Coach's Corner

In my 39 years of being in basketball at an elite level i have had the pleasure of being around some world class athletes and coaches. Not just from the world of basketball but from Track and Field, Martial Arts, Swimming, Cricket and of course Football. 

Many of these i have listened to have won International honours, broke world records and played in NCAA Finals but thats the outcome. What always fascinated me was how did they get there and what was their motivation. Especially when it wasn't going the way they planned. 

Now when you ask these questions you start getting a a very common theme. As the famous Allen Iverson rant goes "You talking about PRACTISE!" Yes, i am talking about practice. We all do it but some are better at it than others. 

If you are a coach reading this i know you have walked into a gym and seen what payers are doing and shook your head. Why are you taking that shot? Do you want to go a bit faster? Why have you come in at all! I know these statements have gone through my mind so i want to share with you players what i have learnt over the years about how to practise effectively. 

I am going to choose my favourite skill and most everyone else....Shooting. These are my 5 things to work on when you have a ball, a ring and a desire to be a great shooter. 

1. Bring a notebook and pen. This is to plan what your shooting circuit will be and record how many MAKES & MISSES when you practise. The best have these going back decades to when they were just barely in their teens! i know this because i have seen the notebooks! 
2. Use your time on the court wisely and get those reps up!   You don't want to just go out and shoot. You should be concentrating on the shot you want to take or what your COACH wants you to take. Too many times i see players just jackin' up shots they will never take or make in a game. Pick a shot and practise it from multiple spots on the court. Look to make as many shots as you can and record them. No point in saying you shot 300 shots when you only made 70 of them! 
3. Go at game speed. You know this phrase " I make this shot in training but it just won't drop for me in a game" Well, there are different pressures in a game. If you really want to be able to make that shot in a game you should shoot at game speed. My favourite youtube video is that of Steve Nash doing a 20 minute shooting circuit. He may not be going at full pace but he is still shooting his shot at game speed. I have had the pleasure of meeting him and trust me, that shot and movement is a lot quicker real life! 
4. Get in shape! You can't just get along with just TALENT! You need to develop your flexibility , endurance and physical capabilities SO you can practise at game speed! Speak to your coach about this or see a fitness specialist to prescribe you a programme. 
5. Learn to deal with mistakes. Basketball is a game of mistakes. Missed shots, turnovers, fouls, missed assignments etc. My coach drilled this into me when i was junior "The best players make fewer mistakes. Recognise it, acknowledge it and move on" Trust me when i say this. The best shooters have short memories! 

I am sure that some will agree or disagree with some of the things i have put here but thats ok. What i do know for sure is that the amount of work and sacrifice you will have to make to succeed is immense so for now lets just start with how we practise.

Last summer i created The 300 Club specifically for players you were not sure how to practise their shooting effectively so just click on this link and you will gets some examples of the types of shots you can take when you are practising on your own.  https://youtu.be/sU8W0a_tw-o