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THE "SWISH RELEASE" SHOOTING NEWSLETTER - AUGUST
2006
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By Tom Nordland, Shooting Coach
Volume 8, Issue Number 8, August 2006
Editor: Tom Nordland
E-mail Tom
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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Welcome from the Coach
2. Purpose of this Newsletter
3. WNBA Championship Series
4. Our National Team Takes Third in the World!
5. Whose "Fundamentals" Are They Anyway?
6. Tom Will Lead Breakout Sessions at Ventura (CA) Coaches Clinic
7. KIDS' KORNER
8. Please Bookmark this Website
9. Shooting Clinics / Private Coaching
10. How to Subscribe / Unsubscribe
11. Contact Information
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1. Welcome from the Coach
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Welcome to my free Monthly Basketball Shooting Newsletter. Each
month I write about the skill of shooting in the game today and
how it can be more effectively learned and coached. If you like
what I'm saying, please tell others about it and suggest they
subscribe, too. Remember: Great Shooting CAN be taught!
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2. Purpose of this Newsletter
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This newsletter is a vehicle for communicating what I know about
shooting and for a conversation on how shooting can be improved.
With your help, I intend to shift the game and help players and
coaches everywhere re-discover the Lost Art of Shooting. Thank
you for reading this and subscribing to it and sharing it with
your friends.
-- Tom Nordland
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3. WNBA Championship Series
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There's some great basketball going on
in the WNBA finals. I went up to Sacramento yesterday to see
Game 3 of the Detroit Shock vs. the Sacramento Monarchs series,
which the Monarchs won and now lead 2 games to 1. A similar game
this Wednesday (Sept. 6) and they'll repeat as the Champions.
Like Game 1, it became an easy blow-out for the Monarchs. At
home they've been just about invincible, as this game showed.
The raucous crowd surely must have helped a bit.
(An aside: while watching a Shock player
shoot free throws and seeing the big scene of the home crowd
making all kinds of noise and whacking their whackers [that had
come floating down from the rafters at each end before the half
when the visiting team was to shoot at that end], I remembered
a very funny line from a golf pro friend of mine named John.
He said, "Every putt makes somebody happy!" It applies
here, too: Every free throw makes somebody happy!" In this
case, when a Shock player missed a free throw, it made the crowd
VERY happy and they cheered like crazy! It must be at least a
little disconcerting to a player to have the crowd go wild when
you fail. Conversely, when the shot dropped, there was almost
pin-drop silence. The morale of the story is it's best to develop
a really reliable free throw motion so you can quiet the crowd
with each free throw, not energize it.)
The Monarchs' depth was evident in that
eight players scored 7 or more points. After leading by 11 after
the first half, the Monarchs posted 28 points in the third quarter
to go up by 22 and the game was over. Shooting-wise, the Monarchs
had balanced shooting, some outside shots, some mid-range shots,
good inside scoring. The shot of the day was from Erin Buescher,
not noted for her outside shooting, who found herself 18-20 feet
away at the 45 degree angle, left side, and the clock running
down. After trying desperately to find a shooter to pass to,
she wheeled and while moving sideways to the basket tossed up
a prayer ... that got answered. It was a perfect swish. She and
the crowd went wild.
The Shock didn't ever get on track, except
for the amazing Deanna Nolan. She scored 22 points, often scoring
at will (9 for 17) and making 4 of 5 free throws. Katie Smith
had only 9 points on 3 for 5 field goals (0 for 2 three-pointers)
and 3 for 5 free throws. Ford was held to just 11 points and
Riley to 2 and Cash 8.
After the game Bill Laimbeer criticized
his team and the officials, of course.
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4. Our National Team Takes Third in the World!
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For most countries in the world, that would
be a huge, positive headline. It would be a very popular thing.
In this country, the home of basketball, it's a humbling statement.
We're supposed to beat the rest of the world with our great athletes
and coaching. Professional basketball players are the greatest
athletes in the world. The men probably average 6'8" and
240 pounds. They can run like the wind, leap tall buildings with
a single bound, etc., etc. -- you know the litany. But can they
shoot? Can they defend the Pick & Roll?
