- HOME
- PURCHASE
- CONTACT US
- POLICIES AND QUESTIONS
- HOW TO INSTALL YOUR FREE THROW TRAINER
- TEST A FREE THROW TRAINER FOR FREE
- TESTIMONIALS and ENDORSEMENTS from COACHES and SHOOTERS
- BLOG about the FREE THROW TRAINER
- A FREE T-SHIRT IF YOU IMPROVE YOUR BASKETBALL SHOOTING
- ABOUT OUR MISSION TO CHANGE BASKETBALL
- USEFUL LINKS and SUPPORTING WEBSITES on COACHING BASKETBALL
- VIDEOS - Basketball Shooting Videos
- COACHING BASKETBALL
- COACHING BASKETBALL FOR ONE PLAY
- MUSCLE MEMORY IS THE SECRET TO BETTER FREE THROW SHOOTING
- BASKETBALL FREE THROWS - SHOOT 10,000 TIMES
- IMPROVE YOUR BASKETBALL SHOOTING
- YOUR RITUAL WILL IMPROVE YOUR BASKETBALL SHOOTING
- WHAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF CAN LEAD TO BETTER FREE THROW SHOOTING
- REPETITION AS A FREE THROW SHOOTING DRILL
- FREE THROW SHOOTING WITH CONFIDENCE
- BETTER FREE THROW SHOOTING with BETTER MECHANICS
- NO IMPROVEMENT IN 50 YEARS?
- RONN WYCKOFF - A Coach's Coach on Shooting Free Throws
- CRUNCH TIME - YOUR FREE THROW SHOOTING TECHNIQUE CAN HELP
- BASKETBALL GAMES FOR KIDS
- KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS - Youth Basketball Free Throw Shooting
ABOUT OUR MISSION TO CHANGE BASKETBALL
The Boys and Girls Clubs are about helping the youth of our great country. Not only are we helping young basketball shooters with their free throw shooting technique, we are intent on lifting up the youth in one community after another. Our effort is small, but put with others it becomes bigger. Purchase a FREE THROW TRAINER, shoot a perfect free throw, improve your foul shot shooting, create cool basketball drills for kids, get into coaching youth basketball, and support The Boys and Girls Clubs.
10% off the top will go the The Boys and Girls Clubs.
Here is our story.
It is a fact that a couple of people can make a difference. The two of us have been plucking away at bringing the "Nothin' But Net" FREE THROW TRAINER™ to market since the summer of 2008.The concept is so simple, so deceptively simple, that our story sounds incredibly complex... even twisted at one point.
Yes, our mission is to change the game of basketball. We especially want to improve free throw shooting percentages. We also want to create a way for people to stick with the game, a way to shoot hoops that is less physically demanding, and yet, challenging.
We can envision free-throw shooting competitions among those of us who are no longer able or willing to throw our bodies down the court.
On a more noble level, we have a vision of young and old people coming together to shoot some hoops. For decades, both personally and professionally, we have been about building relationships and community. To that end, we are also contributing 10% of our pre-tax income to The Boy's and Girl's Clubs.
Here is something of the "ups, downs and all arounds" of our story. We are just two regular guys who have had to learn a ton in our effort to change the game of basketball.
First. Al Heystek began experimenting with a FREE THROW TRAINER™ in his driveway back in 2005. He messed with those early prototypes for a couple of years.
Second. Al experienced some chest pains during a 10k run in 2008, and after he had a stint put in an artery, he went to his long time friend, Andy Atwood, with this message: "Hey, Andy... I'm thinking about my health and my family and I'm wondering if this gizmo I've been working on might have some value... and would you work with me to bring this thing to market? I think it could change the game of basketball."
Third. Andy and Al went to a local church gym with a Flip Video Camera. During 60 minutes, Al shot 484 out of 500 shoots. That's 96.8 %. Al missed 3 in a row late in the hour after getting a little tired. Andy walked away a believer.
Fourth. We hired a law firm that specializes in patent work, and we filed all the necessary paperwork for a US Patent. We are glad we did. Our patent is pending, and the years-long process is nearing an end.
Fifth. Andy contacted a business that was in the same office building as he was. "Invention Perfection" was the company. Long story. Bottom line - we lost $17,000 working with a woman who likely believed that she knew what she was doing, but in reality, didn't. We were one out of about 30 businesses that were hurt by promises that were inflated. "Live and Learn."
Sixth.Undeterred, we kept on going. We interviewed a couple of companies that had a history of taking inventions to market. We looked more carefully for a proven history of success. We settled on Intrepid Plastics in Grand Rapids.
Seventh. We worked on about a dozen different prototypes, one right after another. Each one was a learning experience. We worked with a local High School team during 2010 and learned some valuable lessons about the effectiveness of the FREE THROW TRAINER™. We also learned that our design needed more work.
Eight. By January 2011 we had our team in place.
The SBA gave us a loan and we put a bunch of money into the deal from our own pockets. Yes, we have invested in our own business with cash, and sweat equity.
Ninth. During the spring of 2011 we began testing new prototypes with new materials. Concepts were tinkered with and gizmos were tried out, one right after the other. The design constraints were clear, and the challenges were overcome one at a time.
Tenth. By June 1, 2011, we had a prototype that worked perfectly. Over Memorial Day weekend we shot at it about 2500 times, and it worked flawlessly. Then, we got some prototypes into the hands of some avid shooters to test for a few weeks. Our FREE THROW TRAINER™ works.
Eleventh. One August 1, 2011 we committed ourselves buy purchasing the die for the post, which our patent attorney calls an "elongated member." LOL. All the various parts and pieces necessary to bring the FREE THROW TRAINER™ to market are being gathered.
