Are You A Pinball

Are you a pinball or a bowling ball?

A pinball is what people are like who live
without purpose. Bouncing around from
one bright light to the next, getting
bumpered and flippered around by chance.
They might occasionally score big, but they
never really go anywhere and more often
than not they end up lost down a dark hole.

If you're a bowling ball though you have
purpose, direction, and power. You might
end up in the gutter occasionally, but you'll
always come back for another try. And
you have the satisfaction of always working
toward that perfect game.

Congrats to the Final Four teams and all
the teams in the NCAA tournament. The
media will talk about winners and losers,
but really they're all winners because
they're in the fight. They have purpose,
and if they pay attention to the lessons
they learn they'll all be better off in life
for it.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Just because I have deep respect for
every competitor doesn't mean I don't
want to see Florida hoisting the National
Trophy again this year because these are
such a very special group of kids who've
worked their butts off, but I recognize
they're not the only ones by any means.

Ain't it grand to be a hoops fanatic. Ain't
it grand.

P.S.S. I still want to keep giving props to
Patrick Chylinski and his ebook on 'How
To Score 20 Points A Game'. It's an
insider's look at how to become a powerful
scorer and help your team be a big winner.
If you think you can't learn something like
this from a book you are flat wrong.

There's nothing else like it on the market,
and if you want a competitive edge for next
season or summer ball now's the time to get
started at:

http://www.deandelker.com/20ppg.html

Note: This blog entry is protected by
copyright, but you have permission to copy
and use it in its entirety as long as the links
are intact and the contact information is
included.

Copyright 2006,2007
Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

How To Beat A Bully

Round 3 of the NCAA tournament resumes
tonight, and I'm chompin' at the bit. That's
the Gator chomp by the way even through
Florida doesn't play till tomorrow night.

I felt like Florida was standing up to a bully
in their 2nd round game against Purdue.
Nothing wrong with that style of play. The
Boilermakers did a super job of almost
pulling it off. Hats off to a valiant opponent.

It took Florida 2/3rds of the game, but
they eventually showed enough toughness
to catch up to and pass the engineers from
West Lafayette with Al Horford in the post
and their secret weapon.

Free throw shooting.

Even though the Gators season free throw
percentage isn't all that great this year
(Low 70's I think) they knocked in around
85% for the Purdue game, and Purdue was
fouling a lot.

I'm not sure what Florida did to be that
much better. Probably just made the
decision to concentrate and make free
throws a priority because they knew
they'd need them.

Winners find a way.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. One thing that will help your free
throw shooting is to cultivate a ritual
and do it the same way every single
time.

Remember how Kyle Macy of Kentucky
used to always touch his socks. Other
people dribble a certain way, the same
number of times, spin the ball, etc.
Whatever helps you focus and get into
your confidence groove.

If you don't have a ritual yet come up
with one that works for you, and start
knocking down more and more free
throws.

P.S.S. Free throws are also critical to
you becoming a double digit scorer.
Coach Patrick Chylinski explains it all
in his powerful ebook 'How To Average
20 Points A Game' available now at:

http://www.deandelker.com/20ppg.html

Note: This blog entry is protected by
copyright, but you have permission to
copy and use it in its entirety as long
as the links are intact and the contact
information is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

When Does Your Practice Stop

When do you stop practicing?

When you die?

I bet by now you're getting conditioned to
think this is a trick question. It's not.

There is a time when more practice gives
you fewer results. In economics it's called
the law of diminishing returns. It's that
place where more and more work yields
less and less productivity.

As an example from the NCAA tournament
look at John Calipari's Memphis Tigers.
This season they shot 61% from the free
throw line. Not so great. And I don't have
to tell you that can be a big Achilles heal in
a one-and-done tournament.

All you need is a big physical team that
forces a deliberate half-court game and is
deep enough to foul you often, and you
can be in trouble.

Undoubtedly Coach C. has worked on free
throw shooting till everybody was blue in
the face, but it didn't seem to make a
difference.

Fortunately though he took the crazy
advice of a sports psychologist and had
his team stop practicing free throws,
period. Instead he had every one of them
go home and visualize making ten straight
or more every night with feeling.

Do you want to guess what they shot their
last game? It didn't always look pretty,
but 82%.

