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----------------------------------------------------------------- TESTIMONIALS, BATCH #17 (ASSEMBLED 5/22/08) ----------------------------------------------------------------- (Testimonials taken from Newsletters #103-108) ------------------------------------------------------------ FROM NLTR # 103 (November '07) ------------------------------------------------------------ Here’s one from an earlier Newsletter, Feb. ‘05. I just happened upon it and loved reading it again. Maybe you will, too. "Hi Tom, I received your DVD and was very impressed. I first watched it and studied the workbook by myself. I then watched the DVD with my 5th and 7th grade daughters who are very active in AAU and traveling basketball leagues. I then took them to my hanger for some of the drills discussed in the workbook. I started slowly and had them do the jumping, practice the constant release, play catch with each other slowly adding the upforce. Both daughters were somewhat skeptical because I've always preached squaring up to the basket and putting the hand in the cookie jar. I then started with my 5th grade daughter about 2 or 3 feet in front of the basket working on the constant release. She said at first it felt a little uncomfortable and she wasn't getting her up motion quite high enough. "After the first ten shots she started to get the feel. She kept on shooting with me reinforcing her to lock the elbow and relax the wrist. It was kind of funny when she missed a shot and I asked her how many she shots she had made in a row. She had no idea and I told her she had just made 28 in a row, with a majority of them swishes. I realize she was only 2 or 3 feet from the basket, but it sure sold her and I could see the confidence immediately. I quit counting after that, but I had her shoot at least 100 more shots and she had to hit 95 of them. “I then had her move out another 3 or 4 feet and shoot a little jump shot. I personally was amazed with the back spin, nice arch, and the percentage of shots she made. She would even tell me when it left her hand if it was a bad shot, just by the feel. She wanted to shoot some free throws after that, but I told her I wanted to keep in close for the first few times. "My 7th grade daughter was very skeptical at first because she thinks she is a very good shooter and had just scored 24 points in a game the night before, making 10 of 12 free throws. The problem with her shot is she squares up and has a hitch just before the release. She also had very good results with your technique and when we got home, she wanted to watch the video again. She too was amazed at the number of swishes. I myself was amazed with how a few simple techniques could change these girl's shot in less than an hour. They are ready to go out and practice again. I just want to make sure I keep them in close for a while so they really get the feel. Thanks again.” - - Don L., Reedsburg, WI -------------------------------------- “Hi Tom, I just read your updated Newsletter; thanks for once again impressing on us the benefits of the ‘open stance.’ “Ever since my coaching session with you 2 years ago in East Palo Alto, my shooting has become that much more consistent. I'm a true believe in what you taught me. My friends joke with me, prod me around the court when we're balling every Sunday, and make fun of the fact that I paid for a coaching session with you. "That shot cost $85!!" is a common refrain I hear after I nail a jumper. “Many of them still don't believe it when I told them how you broke down the mechanics of my shot and rebuilt it within a 3 hour span. The new mechanics you showed me have about 3 or at most 4 variables, while my old shooting motion had about 7 or 8. “The easiest thing for me to adapt to was the open stance. My stance was already open, but it was open at most 15 to 20 degrees. When you enlarged it to over 30 degrees (and yes, you're right ... Larry Bird has an extremely wide-open stance esp. when he came off a screen when moving to his left), the simple arm motion you showed me became much easier. “Your mantra of ‘I coach you to coach yourself" was probably the most powerful thing you told me during my session. When my shots aren't falling, I've realized that the first thing that goes is my footwork ... namely my stance. The more open my stance, the more stability I seem to have to push off. I still have an ugly memory of a sequence where I was on the left wing with the defender about 3 feet in front of me. Wanting to get the shot off quickly before he closed in, I put the ball near my target eye, jumped, and pushed the ball up. Unfortunately, I neglected my footwork, and I ended up shooting while squared up. The ball, though plenty straight, had minimal arc on it, and it hit the back iron. To this day, I curse myself for missing such an open shot! If I had only opened my stance up a little bit... “After our lesson, I thought the technique you showed me started with the "pushing" motion to get the ball off in a nice, clean manner. I've since realized that if my footwork is correct first, and I can get into an open stance, I have a much better chance of nailing my shot. As a right-hander, I love going to my