I saw a couple of the games and saw what
I always see in the arena of shooting. The players on the team
are doing what they've been taught by coaches from a young age
on ... to flip their wrists, shooting at the top of the jump,
maybe even reaching in the cookie jar. They're also squaring
up, especially at the free throw line.
Of those techniques, flipping the wrist
is probably the biggest problem. Did you notice LeBron James
trying to make outside shots and flipping his wrist and sometimes
"short-arming?" He was trying to figure out how many
of his amazing muscles to use. At times he can do it, but it's
hard to do consistently and he didn't shoot well in this series.
Flipping the ball from 3-point land, especially, is a huge guess.
And, of course, when you start to miss, your mind goes crazy
and makes it worse.
A PUSHING ACTION IS MORE RELIABLE
From my own experience and my research, I feel a pushing motion
with relaxed wrist and hand is the most predictable and dependable.
If done at the same speed every time, then it becomes repeatable,
and then you just vary the arch to control the distance. As I've
said over and over, this is how Chris Mullin shot, and Jeff Hornacek,
and Steve Kerr. The few great shooters do/did this. Diana Taurasi,
my vote for the best shooter in WNBA history, shoots this way
now. If you get to see a slow-motion replay of her shooting,
you'll see her hand bounce in the Follow Through, which means
the wrist is relaxed. If it were tight, the hand would be stiff
and tight, it would not bounce.
Carmelo Anthony was the best shooter on
the USA Team. He saved the game against Italy. If he hadn't made
29 points in the second half, we would have lost that game, too.
But he couldn't save us against Greece. He's flipping his wrist,
too. But probably not as much as LeBron, and his high level of
concentration and confidence make him one of the few "good,
sometimes great" shooters.
THE THREE'S!
It's pretty inept to shoot 10 for 40 three-point shots, as they
did vs. Germany. And 9 for 28 vs. Greece in the loss. It's the
same thing, the wristy, flipping release motions. And this is
from the international 3-pt line, ~20' 3 1/2". This is more
than 3 feet closer than the NBA 3-pt arch, 23' 9".
15 FOR 30 FREE THROWS ... WITHOUT SHAQ!
And the Free Throws! How can players, who have played as much
basketball with as much athletic talent as they have, shoot 15
for 30, as they did against Argentina? How about 20 for 34 against
Greece, missing 14 free throws and they lose by six points? And
Shaq and Ben are not even on the team!
It's because of the wrist flipping stuff,
in my opinion. The muscles of the wrist, hand and fingers are
small muscles, what are called "fast twitch" muscles.
They're not so reliable under pressure. A consistent push-and-flop
motion, like I teach it, would serve all these guys well, be
it for a jump shot or a free throw.
I'm not talking about the elevating, top-of-the-jump,
fading this way or that way, kind of shot that these guys can
pull off -- some of the time. With those shots you have to use
your wrist and hand because there's little, if any, leg power
left to power the shot. And it takes a super athlete of the Kobe
Bryant or Tracy McGrady type to pull that shot off consistently
(and they're still prone to periods of poor performance because
it's so difficult). I mean, rather, the open outside jumper or
set shot and the free throw that we mortals need to perfect.
We need a different way to coach shooting!
My Swish Method is available to help all of these great players
shoot better. It can't help with defending the Pick & Roll.
I'll leave that to other coaches, but shooting, that's a subject
I know.
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5. Whose "Fundamentals" Are They Anyway?
(A New Look at the Fundamentals of Shooting)
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(Reprinted from April '05 Newsletter)
What are the so-called "Fundamentals"
of shooting? This reflection was triggered in 2005 by viewing
some of my collection of shooting videos, DVD's and CD's, including
some new ones I recently got. (I thought to update it as of a
year+ later, with some new insights.)
Though there is some consistency of thought,
I find a lot of differences, too. And some of the things that
many of these people agree on are totally contrary to what I've
discovered in my own exploration of shooting. (If you've read
my stuff for awhile, you know what I'm talking about.)
That the Fundamentals can be viewed so
differently by different people shows how mixed up things are.
Since shooting is at such a low ebb, I think we have to look
at everything we considered sacred and be open to different points
of view.