Coincidence. I think not. They just needed
to believe and visualization helped. I'm not
saying to quit practicing free throws, but
you might need to if you're frustrated, and
I'd at least try adding in the visualizations
if I were you.

Shoot For The Stars,

P.S. This whole idea was floated to me by
my friend Coach Tim Kauppinen in his
daily email newsletter.

Tim specializes in training athletes to run
their fastest and be their quickest. He also
teaches the average joe and ex-athletes
how to stay fit without slaving away for
hours. Isn't science great.

Every coach in the world is looking for
speed these days so I recommend you
get on his email list to be the best you
can be. You can get started 24/7 at:

http://www.makesyoufast.com/

Note: This email is protected by copyright
with all rights reserved, but you do have
permission to copy and use it in its
entirety as long as the links are intact and
the contact information is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

When Does Your Practice Start

Something my violinist friend Clayton said
recently sparked a question for you.

When does your practice start?

Before you go thinking I'm weird, just
remember I prefer the term eccentric.

I'm serious though. The vast majority
would say practice begins when they step
out on the court. Duh.

Makes perfect sense.

But if that's your answer you're missing
something.

Before organized practice your coaching
staff leads you through warmups, right?
And if your body needs that, do you think
your mind might too?

Of course it does.

You can prime your mind to be more
alert and focused, and one of the best
ways to do that is through visualizing
what you expect to get out of your
practice (or out of a game, for that
matter.)

So before you go out and practice
shooting take a few minutes of deep,
controlled breathing, relax your body,
relax your mind, and decide what you
want to accomplish.

Then see yourself doing every bit of
that with ease. Don't be discouraged if
your visualizing isn't so well developed.
You may not see clearly at all at first,
or be able to hold it long. I couldn't, but
it got better. Like most things in life do
your best and just aim to improve
every day.

Don't forget to include as much detail
and emotion in your projection as you
can. Then when you step on the court
you'll be primed to get more out of your
practice time, and get better faster.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. You can use this method to do anything
better. Mental warmup and planting the flag
of your expectation like this will help you do
better in class, on tests, in interviews, in
making a speech, and even on a big date.

P.S.S. I learned from Patrick Chylinski one
of the things you want to do to become a
dominant scorer is to start off your game
with a bang. Try to take the opening tip and
score or get a big assist. Let your defender
know he's in for a rough night.

You can spend time visualizing a start like
that before every game, and you'll find
yourself acting it out in your games.

I don't know how that works. Maybe the
neurons that create the imagination burn
some kind of a 'groove' in your brain.
Then when a similar situation arises you'll
play like it's old hat to you.

First though get Patrick's report so you'll
know what to aim for in your mental
warmups.

And you're in luck. You can have it in
minutes today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/20ppg.html

Note: This blog entry is protected by
copyright but you do have permission to
copy and use it in its entirety as long as
the links are intact and the contact
information is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

True Meaning of March Madness

Do they call it March Madness because
that's the one month out of the year my
loving and lovely wife goes almost
bonkers?

I suppose not, but don't think I'm judging
or criticizing her. It's all my fault.

No matter how much I try to prepare her
and explain it, I know she can't even
conceive of a universe where anybody
wants to watch as much basketball on Tee
Vee as I'm going to do in the next couple
of weeks.

But she still loves me, and she knows the
rest of they year I'll do everything in my
power to make up for neglecting her this
month.

And how ironic March Madness looks
like it's derived from 'mad as a March
hare'.

In other words the way I feel is very
similar to how a male rabbit feels
during the height of breeding season.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

And March is also the time shooters come
out and get their due on a big national
stage.

Last year if University of Florida shooting
guard and Clark Kent clone Lee Humphrey
isn't deadly from 3-point range when
opponents are trying to claw back into
several games, I don't think the Gators
walk away with that big national trophy.

One of the most meaningful things you can
do this month is get inspired. See yourself
playing on CBS in front of millions and
hitting a game winning shot or two. See
yourself and your team cutting down nets
to the tune of 'One Shining Moment'

Maybe it won't happen quite that way, but
if you let your faith and your dreams
inspire and guide you I guarantee you'll
have a bunch of shining moments to look
forward to.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. I don't have to say how much I want
the Gators to repeat. It will be tough but if
they play like they did in the SEC tourney
I like their chances.

And since we're dreaming how 'bout getting
to knock off Ohio State again in another title
game.

