Wednesday, November 20, 2013

How To Shoot a Free Throw in Basketball

Olympics Day 6 Basketball. Digital image. Setemagali.com/. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://setemagali.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Olympics+Day+6+Basketball+E7pzhskLN_al.jpg>.

Today, I am going to show you the steps and form needed to shoot a free throw. Free throws are used in basketball after someone gets fouled in the process of taking a shot. It is an unimpeded attempt at a basket from the free throw line worth one point, awarded to the player who got fouled. With practice, you can become a great free throw shooter. Here are the steps: 

1) Step Up to the Line - Place your shooting hand leg even to the basket. Neither of your feet can cross the line, or else it is a violation. 

2) Feet Shoulder Width Apart - I personally like to place my right foot a little bit in front of my left foot (as a right-handed shooter). 

3) Toes Facing the Basket - Your toes should be directly facing the basket. 

4) Form an "L" with your shooting arm - Your arm should form an "L", with your shooting elbow in the middle. 

5) Bend your knees - This is where the power for your shot comes from, as you shouldn't jump when you shoot a free throw. 

6) Shoot - Extend your legs, as well as your shooting elbow. Snap your dominant wrist. This should be a fluid motion. Your non-dominant hand should be on the side of the ball for balance, but fall back to your side during the follow through. Keep your shooting wrist flicked up in the air after the shot. 
Free Throw Steps. Digital image. Media.focusonthefamily.com/. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://media.focusonthefamily.com/blogmedia/images/jim-daly/freethrow1.jpg>.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Boston Red Sox are World Series Champions

The Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 in Game 6 in order to finish them off and win the World Series. The Red Sox won the series 4-2 after being down 2-1.  This is the first time that the Red Sox have won the World Series at Fenway Park since 1918. They completed one of the best seasonal comebacks ever, going from last place in their division last year, to World Series champions this year. They won 69 games the whole year in 2012, but won 97 this year, tied for the best record in baseball with the Cardinals. To help improve their team, they signed Shane Victorino, Mike Napoli, Koji Uehara, and many others during the offseason. Part of the reason that this World Series was so important to the city of Boston was because of the Boston Marathon bombings. Since the bombings, Boston players have donated money to the victims and also visited them in the hospital. At the World Series parade in Boston, the Red Sox players set down the famous trophy at the marathon finish line.

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Going back to the final game of the year, though, Victorino had a bases-clearing double to put the Red Sox ahead 3-0. The crowd, as expected, was going crazy. Stephen Drew,also a new addition to the team, hit a solo home run in the 4th inning to pad the lead. In this game, every single run was batted in by someone who had just signed with the Red Sox in the offseason. This shows what a great job the Boston front office did in bringing in all of these players to change their team. John Lackey, who has struggled in previous years, pitched 6.2 innings and only gave up 1 run. The World Series MVP was David Ortiz, who had one of the best World Series in history. He reached base in 19 of his 25 plate appearances, which is usually completely unheard of. He is the only player on the Red Sox to have been on the team since the Championship of 2004, and it showed.