DEFINITION
The Dictionary defines the word "Fundamental" to mean:
"... of or forming a foundation, a basis; basic; essential;
a principle theory, a law." So it means things that are
essential, things that form a foundation, in this case for putting
a basketball into a basket. It's the things that need to be understood
and learned in order for a skill like shooting to have a strong
foundation for success.
The general areas of the Fundamentals I
see are:
o GRIP -- your physical connection with the ball
o STANCE & POWER -- how you position your feet and body and
how you generate power
o VISION -- how you see and relate visually to the target
o SETTING THE BALL, THE SET POINT -- how the ball is brought
to the Set Point, and the alignment and positioning of the arm,
hand and ball before the final releasing action
o THE RELEASE, ARCH AND SPIN -- how the ball gets to the basket
o THE FOLLOW THROUGH -- how the shot can finish for a powerful
connection to the target
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
Here's a quick summary of the Fundamentals as described by other
players and coaches.
o GRIP:
... Some say the ball should be held by the finger pads of the
strong hand only, not touching the palm at all.
... Some say the ball is held by the fingers and rests on the
upper part of the palm.
... All agree the ball should on the finger pads, not the finger
tips, and not be touching the base of the palm -- that there
should be a "gap" there.
... Some say the first finger should be in line with the valve
stem, other say to straddle the valve with the first and second
fingers.
... Some say the middle finger should be the last one to touch
the ball as it leaves the hand
... Some say both of the first two fingers are last to touch
the ball
... Some say it's the first finger alone
... Basically everyone these days says the weak hand should be
on the side of the ball, though one fine NBA player actually
has it almost on the top of the ball. It's how his dad taught
him, he says.
o STANCE & POWER:
... Most say you should "Square Up," meaning the feet
are pointing at the target (either parallel to each other or
with the weak foot staggered back, the weak foot can turn, some
say) and the shoulders should square to a line to the basket.
... I've even seen some great NBA shooters say, in their videos,
to "Square Up," but in actuality they don't when they,
themselves, shoot. It's such a "given," everyone seems
to think they have to say it. Often on TV, I'll see a shot made
by a player stepping into an open stance and the commentator
says "He squared up that time!" I guess just because
it went in they think the stance "must" have been squared
up.
... Many say that the shot should be taken at the "Top of
the Jump," though some say you should shoot "On the
Way Up."
... One of the best 3-pt shooters of all time has a video out
now that stresses squaring up and the B-E-E-F Method, though
I don't think that's how he shot when he played. By stressing
the elbow part of that (elbow under the ball), his stroke finishes
with his hand moving abruptly to the side, which is not an effective
finish to a shot. Though I couldn't see the spin his shots had
in the video, I'll bet he's now getting side spin because of
that outward motion.
o VISION:
There's a lot of variety here.
... Some say look at the back rim, some the front rim.
... A few say to focus on one of the hooks that hold the net.
... Some say focus on the whole rim, some say focus on the "middle"
of the basket, one said focus "over the front rim."
... Most say to keep your focus on the basket when you shoot,
though at least one suggests you watch the ball as it leaves
the hand and flies to the basket.
o SETTING THE BALL, THE SET POINT:
There isn't much talk about setting of the ball, the movement
of the ball from where you start or catch it up to the Set Point.
... A couple said to bring it up in a straight line with the
forearm vertical, called the "shot line" by one.
... As to the Set Point, most people stress that it should be
above the eyes and they then talk about the elbow and the angle
of the arm, etc. This neglects all the kids under about 14-15
who are not strong enough to have a Set Point above the eyes.
... Also, many are obsessed with the elbow, saying it should
be "under the ball," or "directly under the ball,"
or "tucked in."
... A major new DVD on shooting by a top NBA player says, in
the little booklet that accompanies it, to "Keep your elbow
in," but the demonstrators in the video, both NBA stars,
do NOT tuck it in. Their elbows are out to the side about 7-10
inches.
... Several said the elbow should be pointing at the target.
... Most make a point of saying the elbow shouldn't be out too
far (the "chicken wing"), so their answer is to tuck
it in.
... Some opinions talk of the elbow having to be at a 90 degree
angle, and some include the arm, wrist and hand needing to form
a "Reverse C," with the hand facing straight upward.
