BCRD youth basketball is not about how many wins or losses are accumulated!
... If someone is having trouble with a skill or drill, DO NOT single them out.
2014 BCRD Youth Basketball Coaches Handbook
Dedication This handbook is dedicated to the hardworking volunteer coaches who make our basketball program possible. We appreciate the time, effort, and dedication you give to the children of Blaine County. The staff of the Blaine County Recreation District offers many thanks for helping us provide this opportunity to the youth of our valley. We hope that you find this handbook helpful in your coaching endeavors. Many Thanks!
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Table Of Contents Dedication………………………………………………………………….2 Coaches’ Code of Ethics…………………………………………………...4 Philosophy………………………………………………………………….5 Methodology/Theory of Coaching…………………………………………5 Age Group Characteristics…………………………………………………7 Practice……………………………………………………………………..8 Game Day…………………………………………………………………..10 Referee Relations…………………………………………………………...11 Risk Management…………………………………………………………..11 1st/2nd Grade Rules & Curriculum…………………………………………..12 3rd/4th Grade Rules & Curriculum…………………………………………..14 5th/6th/7th Grade Rules & Curriculum……………………………………….16 Fouls & Violations………………………………………………………….18 Drills & Games……………………………………………………………..19 Dribbling……………………………………………………………………19 Shooting…………………………………………………………………….24 Passing……………………………………………………………………...42 Footwork……………………………………………………………………48 Defense……………………………………………………………………..57 Rebounding…………………………………………………………………65 Screens………………………………………………………………………71
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BCRD COACHES’ CODE OF ETHICS • I will place the emotional and physical well being of my players ahead any desire to win. • I will treat each player as an individual, remembering the large range of emotional and physical development within each age group. • I will do my best to provide a safe playing situation for my players. • I promise to review and practice basic first aid principles needed to treat injuries of my players. • I will do my best to organize practices that are fun for all my players. • I will lead by example in demonstrating fair play and sportsmanship to all my players. • I will provide a sports environment for my team that is free of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol, and I will refrain from their use at all youth sports events. • I will be knowledgeable in the rules of the sport that I coach, and I will teach these rules to my players. • I will use coaching techniques appropriate for the age of the players I coach. • I will remember that I am a youth sports coach, and that the game is for children and not adults.
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Philosophy The game of basketball is just a game. The number one reason children participate in youth sports is to have fun. If you take the fun out of sports, you take the child out of sports. It is detrimental to the player if there is too much pressure placed on them too early to achieve a result rather than simply experiencing the sheer joy of a youth game. As a coach you want to create a stress free relaxed environment for your team. Let your kids know that it is okay to make mistakes. Get to know your kids individually and determine what they need to be successful. For some kids it might be a specific skill. For others it might be encouragement or even something as simple as acknowledgment. BCRD youth basketball is not about how many wins or losses are accumulated! Proper basketball development is achieved by children participating in age appropriate activities so that they are able to experience, comprehend, and execute the game as it relates to where they are in their cognitive development. It is achieved by all of the team members receiving equal playing time. It is achieved by teaching the skills, rules and vocabulary of the game. Finally, it is achieved by teaching sportsmanship. Learning about winning and losing, playing by the rules, and respecting an opponent are just as important as learning basketball skills. As a coach you should try to help improve your team members’ skills, teamwork, sportsmanship, self- confidence, and fitness.
Methodology/Theory of Coaching Role Of The Coach Facilitator • Set up the conditions and environment for learning. • Give only positive feedback (sarcasm and negativity should never occur). • Encourage players to give each other positive feedback. • Coaches should be enthusiastic, organized, patient, sincere, and fair. • Practices should be conducted in the spirit of enjoyment and learning. • De-emphasize winning and losing and emphasize sportsmanship and fun. • Invite parents to help and participate. Positive Role Model • Work with all players equally. • Treat each team member with equal regard and respect. • Demonstrate respect for opponents, referees, parents, spectators, opposing coaches, and opposing players. • Show respect and responsibility for the game of basketball.
