I know this has nothing to do with basketball, but a whole lot to do with life! Enjoy...
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
LeBron James - Nike Skills Academy
For more from the Nike Skills Academy, visit Coach Cooley's blog. They are all very good and worth your viewing time!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Seven Sure Ways to Improving Your Shooting
"Shooters are made - not born."
1. Get open before you receive the ball.
Create a solid lead to set up the shot you want. However, be sure to time your lead. Creating a lead too early or too late will not work.
Don't fight defensive pressure. If/when a defender denies or disrupts the passing lane, back cut to the basket or screen away.
Set and use good screens.
2. Have good shot selection.
Know your ability and shooting range. "Hoped Shots" rarely end up in the basket.
Practice and employ your best shots. Some good practice shooters may become only average game shooters, but there are no poor practice shooters who are excellent game shooters.
Know where your teammates are before shooting. Make sure no teammate is open for a better shot. Be aware of defensive players' and offensive rebounders' locations.
Know when to shoot. Passing up a good shot is just as important as taking a bad shot.
3. Shoot with consistency.
Hold ball high with wrist back and elbow pointing directly at the basket.
Release ball quickly but do not hurry. Ball should have good back spin.
Follow through. Keep shooting hand and fingers extended until ball goes through the basket.
4. Concentrate on shot.
Shoot with touch. Focus on the rim. Do not watch the ball - a shooter that take eyes off the target usually blows the shot.
Concentrate on every shot in every practice and every game.
Concentrate despite any distractions of noise and movement. You should have only one thought on your mind, and that is making the shot
5. Shoot with confidence.
Want and call for the ball. To be a good shooter, a player must have the confidence in his shooting ability. "You are only as good as you think".
Follow your shots. The best shooters in the world only make half of their shots.
Practice. The secret to good shooting is countless hours of hard work and concentration. This why coaches love to see baskets in player's backyards. Practice the shots that you are going to get during a game. Use the "Beef" principle to analyze and improve your shot.
B = Balance
E = Elbow under the ball
E = Eyes focused on target
F = Follow Through
6. Acknowledge the pass.
Use verbal or body language to thank and praise the passer.
This will result in receiving more and better passes.
7. Become a proficient passer.
A good shot starts with a good pass. Always follow the simple rule: "Get the ball to the open player." You will be surprised how many times it will be you!
Improving your passing will build better shooting because the principles involved in throwing to a teammate are the same as shooting at the basket. This is why great shooters are also great passers.
By Ernie Woods, Hooptactics
1. Get open before you receive the ball.
Create a solid lead to set up the shot you want. However, be sure to time your lead. Creating a lead too early or too late will not work.
Don't fight defensive pressure. If/when a defender denies or disrupts the passing lane, back cut to the basket or screen away.
Set and use good screens.
2. Have good shot selection.
Know your ability and shooting range. "Hoped Shots" rarely end up in the basket.
Practice and employ your best shots. Some good practice shooters may become only average game shooters, but there are no poor practice shooters who are excellent game shooters.
Know where your teammates are before shooting. Make sure no teammate is open for a better shot. Be aware of defensive players' and offensive rebounders' locations.
Know when to shoot. Passing up a good shot is just as important as taking a bad shot.
3. Shoot with consistency.
Hold ball high with wrist back and elbow pointing directly at the basket.
Release ball quickly but do not hurry. Ball should have good back spin.
Follow through. Keep shooting hand and fingers extended until ball goes through the basket.
4. Concentrate on shot.
Shoot with touch. Focus on the rim. Do not watch the ball - a shooter that take eyes off the target usually blows the shot.
Concentrate on every shot in every practice and every game.
Concentrate despite any distractions of noise and movement. You should have only one thought on your mind, and that is making the shot
5. Shoot with confidence.
Want and call for the ball. To be a good shooter, a player must have the confidence in his shooting ability. "You are only as good as you think".
Follow your shots. The best shooters in the world only make half of their shots.
Practice. The secret to good shooting is countless hours of hard work and concentration. This why coaches love to see baskets in player's backyards. Practice the shots that you are going to get during a game. Use the "Beef" principle to analyze and improve your shot.
B = Balance
E = Elbow under the ball
E = Eyes focused on target
F = Follow Through
6. Acknowledge the pass.
Use verbal or body language to thank and praise the passer.
This will result in receiving more and better passes.
7. Become a proficient passer.
A good shot starts with a good pass. Always follow the simple rule: "Get the ball to the open player." You will be surprised how many times it will be you!
Improving your passing will build better shooting because the principles involved in throwing to a teammate are the same as shooting at the basket. This is why great shooters are also great passers.
By Ernie Woods, Hooptactics
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Attack Mentality: How-to Dribble Drive
Here are three critical points for players when driving a defender:
1) Go North-South not East-West – Too often players have a tendency to round out their drives to the basket rather than taking a direct path to the basket.
2) Get the shoulder to the hip – The driver must attempt to get their inside shoulder to the level of the defender’s hip. This movement will help get the driver lower and in a position to protect the ball. Also, if the driver can get contact or be very tight to the defender, like going North-South, it is very difficult for the defender to get a path to recover.
3) Go right at the defender - When the defender is more than 6 feet away make the dribble move directly at the defender to get them on their heels. If the driver can get beside the defender or get him/her on their heels, the driver should have either a path to the basket or a shot.
