Undeniably, the 2010 Division I National Championship game between Butler University and Duke University was one of the best title games in the recent past, and debatably, in the history of the tournament. Coming down to the wire, an intentional Duke miss from the free throw line gave Butler’s Gordon Hayward an opportunity at a game-WINNING three-point shot from half-court that just about found the bottom of the net. Duke triumphed in the game, 61-59, in a match-up amongst two very gifted teams playing their finest basketball of the season.

The key reason why Duke was playing at such a higher level was due to the amazing outside shooting of their “big 3”; Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, and Nolan Smith. All three players were at the top of their games, and the shooting rhythm they displayed was an illustration of what jump shots should look like: smooth, efficient, and consistent.

Many in the country, while tuning in for the basketball game, came across President Obama put his own jump shot on display at halftime, with a game of H-O-R-S-E against CBS’s Clark Kellogg. The President was down early on, but managed to come back and rob victory from the hands of Kellogg by converting on some long-range jumpers in the White House backyard.

Mr. President, we at Aim High Hoops are well aware of the fact that you’re in the hottest seat on the earth already, by the nature of your job, and the criticism comes early and often for you on a regular basis. However, we’d not be doing our jobs as citizens if we didn’t offer some useful criticism on your shooting mechanics!

We’ll keep it short and sweet: you were shooting across your body! When you are getting tired, or aren’t in rhythm, you’ll have a tough time keeping your shot on line with the basket. In the basketball instructional videos that we feature, instructing players how to keep the ball on line with the basket is one of our core principals….and vital to successful shooting.

This advice comes at no charge, Mr. President. However, we’d gladly agree to a tax break on our first return next year!

Billy Lewis & Jonathan Schneiderman

Aim High Hoops, Inc.

www.AimHighHoopsOnline.com

I’m in the midst of creating a summer class for incoming high school students. The goal is to teach personal and interpersonal habits that could help them be successful in high school. The text on which we’ll base the curriculum, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens”, by Sean Covey, explains the “private victory” habits first, which adolescents use to feel comfortable and confident with who they are as people. Covey then moves on to the “public victory” habits, which assist to create positive and productive relationships. He goes to extraordinary lengths describing how human nature calls for us to win that “private victory” first before moving on to the “public victory.”

What does this have to do with basketball?

How often have you noticed a coach, player, announcer, or journalist referring to a basketball team playing (or not playing) well together? Playing together means that individuals on a team make a mental promise to do what is necessary to help their team succeed. A lot of times this means doing the tough things; i.e. taking charges, and the unselfish things, like making an extra pass to the “very open” teammate.

It takes self-confidence to put the team’s success first, and it shows strong character.  Watching northern Illinois native and Butler Bulldog senior, Willie Veasley, is an illustration of character on display in basketball.  Here is a 22 year-old, who as averaged single-digit points for his career, yet is the winningest player in Butler history, and has now led his team to the Final 4 with a chance to be a national champion. There are games he has had where the stats are all but absent, yet he was one of the main reasons his team played well and was victorious. 

How can that be? Well, Veasley has enough confidence in himself that he is not threatened by the success of his teammates. He has worked hard enough, believed in himself all along the way, and has learned the value of working to bring out the best in his teammates for the good of the team. 

This is part of the program we offer at Aim High Hoops. Our instructional videos underline the values of conditioning (hard work) and confidence, two traits which will allow players to be successful within and beyond basketball.

Check back soon!

Billy Lewis & Jonathan Schneiderman

Aim High Hoops, Inc.

www.AimHighHoopsOnline.com