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be in communication with me. Thanks. DEC. '99: http://www.swish22.com/Nltr_108.html ------------------------------------------------------------ I wrote here about examples of both shooting success and failure in NBA and college games. Sometimes the performances are incredible, and at other times they're very poor. Inconsistency appears to be the theme. I describe the general reasons I see for the variable results we see, and mostly the poor shooting, and offer a general idea of how my coaching is different and can help. ------------------------------------------------------------ Next I answer these five questions from visitors to my Website: Q: "What does it mean if a player's shot seems to frequently rim out? What adjustment should he make?" Q: "I fortunately had a high school coach who believed you should be 30-45 body degree angle rather than squaring up. However, I was always told to jump first then shoot the ball, and hence am very streaky with longer jump shots. How do you retrain to shoot first rather than jump?" Q: "Do you recommend bringing the ball into the shooting position first, then shooting? It seems it is ingrained in me to jump while I'm bringing the ball into the shooting position, thus releasing at the top or on the way down." Q: "Also, I noticed my left hand tends to be more on top of the ball rather than on the side. What do you recommend for left hand placement? Any suggestions on how to retrain the left hand?" Q: "When shooting the ball do you point the right toe at the hoop if you're a right handed shooter?" ------------------------------------------------------------ In this Item, I give the URL for viewing
the "Inside" story of any NBA team. The nba.com Website
is huge, offering any and all information you would ever want
to know about NBA teams and players. ------------------------------------------------------------ In this Item, I describe what I saw when I attended a Preview Night for the Rookie/Sophomore game at the 2000 All Star Game in Oakland, Calif. In this unique venue, I was able to see 16 rookies for the past two years warm up and shoot around. I talk about what I saw, and why I felt only 2 of the 16 were great shooters. I also comment on the Two-Ball shooting competition, which Natalie Williams and Jeff Hornacek won. Finally I describe what I saw in the shooters in the 3 Pt. Championship, won by Jeff Hornacek with Dirk Nowitzki second. ------------------------------------------------------------ I give my almost-monthly comment on the Shaq free throw saga. This was during a stretch when he got better for awhile, but then digressed again. ------------------------------------------------------------ This item is in response to G.Z. from Chicago
who purchased my video for his son. The boy is shooting better
now, but the Youth Coach who runs his team is very strict and
punishes ------------------------------------------------------------ Finally I print some of the recent Testimonials
I've gotten for the Swish vide ------------------------------------------------------------ Here I comment on my observation of some NCAA games during March Madness. What I noticed is that oftentimes an offensive spurt for a few minutes will produce a point gap that remains for the rest of the game. I reason that, because so few teams have great shooters, a 10-15 point deficit is very hard to overcome. I talk about how critical and valuable shooting is, and if a team can start to master that skill, they'll have a tremendous advantage. I give an example of how a great shooter for Wisconsin, Jon Bryant, affected a key game on a positive level with his shooting. I comment about the women's game and some of the players I've noticed. My favorite is Svetlana Abrosimova, from the Univ. of Connecticut. She is a terrific shooter, not to mention her whole game. I end by a recommendation for shooting more from the legs. ------------------------------------------------------------ In this Item, I talk to kids about what to watch for as they watch a basketball game. ------------------------------------------------------------ I print 8-9 more testimonials from recent
purchasers of my video. ------------------------------------------------------------ I open this issue with a suggestion as to how to watch TV basketball, and specifically the NBA Playoffs. I go through the teams still left in the draw and talk about most of the key players and what I see in their shooting ability. ------------------------------------------------------------
Next I congratulate the NCAA 3-Pt. Champions for both the women (Jenny Cafferty of Rice University) and for the men (Richie Frahm of Gonzaga University). I talk about Jenny winning the ensuing "Shootout of the Sexes" and a little as to why I feel she won. ------------------------------------------------------------ Then I give some Internet addresses for NBA Information and stats, plus a site that has all kinds of college basketball information. ------------------------------------------------------------ For the kids, this issue, I suggest they
watch the shooting in the NBA Playoffs and see if they can tell
which ones are good shooters and which are not. I suggest they
keep their eyes on the players after they shoot, and not be tempted
to follow the shot to see if it went in. That way they can possibly
"see"how the guys shot and be able to see differences.
