Ideas for Working on Free Throws

Shooting well from the free throw line is the difference between winning and losing the tight games. Too many coaches do not work on free throw shooting in a creative manner, thus the players do not put much into the practice.

Shooting well from the free throw line is the difference between winning and losing the tight games.  Too many coaches do not work on free throw shooting in a creative manner, thus the players do not put much into the practice.  Most coaches just say "we are going to work on free throws a bit." and send the players to go shoot 20 or shoot free throws for 10 minutes or have them make 10 before hitting the showers.  These techniques are ok for practicing free throws, but I do not think they maximize time. Here are a couple of ideas to maximize free throw learning.

During breaks at practice choose a player or two and give them a number of free throws they have to make.  Say pick two players and tell them they must make 2 free throws each in front of the whole team.  Count the number of misses on the way to making two and that is the number of sprints the whole team must run.  A little peer pressure goes a long way.  It is no different than in a game with a crowd watching.  Step up and hit your free throws.

Another idea is to add free throw shooting into a scrimmage environment.  I like to get a 4v4 halfcourt game going.  Check it up outside the three point line before being able to score.  Keep score regularly and play to 30.  After every made basket give the player that scores one free throw to add to the teams score.  A little more gamelike situation where making the free throw counts.

The key for me is to make practicing free throws count.  Put the player in a pressure situation rather than just telling them to go shoot free throws for 10 minutes etc.  I have found alot of players that can step up and sink 10 in a row no problem, but when it is a game situation that same player becomes a 65% free throw shooter.  It is because that player does not practice free throws in a stressful situation.

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