Make sure to get comfortable with your balance, with the feel of the weight in your hand, and with the full release. The release should feel like second nature to you. Once this is accomplished, you can then start to learn how to turn in the circle and release at the end.
Raccoons eat basically anything that is edible and available. They prefer nuts and fruit, but they have been known to eat small reptiles, birds, amphibians and other vertebrates when necessary. Raccoons prefer food that is easy to catch, including fish, amphibians and bird eggs, according to Wikipedia.
Raccoons are omnivores with an opportunistic diet; eating almost anything they can get their paws on. In urban areas, where wildlife and fresh vegetation are limited, raccoons will be more likely to eat human food and invade trashcans. The majority of their diet consists of sweet foods like fruits and invertebrates.