------------------------------------------------------------ I start off this issue by talking about what I saw when I watched a video of the "Shootout of the Sexes" at the NCAA Final Four weekend. The prior month I had given the result, Jenny's win over Richie, but had not had a chance to actually view the competition (on video) until after the Newsletter was published. I give a brief analysis of most of the competitors' techniques. ------------------------------------------------------------
Next I talk about the shooting I see in the NBA Playoffs, mostly poor. A case in point is the L.A. Lakers scoring only 8 points in a quarter! Yes, I know defenses are tougher, but that is not the whole story. I talk about specific games. ------------------------------------------------------------ For the kids, I talk about how Awareness is the "key" to learning! I invite them to "just observe" themselves shoot. I give them five areas to look at, and how just that awareness will lead them to learning and improved shooting. ------------------------------------------------------------ Next I answer this question from a visitor to my site: Q. I've heard that Arch is very important
in shooting. How much Arch is needed and how does one get it? ------------------------------------------------------------ I start off this issue by talking about the NBA Draft that just happened and the first round pick of Mark "Mad Dog" Madsen of Stanford by the L.A. Lakers. I was honored to coach Mark after the college season ended and before he tried out for the Lakers and other teams. ------------------------------------------------------------
Then I talked about some clinics I gave this month in Seattle and Pennsylvania. The clinics in Seattle were for players for one of Washington state's most successful coaches, Ed Pepple. And in Pennsylvania I had an interesting experiment, coaching one team for 2 full days, like it was a summer camp for them. It was very successful. ------------------------------------------------------------ For the kids, I encouraged them to coach themselves ... with their opposite hands! I explain why it would be valuable to do that. Hopefully some of them gave it a try... ------------------------------------------------------------ Next I answer this question on shooting posed by a member of a Coaches' Discussion Group I belong to: QUESTION: The girls' teams at our school have a big problem with shooting from the outside. I don't ever expect us to be a great outside shooting team (we're much better at slashing to the basket), but I'm hopeful over the summer we can improve our shooting so it doesn't lead to our downfall. I have two questions: 1) Are there any good products (books,
videos, etc.) that really do work on improving shooting? I've always believed the ball should be
released from directly over the head or a little in front of
the head because that best matches up point of release to the
visual picture. My varsity coach believes that the ball should
be released from between the shoulder and head because if you
shoot from over your head the hands may get in the way of looking
at the target. Any suggestions or comments would be helpful
as our program has classified this as our number one off-season
goal. ------------------------------------------------------------ I open the July issue with a book report
on a wonderful book on the life of legendary coach Pete Newell.
Then I talk about clinics I gave this summer in Indianapolis, Dallas and the Twin Cities of Minnesota. I also describe a short, exhilarating session I had with seven members of the Martinsville High School girls' team in Indianapolis, state champs 2 of the previous 4 years. Their coach, Jan Conner, is the winningest active coach in Indiana history, with a then record of 425 wins, 66 losses. ------------------------------------------------------------ For the kids, I invite them again to observe how they shoot instead of trying to "fix" themselves all the time, or looking for someone else (like a coach) to fix them. I ask them to focus less on whether or not they made the shot and more on what they did that caused whatever happened. I encourage them that this "reflection" will help them learn. ------------------------------------------------------------ Next I give a comment from a parent and coach who sponsored me in Dallas for a couple of clinics. ------------------------------------------------------------ Finally for this month I answer a question
from a parent whose son uses a two-handed motion to shoot with.
I give the parent a way to approach this problem, or any problem
-- Awareness. First, does the child even "know" s/he
does it? If not, you know where to start. If she or he does,
you also know where to start. It's always with Awareness. ------------------------------------------------------------ First, this month, I talk about my experiences
coaching in off-moments at Pete Newell's Big Man Camp in Hawaii.
It was an extraordinary experience, to say the least. Then I gave a quick review of more of my summer shooting clinics. This year I did a lot of traveling, and it was both exhilarating and exhausting. I will do clinics on the road again this summer, though I will be doing more locally in the San Francisco Bay Area, too. ------------------------------------------------------------ For the kids, I talk about what they can expect as the new season starts. I talked to them about what I saw in the kids I coached this summer. Hopefully they've prepared well for the start up of practice and games. ------------------------------------------------------------ I then give an Internet address of a Website in Germany run by an American that contains a very extensive list of basketball movies and films. ------------------------------------------------------------ For the Q&A, I repeat one from June
of 1999 that I've had nice comments on. It has an interesting
way of looking at shooting, "Windshield or Sunroof?" ------------------------------------------------------------ I congratulate the American teams for winning the "Gold,"but I point out that, at least for the men, the road to gold was much tougher than it could have been. The reason was the shooting! "It's the Shooting!" I talk about how Lithuania and France gave our "Dream Team" more trouble than was expected because they were good shooting teams. The women's team had an easier time of it because they were more physically dominating, but the shooting was still suspect. ------------------------------------------------------------ In this Item, I re-state my comments from
my opening Newsletter in May of '99, Issue #1, about the shooting
problems that exists in the game of basketball in this country,
their genesis and what can be done. Here I talk to coaches and parents about some of the things they can do to improve shooting in their kids. The suggestions include: I encourage them to explore the answers and they'll find they -- and the kids -- know more naturally than they think. Follow those instincts, not always what coaches tell you about shooting. I invite them to join me in the Revolution. ------------------------------------------------------------ For the kids, I repeat what I said a year ago as to what they're surely wondering as a new season starts. I invite them to enjoy themselves and "go for it!" I encourage them to honor their opponents,
as well as themselves and their teammates, and I include a description
of what I heard the New Zealand team did for the Americans after
they had lost to them by a ton at the Olympics: They honored
them with a dance!!! ------------------------------------------------------------ I open this Newsletter with the Purpose
of it, as usual, but this time I add my "Vision" for
my coaching. I feel driven to help change the way shooting is
taught in this country, and I invite my readers to join me.