left because my stance is naturally open when I shoot. It's when I'm in a catch-and-shoot situation that I need to be more cognizant of my feet. “Yes, please get folks to open up their stance! I wish I could videotape my shooting sessions for you now ... it's pretty darn fun watching about a dozen or so 15-18 footers swish (they're not even hitting the rims anymore) in a row. You should see the folks at the park where I shoot ... they're mouths are left open with shock. :) “ - - Regards, B. Lau, Sunnyvale, CA “P.S. - My wife just recently gave birth to identical twin boys? In a few years, guess which DVD will be part of their introduction to basketball and shooting? :)” ------------------------------------------------------------ FROM NLTR # 104 (December '07) ------------------------------------------------------------ A testimonial I got from a boy who bought my videos but I couldn’t tell his name or where he lived from an email I got through YouTube. “hey , i spent the whole day today playing street ball at the local park..... alot of people turn up... “i got there and a guy the age of 26 was practicing his shooting... i let him shoot a while.. then i asked if i could shoot with him cos i had no ball... straight away he asked me for a shooting competition.... obviously he was confident from his practicing “so i took up his challenge.. the goal was to see how many we could get out of 10.. i hadn't warmed up and he told me to go first... the distance was the free throw.. i got 7/10 “he went next and got 7/10 “i went again and got 8/10 he was impressed. he got 6/10. i then got 10/10, he got 6/10 again “i told him i'll move back a few feet cos i got 100 percent. i then continued to shoot well from further back..8/10..9/10.. he finally got 10/10 and joined me further back... “this is when he couldn't hit a bucket.. he was getting air balls. his shot changed and he was missing miserably... where as my release remained constant and i just added up force.. “hehe “i should have told him about swish... next time” - - Anonymous --------------------------------------- “Tom, I am amazed at the success of UPFORCE. My oldest son is now a sophomore and made his AAA squad. My youngest is in 7th and plays for the jr. high varsity. We have a pretty good group of kids, we started with nine and are down to 7. “Our gym is small with a low ceiling, everyone that has come through our school shoots flat. It's an odd situation, we practice in a tiny gym but play games on a college sized court. This year I was able to borrow another school's gym for three practices (it helps to have a brother-in-law as a principal). All we did for those three practices was learn the upforce method. “We had two guys that really fought the new way. They had been taught the old wrist flip, stiff finger methods, plus a few of their own add-ons. By the second practice they were starting to get it. Our best athlete was about a 30-40% free throw shooter before changing. Now he shoots 80%+ from the line. In his second game he was 11-13. “We have believers now. They have fun shooting with their eyes closed. Your method is SOOOOOO simple to learn, and so basic. I have stressed to these and other groups of jr. high kids that when they go to their corresponding AAA schools they will have to be better that everyone they played while in jr. high. Today no one can shoot. If they enter school next year with the ability to shoot, half the try out battle will be fought. - - Kevin W., Fairmont, WV --------------------------------------- “Hi Tom, I first wanted to thank you for what you do. My eldest son is now a sophomore in high school and I couldn’t be happier about his shot. He’s been to your clinic 3 times (once when he was very young, once when he was in 8th grade and last spring with his younger brother). My younger son who was just 10 this last spring came to your clinic for the first time. He was truly borderline strong enough to shoot with one hand but to my surprise, by early summer he and his brother went out shooting a couple of times and not only had he made the transition but he was using the a bigger ball. “I was amazed and his results prove it. He was always a scorer but as you get to the older grades very few kids have good form (and he was one of them). Long story short, his 6th grade CYO team was dissolved and the 7A coach was open to look at him. Not only did he make the team but he’s a starter and their “go to” shooter. It WORKS but you already know that. Again, thank you.” - - Steve A., northern California --------------------------------------- “Dear Coach Nordland: I bought Swish 2 about 2 months ago and have been working with my 13 yr. old son. It has taken about a month to get him to believe in your system but he is beginning to see the consistent results. “I have been practicing myself as I still play pick up at age 52. I wish I had this video when I was 13, I never would have quit the high school JV team because my confidence in shooting was so poor and I just felt my size would always keep me from being a good player. “I can't wait for my first team practice in December to try theses techniques. What will be interesting is to work with kids ages 12-14 who all have a different type of shot and