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If you were watching TV in the 1980’s you remember the old ladies wonder “Where’s the Beef?” in the classic Wendy’s commercial. There was actually very little beef with Wendy’s competition.
When it comes to shooting a basketball it is very important to understand the fundamentals of a shot. The mnemonic device BEEF is a simple and effective way for coaches and players to understand the keys of a good shot. A great starting point is purchasing the #1 Book for Teaching Players How to Shoot a Basketball by Dave Hopla.
Remember, a coach does not have to be a great shooter or even a fair shooter to be a great teacher of shooting. The coach simply must understand BEEF and be able to explain the fundamentals to the players. The coach also needs to have knowledge of a teaching progression and age-appropriate drills that will help players develop the proper shooting fundamentals.
We recommend 1-hand form shooting EVERY TIME a player picks up a ball.
What exactly is BEEF?
BEEF is a simple easy way to remember the most important fundamentals of a good shot. Start by having the players repeat the word. At the end of a youth practice, tell the players to go home and explain the shooting fundamentals to a parent. This will help make the fundamentals a part of the player’s vocabulary and IQ.
BEEF. Below is an explanation of each letter in the word BEEF as it applies to shooting.
B = BALANCE – start by teaching the footwork for the shot.
BODY BALANCE
- Have the players stand with their “shooting / lead foot” forward.
- Instruct the players to place their non-shooting foot into the arch of the sneaker (the insert) of the shooting foot.
- Tell the players to move their non-shooting foot (back foot) to the side so that the feet are shoulder width apart.
- Bend the knees to be in triple threat position.
- Have the shoulders in front of the feet.
- Feet, hips, and shoulders should be square.
“TOE TO THE TARGET” – the lead foot or shooting foot should point to the target or the basket. This is important for the players to understand the toe should be pointing directly to the basket.
HAND BALANCE
- The shooting hand should be placed in the middle of the basketball. The palm should not touch the ball. There should be “little daylight” that can be seen as the player holds the ball on his fingertip pads and fingertips. The ball should not be on the palm.
- LINE UP THE SEAMS – It is a very fundamental step that may not always be able to be completed during a game but the player should ALWAYS try to line up the fingertips with the seams to get a good feel for the ball. This will also help a developing shooter to identify whether his shot has the proper rotation.
- READ THE BALL – The player should place the ball in his hand with the palm facing the sky. The hand should be between waist and shoulder level. The player should then READ THE BALL (i.e. Spaulding). Once this is done, the player can bring the ball to the shooting pocket.
- THUMBS FORM A “T” – when a player starts to shoot the ball with two hands, the shooting thumb and the guide hand thumb should form the letter “T”. The guide hand is placed on the side of the ball. If the player turns the ball so the guide hand is on the top, it should form a T. The thumbs should not be touching, but if there was a line drawn connecting the space between the two thumbs it would form the letter “T’
E = ELBOW: It is essential to have proper elbow position to develop a good shot. Although ALL the fundamentals are important, it is CRITICAL that the elbow is under the ball and straight.
- ELBOW FORMS AN “L” (in line with the lead foot and knee) Make sure the elbow is straight. There are four ways to miss a shot. Right, left, short, or long. If a player can shoot the ball straight, this will eliminate any misses to the right or left. The misses will only be short or long. Increasing accuracy (and range) should always be the focus when developing a fundamental shot.
- “WRIST WRINKLES” The ball should rest on the shooting hand far enough back so that the shooting hand’s wrist has wrinkles. A coach should point this out to a player and physically push the ball down to the point where the wrist wrinkles.
E = EYES: The eyes should always be focused on the target
- The eyes should be focused on the target at all times. The eyes should never follow the flight of the ball.
- The eyes should focus on the target, the center of the basket.
F = FOLLOW THROUGH: The last part of the shot.
- BEND – Even when a player shoots very close to the basket, it is important to bend the knees. The further away from the basket the player moves, the more important it is to bend the knees and use the legs.
- AND EXTEND (extend the elbow above the eyebrow) – After releasing the ball, the elbow should end above the player’s eyebrow. A good reminder for players is the phrase – “ELBOW ABOVE THE EYEBROW.” Coaches can use this phrase to help remind the players of the proper fundamental.
- PUT YOUR HAND IN THE BASKET (or HAND IN THE HOOP) – Players should try to finish their follow through by snapping (maybe not the best term) the hand in the basket. Sometimes it might be helpful to tell the player to try touch their fingertips to their wrist, even though this is impossible.
- FREEZE THE FOLLOW THROUGH – It is also important to hold the follow through until the ball goes through the hoop. A player should not only freeze his shooting hand, but his guide hand as well. If a player drops his guide hand and only freezes his shooting hand, the body has a tendency to turn to the side of the guide hand. This will negatively impact the release of the shot and will result in the ball being short or wide to the side of the guide hand.
- FISH HOOK – after completing the follow through, the shooting hand should resemble a “fish hook.”