Ever run into that dreaded shooting slump for one of your players or for yourself as a player?  Most coaches will tell you to "shoot your way out of it", by continuing to shoot in a game until a shot falls or in practice, doing more shooting, maybe at closer distances.  But most of this is in  the shooter's head, so here is an easy solution.  Get a ladder that will able you to get up above the rim so that you can look down into it.  When you see the goal up that close, you will realize how big it really is and it will actually fit 2 full size basketballs in it at one time.  So when you go back to shooting, it will feel like you are shooting into a bigger target and might help you get out of that slump.  Keep your techniques correct and remember to use your legs more the further you move away from the hoop.  A good way to judge your range as a shooter is to take 100 uncontested shots from your desired distance.  If you can make 65 or more, 2 times in a row, then you can move back 3 feet, but if you make less then 50, maybe you should move in 3 feet.  When a player makes 65, then it is easy for a coach to say it is OK to shoot from a certain distance and gives the player a goal to reach in practice as well. 

Posted by Bill Sniffen at 03:03 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The past few days, my 6 yr old son and his 2 buddies about the same age, have been attempting to shoot baskets in the driveway and getting a little frustrated.  Since I have 3 older daughters who can shoot at the normal 10 ft. basket, it makes it hard for us to keep lowering the basket to 8 ft. for my son and his friends.  But leave it to kids to figure out a solution and to be honest the more I thought about it, the more it makes sense.  Do you know those bouncy balls we all see at the grocery store?  The ones our kids and every other kids either are playing with in the store or beg us to buy and only have the dog pop it!  Well my son and his friends began shooting one of those balls at the 10 ft. basket and all of a sudden the ball was going in on a regular basis and their excitement level increased.  With the lighter ball, they were able to maintain a decent shooting form for their age and not put so much effort into "chucking" the regular basketball and getting into bad habits.  Also, they were able to dribble the lighter ball easier and control it better, and pass it to one another without worrying about getting hit in the nose!  I think for kids in the pre-k, kindergarten and 1st grade ages, this might be a way to maintain their confidence, so that when they are strong enough, they can reach the bigger basket.  Remember, boys or girls, in the 1st through 3rd grades, should be using the smaller woman's basketball as well for just the same reasons.  The smaller ball is a nice transition for boys because they can handle it better and again avoid learning to many bad habits.  Overall, a simple, fun and effective solution to "reaching your goal".

Posted by Bill Sniffen at 01:34 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I just got finished sitting courtside for the day at the NY State Empire Games and watching 6 teams of high school players from all over the state compete.  These "all-star" teams made for some great action and the level of play for kids that don't normally play with each other was excellent.  But what else caught my attention was who was in the crowd; nearly 50 college coaches and scouts from all over the country.  Since NY and most major metropolitan areas are hot beds for talent, this was an easy way for not only Division 1 coaches to see players, but all levels.  Also what I found interesting were the number of parents talking to the coaches.  I am sure this was a unique opportunity for the parents to get an idea of their child's ability and potential.  Sometimes these types of tournaments and events get a bad reputation but the opposite is generally true.  How else are coaches who have limited resources to recruit ever going to see certain players play?  They take what they see in events like this and then keep track of a players high school season, and together this helps them make decisions on scholarships and recruitment.  My advice is you as the parent/coach to do research on your local AAU or travel team programs and if appropriate, make sure your child is getting the exposure they deserve.  Remember, try to be realistic and listen to these coaches feedback and input.  You can save a great deal of time by trying to get your child to a level of college that they not only can excell at on the court, but off the court as well. 

Posted by Bill Sniffen at 07:08 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)