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Lesson Plan #2 for coaches
-- Shooting!
(The practice of coaching shooting)
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(Print this page out for future
reference.)
This is a follow up to Lesson Plan A, the general introduction to shooting. In this Plan, we'll take the basics and apply them to different kinds of shots.
The sections:
· REVIEW OF FIRST LESSON
First go back over what the kids experienced and learned in the
initial lesson
· REVISIT THE SIMPLE LEARNING PROGRESSION
Approach it like it's fresh and new. Re-discover the simple principles.
· THE FREE THROW -- IT'S THE SAME STUFF!
The Free Throw as a Jump Shot without the jump
· SHOOTING WITH MOVEMENT AND OFF THE DRIBBLE -- ADDING
COMPLEXITY
Show how shots off the dribble can be approached
· THE 3-PT SHOT -- JUST A BIG JUMP SHOT
The 3 pt shot needs a great beginning and a great ending!
· ANY SHOOTING DRILL CAN BE ENHANCED WITH AWARENESS
How any drill or exercise you do can be enhanced with an added
focus
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I. REVIEW OF FIRST LESSON
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First, remember that the genius is in the student, not in you, the coach!
And two things are paramount to learning:
(1) Awareness of what is happening, and
(2) A goal to get to, in this case, the key "distinctions"
of shooting,
the things that really matter.
Review what was covered in the first session, how they started observing how they shoot now in six different areas (six "distinctions"), and how you then presented a powerful way to shoot, the Swish Method. Remind them how they did a simple progression of learning, starting with the UpForce and moving to the Release and then putting it all together. The wall was a great place to practice the motion without the judgment of the basket. Then you went in pairs to a basket and integrated the keys of the Method.
The rest of the first lesson was to work on developing a constant, predictable Release Motion that can go on automatic more and more. They learned how to generate and connect to the UpForce, and how the more UpForce they use, the higher the shot, the quicker the Release, and the more stabilized the shot. If you had time you looked at a Free Throw as a Jump Shot without the jump, still working on the same stuff.
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II. REVISIT THE SIMPLE LEARNING PROGRESSION
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Secondly, re-introduce them to the idea of the simple learning progression they did in session #1. This progression can't be done enough. It's the way every shooting session can begin. Great shooters do this. They don't just go to the 3-pt line and start firing away. The mastering of the simple, constant, relaxed, full-out Release is the most important Key! When it is automatic and trusted, shooting has to improve. It's the delivery system. It's where accuracy and repeatability happen. If the Release isn't controlled and repeatable, shooting will always be a guessing game.
Review what they learned in Lesson A.
1) Power comes from the lower/middle body
muscles -- shoot FROM that power source!
2) Develop a simple, repeatable, to-the-end-of-the-arm Release
action
3) Vary arch at the last instance to control distance
Acknowledging "Yes" or "No" with the Release is a way to increase awareness and let your coach or partner know you are awake and getting what's happening. It's all too easy to just say "Yes" and "Yes" over and over and not be present. It's the "being present" that leads to the learning.
They then put it all together.
--- A wall is a great place to observe yourself shoot (no judgment
of good/bad)
--- Then they went in pairs to a basket to learn and develop it
with a target
--- From there they moved back more and more and added complexity
and difficulty,
but now with a plan, and results were impressive!
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III. THE FREE THROW -- IT'S THE SAME STUFF!
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As I wrote in Plan A, Free Throws are like Jump Shots without the jump, and the only differences are that you don't jump off the ground (though you could), and this shot doesn't need a Set Point. The Set Point, a brief stopping point before the Release, is needed for Jump Shots because of all the body motion and chaos, moving left and right, up and down, turning, twisting, etc. The "setting" of the ball gives you a stable starting point for the shot.
With a free throw or set shot, the body is already stable so you don't have to stop at the Set Point. The ball can be brought up from below the chest (from the Triple Threat Position) up and through the Set Point area without stopping, thus it has one fewer variable. That's why the Free Throw can be, in a season, 95-98%, maybe even 100%. But Jump Shots will never be that high.
SET UP
As you coach this, stand at the free throw line and have them sit along the lanes on both sides. Point out that with a Free Throw, everything is constant so it's a really simple shot! Distance is constant, they're learning a constant Release, the leg drive or UpForce can become constant with practice, and the height can be approximately constant every time (though it can be varied, as necessary, to compensate for varying degrees of strength -- fatigue lowers it, adrenaline raises it, etc.). With this system, the Free Throw can become a "sure thing," rather than the guessing game it is for most players.
Ask them how far the Free Throw line is from the backboard (answer: 15 feet). Then ask them how far it is from the center of the basket (answer: 13'9"). It's a medium distance, not 8 or 10 feet, but also not 15, 17, 19 feet. It takes some power, but not your maximum.
When you just "DO" your constant UpForce, constant Release and constant (approx.) Height, the ball will always travel about the same distance. It can't NOT do that. It's a law of nature. It's like a formula: Constant U/F + Constant Release + Constant Height = 13'9". If the shot is straight on line, it will be a "Swish!" And the backboard is there to help if the shot bounces beyond the rim.