I talk about the excitement of a new basketball
season, and how players and coaches have worked hard for this
moment. I mention how I'm looking forward to the NBA season,
too, despite not liking the way the game is played in the NBA. I answer the following question from a purchaser of my video this month: Q. How can I coach my players on shooting better on the move? ------------------------------------------------------------ For the kids I encourage them to love the game. I remind them that a lot of it is their Attitude. If given lemons, make lemonade. I tell them that, though they may not have any control over circumstances, they do have control over their reaction to those circumstances. I invite them to appreciate themselves and this game. ------------------------------------------------------------ I then show readers how they can get the stats on any and every NBA game played this season, and usually as soon as 1-2 hours after the game is over. nba.com is even trying to show Shot Charts for every team and every player, if you can believe that. I comment on some of the opening shooting percentages. ------------------------------------------------------------ Then I tell of a change I've made for my
video marketing. I now offer a "90 day Money Back Guarantee
that it will show you how to Learn and Coach Great Shooting or
your money back!" I can make that promise because I'm so
sure this video is what you've been looking for. ------------------------------------------------------------ This month I focused on the question of
whether or not a shot motion is "repeatable." I feel
this is what differentiates the great shooters from the wannabe's,
from the streaky shooters that inhabit the game everywhere. I then give a look at some stats for some NBA and college games, a look at the great shooting Dallas Mavericks team in their game against the Golden State Warriors, a look at NY Knicks Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell as shooters, and at a college game that demonstrated terrible shooting down the stretch. ------------------------------------------------------------ Next I talk about something a video purchaser wrote me about, the limitation of his self image and how his new shooting confidence broke through to a new level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the kids I write about the joy of sports and basketball. I mention my witnessing a little girl of 7 or 8 and her experience getting a ball to shoot during the crazy ritual of kids shooting during half time of a high school game. It's a beautiful kind of "democracy." ------------------------------------------------------------ I then include a testimonial from a recent convert to the Swish Method. You can tell he knows something about the game from his description of how he plays. ------------------------------------------------------------ Next I invite you, the readers, to visit (or re-visit) my re-designed Website at http://www.swish22.com. I also re-state my intention to shift the way shooting is taught in this country, and invite the reader to join me. ------------------------------------------------------------ --- End of Review Items --- I am now developing a training package for colleges and pro teams that I feel can improve their team shooting percentages for jump shots and free throws up to 25-50% in a couple weeks. It is based on a "Coach It Yourself" approach for colleges where, due to NCAA rules, I cannot personally interact with players. After or before the season, as with professional teams, my coaching would both be hands-on and via the coaching staff. I got this idea from observing the highly rated Stanford University team practice this fall. Even though they were rated #3 in the country at the time (now #2), I felt their "team" shooting could be greatly improved. My package consists of three visits about a week apart, during which time I observe the team practice, supervise videos taken of the players and train coaches to coach my Method. From the observation, I give the coaching staff a specific analysis of what each player needs to develop to become a better shooter. The answers I give are always very simple and natural, so this can be done during a season. By training a couple of the coaches from the staff, both in how to shoot with my method and how to coach it, they become able to execute the plan with each player. The second and third visits are to re-train and reinforce the learning that will be going on. There will be before and after testing of shooting percentages. Between visits I'll be available by phone, email and Internet to answer questions, comment on videos of progress, and generally keep the coaching staff in tune with the training. By the end of the training, each player will know what she or he needs to practice and master to become a great shooter. Those who apply the simple coaching that's offered will already be shooting better and better, and a few will lead the way with dramatic changes in their shooting success. The few great shooters on your team will know better how they do it and serve as models for the others. A huge side benefit is that, when the training is over, you will have coaches on staff who understand and can perform and coach great shooting! If this package interests you, please call me (1-888/SWISH-22) or email me (Tom@swish22.com). I can send or fax you more specific information. Don't wait until the end of the season to do this! Improved shooting can happen very quickly and make a difference in the number of games you win this season. Close games are won or lost at the free throw line, and my coaching will show the players and staff how to make this shot a repeatable "sure" thing, not a guess. ------------------------------------------------------------ I invite you to bookmark my Website (http://www.swish22.com) so you can return there easily to catch my latest comments on shooting. You can read about my video there (including endorsements, testimonials, reviews and an Overview of the video), my coaching, and the many articles on shooting I've written. You can see archived back issues of this Newsletter and, of course, subscribe, if you're not already getting this on a regular basis. Please tell others about my site and my
video. Send them the URL (http://www.swish22.com) and let them
know there's hope for better shooting. (More than "hope,"
it's a proven Method.) See my Website for news about Clinics, Camps and Private Sessions. Here's a direct link to that respective page: http://www.swish22.com/clinicsetc.html ------------------------------------------------------------ To SUBSCRIBE to this Newsletter: To UNSUBSCRIBE from this Newsletter: ------------------------------------------------------------ |