Injured( how to keep in shape)

Mamba: Your modesty is refreshing, and i say that facetiously. However, with that being said, I believe that Point Guards need to be a little cocky but not arrogant. Coach Mac

You always did have a way with words Mac.... unlike me of course :-)

Thanks Coach Mac and Coach Sar for all the advice . I appreciate it .

We played on Saturday night and we lost by 15 against the top side . It was 8 hours from home, no supports and 500 screaming fans
for the oppostion so it was tough but we done okay . Me on the other hand , not so good . I played 8mins , had 2 rebs , 0/0 fg , and 5
turnovers!!! I dont understand how i can play so confident so demanding and do so well at practice but during the game I play different.
Those 5 T.o were all from travels!!!! Nervous travels!!!! . I came back on in the last Qtr and started to calm down a bit because i started running
the point and started to get the ball through my hands . I also got clobberd by a 230 pound guy . I might be the smallest out there on the court
and the one with the least experince but i know i can beat all these guys . Just why i cant i do it !!!

I spoke with coach after the game and he told me that right now i need to get this college thing out of my mind. He said that i wont go to a
Div 1 school, and if i cant take minutes of these guys on the team i have no chance of going to college . He told me i wont be making money of basketball
when I'm older and I'm no Andrew Bogut. Honestly his words really did upset me Coach . My dream of playing Div 1 ball is slipping because everybody keeps
telling me i can't and the dream of playing in the big league is the impossible dream At the moment .

Anyways the Coach told me now to just focus on the little goals now , like taking minutes of these guys on the team and starting to put up decent numbers .

I've come a long way since i first started playing basketball. I've gone from no one to maybe a someone now but i feel like I've just hit a brick wall . I know it's more of a mental thing than it is physical . Because i dominate trainings most of the times .

I just dont want Me playing in this state league to be the highlight of my basketball Carrer . I dont know what i should do anymore , Tomorrow morning i'm back at in the gym again and just going to keep on working but mentally i feel i'm struggling now .

Just hanging on .

First of all... let me say this again, its hard to tell you things because we are not seeing it... BUT, from your description.. it sounds like you are trying to do too much. Relax, you don't have to be the BEST player on the floor, all you have to be is one of those spokes in the wheel. DON'T try to force things , let the game come to you.

Now, for the D1 thing..... its nice to have goals... so keep this dream in mind... but remember, you have to walk before you run... meaning... doing well where you are playing right now.

I agree with your coach in this way... make yourself some small goals.
1- increase playing time by:
2- Cut down on TOs
3- Play shut down D
4- Get to the free throw line
5- Rebound
6- Take the shots that come to you - don't go searching them out and forcing things...

There are going to be a lot of ups and downs in your life... and its all about how you handle adversity.. so hang in there, keep working on your game... forget about College right now, focus on the team you are playing for currently. Any thoughts now?

Mamba: the more people tell me I cant do something the more determined I am to do it. I was told I was way to small to play Semi-pro Ice hockey but i played for ten years albeit in a second rate league but at least i played. For once, I must disagree with my friend coach Sars because no one and I mean no one should destroy your dreams. However I do agree with his advice to you regarding letting the game come to you and not forcing things. One thing you cant do is let your dreams get in the way of your present play. I firmly believe that if you live in the now instead of in the future, it will become much easier. You have told everyone that you will play D1 basketball, now, that's a lofty goal and i admire your determination however, the more you dream of that the more it tends to get in the way of what you are doing presently. You have managed to put a lot of pressure on yourself and you need to learn to relax. My best advice, stop dwelling on your future and simply play the game you are presently playing. If you are good enough you will realize your goals trust me on this. But right now all I'm hearing is a talker, you need to become a do'er , in other words, dont tell me, show me. Coach Mac

Sorry IF I came across that way.... I sure didn't mean that... I agree with you Mac.... work towards your dreams.

its nice to have goals... so keep this dream in mind.... thats what I mean by this comment....
and by all means.... like Mac said, become more determined to become the BEST player that you can be.

OK Thanks

Hey Guys , Long time !!!

Alot has happend since our last chat and i have to update you but for now i need help with 3 things.

1) I'm still holding on to the ball way to long with my guide hand and it's still causing side spin
what do i have to do to start getting back spin and how long do i have to do it before i can start shooting normal again . P.s It's mid way through the season .

2) When i'm coming off screens to shoot the ball , instead of being balanced i end up catching the pass and fading off to the side while i am shooting it . What can i do to improve that .

3) Passing - i want to improve my full court passing , what kind of things can i do to be able to hit players from full court with chest passes or off the dribble passes.

Hey Mamba, good to hear from you young man. The side spin thing needs to be corrected by a coach who knows what hes talking about. However, there was a player in the NBA way before you were born by the name of Oscar Robertson. Now apparently when he was playing at Cincinnati University, he developed the same problem. He was advised to put his guide hand behind his back and from about three feet in front of the basket, drop the ball let it bounce in your hand and then complete your shot without your guide hand. He did this relentlessly until the guide hand became only that, a guide hand. It has nothing to do with the shot it simply guides the ball. He still holds the highest shooting percentage in NBA history a whopping 56% from outside and with no three point line.

coming off screens is simply timing, if you come off under control, hands ready to catch the ball and making the correct planting of your feet you will be fine. Make sure you come off the screener's shoulder, stay low and think shot upon catching the ball. If you are a right handed shooter and you are coming from right to left off the screen plant your right foot and square up to the basket. From the other direction plant the left foot. Practice young man Practice.

