The Mpls Lakers Summer Shot Club is an opportunity to improve your shooting skills over the summer giving you goals you can achieve.  Former and future Mpls Lakers players who will be in grades 4th through 9th beginning in the fall of 2019 are eligible to participate.  The program starts on June 9th and concludes on August 31st. 

The purpose of the club is to inspire continuous improvement and work toward a meaningful goal.  Although the greatest reward in participating in this program is individual improvement, the Mpls Lakers will be announcing in June some awards for players who reach each of the four different levels in the program.  The Mpls Lakers also intend for each player achieving the one of the four commitment levels to be recognized at a local High School game in the 2019-2020 season.

• Summer Shooter.  A player who records shot attempts each week of the club period (June 9th to August 31st) will be named a Mpls Laker Summer Shooter.

• 50x50.  A player who records 50 shot attempts on at least 50 days in the club period

• 5k.  A player who records >5,000 shot attempts during the club period will be a 5k Summer Shooter.

• 10k.  A player who records >10,000 shot attempts during the club period will be a 10k Summer Shooter.

Guidelines and how to approach reaching the goal:

• Form shooting and layups should be part of the players’ program
• Players participating in a basketball camp can record 150 shots per day of the camp
• Players participating in a pick-up game can record 20 shots per game
• 120 shot attempts per day should be the goal for players aiming to achieve 10k shot attempts and can participate each day in the club period
• Workout options include using the Interior Shooting Drills and the Perimeter Shooting Drills in the Mpls Lakers Player Off Season Guide

Other options include a routine such as this (250 shots):

• 20 Mikan Layups (10 each hand)
• 20 Form shooting shots (in slow motion) from front of rim
• 10 Free Throws
• 10 Shots off the Dribble
  • Rip through, 2 dribbles to the right
• 10 shots off the Dribble
  • Rip through, 2 dribbles to the left
• 10 Free Throws
• 20 Drop Step w/power dribble (10 each block/hand)
• 30 shots off the catch
  • Spin ball to yourself
• 20 layups (10 each hand)
  • Start at right Elbow, dribble to right hand layup, rebound and dribble to left Elbow, dribble to left hand layup. Repeat
• 10 Free Throws
• 10 shots from right baseline
• 10 shots from left baseline
• 10 shots from Elbow (5 from right, 5 from left)
• 10 Free Throws
• 10 shots from wing (15 ft)
• 20 outside shots within range but near the limit of the player’s range (move around the arc within range )
• 10 Free Throws (End on a Make!)

Basketball and improving individual skills and confidence should be fun!

Basketball is a game and so players (not parents) are encouraged to take ownership of their goals and find a level of focus and commitment that fits them over the summer. Mindless repetition for the sake of reaching a statistical feat will not improve shooting and could be harmful to achieving progress. Good habits and mindful practice develop muscle memory that is productive.

Each player should define their level of commitment to good repetitions that put them on a path of progress.

When should I start shooting?

Now!  Record your shots daily on a piece of paper then upload your shots weekly on this page (at the top)

Who is eligible?

All future and former Lakers and any player in the community who would like to participate this summer.  Invite your friends by sending the link to the Shot Club page!

How do I register?

If you have played with the MPLS Lakers program previously at any point, you do not need to register.  If you have not played within the program, you do need to register. New players to the program can use this link to register (coming soon)

How do I record my shots?

You will use this link to record your shots daily.  Each week you will refer to your daily notes and record the shot attempts for that week on the website.  Each Friday we will send a reminder for you to record your shots on the website.

What if I miss registering on the website for a week?

No problem!  Keep recording your shots on paper and update the website for your weekly total as soon as you can.  Try not to go more than two weeks without registering on the website.

What is in it for me, the player?

First, this program is all about encouraging a love of the game, respect for hard work, and the value of setting goals.  Practicing good shooting motion will develop muscle memory that will help you be a much more consistent and confident shooter.   We will also will have some small awards for players that reach different tiers of commitment over the summer. The top tier of recognition is 10,000 shot attempts over the summer period.

What’s the best way to get up shots during the summer?

We have several recommendations for workouts that will aid you in getting up the shots you want.  You can find them on the shot club home page under tips and guidelines.  We also have a summer offseason guide that provides ideas for you to consider as you conduct your shooting workouts.    

Should I track my made shots too?

This program is about shot attempts and the process of getting up good repetitions.  You can also track your makes daily on our form but that is not required. When the basketball goes in the hoop, that result provides us immediate feedback.  However, that feedback can be flawed; poor shot technique can also result in a made basket. The emphasis in our summer shot club program is on good, successful practice repetitions.  Each week when you record your shots on the website, you are recording your shot attempts.

All players from the MPLS Lakers 2018-2019 season are already registered to the shot club.  For players that are new to the MPLS Lakers, register here to be added to the club.

• Because this club is also about personal accountability, players should record their shot attempts on paper using the Shot Tracker Sheet DAILY

• Players should record their shot attempts on the website WEEKLY