LEARN IT IN CLOSE
When I coach Free Throws, I feel it's important to learn the stroke from in close and then add distance and leg power. Start just beyond the Pure Release Distance, maybe 6 or 7 feet, so the player needs a little extra leg action. Call it a "Micro" Free Throw. The shot starts with a Down-Up leg action which triggers the motion. Keep working on and reporting on the Release, the Yes/No. When they're able to make the Micro Free Throws easily and consistently, then move back to 10-11 feet and do a "Mini" Free Throw. Then move all the way back for the full Free Throw. Leg Drive + Release + Constant Height = 13'9", dead center! Remember to let the Down-Up action trigger the shot. With this kind of progressive practice, the kids will come to realize the Free Throw can be a simple, automatic kind of motion. No big deal. Not something to worry about.
Also recommend to them that they start the Free Throw from a straight-legged stance and then flex the knees and go down and up in one motion. That is much more stable than a crouch position where there is only an "up" action. Also recommend a very simple Pre-Shot routine. Good shooters don't have to bounce the ball X times, spin it Y times and waste all that time. They just approach the line, get their stance oriented to the "painter's nail," the exact middle point of the line, take a breath to calm themselves, focus on the basket, do their normal, learned and trusted shot motion and let it fly. No wasted time or motion. It's an easy thing, no big deal!
Have them go to a basket with a coach or parent to rebound, if possible. Have them stand in a semi-circle, all the same distance from the basket (~6-7 feet to start). If there is not a rebounder, then have the kids take turns rebounding for a time and then rotating in. One shoots at a time (two shots to get a little rhythm) and they rotate shooting in a circular fashion. Start at the micro-free throw distance. After a few cycles of that, then move back 3-4 feet and do what we could call a "mini free throw." This requires a bigger UpForce (the "Down-Up" idea) with the same Release. They should start to be making a lot of these in a row. It's just that simple. Down-Up to trigger and power the shot, constant Release, approx. constant height, Swish!
Then move back to the full distance, with one person at the center of the free throw line and the others left and/or right, moving in more and more as you move off center so the distance stays the same, 13'9". With practice they will be able to drill shots over and over from each distance. The full Free Throw requires a strong surge of energy and 100% connection for the most power and stability.
If they have trouble at a certain distance, move back in closer and re-learn the motion. If they can't make 80-90% from a distance, there's no reason to move back further and complicate things.
With practice the Free Throw can become an automatic, sure thing! Even under pressure, you can learn to just "DO" your motion and the ball will sail pretty consistently on line with high arch to the basket. With everything constant, you can learn to trust yourself.
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IV. SHOOTING WITH MOVEMENT AND OFF THE DRIBBLE -- ADDING COMPLEXITY
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Keep it simple here. When you can shoot well in the stand-and-shoot or catch-and-shoot positions, then shooting with movement will also be do-able. The problem is that the extra motion and speed complicate things. And we get excited and make it worse.
When you know what makes for a great, consistent shot, you can apply the same things to shots off the move and with dribbling. Alignment is critical, the constant Release action is critical, and Follow Through becomes more important. Since shooting quickly on the way up is stabilizing, the use of the leg drive or UpForce is critical.
With shots of this kind, two simple coaching
instructions are powerful:
(1) Have a great Beginning, and
(2) Have a great Finish
The beginning ("Catching" the UpForce) is more important
than ever, obviously. And a great finish (the Release and Follow
Through) will get and keep the ball on track to the basket. They
will make up for the chaos going on, the movement left and right,
the turning, the unpredictable body motions.
CLOSE IN AND SLOWER
Set up your kids to practice shots off the dribble starting in close, inside the paint. Ask them to take one dribble to the right and shoot, then one dribble to the left. Ask them to stay just 6-8 feet from the basket at first and move back only when they feel comfortable with the closer shots and are making a lot of them. Demonstrate how they can dribble slowly to one side, stop and pivot, start the leg action while bringing the ball to the Set Point and getting it aligned with the eye and basket, and let it fly with a great Release and connected Follow Through.
A note about body orientation: For right handers, moving to the right requires that you pivot on the inside foot and step in (turn) to get your body aligned toward the basket. I advocate an "open" stance when shooting, but turning all that way takes time. Rather than worrying about your body position, turn as much as you can but make the alignment of the hand, eye and basket most important. When they are in alignment, then fire off your Release. The body may or may not be exactly open as with catch-and-shooto. You can't take the time to think about that and make it correct. Moving to the left for right handers is easier because you're already open. (Ditto but in reverse for left handers.)