get them to use the swish method consistently. I will keep you informed. “The one area I wanted to ask about is my son due to strength has started his shot from a side type position, getting him to get his alignment has been frustrating for him. What about kids who "push" there shot from the side because of strength issues? Thanks.” - - Joe C., Dearborn, Michigan --------------------------------------- An email written to a friend and “cc’d” to me: “I was speaking on the phone the other day with Tom Nordland, a shooting coach in Northern California. Tom is, in my opinion, the best shooting instructor I've seen and much of what I teach is just plain plagiarized from Tom's work. “His website is www.swish22.com. I attended one of his clinics in Minnesota three or four years ago and he really opened my eyes about how to teach shooting. I'd learned back in the old days from Gail Goodrich, the Los Angeles Lakers and UCLA guard. What Goodrich taught me helped me become an all conference shooting guard, but I profoundly believe that Tom's approach is better. It's simpler, more intuitive, more repeatable, creates a quicker release and most importantly will help kids make more shots. If you look at what great shooters do, they very much reflect what Tom teaches. “There are so few players that are really fundamentally sound shooters. I believe Tom offers a methodology that can help any player become a good shooter and help any coach become a great teacher of shooting.” - - Mark H., Overland Park, KS ------------------------------------------------------------ FROM NLTR # 105 (January '08) ------------------------------------------------------------ [Ed. NOTE: This testimonial was about results obtained just from reading about the Swish Method, before even getting the two Swish videos! Post-receiving-the-videos comments are pending.] “Tom, I will gladly forward success stories to you . I expect many. The reason I felt your DVD a ‘must have’ is that I read a detailed article on your philosophy. I got my best player to work on it. He had been using a 2-handed set until this past fall with a lot of success. Now in 5th grade he was struggling mightily with the 1-handed set shot. I worked with him for 2-hours and he took to your ‘open stance - relaxed wrist’ method immediately. For him, being able, again, to line up the ball with his eye and the basket was the answer. The immediate improvement was almost unbelievable. “I look forward to the DVD. Take care.” - - Mark G. - Carlsbad, CA ------------------------------------- [ED. NOTE: The following player flew from Massachusetts for some private coaching and a group clinic. This is the follow-up he recently sent. Can you see how beautifully he’s “coaching himself?”] “Hey Tom, Up and down, although up more recently. When I first came back [from California], I was hitting everything I attempted, with both hands. It felt very fluid and I didn't feel as if I even had to aim in order to be successful. My body just seemed to "know" the arc required as long as I focused on full extension, and not robbing myself by over controlling and subconsciously holding back. I also became aware of the power inherent in the open stance you advocate, particularly the boxing analogy. For about a week I experimented with a motion that was more of a punch than a push. The first day or so it was incredibly successful, and my confidence soared. It was equally easy to shoot either left or right handed. However, after a few days I became more inconsistent, and grew frustrated. “What I learned from this experiment was twofold; first, the value of thinking of the shooting motion as a punch rather than a push was in teaching me to rapidly go to full extension, every time. I was almost punching "through" the ball, in the way that a martial arts expert would punch "through" a board. This motion established a real consistency in terms of the initial upward "push" motion. It is nearly impossible to hold back on a punch. “On the other hand, in order to truly ‘punch’ the ball upward, you have to manipulate the ball with your fingers and wrist in order to keep the ball from falling off line as you "punch" up and out. It's a subtle control, but it does make a difference and certainly affects your consistency, as it is something you have to be aware of. And so the most difficult part for me has been the Release, and letting go of the need to consciously over control the flight of the ball (which nearly always leads back to an over-involved hand and wrist structure, and thus, inconsistency). “I've also had to fight the need to perform hundreds of repetitions and accept that it is possible to learn anything in as little as one repetition (provided an enhanced level of awareness and focused concentration). It's funny sometimes how when you are ready for a realization, the evidence seems to find you ... on New Year's Day I was returning from a meal at my parents' home when I picked up a book that was lying on the hallway floor that grabbed my attention. Ironically, the book was written by your mentor, Tim Gallwey. It was ‘The Inner Game of Tennis.’ “Tim's emphasis on communicating with your subconscious via its natural language, images (and also "feelmages"), and then letting go, as well as his discussion of awareness and focused concentration, resonated with me. Perhaps it is because I simultaneously have been exploring the principles of isometric training, and the value of focused concentration in building a more responsive mind/muscle connection. “Excited for the New Year, and new discoveries.” - - Jonathan P., Cambridge, MA ------------------------------------- “Your swish video has helped me to better coach the players on their shooting fundamentals. You have produced a very top caliber product and I love teaching your style of shooting. Keep up the great work Tom.” - - Greg B., Winnipeg, Manitoba [ED. NOTE: When I asked Greg how he found my website, he wrote, “Google, but I have been here before and have told a lot of other coaches about this great DVD and site.”] ------------------------------------- “Tom, After reading your newsletters for the last three years and viewing both of your DVD's a number of times, I think I've finally put if all together. Yesterday was ‘Pay Day’ as I hit three 3-pointers plus a jumper just above the free-throw line in the first game. I scored 11 out of the 15 points. The second game was different as they put a good defender on me (he was also 20 years younger) so only got one shot off - a 3-pointer, which I hit. My defense needs improvement as my man scored two baskets off me. “I still like to review your ‘Fundamentals of Shooting.’ I took the key elements of your method, made a copy on my computer, and inserted it in a plastic cover. I have it in my gym bag and take a look at it every now and then. It takes a few seconds and a good refresher course. I've attached it. “Thanks for helping to make a 71 year old guy have his ‘20 minutes of fame.’" - - David N., Portland, OR ------------------------------------- [ED NOTE: Allison and her dad drove from Kansas to Minnesota to participate in a clinic of mine in 2004. Then about six months ago her dad send me a video of her to analyze, which I did. Each time she got a little better. And then, 2-3 weeks ago Dad posted a little clip of her shooting on YouTube and I gave some more advice. Always she was encouraged to “coach yourself.” She finally got it! Awareness leads to self-adjustment (self coaching) leads to continual learning ... until the skill is mastered. Then you can make it beautiful!] “Allison just blew up last night. “As you know, she’s been struggling a bit with her shot lately. Last night her first three shots were airballs. They were bad airballs at that. We talked during the game about starting her shot with her legs, which really helps her flow though the entire shot. “Three swishes in a row. I asked her if she could feel the difference and she just gave me a great big smile and a nod. She really got it. “Then she airballed one, because she started that shot with her upper body and disjointedly jumped into it. She self corrected because she was aware of what she needed to do. “Four more swishes. Every shot was just beautiful. The net just bounced. “She ended 7 for 11 from the field, including the first two three pointers of her young career. Seventeen points for a sixth grader is a pretty good night.” - - Mark H., Overland Park, KS ------------------------------------------------------------ FROM NLTR # 106 (February '08) ------------------------------------------------------------ “Tom, What a fantastic week of basketball. Watching 32 teams at the 4A State Tournament, talking basketball with old coaching buddies, and best of all, hosting you for 6 days in my house and getting to privately discuss “How to Teach Shooting” - It just doesn't get any better. “After 40+ years teaching “Form Shooting”, basically the “BEEF” method, you have convinced me of the value of your “SWISH” method of teaching shooting. “What I observed from watching you teach a private 3 hour lesson to three 7th grade girls, and then conducting a 2 hour introductory clinic for 24 players and 12+ coaches at North Mason High School, has totally changed how I will teach shooting. “The testimonial from Joe B. of Lake St. Louis, MO (see next testimonial), says it all. Awareness is the key. If you can get you players to be AWARE of how they shoot now and then show them the “SWISH” Method -- and let them play with your method, I am convinced that anyone can learn to be a good shooter. “I would highly recommend that coaches get your videos and, if at all possible, have you put on a clinic for their coaching staff and their players. It was watching you in person teaching your method to our players that truly showed me the value of the SWISH method.” - - Coach Al Gleich, North Mason High School, Seattle ------------------------ “Tom, I have not emailed you in a bit, hopefully things are going well. I wanted to let you know that I recently started as an assistant girls varsity basketball coach with a local private school, to help with their post players. One thing I immediate noticed, even though this team is ranked in the state, that their post players are struggling shooting free throws. In fact the combined 5 post players, are shooting 29% from the line!! I’ve started talking to these girls about the concepts that you teach. “The first thing I’ve been trying to do is get them aware