If that happens I'm going to have to start
calling Gainesville TitleTown.

P.S.S. Make sure you still get out and put
in your time shooting though. Get your
attitude right and it will pay big dividends.

The best stuff I've ever read on having the
attitude of a scorer is in Patrick Chylinski's
downloadable report on 'How To Average
20 Points A Game'.

Get yours today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/20ppg.html

Note: This blog entry is protected by
copyright with all rights reserved, but you
do have permission to copy and use it in its
entirety as long as the links are intact and
the contact information is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

Can I Buy A Free Throw

Free throws are anything but free.

They cost you the player time, work, and
concentration.

And they can also be very expensive.

They can flat out cost you games. Let that
happen often enough, and it can cost your
coach their job.

I'm just not confident too many kids today
think free throws are all that important.
Not you because I know you want to be a
better shooter, but in general.

And coaches if your players don't get it
on their own I believe it's up to you to
stress free throw shooting and shooting,
period. It's you who could pay the
bigger price.

Here's a tip from Coach Duane Silver.
He's noticed many players who miss free
throws tend to FALL BACK toward the
half court line after releasing the ball.
Sometimes these shots go in, but there
is no earthly reason you should be shooting
a fade away shot from the charity stripe.

Nobody is guarding you.

His solution is to make hiswwwwwwwww players line up
and shoot free throws and purposely fall
a little bit forward after the release. Then
he can get them feeling the spot in
between where they are going straight up
and feeling balanced.

Try that for yourself.

Free throws are anything but free, so don't
let yourself be caught where you can't buy
a free throw.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Let me remind you again if you are
new you can see all my valuable tips saved
at:

http://www.deandelker.com/blogger.html

Pick a month and go exploring.

P.S.S. Patrick Chylinski stresses free throws
in his user's guide to becoming a big-time
scorer. Don't let the other guy get the jump
on you. Find out how to become a 20 point
per game scorer today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/20ppg.html

Note: This blog entry is protected by copy
right with all rights reserved, but you do
have permission to copy and use it in its
entirety as long as the links are intact and
the contact information is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

The Senator's Got Game

Bill Bradley was a hoops star long before
he was a Rhodes Scholar and became the
US Senator from New Jersey.

For instance, the one-time presidential
candidate still holds the Final Four record
for most points in a game playing for
Princeton in 1965.

You don't put up 58 points like that
against tournament competition without
having excellent shooting chops so when
Jeff D'Allesio of The SportingNews
interviewed Bradley recently my ears
perked up, and I thought you'd
appreciate it too.

'Q: You still hold the tournament record
for free-throw percentage in a game (16-
for-16 against St. Joseph's in '63).

What's the most free throws you ever
made in a row?

A: My freshman year, I think I hit 57 or
58.

Q: What made you so good at it?

A: Practice. Concentration. You have to
have the right stroke, the right rhythm,
concentration and confidence.

Q: So why can't anyone make free throws
anymore?

A: Well, I don't think anyone can shoot.
Forget free throws. It's because of what I
call the ESPN-ization of the game.

How do you get on ESPN highlights? You
make some giant move. They don't show a
guy hitting 8-of-10 shots from mid-range.

That's not news. What's news is the guy
that drives the middle, flips around in the
air and tosses it up or does a giant dunk.
That's what they put on TV. So kids are,
"Well, that's what I want to do."

And they don't put in time shooting.'

Now you have the chance to reverse that
trend.

Q: Are you going to put in the time?

A: ...

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Welcome to all the new subscribers
coming on-board, and thanks for all your
encouragement. The best thing you can
do for the whole group is spread the word.

Word of mouth is still king even in the
digital age. If you know how to bookmark
the main site:

http://www.deandelker.com/

or the blog:

http://www.deandelker.com/blogger.html

on social networking and directory sites like
MySpace, facebook, Technorati, del.icio.us,
furl, digg, reddit, et. al. please do that. And
tell all your hoops friends, teammates, coaches,
etc. about us directly too.

Many, many, thanks.

P.S.S. A late season mini-slump had some
people doubting my Florida Gators, but
based on the SEC tournament they have
the fire and passion back. Scoring is so
balanced though none of them are
anywhere near averaging 20 points a
game even though on any given night
any of the starters might.

Having a team with that kind of talent
and balance is extremely rare though so
the odds of you being a 20 point scorer
on your team can be high as you want.

