(Courtesy of CMEK) Dave Hopla, better known for being Kobe Bryant’s shooting coach, as well as the former shooting coach of the NBA’s New York Knicks, treated boys and girls of the community and surrounding towns to a special clinic this past Sunday.

Participants watched Hopla connect on close to 100 straight shots (he regularly shoots close to 99%). Then, kids split into age-gender appropriate groups and received one-of-a-kind shooting tips from Hopla with help from the CMEK staff as they went through a series of cutting-edge drills.

Coach Hopla preached the importance of the triple threat position and having proper footwork.

“I use lots of word association to make shooting easy: shoes shoulder width apart, toe to target, base balance, footwork foundation, elbow extended above elbow, hand in hoop, freeze follow through, hold hands high.” Another Hopla gem, “Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.”

For more information on CMEK upcoming programs and special events in our community, please email [email protected]