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Understand who you are coaching • Children are not defined by chronological age only. • Each child matures and develops at a different pace. • Treat each child as a unique individual. • All activities should be age appropriate. • Recognize that kids participate for different reasons. Some may be there because their older siblings play and it is expected in their family that they play. Some may play because they have a parent that is a frustrated athlete and wants to live through their child. Some may play because all their friends do, and they want to be with them. Others may play because they love basketball.
Coaching Technique • • • • • • • • • • •
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Teach fundamentals. Keep things simple. Don’t try to accomplish too much. Remember that some kids, even 6th graders, might not know anything about basketball. Look for positives at all times. Don’t talk too much. Learning takes place through self-discovery. Teach skills and decision-making. Avoid extensive laps and lines. Use drills as much as possible for conditioning. Introduce a skill, demonstrate the skill, explain the skill, and then attend to the players practicing the skill. Practice the skill without the defense to learn the skill. Practice the skill with the defense to apply the skill. If someone is having trouble with a skill or drill, DO NOT single them out. Demonstrate the skill again. Do not embarrass a child. Game time is not the time to teach something new. It’s a time to evaluate what your players have learned, and what skills they need to improve. Take notes during games on what you need to practice. Maintain a safe game and practice area.
Four Truths about Children and Sports • • •
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Fun is pivotal. If it isn’t fun, children will drop out of sports. Skill development is a crucial aspect of fun. Intrinsic rewards (self-knowledge that grows out of self-competition) are more important in creating lifetime athletes than are extrinsic rewards (victory or attention from others). The most rewarding challenges of sports are those that lead to increased selfknowledge, self-improvement, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
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Age Group Characteristics Before you are able to effectively coach the children that have been entrusted to your care, you need to understand the characteristics of whom you are developing. It is imperative that you understand that when you are dealing with children that you take the time to comprehend where they are currently in their own development.
Under 8 This is the age when players begin to understand the concept of passing to a teammate. From a physical standpoint they still lack a sense of pace and tend to exert themselves hard and then drop. They are starting to develop some physical confidence in themselves and they are still running, climbing, rolling, and jumping. From a mental perspective they feel if they tried hard then they performed well (regardless of the activity’s outcome). They are beginning to show a limited ability to tend to more than one task at a time. From a social perspective they have a great need for approval from adults and like to show off individual skills. Negative comments carry great weight. Their playmates start to emerge and they will start to move towards socializing in small groups. They want everyone to like them at this age.
Under 10 Children at this age may have been playing basketball for nearly half their life. From a physical standpoint they gain a lot of strength, endurance and power during this period. Some children will grow faster than others so weight and height can be very different among kids of this age. Be aware of the differences and how you match them up during practice and games. From a mental perspective they have the ability to remember and follow more complex instructions, which enables them to solve higher-level problems. They will begin to think in advance and anticipate actions and movements. From a social perspective players will begin to initiate play on their own and are becoming more serious about their basketball. Peer group belonging and pressure generated by peers becomes more significant. Their need to belong becomes more important.
Under 12 Children at this age are on the edge of childhood and adolescence. It can present a multitude of problems, but also an abundance of potential. From a physical standpoint strength and power become a major factor in their performance. Their muscles mature and they realize how much more they can do on the court. Their coordination significantly improves and it shows up in the execution of a child’s technical ability. From a mental perspective they can sequence thoughts and perform complex tasks. A 7
coach can expect his players to understand the game and use teammates to solve problems. They are usually eager to learn. From a social perspective whether a child enters puberty early or late is significant. Girls tend to form cliques while boys take a more broad approach to team relationships. The manner in which they feel about themselves can determine how they relate to their teammates. Sometimes popularity influences self-esteem.
Practice General Guidelines Planning is the key to having successful practices. The two main objectives for any basketball practice are for the kids to have fun, and to learn to become better basketball players. In order to achieve the second objective, it is important to develop teaching goals. These goals should include teaching rules, vocabulary, shooting, passing, rebounding, dribbling, spacing, defending, footwork, screens, throw-ins, and jump balls to start each game. You will ordinarily have only two to four practices to get ready for the first game. This probably means your objectives for the first two practices will be different than those that follow the first game. Your objectives will most likely change from week to week as the season progresses and strengths and weaknesses are realized. Be realistic in selecting your objectives! Consider the age and experience of your players. Identify one or more assistant coaches. Assistants are very valuable. They make it possible to divide players into smaller groups to teach necessary skills, help keep practices on task, and can fill in when you are absent.
