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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1992)
Foul Shots : It’s All Mental by The subject of free throw shooting came up in several of the Trail Blazer interviews this season. As some of the players gave some insight into what was going on inside their heads as they stood at the charity stripe, it reminded me of a study that was carried out at Brown University back in the sixties. A professor in the psychology de partment at Brown wanted to conduct an experiment on free throw shooting with three different control groups of 12 students. The first group played on the college's basketball team. The sec ond group had played basketball in high school, but were not talented enough to have played on the college level. The third group had never played basketball before in their life. • The professor addressed all three groups on the first day of the experi m ent "Group 1 (Brown's Basketball Team) will shoot 10 free throws after a two hour practice every day for five days. Group 2 (people who had played in high school) will shoot 30 free throws a day after a 1 hour scrimmage for five days. Group 3 (people who had never played) will not be able to shoot at the basketball net for the first hour. They were allowed to watch and take notes on Group 1 and Group 2 when they practiced free throws. They were al lowed to stand at the free throw line and they were allowed to hold a ball, but they couldn't attempt a shoot. Group 3 was instructed by the professor to imag ine a visual motion picture o f them selves making a foul shot. They were told to concentrate on their foot place ment at the line, their body posture, making one smooth and fluid motion as they released the ball and let it roll off their finger tips. They were further in structed to "watch" the ball mentally as its flightarched threw the air and slipped over the front of the hoop and gently fell threw the cords. The professor reem phasized that Group 3 should concen trate on the mental picture of the pro- B ill tmiissuhks B a rb e r r ¿ 1 mazer Buck Williams at the free throw line shows his concentration before taking the shot. cess. Only after that intense hour of concentration would they be allowed 10 shots from the free throw line. Fivedays later he brought the Groups together and each person in each group shot 10 free throws. Group 1 shot .702% after a two hour scrimmage. Group 2 shot .665 after a one hour scrimmage, even though they had practiced foul shooting three times as much as the other two groups. After taking an hour to mentally prepare themselves, Group 3 made .878 % of their free throws even though they had never played the game before! Granted when you’re playing in the NBA the pace is a mile a minute. The question I was asking the Portland Trail P O R T L A N D Blazer players was how do you make the transition from the lightning fast break pace to the dead still concentra tion of the free throw? "Gotta make two," Alla Abdelnaby started. "I try to be as positive as possible out there. I tell myself 'these are both going down.' I try to visualize (making the shot)... It’s a lot of visual ization in free throws because it’s a stand still thing and you’re on your own. I try to visualize my stroke, my whole routine, from the dribble to the follow through. I like keeping my arm up there, because if you pull your arm down. It often ends up short, or it isn't as soft and maybe it won't roll around up there if it’s a little off target. Half of being a good shooter is confidence. If you think it is going to go in, it will go in.” Cliff Robinson takes a little more technical approach when he steps to the line. "I concentrate on getting good lift on the ball, and making sure it’s one motion, instead of bouncing the ball, putting it in shooting position, and mak ing it more mechanical. I just come with a rhythm. Its just the same motion each time." Clyde Drexler had some advice for kids. "You have got to concentrate. Con centrate on your free throws, the shot itself and remember every motion has to be the same. It’s a learned behavior. The more you do it, the better you should become at it. Any thing above 75 percent is pretty good." Drexler also admitted "It probably took me two or three years to get a shot I was comfort able with. Just like anything else, the more