SMALL AND SLOW MAKES IT EASIER
Remind them that if they can't make a good percentage from 6-8 feet away, moving back is not going to make it any easier. Encourage a high level of awareness at all times. Don't just throw it up there and hope. Feel and see what you're doing and learn from each shot. If you're out of control, slow it down until you're in control. Notice if you're firing off the Release the same each time. Is it a "Yes" Release, relaxed, full out, to the end-of-the-arm? Notice if you're catching a high percent of the UpForce or leg lift. With practice you'll be making most of these shots. Then, and only then, move back a bit and make it a little more difficult. Slowly increase speed and distance, but only when you are shooting well and consistently from the closer distance.
Then set up some picks and screens and work on catching the ball and shooting with and without faking and dribbling. There will be a tendency to start rushing shots now. Keep reminding them to keep it close in and slow for awhile, increasing distance and speed ONLY after the shooting is settling down and becoming successful and consistent at the closer-in distance. If the shorter distance isn't mastered to some level, the greater speed and distance will just lead to breakdown.
One other shot to practice is the inside, turn-around jumper you sometimes get from 5-8 feet, especially the 4 and 5 positions. For this shot, where you do need to elevate a little or a lot, hestitating before shooting makes sense and you'll use less than 100% of the UpForce. Practice shots like this and see what you learn, what works. Maybe only 10 or 20% is appropriate. Notice what happens if you shoot "at the top of the jump" and miss all of the upward energy. I think you'll feel how unstable the shot feels. You're in close so there is a large margin for error, so you can make them sometimes, but an earlier release will probably feel a lot more in control.
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V. THE 3-PT SHOT -- JUST A BIG JUMP SHOT!
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All the same principles apply to the 3-Pt shot, but even more so. You need a powerful leg drive or UpForce for these shots. You need a constant, predictable, to the end-of-the-arm Release action, on line to the tiny target, and you still vary the arch at the last instant to control distance.
With the 3-Pt shot, the same two suggestions as mentioned above with shots off movement apply: (1) Have a great beginning and (2) Have a great finish. Because this is the longest shot, you need all the power you can muster. You need to create a powerful surge of energy to drive and stabilize the shot, and you need to shoot from as close to 100% of the UpForce as you can. Then the challenge is direction.
The target is small and the slightest loss of direction can lead to a miss. The constant Release you are learning will serve you well. And the Follow Through needs to be especially focused. From a Set Point in line with eye and basket, fire off the Release and hold the Follow Through strongly connected to the target. You're varying arch, of course, to control distance, but it will probably be fairly flat as the distance is so great.
SET UP
Tell your kids that they can expect a breakdown when they first go to the 3-Pt line with this Method because it's such a long shot and target is relatively so small. It requires their strongest and best effort. Ask them to shoot and notice what happens. Do they revert to old habits to get the ball there? Probably. As they come to trust the new stroke more and more, the old habits will die away.
SHOOT AND THEN TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
After they've shot for a short time, call them together and ask them what happened. How many reverted to old habits? Tell them it's expected. Ask how many shot with 100% of the UpForce (or close to it). Could they see that they needed to release the shot quickly to shoot "from" the leg power? How many had a powerful Follow Through, totally connected to the basket?
Then ask them to shoot 3's again and be more attentive to their Follow Through action. (You will probably see better performance, more shots in or close than before.)
Later you can set up catch-and-shoot plays where they take turns receiving the ball from a teammate and then shoot the 3.
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VI. ANY SHOOTING DRILL CAN BE ENHANCED WITH AWARENESS
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Finally, a note about traditional shooting exercises. Once you know what you're doing, any shooting drill or exercise can be effective in your training. Learn to make it more about awareness than performance. If the exercise is to shoot a number of shots from different spots on the floor, just add the little instruction to observe yourself as you do it. Note how each spot offers a different challenge, maybe closer or farther away, at different angles to the basket. Is it easier to shoot from out front or from the baseline areas. Awareness leads to growth and development so keep returning to it. As a mentor of mine said, "It's okay to be bored with me using the word 'awareness' too much, but never be bored with awareness!"
As you shoot, practice your "stuff," the constant Release, shooting from a high percentage of leg drive or UpForce, varying arch, holding the Follow Through. You'll find your shooting is getting more and more effective and you're making more and more shots.
A simple game like "Knock Off" can be used in the same way. Instead of focusing so much on trying to make the shots and beat your opponent, have that as a goal but then, in the moment, observe yourself shoot. Are you catching the UpForce? Is your Release automatic, constant, full out? Did you trust yourself? Those kinds of questions and awarenesses will serve you better than just hurriedly shooting and hoping for success.
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Again, good luck with this. Let me know of your successes, both as players learning to coach themselves and as coaches working with kids. And keep reading my stuff:
· Articles
· Endorsements
· Newsletters
· Q&A's
· Testimonials
· The
"For Coaches" section
These writings will help make things clearer and clearer. If you don't have the video, please consider getting it. It will make this Method even more understandable and doable.
LET ME KNOW HOW THIS WORKS FOR YOU
I'm committed to training coaches to coach
shooting more effectively, both with my Method and in general
by knowing what to look for. If you use this, let me know what
the results are. How do the kids relate to it? Let me know what
it teaches you. Thanks.
Cheers and best (s)wishes,
Tom Nordland