General Practice Plan As you plan your practices keep these tips in mind to keep players’ interest and avoid boredom: give players many touches on the ball, get all players involved, turn “drills” into games, minimize talking, let the kids play, one activity should flow into the next one with a minimal amount of stopping and reorganizing. Observe what the players are doing. How are the drills working? Are the kids having fun? Don’t stay in one activity too long (especially for younger kids), but long enough so they understand what you are asking of them. Elimination games should be altered so kids can continue playing to some degree. Otherwise, you will always end up with the lesser skilled players leaving the activity early, thus drastically cutting down on their time to improve. Construct practice plans that give kids repetitions for a variety of skills in a challenging environment that improves those skills. Remember that basketball is about spacing and movement without the ball in addition to ball skills. Each practice should be divided into four parts: warm-up, individual activities, group activities, and a scrimmage. The warm-up is a great time for you to set an enthusiastic tone for a fun practice. Young players need very little stretching, but it’s good for them to develop this habit at a young age. Plan warm-ups so that each player uses a ball and has lots of touches and dribbling. It’s always more fun to
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get conditioning with a ball rather than just running. Individual activities should be fun filled games that emphasize technical development. Activities should be appropriate for the skills you are teaching. Limit the number of activities in a given practice, and don’t spend too long on one activity. Remember that a child’s attention span is limited. Group activities are an extension of the individual activities. Maximize the number of touches for each player by running activities with several small groups at the same time rather than having kids standing in line. Activities should emphasize fun while challenging the players in a non-drill manner. The last portion of practice should be used to familiarize players with varying aspects of the game. After a brief explanation and/or demonstration quickly get the kids playing. Kids want to play and have fun. Requiring a certain amount of passes before a shot helps to emphasize spacing, teamwork, and ball skills. After the season starts, it is helpful to take a few minutes of practice to discuss the previous game, emphasizing what your team did well, what can be improved upon, and what goals should be for the coming week.
Main Points to Remember • • • • •
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Be prepared—Have a plan for what you will cover during practice. Use the four part outline for practice: warm up, individual activities, group activities, scrimmage. Keep it simple—Give a short demonstration with a minimum of talk, and then have the players work on the skill. Maximize touches for each player. Make it fun—Sometimes the game (drill) you are trying doesn’t work for the players. Don’t fight it. Switch to something that they can handle. Strive for a progressive acquisition of basic skills. Begin with simple games (drills). Add movement and then opposition to simulate game conditions. The amount of time spent on practice without opposition should decrease as players become older and more skilled. Always save time for the players to simply play basketball. Ask yourself repeatedly “Are the kids having fun?”
Coaches’ Activities Checklist • • • •
Activities are fun and age appropriate Organized/clear objectives All players active Feedback to players is positive, brief, clear, and concise
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Game Day Before arriving have an idea of your substitution schedule for your players. Remember that over the course of a season all of the players should have a chance to play different positions, start games, and finish games. During each game kids are required to have equal playing time. Have your team arrive fifteen minutes early so you can start to warm up and talk about the game. During team warm up do simple passing, dribbling, and shooting exercises that maximize touches. You should know and understand the rules. Introduce yourself to the referee and ask any questions you may have. Simple, even-keeled encouragement from the sideline is the goal during the game. Make sure the assistant coach is communicating the same message as you. It is important not to over coach during games. Don’t continually shout instructions. They often reach the players too late, are distracting, cause stress, and lessen the fun. Let the players make their own decisions on the court so they develop a feel for the game. Extensive coaching is best done during practice. Take notes of situations and skills that your team has problems with and work on them during practice. The less time spent shouting and the more time observing, the better understanding you will develop of your team, and the more information you will have to help them during the next practice. Remember that as coaches we are in a supporting role. It’s the kids’ show! During halftime make sure the kids drink plenty of water. Give positive feedback about the team’s performance. Make only one or two statements regarding points to concentrate on for the second half. Ask the players if they have any questions. Have a team huddle and do a cheer before restarting the second half. After the game immediately applaud both teams. Line up your team to shake hands with the opponent. You and your players should thank the referee. Have the players congratulate the other team with a cheer. Forget about the game results and only give praise and encouragement. Check for injuries. Have everyone clean up the area, and remind them of their next game or practice.