... Several stress that everything needs to be "aligned,"
hand, ball, elbow and target. The eye isn't always part of that
alignment, however, so some think it's good to shoot in line
with the shoulder so that the elbow can, more easily, be under
the ball.
... Most who stress the elbow has to be under the ball have the
ball in line with the ear or further to the side for that to
be possible. I was even told years ago in person by one of the
country's top college coaches that he wanted his players to have
their "Strong arm over the strong elbow over the strong
knee over the strong foot" before they go to shoot. Perhaps
you've heard that instruction. It isn't mentioned much any more.
o THE RELEASE, ARCH AND SPIN:
... Flipping the wrist (or snapping it) seems to be the most
prevalent action for this.
... One video says to have a relaxed wrist and hand, and suggests
a way to learn this is to "wave" at the basket after
the shot. In the example, a player snaps his wrist and then,
after the ball leaves his hand, he waves at the basket.
... Many say the arm should be straightened (elbow lifted) with
the elbow locking, so apparently you're supposed to do both:
straighten the arm AND flip the wrist.
... Some say the arm is aimed upward, at a very high angle.
... Few, if any, suggest a pushing action of the arm (as I do).
Most think that's a fault.
... The trajectory of the ball to the basket (and a discussion
of arch and how one might control distance and direction) is
rarely mentioned.
... Everyone sees backspin as the best spin, though there are
different ways given to generate spin.
... Some specify that the first two fingers should control the
flight of the ball.
... Some say you should drive down hard with the hand and fingers
to create backspin.
... Others say the snapping of the wrist creates the desired
backspin.
... Very common is the idea of "Reaching your hand in the
Cookie Jar" after the release.
o THE FOLLOW THROUGH:
... Everyone says to follow through to finish the shot.
... Some say to hold the Follow Through until the ball reaches
the target.
----------------------------------------
With all these different suggestions, how is one to find the
truth? From the state of shooting in the game today in the U.S.,
obviously not many players have been able to find it. International
players seem to have figured out things better than our players
have. Or maybe it's just that we see the "cream of the crop"
from Europe, South America, China, etc. My feeling is that the
international players put more emphasis on shooting and spend
more time at it. Thus more of them find an effective way to shoot
on their own, and they're the ones we see over here. If you look
at them, most have open stances, shoot on the way up and release
the ball with a relaxed wrist and hand. Most are not doing it
the way the Fundamentals are described above.
A SIMPLE WAY TO LOOK AT THE FUNDAMENTALS
How simple can the Fundamentals be? One of the cornerstones of
my coaching is to make and keep things "simple." Getting
too technical or complicated will interfere with one's natural
exploration and discovery, so I strive always to simplify. Rather
than go through and comment on each the Fundamentals as described
by other people and then give my, often, "different"
takes on them, I'm going to just describe and define how I see
the Fundamentals can be approached and invite everyone to examine,
through practical experience, what works for them.
So what's "Essential" in the
act of shooting a basketball? I can think of these things:
o That you feel "connected" to
the ball and the target before and while you shoot -- with the
ball, that's done by feel; with basket, it's done by vision.
o That power is generated quickly, efficiently and strongly by
the big muscles of the body
o That you have a way of seeing the basket that increases your
chances of making the shot
o That you have a setting of the ball up to the Set Point and
a Release and Follow Through that are aligned with the target
as long as possible
o That the Release delivers the ball up and into the basket with
Accuracy, Consistency and Repeatability
o That your Follow Through completes the connection to the target
o That there is a "flow" of energy you catch and ride
to the basket
o That you maximize the use of big muscles and minimize the use
of smaller muscles
----------------------------------------
MY FUNDAMENTALS OF SHOOTING
o GRIP:
I suggest the ball be held in the entire strong hand with a wide
grip but without strain, and then add a little pressure in the
finger pads (where the finger prints are) and see the ball rise
up slightly more into the fingers. That gives more tactile control,
and the little gap at the base of the palm will now occur. The
ball is still touching the upper part of the palm. The hand is
basically relaxed, except for that little pressure. Don't worry
which finger touches the ball last as the ball leaves the hand.
