The Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence Women’s program recently embarked on a seven-week, intensive shot development program as part of an ongoing commitment to impact the way young players shoot the basketball.
The program is the brainchild of newly-appointed program head coach David Herbert and included four dedicated shooting sessions each week, use of review technology and a “one size fits one” approach to shot development.
With the COE group currently out of competitive season, the focus on shooting has meant this important area can be prioritised absolutely and not diluted by the need to prepare for the next opponent.
Shot technique and form –
As part of the seven-week program, each athlete had an individual assessment of their shot mechanics, including –
- Grip and hand positioning
- Release and follow through
- Stance and body positioning
- Relationship between the lower and upper body on the shot
- Efficiency of movement prior to the shot
- Identification of unnecessary movement in the shot mechanic
This was done individually with a coach, using basic skill acquisition and review software, providing the athlete with instant feedback through vision and reflection.
The approach to form shooting was not one of isolation, rather working the relationship between the lower and upper body the kinetic chain through the shooting motion.
An area of focus and one aspect that was isolated was how and when the ball leaves the hand and the creation of consistent back spin on the ball to keep it straight and repeatable. This area included creating isolated vision on the release point for each athlete, with the provision of in-session vision to embed the learning.
Another morning of “shot clinic” with the women’s program athletes doing form and point of release drills pic.twitter.com/pAY6PCvZfJ
— Centre of Excellence (@BACentreofExcel) October 16, 2022
The shooting action –
As part of the integrated approach to the shooting program, the coaches met with AIS strength and conditioning staff to get their input into the shooting motion and ways to best link the kinetic chain throughout the shot.
Information gleaned from these discussions was implemented into movement patterns in the warm-ups for shooting sessions and referred to throughout drills and breakdowns.
Linking the physical with the technical aspects has been an important element of the program and has assisted players be more efficient in their movements prior to the shot and in the shooting motion as well.
Identifying and working to eliminate inefficient and contradictory movement prior to and within the shooting motion has been another area of focus. Be it an exaggerated “dip” prior to the shoot, a disconnect from the lower body to the upper body motion or contradictory forces impacting flow through the motion, these have all been addressed during the program.
Catching it clean –
Often the shot succeeds and fails on the way the ball is caught, how it enters the hand and is transferred to the appropriate grip.
Developing shot-related catching also includes engaging the lower body, completing as much of the footwork and shot preparation prior to the catch.
Efficient shot preparation and catching the ball “shot ready” has been an area of focus in the adaptive, situational and game-sense drills as part of the program.
Continued focus on shooting for our women’s program, working being an “active receiver” with feet and hands pic.twitter.com/t9LxM2MoDX
— Centre of Excellence (@BACentreofExcel) October 25, 2022
Adaptive and situational shooting –
While there has been a focus on shooting form, it has been important to link this work with the game and add elements of contested, adaptive and situational shooting.
The program has included reading the close-out (shot or pass decisions), anticipating being open (shot ready) and reads in the “split, kick, extra” concept.
“One size fits One” –
Of all the elements of the intensive program, the concept of “one size fits one” has been the most impactful in the improvement and development of individual athletes.
This simply means spending time individually with athletes, talking about their shot, asking them questions about what best works for them, what they are comfortable with and going with them on the journey.
Every athlete has their own physiological differences and has been exposed to different stimulus and teaching along the way. The approach is not to “correct”, rather refine and work with the player towards improvement and progress.
Use of in-session vision on a smart phone or device has been useful in connecting with each athlete and the absolute focus of a coach with an athlete, even for 10-15 minutes in this important skill area has been the key to visible improvements across the group.
While many programs do not have the time or resources to invest four specific shooting sessions each week, the concept of prioritising shot development and positively impacting individual shooters is one all programs should explore.
“You are what you prioritise”.
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