Joel Branstrom Basketball Coach Sinks Ball Half-Court, Blindfolded, Dizzy

Women's basketball coach, Joel Branstrom at Olathe Northwest, Ks, made the impossible shot from half-court, blindfolded, and dizzy. Update 1-27-10: Coach Branstrom and his family are going to the NCAA Final Four. See the second video below.

Students wanted to prank their coach, who is also a Science teacher, but got pranked themselves. They told him he would win NCAA tickets if he made the shot blindfolded. The crowd was prompted to cheer wildly when he missed, knowing that it was an impossible shot.  But...he made it, and made it nicely. Students were stunned. There were never any tickets to the NCAA because no one thought Coach Branstrom could make it happen. Oh well...they bought him a gift certificate at a Mexican restaurant.

I’ve been around long enough and done these kinds of practical jokes,” said Branstrom, who also teaches biology at the suburban Kansas City school. “I figured they were trying to punk me.”

Before launching the shot, Branstrom figured he was about to be hit in the face with a pie, so he held the ball up as protection for a few seconds.

“I knew they would cheer regardless to make me think I hit it,” Branstrom said. “I let it go, they cheered, I heard laughter. I seriously didn’t know I made it for a while.”

If anyone out there has an extra seat at the Final Four, the Olathe Northwest students would be grateful if you would share it with their coach.


Coach Joel Branstrom Sinks Ball Half-Court, Blindfolded (video)
Coach Branstrom and Family Going to the NCAA Final Four (video)