you work at it the better you become." Terry Porter still makes adjustments. "The main thing is to get a routine that you feel comfortable with. I think about making my shot before I shoot I think about my routine. I concentrate on my stance, the flight of the ball, I can see the ball going in before I shot it." What about the rookie Robert Pack? He has hi 175 out of 92 (.815) free throws in his first year in the NBA. "When I step up to the line I tell myself :Tm the greatest free throw shooter in the world.' I always say that when I walk up to the line. “I just try to picture the same rou tine, I have a certain spot where I place my foot, and I try to maintain the same consistent stroke every time I shoot. In my mind I can see the same shot time after time." Maybe the professorat Brown Uni versity could have save himself some time if he had just interviewed the Blaz ers. Space Limited for Third “Hoop Heaven” Basketball Camp Entries are going fast for “Rick Adelman’s Trai 1Blazer Hoop Heaven Basketball Camp.” The third-year clinic, sponsored by Bank of America, isopen to boys and girls, age 8-18, and will take place in June and July at Lewis and Clark College and Tuality Junior High School. Campers will receive personal instruction from Trail Blazer head coach Rick Adelman, who will be assisted throughout the camp by lead ing college and high school basketball coaches. In addition, current Blazer players are expected to be on hand to discuss and answer questions about the fundamentals of basketball and specific game situations. Six sessions are scheduled this year, with “day camp” and “overnight accommodations” offered at each ses sion. Four boys camp sessions will run June 29 through July 3 (day,) June 28 to July 3 (overnight), July 13 through July 17 (day), and July 12 to July 17 (overnight). Two girls camp sessions are scheduled for July 6 through July 10 (day) and July 5 to July 10 (over night). The fee is $200 per person for day camp and $310 per person for overnight. Deposits of $100 for day campers, or $150 for overnight par ticipants, is required with their appli cation. All campers will receive a Hoop Heaven sports bag, a camp handbook, an official camp t-shirt and a camp photo. Prizes will be awarded for individual and team champions. Meals will be provided for all campers with overnight accommodations. A p p licatio n s fo r “ R ick Adelman’s Trail Blazer Hoop Heaven Basketball Camp” are available at the Trail B lazers o ffic e, 700 N.E. Multnomah, Suite 600, Portland, Or egon 97232. For more information, please call (503) 234-9291, Ext. 694. ALBERTA STREET MARKET IS A GREAT PLACE TO SHOP LO C A TED AT 9 1 5 N.E. A LB E R TA 28 1 -6 3 8 8 A N D P R E S C O T T r CORNER M ARKET LO C A TED AT 1460 N.E. P R E S C O T T IS H E R E TO S E R V E TH E C O M M U N IT Y ” POSITIVE PEOPLE TO SERVE YOU AT ALL TIMES! STOP BY AND SEE JACK AND CREW. A LB E R TA S T R E E T H O U R S 8A M T IL M ID N IG H T, PRESCOTT CORNER M ARKET H O U R S 8A M T IL 12:30 PM. Peninsula Little League Sign-Ups Boys Tee-Ball - 6 to 8 years Girls Tee-Ball - 6 to 9 years Girls Softball - 10 to 15 years Boys Baseball -- 6 to 15 years S DAYS ONLY! SIGN UPS Saturday, February 8,1992 -- 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. -- Peninsula Park Saturday, February 15,1992 -- 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. - Peninsula Park Saturaday, February 22,1992 - 1 1 :00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. - Peninsula Park Saturday, February 29,1992 - 1 1 :00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. - Peninsula Park TRY OUTS Saturday, February 29,1992 - 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. - Peninsula Park Saturday, March 7,1992 - 1 1 :00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. - Irving Park Saturday, March 14,1992 - 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. - Irving Park Saturday, March 21,1992 - 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. - Peninsula Park You Must Attend At Least Two (2) Try Outs Deadline for sign ups is March 28,1992 at 5:00 P.M. - Late registrations forms must be delivered to 6204 No. Moore, Portland, Oregon 97217. 