Am I mental?

My corporate basketball league finished up last week. Tuesday, 11/18, to be exact. My team made it to the championship game (after finishing the regular season in 3rd), but lost to the #1 seed by 10. We played a good game with only 6 players. We were up by 2 at halftime. Heck, we were up by 2 with about 5 minutes left but we just couldn't hold on. The team we lost to had 3 guys over 6'5" and they just wore us down eventually.

I started shooting the ball better the last 4 or 5 games in this league (averaged 12.5 points per game). I think I finally started feeling comfortable out on the floor. But the one thing that didn't improve much through the year was free throw shooting. I shot 50% from the free throw line during the year. I used to be a 75% free throw shooter back in high school. I admit, that was 15 years ago, but still...

I'm convinced that 75% or more of my troubles were mental. Sure there were times when I had tired legs. But before the game last Tuesday I practiced free throws and hit 10 in a row without blinking. I could consistently do this at the gym as I practiced free throws all year. But come game time when I step to the line I let things get in my head. I start thinking too much about trying to make it instead of just stepping up, relaxing, and shooting the ball. You see, doubt that I would make the shot had crept into my head.

That got me thinking, is there a more mental challenge in sports than shooting a free throw? It truly is a "free" shot. There is nobody guarding you. Nobody can (legally) distract you. Sure you stand 15 feet away, but you have 10 seconds to prepare and shoot the ball. It's just you and your mind. You practice free throws enough and the mechanics of shooting become second nature. Sure, mechanics break down some with fatigue, but I'm convinced that it's the mind more than the body that lets you down. It's the hundreds of tiny muscle movements and corrections that your brain initiates as your thoughts wander.

That's my excuse, anyway! And what an excuse it is. I have a weak mind! Hmm, maybe I'll go back to my mechanics being bad...