Injured( how to keep in shape)

All those jokes come from being seasoned (older) LOL

I live in the Chicago area (Illinois).... you talk about changing weather... we can go from using AC to Heat to AC all in one day. We get plenty of snow... I am retired now, I would probably have a stroke IF I tried to coach today. :-)

I coached a lot of different levels... Junior high ball to high school varsity boys about 42 years worth.

Hey Mamba: you think you are quick, you should see Coach Sars he has deceptive speed, he's actually slower than he looks. Ken thanks for all the tips on the 131 I have implemented the system now its time to put it into action championship game tonight...Ill let you know..Mac

Good luck Mac, I hope it works for you!

I used to be pretty quick.... now, I think I am slower than erosion. :-)

Coach Mac, How did the game go?

Coach Sar , Hope you doing well .

I had a great game on the weekend and have noticed my mins increasing week by week and I keep giving the coach a reason to play me. But there's a problem and yes my jumpshot will remain to be the biggest problem off all , i have another one . When i was in the game with the starters on the weekend i kind of just sit back and take a secondary role . I realise that i dont play my game and kind of lose confidence and get nervous and just fumble the ball . When i'm with the reserves , i feel confident , i feel like the man and i just play my game . Today at practice during the scrimmage for the first time i was on the starting side and i was missing easy shots and not playing my game . What can i do to change this .


Also i'm releasing the ball to late on my J . Any tips?

bm - I amd still on the right side of green so thats a good thing :-)

Since I cant see your shot, its hard to comment on that.

Just keep working on your shot... do a lot of form shooting before you get after it live.... once the form is correct do your shooting at GAME SPEED.... you are not playing a game of Horse out there..... :) Someone IS defending you.

It seems like you lack some self confidence with the starters......The coach wouldn't have you out there IF he didn't feel that you could handle it... NOW prove to him that he made a good decision...... work to make the other players better and take your shot when it FINDS you. That should make it a little easier for you and they certainly will accept you more for that.
I don't know how much you practice with this team... but play against the tougher players... that will make you better. When I put a sub in the game I didn't expect him to be shooting like M J ..... I wanted him to play GREAT D.... handle the ball well and find the open man. I sure didn't want him shooting it the first time he touched it unless it was a lay up. So, get yourself a few touches before you think about shooting, be the ultimate team player and after you are in the game awhile... take the good shots that present themselves.

The more you play the more confident you will become, be patient with yourself and things will work out for you. IF you want to become a great shooter, get out and shoot a lot every day.... I mean 100s everdyay, 1,000s if you can.

I really really want to become a good shooter . 400 - 500 enough? because remember I'm in the 12th grade and if it wasn't from all the advice you have given me about studying and making sure academics is first , i would be shooting 1000 a day . But its hard . It really is hard trying to juggle my studies and ball ,

hey tell me if this was wrong , tonight at training , i had a fast break , we where up by 4 and 13seconds left and they told me to hold up the ball . I dont think thats right , i was all open.

As for academics.... that comes before anything.... except family... but school is your job right now... so do your best. IF all you can get in is 4-500, then thats great...

OK, let me ask you this question... using your scenario... up 4 - 13 seconds left... what is more important? Keeping the clock running and maintaining possession of the ball ( remember, its already a 2 possession game at this point ) OR taking a lay up, possibly missing and turning the ball over to the other team?

I will give you my answer after you tell me your opinion.

ok fair enough i understand but even if i do miss , there still 4 pts down with 13 secs left by the time i miss the lay up and they get down the other end for the shot games over

and do you think shooting consistenly 400-500 game speed shots everyday will make me a grea shooter

IF you would have taken that shot when you were playing for me I would have kicked your ******** I think you get the idea..... start thinking like your coach my friend. I want the ball in that situation... let the other team foul us if they can catch us. ( Notice I didn't even ask you IF you made the shot )

I think that any extra shooting that you do, especially at game speed is going to make you a better shooter. Becoming a great shooter? Thats up to you and that is a goal in process....... meaning... you improve every day you set foot on the floor and shoot on your own.

4-500 is 4/5 times better than 100 :-)

By the way, we ran "situations" at the end of every practice.... my players knew what to do in that situation, believe me.