284-4805 Keith Edwards, President; 287-7382 Chuck Washington, Vice-President; 289-8306 Corrine Porter, Vice- President of Softball; 287-4400 Marilyn Britton, Secretary; and 289- 3406 Shirley Beers, Team Player Agent. Registration Fees: $15:00 per child, $25.00 per family) These registrations Fees are Donations and Tax Deductible. ■H A Photocopy Of Your Child(ren)’s Birth Certificate Is Required. We Need Your Help!!!! Tax Programs For Seniors Oregon offers two tax programs to help low-income senior citizens: the Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral program and the Elderly Rental Assis tance program. “These programs are designed to help senior citizens on a fixed income stay in their homes," says Julie Clark, spokeswoman for the Oregon Depart ment of Revenue. Seniors who are homeowners and meet all other requirements may defer paying property taxes on their resi dences. The taxes must eventually be paid, with interest, when the owner dies, moves, or sells the property. The deferred taxes are paid by the state. The amount of taxes paid becomes a lien on your property. Applications for the property tax deferral program should be filed with county assessors by April 15. To qualify you must: Be 62 years old. Have a recorded deed to the prop erty or be purchasing the property un der a recorded sales contract. Live on the property (except for someone required to be absent because of health, in which case a doctor’s statement is required.) Have total household income less than $19.500 for last year. You can get more information or an application from your county asses sor. There is no charge to file for this program. To help low-income senior renters, the Oregon Legislature expanded the Elderly Rental Assistance program. You must file with the Oregon Department of Revenue to get a refund check. There is no filing fee. To qualify, you must: Be age 58 or older. Have total household income less than $10,000. Use at least 20 percent of your household income to pay for rent, fuel and utitilics. Call the Oregon Department of Revenue at 378-4988 for more infor mation or an application. .THE LITTLE Formation Of A Minority Business Association Nathan Probey has announced the formation of a Minority Business Asso ciation dedicated to obtaining work for minority subcontractors in the construc tion industry and assisting general con tractors in achieving their minority con tracting goals on their projects. “The emphasis will be on qualified minority subcontractors. This will in clude experience and training as well as liability insurance and workers’ com pensation and anything else the general contractor requires,” said Mr. Probey. “In addition, all of the minority businesses who belong to our assqcia- tion will be signatory to a union labor agreement. This will alleviate prob lems for the general contractor as well as providing a source of trained quali fied employees to the minority contrac tors.” “Our association is fortunate to have retained the services of Mr. J.D. Hutchison, President of J D Hutchison & Associates a management consulting firm in Lake Oswego. Mr. Hutchison will provide assistance on drug testing, workers’ compensation, labor relations, and EEO,” Mr. Probey said. ' * 7 ’ ' A & > J Memorial Coliseum ★ S H O W T I M E S * Wed. FEB. 26 ★ 7:30 PM Fred Meyer/KATU-TV FAMILY NIGHT SAVE $ 3 .5 0 ON ALL TICKETS Courtesy of Fred Meyer/KATU-TV Wed Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun. FEB 26 ...................................... 7:30PM FEB. 27...................................... 7:30PMt FEB. 28.....................COOPMt .. 7:30PM FEB. 29.. 12NOONT...,3:30PM.... 7:30PM MAR. 1...................... 1:30PM.... 5:30PM ON TICKETS FOR KIDS UNDER 121 Call for rates and information: GROUP RATES: TICKETS IN PERSON: COLISEUM BOX OFFICE (no service charge) and all G.l. JOE’S outlets including CIVIC AUDITORIUM and PCPA BOX OFFICES (service charge o t t 1.00 per ticket) BY MAIL: Send self-addressed envelope with $1.50 service charge per order and check or money order payable to WALT DISNEY'S WORLD ON ICE, Memorial Coliseum, P.O. Box 2746, Portland, OR 97208 (503) 248*4496 INFO & PHONE CHARGES! (service charge ot S3.SO ' per order) (503) 230-6702 or (503) 235-8771 * * * * * * YOUR BEST ENTERTAINMENT VALUE! * * * * * * ALL SEATS RESERVED • PRICE INCLUDES TAX $8.50 - $10.50 - $12.50 288-0033 , CATCH THE D IS N E Y D A ZZLE! ft * FEB. 2 6 -M AR. 1 KIDS’ SHOWS t SAVE $ 2 .0 0 Your ad could be here! I r. IRESGUE RANKI-RS! f A A M f 1
