Drills for Coaching Youth Basketball

Youth sports are a great way to introduce young people to the concepts of sportsmanship, fairness and teamwork. Many children choose to participate in basketball early on in life because the game is easy to learn and fun to play. Teaching young people the basics of basketball can give them the skills and knowledge needed to play the game for many years. There are several basic drills that help this process.

  1. Dribbling drills

    • The first basic skill that any young basketball player needs to learn is dribbling. You can't move with the ball without dribbling it. There are many drills designed to help young people learn how to dribble. One of these is the cone drill, where a player starts dribbling the basketball while weaving in and out of a series of cones, while maintaining speed and control of the basketball. As the players progress with their dribbling skills, more advanced drills might include behind-the-back and between-the-legs dribbling, dribbling two balls simultaneously and dribbling the basketball while blindfolded.

    Passing Drills

    • Passing the ball is another crucial part of basketball. Passing helps the team create open shots. Some basic passing drills work on the variety of passes that are used in basketball, including chest passes, bounce passes and baseball passes. One drill that incorporates all of these fundamentals is the line-passing drill. One team member lines up facing his teammates. The player then passes to each of his teammates in turn, alternating chest, bounce and one-handed passes, receiving each pass back from his teammates, working on placement, speed and accuracy of passing.

    Shooting drills

    • Scoring in basketball involves shooting the ball into the hoop. If you are able to make a higher percentage of your shots, it is much easier to score points. Shooting drills help young players develop their shot and become consistent with it. Forms of shooting drills include having players progressively shoot from greater distances with each shot they make and shooting free throws to work on form and routine. One of the most famous basketball shooting drills is known as the Mikan Drill. Named after basketball legend George Mikan, the drill involves shooting a one-handed shot from each side of the basket, alternating with the left and right hand.

    Defensive Drills

    • Defensive drills help players develop a well-rounded skillset that will aid them in becoming better basketball players. There are several drills aimed at helping young players learn the fundamentals of good defense. One such drill is the basic positioning drill. Players line up next to each other in rows, all facing the coach or a teammate. The leader then directs all of the players to mimic his or her motions, shuffling from side to side and front to back. This drill improves footwork and enables the player to prepare to follow whoever they are assigned to defend in games.