Fear, confidence, and character. The fear is always concrete – “I will lose”. There is only one thing to do! Compare it to anxiety, where there is always uncertainty (whether it will work or not). It shackles, breaks the skill of performing the exercise. And then the character shows itself here-independence, responsibility, determination. Sports character is formed not so much on the court as in everyday life. First of all-to be responsible for their actions.

On Tuesday, the last day of the game sports Academy summer camp, I watched a free throw tournament. 28 children aged 10-12 years, who came to the summer camp ATS from different cities (Moscow, Novgorod, St. Petersburg, Cherepovets), performed three free throws to select the best 16. Then 8, then 4. If the result was equal, additional series had to be performed. So, in order to get into the number 16, 9 guys applied.

The main highlight was in the duel of the finalists. They threw it in turns. In three starting attempts, they missed once, and then they hit until they missed. The first five shots were performed by the guys with a terrible roar of the rest, but then the duel continued with complete silence in the hall. The guys did 10 in a row (!) exact hit. And only the 14th time in this duel brought the winner a prize – a three-liter jar of juice.

In the course of this tournament, you could see how some guys were pinched by the desire to show results and the technique was scattered – sharpness of movements, muscle tightness, a look of “nowhere”, reflection on a miss. But all the participants of the tournament saw how the fear of losing mobilized the finalists to focus and … detachment from everything else for the correct execution of the throw.

Perhaps, in the next camps of the Academy, with all the variety of programs for individual training of novice basketball players, relaxation pauses and classes on mental state regulation techniques will also be included.

Thanks to  coaches, teachers, mentors and photographers of the camp for  these amazing holidays! So many great memories and new achievements, awesome pictures!

Thanks  for these accurate  and detailed pictures 😃👍 Feels like I’ve trained with you!  Also I want to thank coach staff ! I’m sure  children will have become champions by the end of the holidays.

It’s been one day since I left the camp ATS. Feels like I have abandoned home.   I will always remember this place! I have spent  so many both happy and difficult days in ATS.  All children were friendly and supportive.