Basketball shooting aide

A basketball shooting aide locatable between a player shooting a basketball and a basketball goal to help the player to recognize an opportune moment to take a shot, to develop quickness in taking the shot at the moment, and to develop shooting accuracy. The aide includes a frame supported by a support, the frame having a gap located at an upper portion of the frame and oriented so that during use of the aide when the basketball is shot through the frame toward the goal the basketball will pass through the slot on its path to the goal.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of basketball shooting aides. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a basketball aide configured to improve scoring by a basketball player.

BACKGROUND

Improvement is desired in aides for training a basketball player to hit shots. In particular, when a basketball player is being guarded, the player must be able to take advantage of a moment when it is most opportune to take a shot and avoid the guarding attempts. This requires visual recognition of the moment and then quickness in taking the shot at that moment, in addition in accurate shot placement.

Also, when shooting free throws a player is not guarded. However, it has been observed to help with shooting efficiency for a player to develop a rhythm in taking the shot.

The present disclosure advantageously provides a basketball shooting aide configured to train a basketball player in recognizing an opportune moment to take a shot and to develop quickness in taking the shot. The aide also helps the player to develop accurate shooting habits in both guarded and unguarded situations.

SUMMARY

The above and other needs are met by basketball shooting aides locatable between a player shooting a basketball and a basketball goal to help the player to recognize an opportune moment to take a shot, to develop quickness in taking the shot at the moment, and to develop shooting accuracy.

In one aspect, the aide includes a frame supported by a support, the frame having a gap located at an upper portion of the frame and oriented so that during use of the aide when the basketball is shot through the frame toward the goal the basketball will pass through the slot on its path to the goal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the drawings, there is shown a basketball shooting aide10locatable between a player P shooting a basketball B and a basketball goal G and configured to help the player P to recognize an opportune moment to take a shot with the basketball B, to develop quickness in taking the shot at the moment, and to develop shooting accuracy in both guarded and unguarded situations. The aide10is desirably positioned about halfway between the player P and the goal G.

The aide10includes a frame12supported by a support14. The frame12is preferably circular or hoop-shaped, but may be of other geometry such as a square or other polygon. For use with a regulation basketball, the frame12preferably has a diameter of about 44 inches. Regardless of the geometry, the frame12is configured to define a slot gap16configured to be located at an upper portion of the frame12and oriented for the basketball B to pass through the slot16on its path to the goal G. For basketball, the gap16is preferably about 28 inches across.

Adjacent the slot gap16are angled rods18that extend from the opposite edges of the slot16toward a center of the frame12and visually accentuate the slot16. Additional angled rods20also preferably extend inwardly from the frame12toward the center of the frame12. The angled rods18and20cooperate to define a central circular open area as shown having a diameter of about 20 inches.

A lower end of the frame12is adjustably connected to the support14as by a rod22adjustably positionable relative to a motorized rotatable mount24positioned on the support14, such as telescopically. As shown inFIG. 2, this enables the frame12to be vertically adjustable as indicated by the arrow V and for the frame12to rotate relative to the support14as indicated by arrows R. The mount24may include an electric motor powered as by a battery. The rotational rate is preferably variable so as to enable the player P to train relative to different conditions. For example, to train for shooting a shot such as a jump shot corresponding to heavy defensive pressure from an opposing player, the player may choose to utilize a rapid rate of rotation. On the other hand, when working on developing free throw shooting, the play may choose a slower rate of rotation.

The vertical adjustment of the frame12is beneficial to cooperate with varying distances from the goal and varying heights of players. The rotation of the frame12serves to intermittently render the gap16in a position so as to be aligned with a direct path between the player P and the goal G. Thus, the player P is promoted to shot only if and when a shot presents itself corresponding to the gap16being aligned with a direct path to the goal G. This aspect enables training of the player in recognizing an opportune moment to take a shot and to develop quickness in taking the shot. This also develops timing of the shot motion to help develop accurate shooting habits in both guarded and unguarded situations.

The gap16is visible to the human eye but it is also believed to serve as a coordinate and contour marker inside the player's brain. It is believed that the brain is firing impulses, considered to be exercise, in the gap location which allows the brain to subconsciously convert depth or distance perception into an absolute location neurologically. This neurological activity is believed to alter the outcome of a locomotor related activity or task being performed by altering the amount of cognitive input necessary to perform the task. It is also believed that the brain is more likely to repeat an intended action consistently if an internal reward is triggered by a successful shot while under a constraint. Training in an environment where a constraints led approach can be manipulated via natural neuro-electrical impulses through visual prompts is paramount to building the internal confidence associated with becoming a successful shooter.

It has been observed that the aide10is useful to train a basketball player and that the training results in improved shooting performance. While the aide as described herein has been observed to be useful for the described training, why the aide works is not known. However, without being bound by theory, it is believed that the aide10engages the brain of the player during training sessions by enhancing the neurological space which defines the path of the basketball to the goal. These engineered spaces assist the player in judging path and distance of any particular shot. To achieve the desired consistency and effectiveness the players brain must be exercised using a constraint led approach. This requires placing the shooters brain under a constraint, which the aide10provides. Placing the brain's electrical system under a constraint requires manufacturing a constraint from electrical impulses from within the players own brain. Greater shot command and consistency is achieved by enhancing the brain's ability to exercise within its own electrical parameters. Further, when the frame12rotates during use of the aide10by the player P, it is believed that a greater number of brain neurons are being stimulated within the noted constraint system. The constantly changing electrical environment is believed to afford a greater probability of strengthening the visual/motor communication network.