All you need is the right coaching and
putting in the time. Patrick Chylinski
wants you to be a top scorer and has put
together a special report on how to be an
offensive monster.

He averaged over 20ppg in college and
29 ppg playing professionally in Europe
so the man knows his stuff. Find out
Patrick's tricks of the tradetoday at:

http://www.deandelker.com/20ppg.html

Note: This blog entry is protected by
copyright with all rights reserved, but
you do have permission to copy and
use it in its entirety as long as the links
are intact and the contact information
is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

Dump Your Junk

Can you pitch your junk mail without reading it?

Most people can.

There are curiosity junkies who're afraid they
might miss something valuable. It's tough for
them. But even those people probably could
if they knew there was a reward involved.

There is. If you can pitch it, you can concentrate
like me.

All I do is relax with slow, deep, complete
breathing and focus on a thought I want to hold.
My goal is to get to where I can focus on that one
thought and let all others flash by. I see them as
junk mail I don't want to open. The postman may
deliver it, but I don't have to open it.

Not that these other thoughts are all junk, but if
they don't contribute to my focusing thought I
want to let them drift away for the moment.

To get started I sit comfortably, take a couple of
deep slow breaths while relaxing my body. I start
with the feet, move up to the calves, quads and
hamstrings, glutes, abs, back, chest, shoulders,
arms, hands, neck and head.

Try it.

Don't worry how good you are. You'll get better
with practice and be able to relax almost at will.

Then focus on a thought, idea, or mental image
and begin to let go of all the other thoughts that
will bombard you. Keep your breathing nice and
relaxed.

Start with 5 minutes and build up to 15 or more,
and you will be growing your power of
concentration every day.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Hey, I just learned how to breathe this week.
Stay tuned the next couple of weeks, and I'll have
something to show you what I mean. If you can
take your eyes off of March Madness that is.

P.S.S. Coach Tony Alfonso has poured a lifetime
of experience at training ballers into his new 137
page Strength & Speed Training manual. If you
or your program can't afford a dedicated strength
and conditioning coach Tony's book will lay out
exactly what you need to do to get better.

And it's filled with workouts for all phases of the
basketball year: in-season, post-season, pre-
season, off-season/summer and everything in
between.

If you need more strength, flexibility, quickness,
speed, explosiveness, stamina, or toughness let
Tony show you how it's done right at:

http://www.deandelker.com/alfonso_order.html

Note: This blog entry is protected by copyright with
all rights reserved, but you do have permission to
copy and use it in its entirety as long as the links are
intact and the contact information is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

Shoot Like A Horse

I can see it now. People already thinking about
writing me and telling me how I've messed up
again. And they have yet to read the email.

Dear Coach Dean,

Recently you titled your email 'Shoot Like A
Horse'. I assume you were talking about the
shooting game, 'Horse'.

Shouldn't you have entitled it 'Shooting Horse'
instead.

Yours,

Smart As Sam


To which I'd have to reply:

Dear Smart As,

Thank you. I have been known to make a few
typos, and I'll make more so it's good to know
you'll always there to correct me.

But, I'm sure you know from past Superbowl
commercials horses can, in fact, kick fieldgoals
and PAT's in football. What makes you think
they can't drain jumpers too?

I meant 'Shoot Like A Horse'.

Always,

Coach Dean


Horses often have to wear blinders to keep
them focused on the task at hand or the lane
they are racing in without getting distracted.

As a shooter concentration serves the same
purpose. It's how you block out distractions
and be fully aware of your body, the ball,
and the basket.

And in the shooting moment nothing else
matters.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Next time I'll show you how I clear my mind
of distractions and pump up my concentration
muscles.

Meanwhile don't forget you can find all my past
tips archived at:

http://www.deandelker.com/blogger.html

Have fun poking around there.

P.S.S. Coach Patrick Chylinski wants to show
you how to focus on scoring and become an
offensive juggernaut. It's a mentality that can
be learned and developed. You just need
somebody to show you the way.

Put on your blinders now and race over to:

http://www.deandelker.com/20ppg.html

Note: This blog entry is protected by copyright
with all rights reserved, but you have permission
to copy and use it in its entirety as long as the
links are intact and the contact information is
included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

It's A Miracle

I have a friend from Charlotte, Clayton Haslop,
who is a world-class violinist. I'm sure his freakin'
violin costs more than the median home does in
Gainesville, Florida these days. Clayton has been
concertmaster on a couple of dozen big Hollywood
soundtracks ranging from 'Titanic' to 'The
Incredibles'.

