How to Improve Basketball Skills

I find that the traditional wisdom on how to improve basketball skills is a bit stale.  Here’s an idea from Paula that works well with players of all ages.

I am coaching basketball to 3rd grade girls.  I have come up with a simple plan to keep the offense spread out and most importantly the girls don’t have to think!“  I have a two guard front against a man to man.  I have two down low at the 3 and 4 position, each placed halfway between the power block and the side line.  Number 5 sets up anywhere around the lane.  Preferably shaking it up each time down the floor.
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The premise is that each girl has an area.  The #1 guard is the right side, show them an imaginary rectangle from the mid-court line to the top of the free throw line with the “imaginary line up the center of the court that divides right and left. “  #2 is the left side.  3 and 4 are the lower imaginary rectangle covering the baseline to the top of the free throw line out to the sideline and 5 has the lane as her rectangle.  They stay in their area except to drive to the basket, help, backdoor, or to rebound. 
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We practice the v-cut routinely in practice, thus teaching the kids how to move without the ball and to get open.  Their job is to stay in their area and v-cut and pass to the open person. 

It’s not brain surgery but the girls are always spread out and rarely do we not get a wide open shot at the basket.  They spend less time caught up in running some play most can’t remember, and we spend practice time practicing fundamentals instead of drilling plays in their heads.