Lets say that you are comfortable and successful from 15 feet.... move back to 17 feet until you have the same success - once you have mastered that ... go to 19 and repeat the process.

As for a slow release - I am a firm believer of stepping into the shot off the pass... catch with the inside foot and step forward and shoot with one motion.....It's called 1-2 step shooting.... we used to talk to some kids about a quicker release..... count 1-1,000 - 2 - 1,000 etc.... and get your starting point... then work on a quicker release... a little at a time... don't try to be a lightning shooter right away... improve it a little bit at a time until it is as quick as you want it and can be successful with.

Do I think that you can be a great shooter IF you shoot 1,000 shots a day? .... I believe that we can do whatever we make our minds up to do... and it comes from believing in yourself first. I can tell you this for sure... you WILL become a much better shooter than you are right now... becoming a GREAT one.... thats up to you.

I became a head boys varsity high school coach and I didn't play past grammar school... no room on a high school team for a short kid with no shot..... I really didn't become a good shooter until I was 16 and got my first J shot. But I made up my mind as I got older what I wanted to do... and I made my goal and achieved it.... so, IF I can do it, so can you.

Tony is from Warrnambool, Victoria

ok coach thanks for the great advice much appreciated . Is there anything other tips you tell me that will help me achieve my dreams ? have you ever coached any div 1 players??

Tony leaves in the same state as i do but that town is located down near the beach so its a far distance probably 3-4 hour drive . A friend of mine might know him he played for Warrnambool
last season (They only have one major team) but he is in the states know doing a year at prep school .

I totally agree with Coach Ken, keep improving on your mid-range shot until you are "lights out", which means making 60 to 70% without being guarded.

If you have time and a helper. Try to chart your shots from mid-range so you have an idea how accurate you are. Chart how many makes and how many misses. Analyze your misses, why are you missing? are your shots short?, long? miss to the right? to the left? Get an understanding of why you are missing. Stay with this routine until you can knock down 60 to 70% of these mid-range jumpers, this could take 1,000's of repetitions.......then...step back and do the same from beyond the arc. Start by taking a 100 shots, chart each one and find your shooting % behind the arc. Once you know that you can now set yourself a goal to improve your accuracy....again...1,000's of reps before you will be lights out beyond the arc.
This whole process requires a lot of time and patience. You'll need lots of court time to do this on your own. It will go a lot quicker if you find helpers to rebound and to do the charting for you.

Good Luck Kid!!!


Coach A

thanks coach great advice! but it aint that easy to find someone here noone really is willing to give up that time just to rebound and if its working out with someone there not willing to get up early and workout so its tough but i guess its just another obstacle on the road to success haha . take care and thankyoou

Great advice Coach A!

Why don't you find someone who has the same dreams that you do - or a younger kid that wants to play high school ball.... and he feeds you and then you feed him.... it will take a little longer but to get something you need to give something.

Good luck and let us know how this process goes.

Do you have your own basket to shoot at? IF you do, rig up some netting that will send the ball back to you... thats pretty much what
The Shoot Away does. At least you wont be chasing the misses all over the place.

Here is a thought for you:

Ability is what you're capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it.(Lou Holtz)

Wow. Great advice, coaches.

Here a couple of other quick thoughts on extending your range:

I believe that you should spend about 10% of your practice taking shots outside of your comfort zone.. After you have warmed up with some form shots, close jump shots, and some mid-range jump shots, take a step back and try to extend your range. At first, only a few of your shots may even hit the rim. After a bit, you will start to be able to shoot the ball better with more accuracy. Don't worry if your shots are banging off the backboard, just focus on using the good form. After that, get back to taking some more shots within your range with good form. I believe that is important to do this before you are tired, because it is difficult to learn new skills in a fatigued state.

One thing that worked well for me when I was trying to engrain new form on 3-pointers is to shoot a few shots from 25 to 27 feet. Use good form, though. However, don't worry if you hit the rim or even make it. Just focus on the good form. Now, when you step to the 3-point line, the shot will feel smooth and effortless.

For your shooting, it is vital that you use your legs and bend your knees. However, one thing that is often forgotten is to DROP YOUR HIPS. A player can bend and bend his knees, but the hips are not in proper position to explode. Personally, I've had problems with this.

In order to get your hips to drop, I read an article I think by Brian McCormick that you throw a two-hand chest pass high into the air with a bouncy medicine ball (I'm guessing 4 to 8 lbs). Almost like you are shooting, but with two hands. If you don't drop and use your hips, the ball won't go very far.

Good thoughts Joe, especially this part...

Don't worry if your shots are banging off the backboard, just focus on using the good form. After that, get back to taking some more shots within your range with good form.

I believe that is important to do this before you are tired, because it is difficult to learn new skills in a fatigued state.

In our practices we always taught a new play, inbounds etc early in the practice while I still had their attention. :-)

ok thanks i'll give it a shot .

So far this is my shooting workout .

60 one hand form shooting under the basket
60 normal shooting under the basket
30 normal shooting 5-6 feet out
10 made free throws
50 jumpshots from each baseline
50 from each wings
50 from each elbows
50 from the free throw line jumpers
50 from the wings (3pt line)
50 pull ups(full speed from half court and pull up at the ft line )
50 one dribble jumpers left side
50 one dribble jumpers right side
20 lh floaters
20 rh floaters
50 pull ups ( full speed from half court and pull up hit a back board jumper from the block or 3 -4 feet further)
20 left hand layups
20 right hand and left hand reverse layups

tell me what you guys think and what more i can add to it

Sounds like a good and thorough shooting plan. Go for it!!