Passing is a skill that is developed with tons of hard work. Drill drill drill, work on your strength. practice with both hands, in fun games with your friends, practice passes that would make your coaches frown. When Pete Maravich was young and playing high school basketball as a middle schooler, his passes were so unexpected his teammates couldn't control them or never knew where they were coming from. Pete was way ahead of his time, but his father, Press, talked to Pete's high school coach and told him to have his players expect the unexpected and always be ready. I loved the Pistol..Coach Mac p.s. if you can find his ball handling dvd's get it, if Jeff or Joe have it buy it, it will be well worth it...

It has been awhile. Coach Mac has given you some great advice here...... I used that very same technique with players that had the side spin. I had him start against the wall though. That is how I taught younger kids in my shooting camps.

We started with BEEF check and went from block to center of basket to other block..... one dribble, bring the ball up with one hand (non shooting hand behind the back) and shoot the ball. The next part was the same drill but the non shooting hand was along side the ball without touching it. (making sure that the non shooting hand was pretty flat) The last step was allowing the non shooting hand on the ball but NOT allowing the guide hand to push off the ball. Make sure that you keep that hand steady - like when you are releasing the ball you can see the palm of your hand. - You do not want the thumb of your guide hand to turn towards the basket. I hope this helps.

The key to playing this game or any other sport is to play under control.... and it all starts with a good base. Again, Coach Mac hit this one right on. (as usual)

Thanks for the great advice , Coach Mac i'm very familiar with The big O , He wasnt too bad !!!!

With the one hand shooting , how long do i have to do that for before i can do my normal shooting drills. For e.g when i go to the gym tomorrow, do i spend the whole time doing one handed shooting or dedicate 30 mins to it and then do my normal shooting drills .

Also what passing drills can i do to become a better passer .

Thanks guys , appreciate the help

Wasn't too bad???? I know some guys that would beat you like a drum for saying that LOL :-)

If it was me.... I would have you do the one handed shooting until you got the feeling back from your old form. How in the heck did this happen anyway? Have you always shot with side spin or is this something new? IF its an old thing why didn't you bring this up to us before?

Work the wall.... and then from 3 feet... then go thru the progression I told you about before... its all about muscle memory.

I took something out of your book coach Sar ...... Sar-casm.

I've always had this problem , i've always had side spin . I think it came about because i never had the strength to shoot jumpers so i started using my other hand to help, who knows .

So let me get this right , I'm not allowed to work on my normal shooting drills anymore .
I kind off need to keep working on them because i gotta keep my jumper sharp . thoughts?

Haha, funny guy! :-)

So, why didn't you tell us about this before... how long have we been talking to you? OK, thats in the past.

As for me, I am NOT telling you to work on your normal shooting routine.... what I AM telling you is to get your form straightened out ..... Take a couple of days and work on FORM.... don't worry about making shots... once you get the form right... your shots will fall.

Look back at what Coach Mac and I told you about form shooting... do that... get the form straightened out... wear a glove on your non shooting hand if you have to. I saw a shooting aid where it was a flat board that you slid your fingers into which kept you from using the guide hand...... you are a smart kid... KEY WORDS - GUIDE HAND.

I was a late bloomer so I didn't have a jump shot until I was like 16 and the first time I took a jumper I brought the ball up with one hand and shot it.... NO guide hand at all..... a kid I went to grammar school with asked me when I got a jump shot... told him that was my first.. and yes, I hit the shot. :-)

Get out and work on it..... if you don't have a basket handy, use a wall

Coach Sars is obviously the coach I was referring to when i said find someone that knows what hes talking about. He seems to have taken the original drill and added to it "great stuff from a fundamentally sound teacher ". Coach Mac

Thanks for the kind words Coach Mac.... his advice is always right on the mark Mamba.... try not to get to fancy, stay fundamentally sound and things will work out for you.

Shooting Mechanics Drill

In keeping with my theme of summer workout ideas, here is the
best drill I have found for developing and maintaining shooting
mechanics. We use it at every grade level and before every
practice, game, and off-season workout.

http://www.coachingtoolbox.net/workouts/technique/basketball-drills-rim-flips.html

coach how did the players in the epsn top 100 class of 2011 get so dam good :'(

I wish i could be in the top 100 when my class is up next yr but we both know that aint gonna happen lol

Just off the top of my head... I would say PRACTICE - a lot of PRACTICE. Do a search on line and look for the better NBA shooters and see what their secret is... its called WORK ETHIC - some guys shoot for hours before a game... or are the last ones out of the gym, staying around to make a certain number of shots.

Its no secret how people become succsessful.... its all about setting goals and hard work.

its also about being mentally tough too..this is what i've learned
liek u just said

wish i could be in the top 100 when my class is up next yr but we both know that aint gonna happen lol
coach how did the players in the epsn top 100 class of 2011 get so dam good :'(

Your already thinking ur not gonna make it...So now the negativity is basically stuck in your head and its going to affect you greatly...
If you thought u will make...things would be completely different