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Referee Relations The referees in our program have a varying degree of experience and ability. There may be times when your game is in the hands of a novice referee. Go easy on the referee! He or she has a hard job. Accept their decisions as part of the game. Don’t make calls for them, shout at, or argue with them. Teach your players to focus on improving their play and that of the team, not criticizing the officials. Set the example by treating the referees with respect and make sure your players are doing the same. If you have any parents that are disrespectful to the referee, you, your players, or opposing players please contact the program coordinator (Brad Musbach).
Risk Management Coach Liability and Player Safety As a volunteer coach you will have the care, custody, and control of someone else’s children. In this capacity you have the potential to create and to prevent accidents and injuries. •
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You must provide adequate supervision to your players. The health and safety of your team members are entrusted to your care. You must provide adequate supervision to avoid foreseeable accidents and injuries. NEVER leave players unattended! NEVER leave after a game or practice until all parents or guardians have arrived! Evaluate your players and determine any limitations that they may have. Be sure players are physically and mentally capable of performing the required skills. Evaluate injuries as they occur and determine if it is safe for the player to play. You must provide proper first aide. A first aide kit will be provided for minor scrapes and accidents. Have a cell phone or quarters for a pay phone in case of an emergency. Do not attempt to provide aide beyond your qualifications. Always have your players’ parents phone numbers with you. If any minor or major injuries occur, always fill out an accident report and give it to the program coordinator.
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Care and Prevention of Injuries The first line of defense in the treatment of injuries is to prevent them. Factors that can prevent injuries are: • The proper use of equipment • No jewelry allowed • Monitor the playing surface • Make sure players are wearing proper fitting shoes • Make sure there is ample water and rest periods • Make sure players don’t return too early from an injury The care of an injured athlete should begin the moment an injury occurs. Immediate care will reduce the severity of the injury and possibility of long-term disability. Upon seeing an injured player on the court a coach should: • Stay composed • Make sure that the airway is clear (if not, dial 911, remove obstruction, and perform cpr) • Determine if a player is conscious and coherent (if not, dial 911) • Question the player in regards to the injury • Avoid moving the player if it appears major in any way • Inspire confidence and reassure the player • Determine how the injury occurred After determining that an injury is not life threatening, the nature of an injury can be further determined. Note the position of the injured part. Is it swollen or deformed? Compare the injury with the uninjured opposite body part. Do not move the injured part. Treatment for minor injuries such as sprains, strains, and contusions is referred to as R.I.C.E. Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. R.I.C.E treatments should occur immediately after the injury. Ice should go twenty minutes on and twenty minutes off for three cycles.
1st/2nd Grade Rules • •
Playing time must be equal for all players for all games. Substitutions should be made at the start and half way through each quarter. Before the start of the game and when substitutions are made, the coaches should work together to make sure players of equal ability and size guard each other. This is done best by having the kids line up in front of each other at mid court. A 12
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color coated velcro system for each player’s jersey will be provided to help kids rembember who they are guarding. Games and practices will use an eight-foot basket. Teams will practice using the side baskets. Games will be on the main court. Teams will play 4 on 4. Games consist of a four-minute team warm-up, four eight-minute quarters with a running clock, and a five-minute halftime. Coaches will ref their own games. A jump ball will start the game followed by alternating possessions. Fouls will result in a new possession or change of possession. There are no free throws. Fouls will not be recorded and players will not foul out. Defense is man to man, half court only and not outside the three point line. Since we do not play defense after change of possession and outside of the three point line, players of different abilities can bring the ball up the court. This enables all players to handle the ball and feel involved. Man to Man defense and spacing on offense needs to be worked on in practice. At this age one of the main challenges is keeping the defenders from “mugging” the offensive player. Try to keep the defenders a couple feet from the offensive player. When defending, the player must go strait up and down or side to side with their arms and hands. There is no slapping at the ball at any time. This includes when the offensive player is dribbling, shooting, or just holding the ball. We want to enforce double dribbling and traveling. In the beginning of the season it’s okay to stop the game and explain the violation and have the player “start over” with the ball. As the season progresses we want to more tightly enforce the rules. For some kids it will be very difficult to accomplish minor points of the game without moving their feet or double dribbling. It’s okay to be lax so that these kids feel as though they are part of the game.
