When you are coaching youngsters in basketball, the enthusiasm level is often a lot higher than the skill level. In order to help youngsters play basketball and make progress at it, you are going to do a lot more than throw the ball on the court and blow your whistle. You are going to give the young players drills and exercises that will help improve their skills.
Dribbling Drill
Young players tend to struggle in the ball handling department. It takes coordination and athletic ability. You can improve those areas with a dribbling exercise that will get them to use both their right and left hand. Set up five cones about three feet apart, just past the midcourt line. Have the player dribble past midcourt and go to the right of the first cone, the left of the second, the right of the third and continue on in that manner. When the player gets past the last cone, he speed dribbles back to midcourt and repeats the drill. Each time the player passes a cone, he must switch the ball from his right hand to his left and vice versa.
Shooting Drill
This will help youngsters get more familiar with shooting the ball. Start off by giving the player the ball at the free-throw line. Have the player make a layup. From there, she goes to the right baseline about 15 feet from the basket and takes a shot. Then she goes to the right edge of the free throw line, the center of the free throw line and the left edge of the free throw line. Finally she goes to the left baseline 15 feet from the hoop. Keep track of how each player does so you can see which players are improving as the season moves along.
Conditioning Drill
While you don't have to do a lot of conditioning work with young people, you should do some because you want young people to get used to moving on the court and not standing still. Have your players start off at the near baseline. Have them run to the free throw line and back. Then have them run to the midcourt line and back. Then have them run to the far free throw line and the far baseline. Do this at the start and finish of practice every day to help your players get in game-ready condition.
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