The Right Shot Chooses You!

In "The Legend of Baggar Vance" the movie was in a golf setting but was a tremendous analogy for coaching, life, or the game of basketball. The title character is a mysterious caddie and in many ways, the consummate coach. Bagger Vance helps a down-on-his-luck golfer named Junuh find the deep place inside, where his ego is quiet and where he can “be” with only himself, and where he can be at one with himself. The vehicle for his transformation is the game of golf where he becomes one with the game. This is only possible when he sets aside his ego and the need to validate himself with individual achievement. At one critical point in the movie Bagger says,

"...it’s time...time for you to see the field...feel that focus. Alotta shots to choose from, duffs `n` tops `n` skulls. But only ONE shot is in perfect harmony with the field. An "authentic shot". And that shot chooses YOU. There’s a perfect shot out there trying to find each and every one of us - and all we got to do is get ourselves outta it’s way and let it choose us." He continues with, "Can’t look at that flag like some dragon you gotta slay. You gotta look with soft eyes. See the field. Find that place where the tides, the seasons, the turning of the earth comes together and becomes one. You gotta seek that place with your soul. Seek it with your hands. Don’t think about it. Feel it. Your hands is wiser than your head ever gonna be." Field. Focus. Shots. Harmony. Slay. Soul. Feel. What does it all mean?

See the floor. Concentrate. Understand the game plan. Be yourself. Play your game. Don’t force things. Do your personal best. Let the game come to you. It’s all the same thing.

Like Junah, when faced with adversity and a critical lack of self-confidence, players must reconnect with their potential and trust their instincts. Practice and hard work gets players to the point where they recognize their abilities, understand their weaknesses, and have developed their habits into instincts. Then they should be able to simply go out and play so that everything just happens the way it is supposed to, without really thinking about it.

In a well designed offense, there are shot opportunities for all players, and a progression of options that players need to be able to follow. They should not try to force the ball into places, but rather use counter attacks to the defense’s strategies to their advantage. The space on the floor should tell players where to go. The opponents positioning tells a player what is open. Eventually, with proper execution, a shot opportunity will present itself to a player. And that is the right shot to take. But the player did not choose the shot - The shot chose him.