Curriculum • • • • • •
Introduce basketball terminology, rules, and vocabulary. Introduce basic basketball skills (dribbling, passing, shooting, rebounding, spacing, defending) through fun drills and games. Teach basic movement without the ball. Coach the players to crash the boards for rebounds. Coach the players to shoot the ball when they are close to the hoop. Allow lesser players to bring the ball up the court during games. They don’t have to start the offense. The defense isn’t allowed to defend full court and not outside the three-point in the half court. This will give the players who might not get too many touches otherwise a chance to be part of the game.
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3rd/4th Grade Rules • • •
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Before each game the scorekeeper, coaches, and refs will discuss the substituion plan. All players must have an equal amount of playing time. At the beginnning and halfway point of each quarter, substituions can be made. The exception is when a team has 11 or 12 players. In those cases substitutions will also be allowed at the two minute mark of two quarters. The scorekeeper will buzz the horn within ten seconds of the mid quarter stopping point for subs. The scorekeeper will wait for a whistle or change of possession to blow the horn. The exception is if a team has a breakaway with no defenders between the ball and the basket. In this instance the player(team) will be allowed to attempt a field goal(s). When a team has 10 players, two five player groups should be created. A coach can only alter the groups at halftime. Each player is allowed a maximum of four shifts. If a team has 9 players, each player has a max of five shifts. 8 players: five shifts, 7 players: six shifts, 6 players: seven shifts. Before the start of the game and when substitutions are made, the coaches should work together to make sure players of equal ability and size guard each other. This is done best by having the kids line up in front of each other at mid court. The mid quarter break is not a timeout. Keep the game moving. Games consist of a four-minute team warm-up, four eight-minute quarters, and a five-minute halftime. The clock will be a running clock besides free throws, timeouts, and substitutions. The clock will stop for all whistles that occur the last 20 seconds of the first three quarters. If a game is within ten points, the clock will stop for all whistles for the last minute of the game. If not within ten points, it will stop for the last 20 seconds. A jump ball will start the game followed by alternating possessions. Fouls will not be officially recorded and players will not foul out. Referees can take players out of the game that are consistently fouling for a “cool down” period. Each team is allowed one-sixty second timeout each half. Defense is only allowed for half court and not outside the three-point line, and must be man to man. No full court pressure is allowed. If the offensive team moves the ball inside the 3pt line and a loose ball is created that crosses back over the 3 pt line, the ball is a free ball and the defense can go across the line to get the ball. Since full court defense is not allowed, the offensive team cannot baseball pass the ball upcourt. Passes will be called back that cross half court that give the offensive team an unfair advantage.
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Double-teaming on defense is not allowed outside of the paint/lane. Help defense is allowed. A second defensive player is allowed to help if the primary defensive player is picked, screened, or beaten by an offensive player. Once the original defensive player re-enters the play the help defender must return to his/her man. Inside the lane double-teaming is allowed. The offensive player does not have to have the ball for this to occur. Defensive players can switch players they are defending during a play. You should teach them to yell switch in such cases. Illegal defense will result in the ball going back to the offensive team. An offensive player is allowed 7 seconds in the key without the ball. No player is allowed to dribble for more the seven seconds without passing, shooting, or driving to the basket. If any time during a game a team is winning by ten points, the baskets made will not be added to the scoreboard until there is no longer a ten-point difference. At the end of a close game a team could run out the clock because a team cannot defend outside the 3 pt line and we don’t have a shot clock. To prevent such a situation teams will have ten seconds after crossing half court to get the ball within the 3 pt line during the last two minutes of games within ten points. If a game is tied after regulation, it will be declared a tie. During tournament play a three-minute overtime period will follow regulation. If needed, a sudden death period will follow the overtime period. The free throw line will be 12 ft. from the basket. A double elimination tournament will conclude the season. It is possible that during the tournament you could play more than one game in a day. This situation will try to be avoided. Always remember your sportsmanship as a coach. This includes your language, gestures, and attitude toward the referees. Your team is watching you and following your lead. Have fun!!!!!
