Basketball shooting training aid and method of use

Abstract

A training aid for improving a player's skill in shooting a basketball. The training aid includes a substantially planar surface and foot positioning indicia viewable on the planar surface. The foot positioning indicia include a lead foot indicia and a plurality of trailing foot indicia. Each of the trailing foot indicia define a separate foot placement position for the player's trailing foot wherein the training aid is usable by players having different sizes by selecting one of the plurality trailing foot indicia appropriate for the size of the player and using the lead foot indicia and the selected one of the trailing foot indicia to define suitable lead and trailing foot positions for the player when shooting the basketball. The planar surface may take the form of the upper surface of a floor mat repositionable on the court and having alignment indicia for properly positioning the mat.

1 . A training aid useable with a basketball court for improving a player's skill in shooting a basketball through a basketball hoop, said training aid comprising:
 foot positioning indicia comprising a lead foot indicia defining a foot placement position for the player's lead foot and a plurality of trailing foot indicia, each of said trailing foot indicia defining a separate foot placement position for the player's trailing foot wherein said training aid is usable by players having different sizes by selecting one of said plurality trailing foot indicia appropriate for the size of the player and using said lead foot indicia and said selected one of said trailing foot indicia to define suitable lead and trailing foot positions for the player when shooting the basketball.   
   
   
       2 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said foot positioning indicia are disposed on a mat, said mat being repositionable on the basketball court. 
   
   
       3 . The training aid of  claim 2  wherein said mat includes alignment indicia, said alignment indicia defining a proper orientation of said mat relative to the basketball hoop. 
   
   
       4 . The training aid of  claim 3  wherein said alignment indicia define a linear direction that is positionable to point at the basketball hoop and thereby define a proper orientation of said planar surface with the basketball hoop. 
   
   
       5 . The training aid of  claim 4  wherein said alignment indicia include a linearly extending element to define said linear direction. 
   
   
       6 . The training aid of  claim 4  wherein said alignment indicia includes an arrowhead that points at the basketball hoop when said planar surface is properly oriented with respect to the basketball hoop. 
   
   
       7 . The training aid of  claim 2  further comprising a transverse line disposed on said mat, said line having a width and wherein, when said mat is properly oriented with respect to the basketball hoop, said transverse line extend substantially perpendicular to a direct line extending from said lead foot indicia to the basketball hoop and said foot positioning indicia are disposed behind said transverse line with respect to the basketball hoop. 
   
   
       8 . The training aid of  claim 7  wherein said width of said line is approximately 2 inches. 
   
   
       9 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said training aid comprises a plurality of mats, each of said mats having said alignment indicia and said foot positioning indicia printed thereon; at least one of said mats having foot positioning indicia wherein said lead foot indicia defines a right foot position and said plurality of trailing foot indicia define a plurality of left foot positions; and at least another one of said mats has foot positioning indicia wherein said lead foot indicia defines a left foot position and said plurality of trailing foot indicia define a plurality of right foot positions. 
   
   
       10 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said lead foot indicia defines a single location for placement of the ball of the player's lead foot. 
   
   
       11 . The training aid of  claim 10  wherein said plurality of trailing foot indicia defines at least two separate locations for placement of the ball of the player's trailing foot. 
   
   
       12 . The training aid of  claim 11  wherein said single location for the ball of the player's lead foot and said two separate locations for placement of the ball of the player's trailing foot are disposed in a substantially linear configuration. 
   
   
       13 . The training aid of  claim 12  wherein said lead foot indicia further includes at least a partial foot outline and said plurality of trailing foot indicia include at least 3 partial foot outlines, said at least three partial foot outlines each having a different size, the size of said trailing foot outlines becoming progressively larger with increased distance from said lead foot indicia. 
   
   
       14 . The training aid of  claim 1  wherein said lead foot indicia further includes at least a partial foot outline and said plurality of trailing foot indicia include at least 3 partial foot outlines, said at least three partial foot outlines each having a different size, the size of said trailing foot outlines becoming progressively larger with increased distance from said lead foot indicia. 
   
   
       15 . A training aid useable with a basketball court for improving a player's skill in shooting a basketball through a basketball hoop; said training aid comprising:
 a mat repositionable on the basketball ball court and having an upper surface;   alignment indicia on said upper surface, said alignment indicia defining a proper orientation of said mat relative to the basketball hoop;   foot positioning indicia on said upper surface having a predefined position relative to said alignment indicia, said foot positioning indicia comprising a lead foot indicia defining a foot placement position for the player's lead foot and defining a first width and a trailing foot indicia, said leading foot indicia and said trailing foot indicia defining a linear direction extending at a predefined angle relative to a direct line extending from said lead foot indicia to the basketball hoop, said trailing foot indicia extending along said linear direction for a length at least twice the magnitude of said first width whereby said training aid is usable by players having different sizes by selecting different locations along said length of said trailing foot indicia appropriate for the size of the player and using said lead foot indicia and said selected location along said length of said trailing foot indicia to define suitable lead and trailing foot positions for the player when shooting the basketball.   
   
   
       16 . The training aid of  claim 15  wherein said lead foot indicia includes at least a partial foot outline and said trailing foot indicia includes a plurality of at least partial foot outlines, said plurality of trailing foot outlines defining a plurality of different sized foot outlines wherein larger ones of said plurality of trailing foot outlines are located at a greater distance from said leading foot outline than smaller ones of said plurality of trailing foot outlines. 
   
   
       17 . The training aid of  claim 16  wherein said lead foot indicia defines a single location for placement of the player's lead foot. 
   
   
       18 . The training aid of  claim 17  wherein said trailing foot indicia defines at least two separate locations for placement of the ball of the player's trailing foot, said single location for the ball of the player's lead foot and said two separate locations for placement of the ball of the player's trailing foot being disposed in a substantially linear configuration and thereby defining said linear direction. 
   
   
       19 . A method of training a basketball player; said method comprising:
 placing foot positioning indicia on a basketball court at a predefined orientation relative to a basketball hoop and wherein the foot positioning indicia include a lead foot indicia and a trailing foot indicia defining a linear direction extending at a predefined angle relative to a direct line extending from the lead foot indicia to the basketball hoop;   positioning a player's lead foot at a position indicated by the lead foot indicia;   placing the player's trailing foot along the predefined angle defined by the trailing foot indicia and at a distance from the player's lead foot that is determined by the player's size; and   having the player shoot a basketball at the basketball hoop while the player's feet are positioned on the foot positioning indicia.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the foot positioning indicia are disposed on a mat that is repositionable on the basketball court and the method further includes:
 providing the mat with alignment indicia wherein the alignment indicia define a proper orientation of the mat relative to the basketball hoop; and   using the alignment indicia to align the mat relative to the basketball hoop prior to positioning the player's feet on the foot positioning indicia.