Basketball Basics for Teaching

Like any endeavor, teaching basketball to the inexperienced is challenging, especially if they are young. There are fundamentals that players of any level should know and practice. Some drills are better than others. There is a lot to teach, but with the right coaching approach, the right focus on offense and the right focus on defense, your team should be winning games in no time.

  1. Know Your League

    • The first step to successful coaching is to know your league. Many youth leagues have special rules, i.e. not allowing players to steal the ball. When players reach the age where they will pay attention and be able to remember complex plays, your focus as a coach becomes one of teaching complex basketball mechanics. However, if your team is younger, you will need to spend significant time ensuring that your players are paying attention when you speak, involving your players to keep them engaged while learning new material and making practices fun. When teaching a new skill to younger players, have your players stand with their hands behind their backs or sit them down. Ask them questions about what you've taught and have them repeat material as you tell it to them. Get them started on a related skills drill and monitor them to make sure they are practicing skills correctly. Watch a player demonstrate a skill incorrectly several times before you step in.

    Offense Drills

    • Youth players should spend time on such basic skills as shooting, passing, ball handling and concentrate on drills that force players to display multiple skills to achieve a goal. Avoid such drills as the "layup drill" (in which players form lines and wait to both rebound and shoot layups), which forces young players into periods of inactivity. Young players will get bored and lose interest, and that time could be put to better use in players of all skill levels. Instead, set up a horseshoe of cones around the paint and have players weave between the cones and shoot layups in a continuous circle. Drills like this are more effective because they practice multiple skills and help with conditioning. Older players should also have time set aside for practicing transition offense (a fast break) and set offensive plays.

    Defense Drills

    • What you teach your younger players will depend on rule limitations set by the league. In general, players should focus on their defensive stance and body position while on defense. One drill is a game of Simon says. Line your team up and tell them to follow you as you make offensive moves. If you take a step forward, they should step back. Their focus should be on positioning themselves between the basket and you at all times as quickly as possible. Give one player a ball and assign a defensive player to stop the offensive player from reaching the basket, using body positioning alone. Often, the best way to practice defense is to scrimmage. Older players should also work on transition defense and zone defense if you plan to use it during a game.