Coaching Youth Basketball
It is our belief that when you are coaching
elementary school aged basketball players, whether it is for a school team or for a travel team, the most important lessons are not basketball related. Teaching the players to be responsible and be at basketball practice and on time will set a tone not only for your basketball season, but all activities they will be involved in as they grow, whether they are involved in basketball, other athletic teams, or in activities that are not related to sports. Teaching the skills of listening to and being respectful of coaches, their teammates, and officials will lead to future enjoyment and success. Sportsmanship, winning with humility, and losing gracefully are not automatic and are not learned unless they are taught by the coach. A coach can have a very positive influence at this young age in terms of grades and behavior in school, attitude at home, and citizenship in general. As a coach, make sure to take advantage of the opportunity to teach in these areas as well as the teaching that you do in terms of basketball skills and strategy.
In elementary level basketball coaching, the most important aspects from the basketball perspective are an understanding of the rules of the game and skills. We do not believe that an emphasis should be placed on patterns or set plays. Any offense should involve pass and cut and spacing just to give the young players a feel for playing as a team. The vast majority of time for elementary level players should be devoted to Elementary Dribbling Drills, Elementary Shooting Drills, and to Other Elementary Basketball Drills that teach other basic fundamental basketball skills such as passing, catching, holding, and cutting.
Elementary Basketball Dribbling Drills
In basketball practice, all drills should start out slow with an emphasis on proper dribbling technique, then the players should increase speed while maintaining proper technique until their limits have been reached and they lose the ball or lose correct form. The key teaching phrase is "speed up, til you mess up!"
Dribble Moves
Half of the team at each end on the baseline facing toward the court. All dribbles end with a jump stop. All pivots are reverse
pivots.
Two Ball Dribble
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Crossovers (stationary)—front, between legs, behind back
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Moving while dribbling two basketballs
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Moving and crossing over with two basketballs
Starts, Stops, Pivots
2/0 Pass and basket Cut
Fake a cut to make a cut, hands and eyes ready to catch,
meet the pass, catch triple threat, two foot power, pass to
the outside hand—away from the defense, jab to get open
3 Man Back Cutting for 30 Seconds
A rebounder, a passer on the wing and a cutter. Cutter
touches 3 point arc near deep elbow and back cuts. Passer
throws a bounce pass. Rebounder returns ball to passer.
One guy goes for 30 seconds, then rotate. Keep track of
how many all three make together.
5/0 Man Pass and Cut
Pass, cut to the lane, fill the spacing spots.
2/1 Jab and pop
Passer on wing or deep elbow unguarded. Receiver
overplayed by a defender. One step at the man pop to
perimeter show outside hand and pass to outside hand.
4/4/4
Man with the ball and a defender on him. Defender
pressures the ball as much as possible. Pivot to protect
the ball for 4, then dribble for 4, pick up and hold for 4.
Play one on one with a passer
Get them to utilize a dribble move. 3 dribbles or less. Pass and cut. Play to 5 baskets. A foul is a point
- Shell Drill with no movement
Line up four offensive players in the perimeter spacing spots with the defense guarding them. Defense cannot steal the ball, but should change positions with every pass of the ball. We use this to teach principles of one pass away and two pass away help.
15. Shell Drill help and recover
Set up the same shell, but have each catcher dribble into
the next gap, then pass to that offensive man to force
help and recover.
Same as above, but the coach yells shot, the offense shoots, and the defense blocks out.
- Competitive Block out Drill
Put them in 3s, 4s, or 5s. Everyone in the lane to start. Throw the ball off the glass the team that gets the rebound gets a point and inside position for the next shot by the coach. Play to a set number
See description on following pages. Can play full or half
court
19. Coach’s time (15 minutes Maximum, can be less)
Mental Approach, break problem areas into skills and
drills, catch up to schedule, repeat drills performed
poorly.
20 5/5 with a purpose
Offensive Example: 3 dribbles per touch.
Defensive Examples: Pressure on the dribble, In a stance,
Know where your man is, See the ball
- Continued Underneath Out of Bounds
Play 5/5, but start the segments by inbounding the ball from under one of the baskets, so the players will know where to line up. Teach them a simple inbounds play and also how to defend an inbounds pass. Our emphasis on defense is to make the other team throw the ball away from the basket and never give up a layup.
20. Continued Sideline Out of Bounds
Play 5/5, but start the segments by inbounding the ball from the sideline, so the players will know where to line up. We have the man guarding the inbounder back to protect the basket from a backdoor or lob pass.
Dribble Take Away
Each player has a basketball. The coach establishes a boundary line—example the three point arc. Players attempt to knock the basketballs from other players hands without fouling. Any player who loses his dribble, fouls, or commits a dribbling violation is out. The last player left is the winner. The coach can squeeze the boundaries when there is a low number of players remaining. Example: Free throw lane.
22. Competitive 1 on 1
- Start with a passing line at a spacing spot
- Put an offensive player on another spacing spot
- Defense is in help stance
- Offense Jab to get open
- Offense takes a shot or a drive and limit is 3 dribbles
- Offense scores he stays—defender returns to the end of the line—new defense
- On a foul—offense shoots free throw and receives ball if it misses
- Defense stops—he is now offense
- Guy who doesn’t stay goes to the end of the line
- Change the spot each time you play
This game is also called “knockout” or “thunder and lightening.” Put the players in a single file line at the free throw line. The first two players have basketballs. The object is to make a basket before the player in front of you does. If the shot is missed from the free throw line, you follow it and keep shooting until you make it, or the player behind you puts you out. If you score before he does, you throw the ball back to the next player and return to line. You cannot touch another player’s basketball.
- Down and Back Dribbling Relay
Split the players into teams and have each player dribble to a predetermined spot and back. He hands the ball to the next man who does the same. The first team that has everyone done dribbling and sitting down is the winner.
Put a team under each of the six baskets in the gym. The coach times two minutes and each team see how many layups they can make at the basket across the court from them. One basketball per teamWhen someone is shooting at the basket the team is standing under, they can yell or wave their arms to distract the shooter, but cannot touch the shooter or the baketball.
- Make the most lay ups in 2:00
Coach times 2:00. Teams are at the elbows on each basket. One basketball per team. Each player shoots a 2 foot power layup and rebounds his own shot back to the next in line. Team making the most in the 2:00 is the winner.
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