Mamba: right wrong, he's still the coach. He says hold the ball, you hold the ball end of discussion. This is not a democracy. Coach Mac

yeah i get you coach but it wasn't the coach telling me not to take it , it was the captain yelling hold it up . and i did but instead of dribbling around i just held it up( i kinda of realised that wasnt the right thing to do)

The Captain had the right idea... keep control of the ball. Seems like you are intimadated by him, so much that it seems IF he said swallow the ball you would. :-)

Think about this..... in that situation you want the ball in the best free throw shooter on the teams hands.
If you cant pass it to him, protect the ball, NO turnovers and when or IF you get fouled, go up there and sink em both.

i'm the best free throw shooter in any league ........ money everytime lol

There is no conceit in your family.... you have it all! LOL Just kidding. Serioulsy now, IF you are ever in that situation again... control the ball and let them foul you, go to the line and say " Thank you very much "

IF there are good free throw shooters on the team...keep the ball moving between you and maybe you can cut some more time off the clock.... REMEMBER THIS - at that point of the game you were NOT playing the other team.... the CLOCK was your opponent. PLAY SMART.

I'm glad that you have that confidence in yourself..... make sure that carries over to the rest of your game. Don't let them intimadate you, its a TEAM and believe me, guys want to win (not saying girls don't) and IF you can help them in any way........ they will more than embrace you as one of the better players.

Hey Coach , Hope all is well .... Long time !!!!

My coach wrote this about me recently and sent it out to some coaches he knows in the Prep school scene . Thought it might be of interest to you . Thanks

He Trains around 24 hours a week wants to play Div One and NBA . Hardest working athlete I have been involved in with in my 45 years of coaching. He is looking to play at a Prep School in December after he finishes touring with my team in North Carolina about Dec 18th. Elie is a 6'4 slasher who loves working inside or off the wing. Can handle ball vs press and got 27 points and 15rebs and 5 assists in last years Grand Final U-18 championship game for me . No other kid on either team scored more then 12pts. Kid played opposition virtually by himself in the second half both defensively and in attack. He Fouled out with 55 secs left and his man scored the winner on their 4th put back with 8 secs left. If he had been in no second shot much less a 4th. We lost in championship of Catholic All Schools tourn in OT by 2 pts. Played 6 games in a day of 2-12 minute halves in each game and clock never stops except in championship game Eg you better be a microwave team as you begin at 9:30 in the morning and finish by 3PM. Elie avg 16ppg for the tournament our next leading scorer on the day avg 7. He was only kid who played every minute (we had 2 out sick) and would have been in double figures in rebs for each game and he took their best shooter and he was double teamed virtually in every game. Will let him talk to you. Definitely a kid to consider for Sept 2011 for Kimball He graduates here in December and may stay in the states to play after we tour if that goes ahead Dec 5-23rd

Hey Elie,

Your coach speaks very highly of you..... you must have made a great impression on him. Most coaches won't embelish too much about a player because they don't want the word to get around and he doesn't paint the true picture about his players... thus, no one will ever listen again. So, congratulations for this, you should be proud of what you have accomplished.

I want to tell you a little story about a manager of mine way back, he was a good kid (there were two of them) and took care of the things I needed done during the season. He wanted to go to this one school and be the manager for their basketball team..... I wrote this glowing letter of reccommendation for him (which he still has today) - I handed it to him and had him read it..... he was very pleased... then I said this to him.... "Now, will you please do just one of these for me?" LOL We still talk now and have lunch once in awhile as I do with some of my other players.

He is back at our high school now, a teacher and coach. He always tells this story to his students and players. I saved his butt on more than one occasion and it just shows you that IF You can give a kid a break here and there, they will turn out to be good people.

So, I say to you now.... IF you will do just one of those things your coach says about you... you will do just fine. LOL JK .... I had to throw that out to you.:-)
Keep up the good work and let me know how this all plays out.

Thanks for the good words Coach and a great story and loving your sense of humor lol .

I've got a throat infection and have got Bronchitis so i will be out for one week which is a shame because i haven't been able to string more than a solid 3 weeks of training or anything with out getting sick in the past month and a half .

My playing situation so far still isnt the best , i'm still sitting on the bench and trying to make the most of every minute i get . Its a bit hard but , the coach isn't even giving me a chance . I played 2 weeks ago for 15 mins and ended up with 13 pts and he told me i played very well but then in the following game i only played 1 min which really does suck but ohh well . I'll just keep grinding it out

Glad you like my sense of humor... you might say I am a little sarcastic LOL Little?

As far as that coach goes... all you can do is...... DO YOUR BEST..... I would think that he wants to win.... but there might be something political going on there... so just hang in there.

First and foremost... get healthy, take care of yourself. Once you do that.... and of course your academics... Bball will take care of itself.

Keep up the good work and good luck.

Sarcasm is one of my best qualites so I'm feeling you on that one lol .

What are the grades that i need to qualify for a athletic scholarship coach?