Passing is a fundamental skill in the game of basketball and is one of the first that kids learn. The major basketball passes include the bounce pass, the chest pass and the baseball or overhand pass. Coaches wanting to help their players and teams develop good passing skills and techniques can use various drills during practice.
Weave
The weave is one of the oldest and most popular team passing drills. In this drill, three kids line up along the baseline 10 feet apart as the player in the middle holds the ball. The players begin running as the middle player passes to the player to his right, then runs toward and behind him as the player now with the ball runs to the middle. The player to the left runs to the middle and then receives a pass from the player with the ball, who then runs behind in a weave formation. The weave continues with the players passing the ball legally (without traveling) all the way down court. This drill teaches passing in fast-break situations and being able to pass on the run without dribbling.
Monkey in the Middle
The monkey-in-the-middle drill, also known as the bull-in-the-ring drill, is a fast-action drill involving five or more kids. One player stands in the middle, while all other players form a circle around him. Players on the circle attempt to pass the ball to the other players on the circle as the player in the middle attempts to deflect or intercept the ball. Players may use the bounce pass, chest pass or baseball pass to get the ball to their teammate, but may not pass to a player directly next to them. You can set a time limit for the drill and see how many deflections or interceptions each player can get during their time in the middle, or you can set a number of deflections and interceptions a player must reach before coming out of the middle.
Pass and Go
Players form a circle at half court about 12 feet in diameter with one player in the middle. A player on the outside of the circle uses a chest pass to pass the ball to the player in the middle. The player in the middle then passes the ball to the next person on the circle. At the same time, the first passer runs into the circle to take the middle position. The next passer passes it to the new middle man, then replaces the middle man once he passes and so on, around the circle. You can set a number of passes that must be completed, such as 50 or 100, before the drill is over.
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