Your hand will figure that out. I don't even know, for my stroke,
and I DON'T WANT TO KNOW! If I knew, then I'd try hard to repeat
it and do it "right," and I could get all messed up.
All I know is that the ball flies consistently "true"
from my hand with the simple action I use.
The Guide Hand can either be on the side
or more under and to the side. There is one advantage to the
latter grip. The more "under" the Guide Hand is, the
more it can do the lifting to the Set Point and simplify the
hand-off to the Strong hand before shooting. A weak hand grip
more under the ball also discourages a two-handed motion, the
extra use of the off hand thumb.
o STANCE AND POWER:
I recommend an Open Stance because we're after a one-handed motion,
not two. The front foot is turned a little toward the weak side
and the weak foot is back and open more, like a boxer would stand
to throw jabs, someone suggested. Do you ever see boxers square
up to their opponents? There's more power in rotating the upper
body as you throw a punch or go to shoot.
When using one arm to shoot, it's more
natural to turn the shoulders and body (up to as much as 45 degrees)
to help extend the shooting arm toward the basket. Alignment
of the ball with eye and basket is also easier with this stance.
Squaring up is entirely appropriate for two handed shots, but
no one takes them anymore.
Stand open (as with a free throw) or step
in to open your stance (for a jump shot or set shot), instead
of stepping in square or jump-stopping square. Feet are roughly
shoulder-width apart for balance. For maximum power, shoot on
the way up as quickly as you can for most shots. You want to
catch "100%" of the leg drive energy for the quickest
Release, the most power, the highest arch, and the greatest stability.
If you have to elevate, then you can hesitate before shooting,
but realize it makes the shot more difficult because it requires
that the smaller, less-reliable upper body muscles do the work,
adding variables and flattening the arch.
o VISION:
The main thing here is that you "connect" visually
with the target and know where it is in space. I suggest "soft"
vision, without any particular point of focus. If you stare at
the front or back rims, they're not the best targets because
you don't want to hit them. Just really "see" where
the basket is and your body will know what to do. With my Method,
you can learn to shoot well, even fairly well with the eyes closed,
once you know where the basket is.
o SETTING OF THE BALL, THE SET POINT:
As you bring the ball up to the Set Point, be aware of alignment
of the hand & ball with the shooting eye and basket. Have
them aligned for as long as possible. If you catch the ball high,
do at least a small "dipping" of the ball in order
to start alignment. If you catch the ball in the shooting pocket
(Set Point) and then shoot from there, it's much harder to get
accuracy. If the ball is in line the eye and basket and moving
before the Release happens, accuracy will improve. It's the old
"An object in motion and in line tends to stay in motion
and in line until affected by an outside force," Newton's
First Law of Motion. As I say in Swish 2, "It's a lot easier
to KEEP something on line than to GET it on line!"
The Set Point needs to be at a height that
is age-and-strength appropriate. Younger kids have to have it
below the eyes (looking over the ball) until they reach a certain
age and strength where they can raise it above the eyes without
having to strain. Very strong players can raise it even higher.
For Accuracy, make sure the hand is turned
facing in line with the target as much as possible. If you don't,
the hand will have to turn during the Release, thus causing sidespin
and adding variables.
If the Set Point is above the eyes, keep
the back of the ball generally in line with the front of the
head. This out-front position encourages an upward push and allows
for a quicker setting and Release and thus more power. If you
take it overhead, you encourage a flipping or throwing motion,
complicated motions that are difficult to control under pressure,
plus it also takes time and you may miss the leg energy. Cock
the wrist and hand back no more than about 60-75 degrees past
vertical so there is no need to flip the wrist in the Release.
Forget the elbow! LET IT BE! If the center
of your hand is lined up with the eye and target, the elbow will
naturally be out ~5-8 inches or more, depending on how long your
arm is. That's because of how we're built, with the arm coming
out of our shoulder, which is a foot or more to the side from
the strong eye. Obsession with the elbow has affected a lot of
players negatively, in my opinion. The ball is in the hand. Where
the hand points and how it is extended toward the basket is what
matters, not the elbow!