of how they are shooting now. It’s only been a few practices, but they are becoming aware and with a few slight adjustments, like opening their stance, I can already see a difference. They are relaxed, confident and actually look like they are having fun shooting free throws. I will follow back with you towards the end of the season to let you know how much they have improved! “Thanks for all you help. I really enjoy getting your monthly newsletters.” - - Joe B., Lake St. Louis, MO ------------------------ A second email from Joe, a couple hours later: “Tom, Initially I am focusing on them being aware of their shot as it exists today. To increase their awareness, I have asked them questions about release (arm, hand, set point etc), what's powering their shot ( upforce or hand/arm ), stance (open/closed) and what the feel. (ie stress, comfortable, relaxed etc). Trying to keep the questions open ended, so they come to the conclusion and I am not telling them. “Opening them up have been the only mechanics that I have asked them to change/try. “Micro free throws are next. I am going to bring them into their pure release distance and start talking to them about the repeatable "swish" release. I needed to gain some trust with them first and that is why I did not jump right into changing them. “These are a great group of girls, I have no doubt that I can make significant progress with them. I will keep you updated. - - Joe B. --------------------------------------- (When a coach named Greg from Michigan asked me about the “Form Shooting” critique I had been saying I was going to write (see above), I told him the following.) “Hi Greg, I'm working on it. It'll be in next month's Newsletter. “Basically I'll be saying the "Form Shooting" teaches a varying Release for different distances, one way to shoot, of course. I think it also teaches a tight wrist and hand, much too mechanical a motion. The "L," the "Reverse C," all that stuff teach tightness. “A much more powerful way to shoot is to develop "One Release that fits all.’ Groove and then master a Release that's the same speed and force every time, and then simply adjust for distance by varying the height of the shot, not the Release. That's the EASY way to shoot. That's what the great shooters have figured out. “Let me know your thoughts on it. Go out and try it both ways and let me know the results.” Cheers, Tom ------------------------ Greg’s reply: “Super! I agree 100% and that is the way I teach (learning much from you). Form Shooting as I teach it now for my girls (HS varsity team) means to start up close, get the feel for your shot, make sure your mechanics are correct (stance, grip, open stance, finger pads, roll the shot up and keep your release the same for each shot). Adjust your length and arch from your legs by shooting earlier in your release as you move back and sideways from your original Form Spot. “The release is the same for all shots (jump, free throw, set). “The girls must make three swishes in a row before they can more spots or farther out. “I have attended some shooting camps for my kids and coaches over the years. I also have purchased videos (including Swish 1 & 2). I have adapted what I consider the best of each, and I must tell you your technique is the overwhelming favorite. “Thanks so much.” - - Greg C., Woodhaven, MI --------------------------------------- “Hi Tom, I bought your Swish DVD's two years ago. “I am working with youths for five years and never read or saw anything that could have helped me teaching how to get a decent shot. After looking at your DVD's I finally found (in my opinion) something that helps me (I was never taught how to shoot) teach teenagers how to shoot. I practiced it myself, sometimes regularly, but often with a pause, sometimes with success and a lot of breakdowns. I stuck to it and feel now more comfortable than ever in showing young or older people how to make more of their shots. Always relating to the SWISH METHOD. I know that my technique might not be the best, but I think I know (thanks to your DVD’s) what's important for learning the technique. “I would like to get to know more about teaching the swish method. I am planing on a little shooting clinic for my own basketball club during the christmas holidays. If that works, maybe one/two more for our state basketball organisation (it is really small, we only have ~1000 members, already including youth, men and women, real tiny). I will appreciate any coaching ideas you can give me.” - - Martin W., PSV Ribnitz-Damgarten, Germany ------------------------------------------------------------ FROM NLTR # 107 (March '08) ------------------------------------------------------------ “My shooting always has room for improvement Tom. But I feel much more confident in knocking down the 10-to-15-footer. A "trey" is still beyond me - it's probably all mental there. And my f-t's are better - from 65% to now 75%, and sometimes better. “I find that I must ‘re-learn my shot’ each time -- as you have stated. Per your instructions, I start in close, with no leg action, then work my way back. I like to end that ‘warm-up’ with 10-20 free throws -- which is about as far as I'd ever attempt a jumper. I find that I probably