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5th Grade Basketball Skills

Aug 9, 2011 | By Jeff Gordon
5th Grade Basketball Skills
Photo Credit Digital Vision/Photodisc/Getty Images

By the fifth grade, many basketball players are youth league veterans. They have a firm handle on the rules and rhythm of the game. They have adjusted fully to 10-foot rims and the size of the court. But they are still polishing their fundamental skills and developing habits that will stay with them through their playing careers.

Ballhandling

Players at this level should strive to control the dribble with either hand while their head is up, surveying the court. They should be able to control the ball at full speed and start and stop their dribble without committing traveling violations. Dribbling is one of the easiest skills to practice and players should work on this skill on their own daily.

Full Speed Lay-ups

This skill is undeveloped at this age. Players might consistently convert their shots during the lay-up drills in practice, but finishing off fast-breaks in the game is more difficult. They must learn to accept passes on the move and convert lay-ups without traveling. Players must improve their body control and learn to finish plays under pressure.

Free Throws

This is where players should develop proper shooting form. At the free throw line they can concentrate on using the proper grip and the desired finger pad release. In most cases, their hands are still relatively small and they might shoot the ball off their palm. They might be inclined to shoot with two hands rather than using one hand to guide the ball. While shooting free throws, players can slow down their mechanics, get it right and build proper muscle memory.

Rebounding Box Out

At this, the tall kids and strong kids get a lot of rebounds. Coaches should spend a lot of time instilling proper box-out techniques so they become second nature. This is not easy; coaches spend a lot of time on this skill at the high school and collegiate levels.

Setting Screens and Picks

This is another skill that eludes many players at this level, and players at much higher levels as well. Players must learn both the mechanics of a good, legal screen and how to time the screen properly. This is a skill that can only be honed in a team environment with a lot of repetitions.

Offensive Movement

By this point in their playing lives, players will need to know how to operate within an offense and move well away from the ball. Offensive complexity will vary greatly from team to team at this level, but most teams will have some level of organization. Learning to move in concert with teammates is a skill unto itself.

Defensive Footwork

Defensive players should be done "playing tag" at this point. They should know how to maintain proper defensive posture and move their feet quickly and effectively in man-to-man defense. They should understand zone principles as well, unless they have only played in leagues that don't allow such defenses.

References

Article reviewed by Kirk Ericson Last updated on: Aug 9, 2011

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