerful understanding of how to look at shooting and
how they themselves shoot. Tell them there are no "rights"
or "wrongs" in
this; just different ways to do things.
New
Possibilities for shooting (about 30 minutes)
Now you're going to suggest some different ways of shooting, some
"new possibilities" that can lead them to discovering
different, more effective, ways to shoot a basketball. I'll group
distinctions together that are related.
As
you start each following segment, ask one of your players to demonstrate
briefly while you talk. As the player starts to shoot, ask him
or her to do the "suggestions" below, highlighting what
you want the group to do when they break into pairs. Don't take
a lot of time doing this, but this can be helpful to set up the
exercise clearly.
(1)
STANCE
Suggestions:
Invite them first to notice how they stand in relation to the
basket.
If
they tend to square up, ask them to experiment with opening
their bodies by rotating a little and a lot (to the left for
right-handers, to the right for left-handers), seeing which
feels better, Square or Open. THe strong foot will be forward,
the opposite foot back a little of a lot.
In
which position do they feel more "under and behind the
ball"?
Does
the release action feel any less tense with one or the other?
Have
them go off in pairs for 5 minutes, then return and discuss what
they noticed in themselves and in their partners.
(2)
POWER & HEIGHT
Suggestions:
Invite them first to experience shooting from their leg drive
or leg lift. Ask them how they might be able to do that. Cany
anyone figure that out? [Note: The answer is to shoot earlier
in the jumping (or free throw/set shot) motion.]
Ask
them to notice what happens to the flight of the ball, and Height
when they shoot earlier.
Does
it feel any more "effortless" when they use more leg
power?
What
percent of the lower body force are they noticing? (100% just
means they're using every bit of available leg force, shooting
very quickly. If Zero %, it means they're shooting at the top
of the jump.)
Invite
them to experiment with a higher and higher percentage, that
is, just keep shooting earlier and earlier and see what happens.
They'll probably have to get ready earlier than they're used
to. See what happens. Be creative! This does not necessarily
mean to jump more strongly!
Have
them go off in pairs for 5 minutes, then return and discuss what
they noticed in themselves and in their partners.
(3)
SET POINT
Suggestion:
For those who take the ball over their heads, ask them to experiment
with having the ball more toward the front of their heads.
If
the ball is to the side of their head (a la John Stockton),
ask them to experiment having it more over their shooting eye.
A more "open" stance may be required for this. See
if they feel more "Under and Behind" the ball in that
position. Under and behind makes accuracy easier.
Watch
what happens to the shot when the Set Point is in different
positions.
Is
it more if a Throw or Flip one way and more of a Push the other
way?
A
powerful way to shoot is having the ball more in front and pushing
the ball upward, high above but in direct line with the target.
Suggest. They experiment with shooting that way. Remind them
to keep using a lot of leg drive to power the shot. Shoot earlier
and earlier.
Suggest
they aim higher, now that more leg power is being called forth.
Have
them go off in pairs for 5 minutes, then return and discuss what
they noticed in themselves and in their partners.
(4)
RELEASE & ARM
Suggestions:
Suggest they just straighten the arm, quickly, aimed high above
the rim. Let power come from the legs. Accuracy comes from the
arm pushing directly in line with the target with no interference
from wrist and hand.
Notice
if they keep the arm straight as they finish the shot. If not,
experiment doing so.
What
"time" do their arms point to during the release?
Notice
what happens with this way of shooting. Is the shot more consistent
and repeatable this way?
If,
by eliminating any throwing or flipping motion, their release
feels weaker, that's okay because they Lower Body will provide
most of the power.
Have
them go off in pairs for 5 minutes, then return and discuss what
they noticed in themselves and in their partners.
(5)
FOLLOW THROUGH (ARM, WRIST AND HAND) & SPIN
Suggestions:
How do they follow through? Is the follow Through held for a second
or two?
What
happens if they relax wrist and hand and rely on the legs and
the arm straightening to provide the power?
Can
the wrist and hand add "nothing" to the shot, just
control the ball and then let go?
Does
it feel more consistent and repeatable when wrist/hand are relaxed?
What
do they notice about accuracy?
Is
it increased or decreased when the wrist and hand relax and
do less?
Invite
them to notice the Spin with this (different) way of shooting.
How
does it compare with their original Spin?
Have
them go off in pairs for 5 minutes, then return and discuss what
they noticed in themselves and their partners.
Wrap
Up
The above routines are a suggested way for a coach to introduce
powerful self coaching ideas and experiences without having to
spend a lot of time with each player. Tell the kids the "Distinctions"
will do the teaching if they spend time and attention, "experiencing"
them. Invite them to experiment and exagerate. Tell them to expec
to miss baskets, but to learn from every shot. Missing is expected,
but pay attention!
A
note about this "perfect" stuff. One of my mentors said,
"You'll learn much more by prefect awareness of an imperfect
shot than you will with imperfect awareness of a perfect shot."
I
don't like the idea that you can only learn from "perfect"
execution. We would learn very slowly if that were true, because
we're not perfect often. I fell we learn from everything, even
the worst mistakes, if we're paying attention. Isn't that a much
happier prospect?
In
doing these exercises, you'll see all kinds of learning happening.
Some kids will make extraordinary strides. Others will be confused.
But I thing a large majority will begin a process of exporation
and discovery that will alter the way they look at shooting forever.
They'll understand shooting better, and realize they, too, can
shoot well. And they'll begin to see how they can coach themselves
in this skill.