think too much on f-ts -- need to just "let if fly"! “If I do it properly - all the elements that are in the method - the shot goes better. I also find that I must concentrate on doing that in my warm-ups -- do it The Right Way. Then that carries over better into the game. “One [of many] ‘conventional wisdom’ items that I see my coaches teaching is "1-hand shooting" -- where the player does essentially the same start-in-close-and-work-your-way-back approach as in Swish. But I have a hard time with the 1-hand method. I think coaches do it because it forces concentration on the movement of the shooting arm and hand. However, in a game, we do NOT shoot with one hand. Also, to shoot with one hand, one must start with the shooting hand way under the ball -- just to hold it -- and this is also not how one actually shoots. So I think this 1-hand approach teaches the wrong thing -- it doesn't replicate a game-condition situation. “In every drill that occurs when I'm around, I endeavor to replicate a game condition -- be it ball-handling, shooting free-throws, or rebounding, or whatever. Practice in isolation, in a situation that doesn't replicate a game, is counterproductive, I think. “The other major item of puzzlement is [as I have mentioned before] the resistance of coaches to trying the Swish approach. My only explanation is that they all think they have a corner on how to shoot. For me, as one expert said, ‘I am not young enough to know everything!’ “They'll offer excuses [‘Well, it's good for free throws, but limits shooting off the dribble because the shooter isn't squared up’, etc., etc.] - even though the visual evidence doesn't support their conclusion. Very puzzling!” - - Jack F., Lafayette, CA --------------------------------------- “Tom, I will gladly forward success stories to you . I expect many. The reason I felt your DVD a "must have" is that I read a detailed article on your philosophy. I got my best player to work on it. He had been using a 2-handed set until this past fall with a lot of success. Now in 5th grade he was struggling mightily with the 1-handed set shot. I worked with him for 2-hours and he took to your "open stance - relaxed wrist" method immediately. For him, being able, again, to line up the ball with his eye and the basket was the answer. The immediate improvement was almost unbelievable. I look forward to the DVD. Take care.” - -Mark G., Carlsbad, Calif. --------------------------------------- (In a prior Newsletter, I asked my readers to email me and tell me which stance they advocate and teach. I’m really interested in this because how you stand affects the whole shot. I also asked them to tell me also WHY they advocate what they do. What do the stance and footwork accomplish for you?) “Tom, I’m a big proponent of the open stance. The reasoning is that by using the open stance the all the critical body parts are lined up with the hoop. With a square stance, something has to be out of alignment and most likely it will be the arm and hands, e.g. all the twitchy muscles that are hardest to control and most likely to make a shot go astray. The boxer analogy you wrote about is good -- more power equals better shooting. “Here's what I do with my players. I tell them that when coaches, parents and other well meaning people tell them to "square up," they don't ‘literally’ mean for you to square your shoulders to the rim. They mean get to a good comfortable open shooting stance position, i.e. don't twist, rotate, shoot off balance etc. My hope in doing this is that no mater what is said to the player they will hear - ‘Get to my comfortable open stance.’” - - Tom S., Sonoma, Calif. --------------------------------------- “Thanks, Tom. Please send us the second Swish 2. We'll give it to our basketball coach. “Just a bit on Kate, the older sister. She went through Swish in Augusta, GA, before her 7th grade year. She went on to score 1,658 career points, despite increasing defensive attention from the other teams. This past season, her senior year, Kate shot 49% from the field, 41.7% for 3 point attempts and 72% from the free throw line. Her shooting percentages were pretty consistent for the past 3 years. Kate often commented that Swish was the most helpful basketball training she went through. “We'll keep you posted on the younger sister. We enjoy reading your newsletters.” Abby L., Williamson, GA ------------------------------------------------------------ FROM NLTR # 108 (April '08 ------------------------------------------------------------ “Tom, ‘amen’ about Stephen Curry.