Curriculum • • •
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Introduce basketball terminology, and vocabulary. Introduce the rules of basketball. Introduce the following skills: jump stops, lay-ups (left & right handed), chest pass, bounce pass, pass fakes, pivot, triple threat position, basic rebounding, basic screening, defensive stance, defensive slide, communication on defense (“ball”, “help”, “shot”), man to man defensive positioning. Teach basic movement without the ball. Coach the players to crash the boards for rebounds. Coach the players to shoot the ball when they are close to the hoop.
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Allow lesser players to bring the ball up the court during games. They don’t have to start the offense. The defense isn’t allowed to defend full court and not outside the three-point in the half court. This will give the players who might not get too many touches a chance to be part of the game. Try and introduce a few basic plays as the season progresses. Have fun!!!!!!
5th/6th/7th Grade Rules • • •
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Before each game the scorekeeper, coaches, and refs will discuss the substituion plan. All players must have an equal amount of playing time. At the beginnning and halfway point of each quarter, substituions can be made. The exception is when a team has 11 or 12 players. In those cases substitutions will also be allowed at the two minute mark of two quarters. The scorekeeper will buzz the horn within ten seconds of the mid quarter stopping point for subs. The scorekeeper will wait for a whistle or change of possession to blow the horn. The exception is if a team has a breakaway with no defenders between the ball and the basket. In this instance the player(team) will be allowed to attempt a field goal(s). When a team has 10 players, two five player groups should be created. A coach can only alter the groups at halftime. Each player is allowed a maximum of four shifts. If a team has 9 players, each player has a max of five shifts. 8 players: five shifts, 7 players: six shifts, 6 players: seven shifts. Before the start of the game and when substitutions are made, the coaches should work together to make sure players of equal ability and size guard each other. This is done best by having the kids line up in front of each other at mid court. The mid quarter break is not a timeout. Keep the game moving. Games consist of a four-minute team warm-up, four eight-minute quarters, and a five-minute halftime. The clock will be a running clock besides free throws, timeouts, and substitutions. The clock will stop for all whistles that occur the last 20 seconds of the first three quarters. If a game is within ten points, the clock will stop for all whistles for the last minute of the game. If not within ten points, it will stop for the last 20 seconds. A jump ball will start the game followed by alternating possessions. Fouls will not be officially recorded and players will not foul out. Referees can take players out of the game that are consistently fouling for a “cool down” period. Each team is allowed one-sixty second timeout each half. Defense is only allowed for half court and not outside the three-point line, and must be man to man. No full court pressure is allowed.
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If the offensive team moves the ball inside the 3pt line and a loose ball is created that crosses back over the 3 pt line, the ball is a free ball and the defense can go across the line to get the ball. Since full court defense is not allowed, the offensive team cannot baseball pass the ball upcourt. Passes will be called back that cross half court that give the offensive team an unfair advantage. Double-teaming on defense is not allowed outside of the paint/lane. Help defense is allowed. A second defensive player is allowed to help if the primary defensive player is picked, screened, or beaten by an offensive player. Once the original defensive player re-enters the play the help defender must return to his/her man. Inside the lane double-teaming is allowed. The offensive player does not have to have the ball for this to occur. Defensive players can switch players they are defending during a play. You should teach them to yell switch in such cases. Illegal defense will result in the ball going back to the offensive team. An offensive player is allowed 5 seconds in the key without the ball. No player is allowed to dribble for more the seven seconds without passing, shooting, or driving to the basket. If any time during a game a team is winning by ten points, the baskets made will not be added to the scoreboard until there is no longer a ten-point difference. At the end of a close game a team could run out the clock because a team cannot defend outside the 3 pt line and we don’t have a shot clock. To prevent such a situation teams will have ten seconds after crossing half court to get the ball within the 3 pt line during the last two minutes of games within ten points. If a game is tied after regulation, it will be declared a tie. During tournament play a three-minute overtime period will follow regulation. If needed, a sudden death period will follow the overtime period. The free throw line will be 14 ft. from the basket. A double elimination tournament will conclude the season. It is possible that during the tournament you could play more than one game in a day. This situation will try to be avoided. Always remember your sportsmanship as a coach. This includes your language, gestures, and attitude toward the referees. Your team is watching you and following your lead. Have fun!!!!!
