Getting kids prepared to play basketball includes doing warm-up drills that help their conditioning, skill development and competitive nature. It's important for all players--including kids--to not go out on the court cold because it's harder to be at your best skill level without warm-up, and it's more likely you could get injured.
Running Warm Ups
In order to prepared to play basketball, it's important to get your legs warmed up. Since youngsters who are playing the game will be running up and down the court, one of the best drills is to run the baselines. Start off at the near baseline and run to the near free-throw line, turn around and return to the baseline. Then run to midcourt and back, and follow that by running to the far free-throw line and back. Finally, run from the near baseline to the far baseline and back. Take a one-minute break and repeat the run. That should get your legs and cardiovascular system ready for basketball.
Around the World Shooting Drill
Start off at the right baseline, about 18 feet from the basket. Take five jump shots from that distance. Move to the right elbow--the extended part of the foul line--and take five jump shots from that distance. Move to the top of the key and take five more shots, then do the same from the left elbow and the left baseline. This will help prepare young players for taking shots from all over the court.
Dribbling Drill
One of the hardest things for young players to learn is how to dribble properly. Dribbling practice is essential for building confidence and helping a youngster improve in this critical area. Set up five cones past midcourt, each one about 3 feet apart. Have the young ball-handler dribble to the right of the first cone, the left of the second cone, the right of the third cone and then continue on in that manner. When the youngster has dribbled past the fifth cone, he speed-dribbles back to the midcourt line and hands the ball to a teammate, who then does the drill.
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