Twelfth. September 2011. Lots of tinkering and assembling pieces and parts for manufacturing, packaging, shipping and handling. Finishing touches on the website.
Thirteenth. October 7, 2011. Launch day! The timing was perfect. Ronn Wyckoff from the National Basketball Shooters Association tested the 4th Free Throw Trainer to be assembled, and gave us a terrific endorsement. Wow! This thing works! Today, we launch. Now, we begin to tell the world the we are changing the game of basketball.
Fourteenth. January, 2012. We are building out our website and trying to get the word out. We have 500 FREE THROW TRAINERS packaged up and ready. Now, we need to get the word out!
One last word of thanks goes to our wives for tolerating our crazy dream, and for allowing us to invest in it.
Onward and Upward!
Al Heystek and Andy Atwood
Heystek & Atwood, LLC
Providers of the Patent Pending "Nothin' But Net" FREE THROW TRAINER™
www.FREETHROWTRAINER.com
Yes, our mission is to change the game of basketball. We especially want to improve free throw shooting percentages. We also want to create a way for people to stick with the game, a way to shoot hoops that is less physically demanding, and yet, challenging.
We can envision free-throw shooting competitions among those of us who are no longer able or willing to throw our bodies down the court.
On a more noble level, we have a vision of young and old people coming together to shoot some hoops. For decades, both personally and professionally, we have been about building relationships and community. To that end, we are also contributing 10% of our pre-tax income to The Boy's and Girl's Clubs.
Here is something of the "ups, downs and all arounds" of our story. We are just two regular guys who have had to learn a ton in our effort to change the game of basketball.
First. Al Heystek began experimenting with a FREE THROW TRAINER™ in his driveway back in 2005. He messed with those early prototypes for a couple of years.
Second. Al experienced some chest pains during a 10k run in 2008, and after he had a stint put in an artery, he went to his long time friend, Andy Atwood, with this message: "Hey, Andy... I'm thinking about my health and my family and I'm wondering if this gizmo I've been working on might have some value... and would you work with me to bring this thing to market? I think it could change the game of basketball."
Third. Andy and Al went to a local church gym with a Flip Video Camera. During 60 minutes, Al shot 484 out of 500 shoots. That's 96.8 %. Al missed 3 in a row late in the hour after getting a little tired. Andy walked away a believer.
Fourth. We hired a law firm that specializes in patent work, and we filed all the necessary paperwork for a US Patent. We are glad we did. Our patent is pending, and the years-long process is nearing an end.
Fifth. Andy contacted a business that was in the same office building as he was. "Invention Perfection" was the company. Long story. Bottom line - we lost $17,000 working with a woman who likely believed that she knew what she was doing, but in reality, didn't. We were one out of about 30 businesses that were hurt by promises that were inflated. "Live and Learn."
Sixth.Undeterred, we kept on going. We interviewed a couple of companies that had a history of taking inventions to market. We looked more carefully for a proven history of success. We settled on Intrepid Plastics in Grand Rapids.
Seventh. We worked on about a dozen different prototypes, one right after another. Each one was a learning experience. We worked with a local High School team during 2010 and learned some valuable lessons about the effectiveness of the FREE THROW TRAINER™. We also learned that our design needed more work.
Eight. By January 2011 we had our team in place.
- Al is our Imagineer.
- Andy is our Manager and Website Builder, along with
- Ben who is helping with Website and SEO.
- Dave and Aaron set up our Ecommerce Capability.
- Brian is our Patent Attorney.
- Joel is our Product Designer.
- Bonnie is our Manufacturer.
- Barb and Michelle are our Accountants.
- Jeff made our Product Stuffer.
- Brett is our Marketing Consultant.
- Jody is our Illustrator.
- Andrew is our Business Attorney.
The SBA gave us a loan and we put a bunch of money into the deal from our own pockets. Yes, we have invested in our own business with cash, and sweat equity.
Ninth. During the spring of 2011 we began testing new prototypes with new materials. Concepts were tinkered with and gizmos were tried out, one right after the other. The design constraints were clear, and the challenges were overcome one at a time.
Tenth. By June 1, 2011, we had a prototype that worked perfectly. Over Memorial Day weekend we shot at it about 2500 times, and it worked flawlessly. Then, we got some prototypes into the hands of some avid shooters to test for a few weeks. Our FREE THROW TRAINER™ works.
Eleventh. One August 1, 2011 we committed ourselves buy purchasing the die for the post, which our patent attorney calls an "elongated member." LOL. All the various parts and pieces necessary to bring the FREE THROW TRAINER™ to market are being gathered.
Twelfth. September 2011. Lots of tinkering and assembling pieces and parts for manufacturing, packaging, shipping and handling. Finishing touches on the website.
Thirteenth. October 7, 2011. Launch day! The timing was perfect. Ronn Wyckoff from the National Basketball Shooters Association tested the 4th Free Throw Trainer to be assembled, and gave us a terrific endorsement. Wow! This thing works! Today, we launch. Now, we begin to tell the world the we are changing the game of basketball.
Fourteenth. January, 2012. We are building out our website and trying to get the word out. We have 500 FREE THROW TRAINERS packaged up and ready. Now, we need to get the word out!
One last word of thanks goes to our wives for tolerating our crazy dream, and for allowing us to invest in it.
Onward and Upward!
Al Heystek and Andy Atwood
Heystek & Atwood, LLC
Providers of the Patent Pending "Nothin' But Net" FREE THROW TRAINER™
www.FREETHROWTRAINER.com