Curriculum • • •
Introduce basketball terminology and vocabulary. Introduce and define the rules of basketball. Introduce the following skills: jump stops, lay-ups (left & right handed), chest pass, bounce pass, pass fakes, move to the ball when receiving a pass, pivot, triple threat position, jab step, crossover step, basic rebounding, boxing out, basic screening, defensive stance, defensive slide, communication on defense (“ball”,
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“help”, “shot”), man to man defensive positioning, overplay ball to force player to desired side, help-side defense, fronting the post, form shooting, bank shots, drop step/power dribble, crossover dribble. Teach basic movement without the ball. Coach the players to crash the boards for rebounds. Coach the players to shoot the ball when they are close to the hoop. Allow lesser players to bring the ball up the court during games. They don’t have to start the offense. The defense isn’t allowed to defend full court and not outside the three-point in the half court. This will give the players who might not get too many touches otherwise a chance to be part of the game. Create a few basic offensive plays. Have fun!!!!!
Fouls & Violations Referees will do their best to call all fouls and violations.
Fouls A foul is when two players make contact and movement is inhibited by that contact. There are two possible results of a foul: • If a player is shooting when fouled, they will shoot free throws. • If a player is not shooting when fouled, they fouled player’s team will restart the game with an in bounds play. The five basic fouls you will see called by our referees are: • Shooting Fouls—This is defined as contact to the shooting hands or body of the offensive player. • Reaching—when an offensive player’s movement is hindered by the opposition reaching across their body • Pushing/Holding—when a player’s movement is hindered by the opposition pushing or holding • Illegal Screen—when a player does not set his/her feet when setting a screen. • Charging—when an offensive player runs into a defensive player that has set his/her feet and established position. • Blocking—When a defensive player gets in the way of an offensive player without setting his/her feet and establishing position.
Violations When a player breaks a non-contact rule of the game, it is a violation. All violations by a player result in the opposing team restarting the game with an in-bounds play.
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The five basic violations you will see called by our referees are: • Traveling—When a player takes more than one and a half steps without dribbling • Double Dribble—When a player uses a second dribble after picking up their original dribble or uses two hands to dribble simultaneously • Out Of Bounds—When the ball leaves the court boundaries, it goes to the opposing team of whom ever touched the ball last before it went out of bounds. • 7 Second Rule—When a player dribbles for more than 7 seconds without passing, shooting or making a move to the basket. • Lane Violation—This is when a offensive player spends more than 5/7 seconds in the lane without the ball.
Drills & Games I have included some drills and games that cover shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding, footwork, screens, defensive positioning and stance, and in- bound plays. Some games/drills might involve an elimination of a player. You should modify such games so that all players continue playing and improving their skills. Only use age appropriate drills. For some skills these drills and games can be used as ideas for creating new drills or games that accomplish skill improvement. Remember that shooting form is dependent upon physical growth and strength. Some players might not be able to use proper form at these ages. The internet is a valuable tool for expanding your basketball knowledge. Youtube.com is a great and free website where you can watch youth basketball drills and practices. Basketball specific sites are also a valuable educational tool. You can always call the Program Coordinator (Brad Musbach) for ideas, explanations, and help with regard to rules, practices, games, and drills.
Thanks again and have a fun & rewarding season!
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