Some say the elbow should be in a 90 degree
position, the "L" position, as it's called. Please
realize that that's true only if your Set Point is just above
the eye. For younger kids, who must have a Set Point below the
eyes so they have enough arm power, it's a "V," not
an "L." And for stronger players who raise the ball
above their heads, the arm angle is 120 degrees or more, not
an "L." If you try to force an "L" position
of the arm when it's not appropriate, you'll have trouble shooting.
This is another example of a so-called rule or formula (a "Fundamental,"
perhaps) that doesn't always work, and to make it a major thing
for shooting does a disservice.
o THE RELEASE, ARCH AND SPIN:
I recommend the Release be an upward, automatic, elbow-locking
pushing action, driven by the leg power. A push is much more
dependable and predictable than a flip or throw. The wrist and
hand can be basically relaxed, with only the job of keeping the
ball on line with wherever the arm points. Arch happens automatically
when you connect to the leg power early in the motion. The Release
is the "Delivery System," what gets and keeps the ball
exactly on line and determines the angle of release. Distance
is controlled by varying the arch, rather than varying the release
or the timing. Spin will be consistent, medium backspin when
you push at the same speed and force every time. The Release
is an accelerating motion, up to about 70% of the maximum possible
for you.
o FOLLOW THROUGH:
The Follow Through motion is important to "complete"
the action of your shot. The hand will simply hang down straight
forward if wrist and hand are relaxed. Hold the Follow Through
for an extra 1/2 to one second to complete the connection to
the target.
----------------------------------------
THE SHORT FORM -- here is a more condensed version of the above:
o GRIP:
Ball is held in the strong hand with a wide grip without strain.
A little pressure in the finger pads raises the ball up slightly
more into the fingers. The Guide Hand can either be on the side
or more under and to the side.
o STANCE AND POWER:
Have an Open Stance with the front foot turned a little toward
the weak side and the weak foot back and open more, open as much
as 45 degrees. Feet are roughly shoulder-width apart for balance.
The legs drive the shot, and for maximum power, shoot on the
way up as quickly as you can for most shots.
o VISION:
Have "soft" vision of the basket, without any particular
point of focus.
o SETTING OF THE BALL, THE SET POINT:
As you set the ball, align it with the shooting eye and basket
as long as possible. This alignment is critical for accuracy.
If you catch the ball high, it helps to "dip" the ball
for alignment. If you don't have time to dip the ball, it might
be better NOT to shoot.
The Set Point needs to be below the eyes
for younger players, above the eyes for stronger players. Very
strong players can raise it even higher. Make sure the hand is
turned facing in line with the target as much as possible. If
the Set Point is above the eyes, keep the back of the ball generally
in line with the front of the head.
o THE RELEASE, ARCH AND SPIN:
Make the Release be an upward, automatic, elbow-locking pushing
action, driven by the leg power. The wrist and hand can be basically
relaxed, with only the job of keeping the ball on line. Arch
happens automatically when you connect to the leg power early
in the motion. The Release is the "Delivery System,"
what gets and keeps the ball exactly on line and determines the
angle of release. You control distance by varying the arch. Spin
will be consistent, medium backspin when you push at the same
speed and force every time, an accelerating motion up to about
70% of the maximum possible for you.
o FOLLOW THROUGH:
Hold the Follow Through for an extra 1/2 to one second to complete
the connection to the target.
----------------------------------
These, then, are the fundamentals I see. I encourage you now
to go to a court and explore them, play with them. Don't just
believe me or someone else. Take these suggestions and find your
own variations of them. Challenge them. See what works for you.
What I offer is so simple and universal most people will develop
a stroke that looks very similar. Watch the Flash
clips on my website: the "bonus" clips on my Swish
DVD and first 2 1/2 minutes from Swish 2. You'll see how ~20
different players look basically alike when they shoot.
-- Tom Nordland
May 6, 2005
Revised Sept. 4, 2006
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6. Tom Will Lead Breakout Sessions at Ventura (CA) Coaches Clinic
------------------------------------------------------------
This coming weekend, on Sept. 8-10, 2006,
there will be the annual "We Play Hard" Coaches Clinic
at Ventura College in Ventura, California. Coach Ned Mircetic,
head women's coach at the college, is organizing it. On Saturday,
the 9th, Tom will lead two "active participation" breakout
sessions for coaches on his "Swish Method" approach
to coaching shooting.