* My youngest son and myself were watching Davidson's first game and I immediately said, "Look, he shoots it with the Upforce method." Cameron watched for a few minutes and told me I was right. It was a beautiful thing to view and it further reinforced your method, especially with my youngest. “The youngest boy was in a four day, 5th-9th grade shootout tournament this past week at a local AAA high school, so I got to see many teams play. Almost immediately I was ready to pluck my eyes out with a fork. “I witnessed some of the worst shooting and form that I had ever seen, especially in the girl's games. Some 9th grade girls scores were in the single digits at half-time and the crowds were talking about how good the defenses had been. Having been a disciple of your method for about six years, I saw what the problem was ... they couldn't shoot ... couldn't hit the ocean from the beach. One team was coached by an ex Div. I player. His girls squared up at the free throw line, put the ball in their shooting hand, elbow under the ball, elbow pulled in from the side so that the hand and ball were in the middle of the face. They then proceeded to slowly squat, held the squat for a few seconds (just watching that made my knees hurt!!), then popped up, flipped the wrist, then stiff fingers down. Clank! You are so correct, shooting is a lost art. “Thank you, many times over. “My youngest, Cameron, is the young man you asked to write his thoughts on shooting a few years back and you published it. He had a good 7th grade year -- he played on the 8th varsity and averaged around teens per game, some games in the 20s, most of them being 3s. He had one game in particular, early in the season where he hit some threes that were about 5' behind the 3-pt line. The home team crowd was even oohing and ahhing. “The home team's coach took him off to the side after the game, talked with him, hugged him and congratulated him. Of course the next time we played them she had him double teamed so that he could not even breathe! In this past week's tournament he averaged 14 points (must be something about that number) and was 10 for 10 from the free throw line. God bless.” Kevin W., Morgantown, WV [*Editor’s note: I just got a look on TV at the New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul’s Release on a free throw, and he, too, has the relaxed wrist and hand I coach. It’s the way of the great shooters, and I’m getting more and more proof of that. Check it out. Watch the follow through of the players. Best is the slow motion replays. The more mediocre shooters have tight wrists and hands, and the always-on, better shooters have a relaxed wrist and hand. That makes their shots more “repeatable,” which is why they shoot so well.] --------------------------------------- “Tom, I've just ordered a set of both of your DVD's for two reasons. “First, because it is priced right. “Second, because of the way it is presented. “As a coach and father of players, I've looked at several ‘improve your game’ sites. They are so full of hype-hype-hype it is virtually impossible to tell what they are really selling -- and it seems clear that that is actually their intent. I can't tell if they're selling a training program, or amazing shoes, or a magic ball, or flubber, or a self-hypnosis system. Their writers are truly amazing in that they can say the same thing over and over again without repeating themselves and without giving away their ‘amazing, secret, never-before-seen-by-human-eyes’ programs. In fact, they don't really give any useful information at all. They seem to be trying to talk their site visitors into a frenzied state of mind in which they'd buy anything at all, for any price at all. (One guy is offering a vertical leap system that he says after midnight tonight will be priced at nearly $2 Grand! It's about $300 as it is and the buyer has absolutely no idea what it contains.) “Your site alone, on the other hand, has already allowed my son to improve his shooting in just a few practice sessions. I mostly appreciate the real information in the clearly written text, and the samples of the videos that provide so much useful information about exactly what you are offering. “No hype. Real information. Informative content. That is truly refreshing. Thank you. I will recommend your system to anyone I see who is interested in improving their shooting.” Brent P., Edmonton, Alberta --------------------------------------- (A sequence of inquiry, reply, response from a coach/dad from Illinois) <<< First, Todd L. wrote >>> “Hi Coach. I just finished watching your videos and reading your FAQ's. My question is this. “Do you teach your players a ‘standard’ amount of knee bending to create upforce? I guess you could vary how much upforce you create by how much you bend your knees. “So should I teach players a fixed amount of knee bend for every shot to create a constant 100% upforce, or should they vary the amount of knee bend to create a variable upforce? “Thanks!” Todd L, Illinois Dream Team - 6th Graders, Clarendon Hills, IL ------------------------------ <<< Then I replied. >>> “Todd, The UpForce is always varying. There is no "standard" amount of knee bending or leg action. “I suggest ‘catching’ 100% of what's available to increase the power and stability, and then simply varying the arch (angle of the release) to control distance. It's that simple. Don't try to force a constant leg action. Play with it. You'll see what I mean.” -- Tom ------------------------------ <<< And Todd’s reply back >>> “Hi Coach. Just wanted you to know that today was phenomenal with your system. My son (6th Grade) tried the Swish method for the second day of your training and hit 70% of his foul shots and about 50% of his three pointers. “His epiphany was feeling the UpForce. He never had range before this. Thanks!” - - Todd ----------------------------------------------------------------- |