And the man is as gracious and personable as he
is talented.

Yesterday Clayton emailed me about a crisis he'd
been battling for awhile, and I couldn't help notice
how concentration helped carry him through to
new uncharted waters of success.

Read it and imagine what focusing better would
do for you and your shooting.

But rather than put words in his mouth I'll let
him tell you himself:

'A couple weeks ago ... I was alarmed by a rapid
worsening of the 'focal dystonia' afflicting my left
hand.

As most of you know, I had hitherto been quite
successful managing the condition with the
techniques I teach in my instructional courses.

Suddenly, nothing I did seemed to arrest the
downward spiral.

Whereas before it was mostly a matter of
controlling the moments of the fingers, now I
was having great difficulty lifting the 2nd and
3rd fingers at all.

In any case, I managed to stay 'up and running'
to the point of finishing the DVD instructional
material. Then the slide seemed to become free-
fall as we traveled to Arizona and Washington for
[his wife] Tania's concerts.

Well, yesterday something incredible took place.

In fact, I would say it was only a cat's whisker
from being a bona fide miracle.

I'm serious.

I had come to the point of thinking my playing
career was over. An hour into a nightmare of a
practice session found me contemplating the
calls I would make to the concert presenters to
whom I'm committed by signed contract. It's not
a place I'd want anybody in this world to be.

Well, as tears literally welled in my eyes, my
resolve to 'punch through' the wall before me
suddenly became ferocious. No, I didn't just
throw myself at the violin.

I willed my brain to create razor sharp images
of how I wanted my fingers to behave.

I breathed in and out like a dragon in heat.

I barked out my counts like a Roman oar master
shouting strokes to rowing slaves in the middle
of battle.

I also bounced back and forth from Paganini to
Kreutzer to the Mendelssohn Concerto I'm
scheduled to perform soon relentlessly searching
for the key to unlock my neural pathways.

Suddenly something seemed to release. I felt
strength return to my left arm. Control rushed
into fingers of my left hand. How I played the
24th Caprice a few weeks ago at our friend's
home wouldn't have held a candle to the clarity
and velocity bursting forth from my Storioni.

Tania and [our daughter] Clara were in an
adjacent room as all of this went down. After
the session I walked in to join them.

Tania said, 'Something happened in there.'

'Yep,' I said, 'I think I just experienced the
closest thing to a miracle that I have ever felt'.

And I meant it.

I'm sharing this with you today to open your
eyes to possibilities.

Focal dystonia results in the 'smearing' of neural
maps in the brain that control movement.
Seemingly it all takes place beyond the reach of
the conscious mind - unwanted muscles fire,
wanted muscles don't fire, chaos rules the roost.
Or does it.

What I learned yesterday, and brought forward
to today's practice, is that focus, combined with
visualization, combined with energy, creates
intention. Throw your very survival behind those
three ingredients and your intention will blast
through any blockage in front of it.'

If you're in a slump or something is blocking you
from becoming the shooter you want to be try
concentration, visualization, and counting like
Clayton did and see if your firm intention doesn't
produce breakthroughs for you too.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. One of the beauties of concentration is as
you learn to direct and focus your attention your
body and mind both benefit. What you do in your
mind reflects in your body, and what you do to
build up your body, affects your mind.

Train for quickness in your body, and your mind
loses it's sluggishness too. Train for flexibility, and
your mind reacts to changes better and becomes
more open to ideas and creativity, etc.

That's one reason I'm so high on Coach Tony
Alfonso's new comprehensive basketball training
guide. Apply what you're learning about focus
while you're moving your body under Tony's
expert direction, and you will be strengthening
your mental game as well.

Get started on your 2 for 1 training today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/alfonso_order.html

Note: This entry is protected by copyright with all
rights reserved, but you do have permission to
copy and use it in its entirety as long as the links
are intact and the contact information is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

The Key To Concentration

I believe concentration is a crucial key to unlocking
the door to massive success. We all know that,
intuitively. And nature teaches it over and over
again. We've probably all said something like, 'I
need to concentrate to finish this job', for instance.