Featured speakers are Bob Kloppenburg,
long-time NBA Assistant with the Seattle Supersonics, a Defensive
Specialist, now retired, George Karl, head coach of the Denver
Nuggets, Stan Van Gundy, former head coach of the Miami Heat,
Van Chancellor, head coach of the WNBA Houston Comets, and Steve
Hawkins, head coach of Western Michigan University. Stan, Steve
and Tom will be leading the breakout sessions.
For more information, visit this website:
Ventura
Clinic
You can also contact Coach Ned Mircetic at (805) 654-6400 x3245,
or by Coach's email.
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7. KIDS' KORNER
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MASTER THE RELEASE WHEN YOU PRACTICE!
I often walk down the street to practice
shooting at a friend's house who has a basket on his garage facing
the street. The driveway is sloped down and out, starting with
the rim about 9 feet high under the basket and increasing to
11', 12' and more as you head toward the street I shoot mostly
in close, up to 10-12 away because of that.
I'm constantly working on my Release. Even
though I have it mastered, I still return to it when I'm shooting.
I'm not really "working" on it, but rather I have fun
with it and enjoy seeing perfection (or close to it) come from
my shot motion.
What I've come to realize is that this
is the best shooting practice, working on mastering the simple
Release motion. The Release is the "Delivery System."
It's what puts the ball into the basket. It's what controls direction
(accuracy) and distance. If it's not completely learned and trustworthy,
your shooting is always suspect. That's why you see such mediocre
shooting these days at all levels, the release motions are not
predictable, reliable, repeatable.
FIND YOUR DISTANCE!
The key thing in learning and beginning to master your Release
is to find that one distance for you, where, with minimal leg
action (and always the same), you can put the ball into the exact
center of the basket with medium high arch all day long, perfect
swishes! Of course there will be some variation, but most will
be swishes and many will be dead center. When you're really "on,"
you'll be swishing 5, 10, 20 in a row anytime you wish.
I recommend an open stance. I also advocate
having the ball in line with your shooting eye, not the ear or
shoulder, as some players do it. And I advocate that the Release
be an upward pushing action at the same speed and force every
time, with relaxed wrist and hand. This is really easy stuff
to learn. If it's not "easy," you're probably doing
something ineffective.
Align the ball with your shooting eye as
you bring the ball to your Set Point (below the eyes for younger
players, above the eyes for stronger players), then with a tiny
leg action, maybe just a rocking motion or up on the toes, fire
off a medium-high Release. Your hand will bounce a little or
a lot when the wrist and hand are truly relaxed. (Very young
kids can use a little down-up leg action so they have enough
power to get the ball up to a couple feet above the rim and more
from that close-in distance. Just make it the same leg action
every time.)
MOVE UP AND BACK TO FIND THE DISTANCE
Then just move forward or back until you find that perfect distance
for a constant Release and a consistent, medium-high shot to
dead center. One of the feelings I suggest you seek is that the
shot "can't go any further or lesser." It will just
come down into the center of the basket.
When you find that special distance for
you, with practice you'll find you can make shot after shot after
shot, sort of effortlessly. You can close your eyes and do it
just about as well. A great exercise is to teach yourself to
shoot with your opposite hand and do the same exercise. You'll
probably find your "off" hand is weaker and you have
to come closer by a few inches or a foot or more.
This is joyful stuff. Swishing shot after
shot on command shows you how awesome your physical body is.
Keeping it all simple is important. Shooting CAN be very simple,
the basic stuff, that is. Flying, leaping, moving shots are more
complicated, and take more coordination and practice. But to
just stand there 4', 5', 8' away and just drill shot after shot
after shot is relatively easy. Add some leg power and there's
a medium-range jumper or free throw. Add a lot of leg power and
there's the 3-point shot.
WHEN YOU HAVE A RELEASE...
When you have a Release you can count on that is pretty much
on-line every time and which controls distance by simply varying
the arch, then you've got something. Then, as you move around
the court, you simply add leg power, align the ball with the
eye as long as you can as you bring it up to the Set Point (or
dip it, if you catch it high), and fire off the Release, varying
the arch at the last instant. Swish!!!
