Youth Games to Teach Basketball Agility

Basketball is a sport that requires speed and agility. Even if your team is not composed of the fastest or most nimble players, teaching drills that emphasize agility and practicing them faithfully can turn even the clumsiest player into a member of a skillful team. Players who learn agility games when they are young benefit both physically and mentally from these types of activities.

  1. Pivoting and Shooting

    • The goal of this game is to be the first team to score 10 layups. Position two chairs on either side of the free throw line at the same distance apart. Divide all players into two teams and position each team in a line behind the basket. Have a basketball ready on each chair.

      The coach blows the whistle to start the drill. The first player in each line sprints to the chair, picks up a basketball, pivots and begins dribbling towards the basket. Once the layup is shot, the player rebounds the ball and dribbles back to the chair, leaving the basketball on the chair. The next player in line repeats the process.

    Passing and Pivoting

    • This drill is performed with three players positioned in a straight line. The goal of the drill is to provide the middle player with agility in pivoting while passing the basketball.

      Set a timer for 30 seconds or time it on your watch. The player on the right passes the ball to the middle player. The middle player catches the ball, pivots and turns to the player on the left and passes the ball. Once the player on the left catches the ball, the basketball is passed back to the middle player. The middle player again pivots and turns to the player on the right and passes the ball. The sequence is then repeated until the 30 seconds are up.

      After 30 seconds, players switch positions and resume the drill until all three players have had a turn as the middle player.

    Jumping

    • Many jumping drills can be performed using two teams. Position both teams behind the basket in a line. When you blow the whistle, the first player in each line performs the indicated jump drill for a set number of times. Once the player completes the drill, the next player continues the routine. The first team to perform all of the jumps first, wins.

      Examples of jump drills include jumping four times in the shape of a square; jumping twice on your right foot and twice on your left foot four times; jumping from side to side and forwards and backwards four times; and jumping 10 times clicking your heels together while in the air.