2014 Maggy – Mechanics Spot On

Best Mechanics in NYC right here.

While I know this is many months late, this video continues to highlight the outstanding track you are on in terms of your form and development.  The issues left are manageable – and it’s a short list.  I’d say at this point a big part of reaching the next level of shooting for you is mental.  So let’s have at it ….

1)  Accept Imperfection.  Your shot form is perfect or close to perfect the vast majority of the time.  Slight, slight tweaks only.  However, you cannot be obsessed with perfection – the perfect shot, the perfect swish, and this notion that every shot has to be sunk.  Shooters miss more than than make.  Good ones shoot 40-50 percent.  Please be sure when you play, you are constantly wanting the ball and wanting to let it fly without putting too much thought into what you are doing.  Your body knows know – knows it all too well – and your mind is now what can really stand in your way.  Want the ball, shoot it, and if you miss, so what – keep wanting it, keep eyeing that rim and eyeing your teammates.  This way a defender will see you and your confidence as a threat to both her and her team.

2)  Body weight/strength.  Your form is spot on.  You barely move.  Your stance is excellent.  You have no twisting or imbalance.  The issue now will be settling into what is your final shot over the next 12-18 months.  Body type and weight often affects release point, jump and timing of release, etc.  What you have going for you is you are a light, sprightly frame.  I would be as athletic as possible in all of your shooting this spring and in all of your fast-twitch muscle and jumping development.  Shooting is often an explosive move with a soft, calm touch at the end.  See how far you can drive your legs and frame up and soon you will settle in at what is your final form.  I would guess that you’d want to solidify this by the end of your sophomore year, going into your junior year.  It can still improve as you head into senior year and college.  But if you look at the way a long-armed, lankier player shoots (Sophie) vs. a heavier post player who is really strong vs. a Sue Bird or a Becky Hammon (and you should google them), everyone has their own form that works for his or her body type.  I believe you should shoot for full perfection now for the next 12 months, but watch college players via You Tube who are your body type and athletic build and see how your shots compares.

3)  Looseness at the end of your shot.  This goes back to #1.  The greatest part of sports, I think, aside from being part of something special (a team), is the public risk you take to fail.  You take it over and over – you miss, you fail, you foul out, you air ball, you turn the ball over, but you keep coming back and you hope your successes outweigh your failures (on the court and in life).  If I am right or making good decisions more times than I am wrong, then I am doing OK.  Your mental training – saying I LOVE WHAT I DO or I GOT THIS – should really help with the last two points.

4)  RAISING YOUR RELEASE POINT and A FASTER RELEASE.  The day you came to the gym a month or two ago – you tightened all of this up and looked much improved, which makes me think it’s part mental – you made up your mind to do it and you looked great – and it’s a function of body weight.  Hard to raise that point of release the further you step out.  I struggled with 3s until I hit college (body weight helps).  So stay close to the basket with these two thoughts in mind when doing shooting drills and drive with your legs.  They are often the semi-tapped source of power.  I’d love to see you have a full 3 point Jumper – something that is really hard to do – or you can have a modified jumpshot from 3 range and a very effective in-between mid-range game where you can stop and pop in gaps in the defense and really get up.  One player you should google is JACKIE STYLES.  Wow, what a shooter.  She used a stop and pop regularly and took her team to Final Four.  Scoring animal and what a work ethic.  Played at Southwest Missouri State.

Hope this helps.  Happy to see you in the spring.  Just to help you get your reps and remind you of the tweaks and of how well you are doing.