How are these skills developed? To develop 1-on-1 skill players must play 1-on-1; there is no substitute for this. All the skill work in the world cannot take the place of going against a defender and learning to react/anticipate defensive movement.
1) Go North-South not East-West – Too often players have a tendency to round out their drives to the basket rather than taking a direct path to the basket.
2) Get the shoulder to the hip – The driver must attempt to get their inside shoulder to the level of the defender’s hip. This movement will help get the driver lower and in a position to protect the ball. Also, if the driver can get contact or be very tight to the defender, like going North-South, it is very difficult for the defender to get a path to recover.
3) Go right at the defender - When the defender is more than 6 feet away make the dribble move directly at the defender to get them on their heels. If the driver can get beside the defender or get him/her on their heels, the driver should have either a path to the basket or a shot.
How are these skills developed? To develop 1-on-1 skill players must play 1-on-1; there is no substitute for this. All the skill work in the world cannot take the place of going against a defender and learning to react/anticipate defensive movement.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
NCA All-Star Game
Papio South's own Josias Hueser, left, and James Futch of Bellevue East battle for the ball in the first quarter of the Nebraska Coaches basketball all-star game at Lincoln North Star High School. Josias was the first-ever Titan to be selected to play in this game.
The Definite Dozen (To Win Here)
TO WIN HERE:
1. BELIEVE IN OUR SYSTEM OF PLAY – Commit yourself to our philosophy, to our system of play. Be a sponge and soak up the concepts of how we play. Learn your role…then accept your role and do it the best you can.
2. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF – Play with confidence…think positive. Don’t get down when you play poorly…realize you were chosen to be here…be a leader... remember that your heart controls what your tongue says. Lead by example.
3. BELIEVE IN YOUR TEAMMATES – Communicate with each other…help each other. Remember the strength of the pack is the wolf and the strength of the wolf is the pack. Encourage each other and support each other. Don’t ever forget the importance of the shell around the team. Be a friend. We are all different – be tolerant of teammates and others.
4. BELIEVE IN YOUR COACHES – Understand that your coaches are trying to help make you better people and players. Ask questions…don’t whine, complain or make excuses. Learn to take tough coaching. You must believe that the coaches are doing what they think is right for the team and you.
1. BELIEVE IN OUR SYSTEM OF PLAY – Commit yourself to our philosophy, to our system of play. Be a sponge and soak up the concepts of how we play. Learn your role…then accept your role and do it the best you can.
2. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF – Play with confidence…think positive. Don’t get down when you play poorly…realize you were chosen to be here…be a leader... remember that your heart controls what your tongue says. Lead by example.
3. BELIEVE IN YOUR TEAMMATES – Communicate with each other…help each other. Remember the strength of the pack is the wolf and the strength of the wolf is the pack. Encourage each other and support each other. Don’t ever forget the importance of the shell around the team. Be a friend. We are all different – be tolerant of teammates and others.
4. BELIEVE IN YOUR COACHES – Understand that your coaches are trying to help make you better people and players. Ask questions…don’t whine, complain or make excuses. Learn to take tough coaching. You must believe that the coaches are doing what they think is right for the team and you.
The Definite Dozen (To Play Here)
TO PLAY HERE:
1. BE COMMITTED TO HARD WORK – Our program is built on the concept that hard work pays off. We believe that we work harder than anyone else…and because of that we always deserve to win. There is a reason we are the best we can be…we work at it. Our best player must be our hardest worker. Be our hardest worker.
2. BE COMMITTED TO BECOMING A SMART PLAYER – We all must be ready to learn. We believe we work smarter than anyone else…We must develop players who understand the game. We all must be good listeners and learn by watching. We must make good decisions; we must play with poise. We prepare mentally for practice and games.
3. BE COMMITTED TO OUR TEAM ATTITUDE CONCEPT – We must all believe in our team concept. Our program is built on the concept that the team/program is bigger than any one player or coach…We need unselfish players and coaches.
4. COMMIT YOURSELF TO A WINNING ATTITUDE – Our players must be committed to winning but understand we don’t measure our success by winning alone. Each time we play we evaluate ourselves on reaching our potential. The test for our team is to play against the game not just our opponent. We never quit. We always are looking for ways to win.
1. BE COMMITTED TO HARD WORK – Our program is built on the concept that hard work pays off. We believe that we work harder than anyone else…and because of that we always deserve to win. There is a reason we are the best we can be…we work at it. Our best player must be our hardest worker. Be our hardest worker.
2. BE COMMITTED TO BECOMING A SMART PLAYER – We all must be ready to learn. We believe we work smarter than anyone else…We must develop players who understand the game. We all must be good listeners and learn by watching. We must make good decisions; we must play with poise. We prepare mentally for practice and games.
3. BE COMMITTED TO OUR TEAM ATTITUDE CONCEPT – We must all believe in our team concept. Our program is built on the concept that the team/program is bigger than any one player or coach…We need unselfish players and coaches.
4. COMMIT YOURSELF TO A WINNING ATTITUDE – Our players must be committed to winning but understand we don’t measure our success by winning alone. Each time we play we evaluate ourselves on reaching our potential. The test for our team is to play against the game not just our opponent. We never quit. We always are looking for ways to win.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