That's what I'm talking about.

Through learning to focus your mind you can
develop any of the behaviors, skill sets, or
personality traits you need to succeed, including
confidence which is so critical to great shooting.

But if you are scattering your attention and your
mental energy all over the place it's almost
impossible to build much positive momentum.
Your power is being dissipated.

It's like a plane taking off, or like Marty McFly
driving the Delorean time machine in 'Back To
The Future'. There's a threshold speed at which
lift (or time travel) begins to happen. Stay under
that speed and you're just cruising along on the
ground. If you want to fly you have to get up to
speed, and concentration is the way.

Luckily for you though there is a key to the key.

That's right. There is a key to concentration and
it's right under your nose. Someone once said the
human being has an almost unlimited capacity to
take things for granted, and this is one of those
times.

O.K. O.K. I won't hold you in suspense any longer.

The key to concentration is breathing.

Well not just breathing, because we all do that,
but controlled, deliberate breathing.

Breathing is unique in that it is normally done by
the automatic part of our mind and body. We
don't have to think about it. It is controlled by the
subconscious.

But we CAN think about it and do it on purpose.
Breathing can be a conscious, deliberate activity.
We can hold our breath, slow the inhale and
exhale, visualize and feel things when we do it,
etc. The breath is a wonderfully powerful tool
most people don't have a clue how to use.

I'll tell you more in coming days, but for today
work on not taking your breathing for granted.
Start being being more greatful for the breath
of life, and you'll start opening the door to
experience more of that very life.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. I am working on an book on how to use your
breath to feed your power of concentration and
achieve greater success.

Till that's done, much of what I know about
purposeful breathing from Karen Van Ness. With
a background in college hoops and martial arts
Karen teaches her clients how to breathe right
and see daily results in mind and body. She even
has a program that has helped many overcome
asthma with little or no medication.

You can learn a ton from this inspirational gal.
See what she has to say today at:

http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/dynamic_energy2.html

P.S.S My oldest boy's high school team lost in the
state-tournament finals last night. You'd like to
win that game, but they left it all on the court and
had a great season.

That reminds me though how many of your
seasons are winding down or over. And soon the
magic of March Madness will be in full swing at
the college level.

It's time for you to start thinking about getting
better, and Coach Tony Alfonso with his
experience as a hoops player, coach, teacher, and
strength and conditioning guy has written a book
recently that covers getting more fit for basketball.
It covers strength, explosiveness, agility, quickness,
speed, flexibility, and endurance and it's called:

'The Complete Basketball Strength And Speed
Program'

And it covers everything, and I mean everything.

Find out why you should be in active rest right
now and be restarting your base phase in a matter
of weeks today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/alfonso_order.html

Note: This blog is protected by copyright with all
rights reserved, but you have permission to copy
and use entries in their entirety as long as the links
are intact and the contact information is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

Concentration Is ...

If Forest Gump had read my blog from yesterday
he might have said:

'Concentration is, as concentration does.'

The fact is concentration is not something we think
very much about. I know I didn't anyway. It's
been easier, in fact, for me to figure out up front
what it isn't.

It isn't tensing up and trying to force your mind to
perform. It's quite the opposite. It involves your
will, but it's not sheer willpower.

Concentration is a state of mental quiet, where
there is peace of mind and singleness of thought
and purpose. Concentration simply is the ability
to direct your thinking, and we all have the ability
to concentrate -- sometimes.

Think of the times you were 'lost' in something
you really enjoyed like playing hoops, enjoying
music, even watching good game, or a
blockbuster movie. In those times you achieved
almost total concentration.

Next time we'll talk about how to concentrate on
purpose. It's not as hard as you think.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Another way to explain concentration is as
what we athletes call being 'In the zone'. It is
both physical and mental. Many athletes have
experienced it before, but most couldn't tell you
how they got there or how to get back.

Don't worry though Coach Patrick Chylinski
teaches three ways you can get in the zone on
purpose in his e-book on becoming a big-time
scorer. And that's just two pages of a 41 page
report.

What would it be worth you to know just that
though?

Find out how to average 20 Points Per Game
today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/20ppg.html

Note: This blog is protected by copyright with all
rights reserved, but you do have permission to
copy and use entries in their entirety as long as
the links are intact and the contact information is
included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
352-494-6572

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com