Youth Basketball Drills – Basic Beginner Tips

If you are a basketball coach for 4th graders, or any age who have never played before, try these tricks. These youth basketball drills are basic and effective; tried and true.

Two things I do to help alleviate confusion with players who are just starting out with the sport and have so much to learn are the following:

1. When substituting, I make them high five the player they are going in for and during the high five, exchange the number of the player that he/she is guarding.  This had alleviated some of the confusion during subs as to “who do I have?”.  If“  the other teams subs, I have them call out the new player.  This lets everyone (including the basketball coach) know that they know who they have.

2. Switching hoops at the half has been problematic for my team so now I switch my position on the bench relative to the players at the half as well.  If they get confused, they look up to see where I am and know that they are shooting toward the end of the bench where I am sitting.

They actually ask me at the half to make sure I remember to move my seat!“  Simple but they help give structure to your youth basketball players.  Give them a try.