of a swish!

I love basketball!  I still remember my first basket on a 10' hoop.  It was during the time out of my dad's church basketball games.  I ran out onto the court and heaved, more than shot, the ball at the basket.  Miraculously it went!  I was six or seven at the time.  I'm nearly forty and still love to play the game and put the ball thru the hoop!

Tonight I had the chance to play with some guys from church.  It's a good group of guys, out for some fun and exercise, not trying to earn a contract with a NBA team or anything.  The most arguing we do is who's ball it is..."it was off me"..."no, I touched it last"..."no, it's your ball."  I like to think that my skills haven't diminished much, but physically I know I'm not the same.  Can't run as fast, jump as high, get around that young guy guarding me, but my brain still thinks I can, body just won't cooperate.

For me, there are not many things better than a swish that come off a shot that just feels good the moment you release it.  You catch the ball in rhythm, everything is in sync, your knees are bent, shoulders slightly forward, the ball does not dip before you raise it up.  Your shooting elbow forms a 90* angle, ball on your finger tips, your opposite hand is just guiding the ball.  Your focus is on the rim.  For some that is the front, other just over the front and for me it is the back of the rim. You raise up, shooting the ball at the apex of your jump, shooting arm extended, holding your follow thru for a second longer than feels normal.  And as soon as you release the ball, you know it is going in.  Your eyes stay focused on your target waiting to be rewarded with a SWISH and the accompanying sound of the swish from the net!
 

Had one of those shots tonight.  It was beautiful.  I have a personal superstition...never leave the gym on a miss.  Tonight, my perfect shot was the last shot I took, it went in, so I was good to go home.  (No it was not the game winner, but we did win the game.)

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