The Release is the Delivery System. It
puts the ball into the basket. The job of the wrist and hand
is simply to cradle the ball and keep it on line with the action
of the shooting arm. And remember that the legs power and stabilize
the whole thing. Great shooting to you!
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8. Please Bookmark this Website
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I invite you to bookmark my Swish
Website (http://www.swish22.com) so you can go there easily
to catch my latest comments on shooting. You can read about my
videos there (including endorsements, testimonials, reviews and
an overview of the videos), my coaching, and the many articles
on shooting I've written. You can see video clips and 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 this newsletter,
my site, and my videos. Forward the newsletter to them and suggest
they read it and the many archived issues. Send them the URL
(http://www.swish22.com) and let them know there's a proven method
for powerful shooting. This great game of ours deserves a Renaissance
in shooting!
NOTE: I have a 2 1/2 minute sample clip
from Swish 2 available in Flash technology (streaming video of
high quality). Go to the video clips page (see below) and click
on the link for Swish 2. It will give a taste of the quality
of shooting that's possible with this simple, powerful approach
to shooting. There's a six minute flash clip from the original
Swish video there, too.
Some of the direct links to my webpage:
· Website Home Page
· Endorsements
· Testimonials
· Articles,
Reviews
· Coaches
Page
· Swish
Coaches
· Newsletter
· Clinics
and Camps
· Q&A's
· Video
Clips (including new Swish 2 flash clips)
· Ordering
the Swish videos
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9. Shooting Clinics / Private Coaching
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CLINICS THIS FALL (Go to my "Clinics"
page for details of the clinics below that are open to the public.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pleasant Hill, California, Friday afternoon, Sept. 15
Some openings -- click and register!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Orinda, California, Sunday afternoon, Sept. 17th
Might be able to fit 1-2 more -- Email
for details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Redding,
California, Saturday AM and PM sessions, Sept. 30th
Openings available -- click and register!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Santa
Cruz, California, Sunday afternoons, Oct. 15th and Nov. 5th
Lots of openings -- click and register!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Hartford, Connecticut Oct. 20-22
Four Players clinics are full. A Coaches' Training Friday, Oct.
20th, is open.
Email for details.
(Additional clinics in New England are being considered. Stay
tuned.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
East
Palo Alto, California, Sunday afternoons, Oct. 29th and Nov.
12th
Lots of openings -- click and register!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
If you'd like to organize some shooting
clinics or camps, or for private sessions here in northern California,
let me know. To Email Tom
To stay in tune with the latest news about
all Clinics, Camps and Coaches' Trainings, go to this page: Clinics page,
and click on the respective area and clinic.
------------------------------------------------------------
10. How to Subscribe / Unsubscribe
------------------------------------------------------------
To SUBSCRIBE to this Newsletter, click
on the link below.
***Important: Please note that when you "subscribe,"
Topica, the company that manages the free list for me, will send
you a "confirmation" email and offer you two ways to
"confirm." I SUGGEST YOU USE THE SECOND OPTION!
The first option is to click on a link
to Topica where they will ask you open a free account with them.
This is okay to do, as they have good free mailings lists, discussion
groups, etc., but I think most of you just want to subscribe
to the newsletter. You do that most easily by the second option,
just REPLYING to the email. That's all you need to do, no need
to key anything.
Click on this email -- it will start the
subscription process: Subscribe.
Remember to expect the Confirmation email.
To UNSUBSCRIBE from this Newsletter, just
send a blank email to the following:
Unsubscribe
------------------------------------------------------------
11. Contact Information
------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Nordland, Shooting Coach
325 Crows Nest Drive
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
Website: http://www.swish22.com
------------------------------------------------------------
Tel: 888/SWISH-22 (888/794-7422)
or 831/338-4647
Fax: Call above #'s to get fax # and to get fax turned on.
E-mail Tom
Creator of the videos, "Swish -- A Guide to Great Basketball
Shooting"
and "Swish 2 --Learning and Coaching the Swish Method."
For a Renaissance in Shooting!
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(c) Copyright 2006 Tom Nordland
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