Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:54 pm Post subject: Need Advice for Coaching Basketball
I volunteered to be a basketball coach for the Boys & Girls Club. I'll be coaching kids in grades 6-8, and I think I will have 10 kids on the team. The problem is I have never coached before. We are going to play 8 games and I'll be holding 8 practices. The practices will be an hour long each. Does anyone have advice in general or know some good drills to have them run? I know I could just have them scrimmage and interject with advice every few plays.
Your situation sounds like what I experienced when I first coached youth basketball. The first year I coached youth basketball I coached two teams, one for my 5th grade son and one for my 7th grade son.
The 5th grader played in a league of 5th and 6th graders and the 7th grader played in a league of 7th and 8th graders.
I assume we're talking about normal kids, not AAU superstar or other Club or travel teams.
Usually there is very little talent in these youth leagues. The kids are just learning the game and just want to have fun.
There is a big difference between 6th graders and 7th and 8th graders. It seems that the 6th graders are just barely beginning to be capable of understanding what you are teaching them. 5th graders are even harder to work with, especially if they are inexperienced.
I think you will find that the basic skills are not there for most of the kids. Passing, defending, shooting, rebounding, etc....most of them just don't understand the concepts.
And the problem is you only get one hour to coach them once a week. That just isn't enough time.
I would try to work on the fundamentals.
1. Passing
2. Dribbling
3. man to man defense
4. Shooting
If you find yourself with a less talented team, plan on losing in the beginning while you teach your kids the game.
Teach them to have fun.
With my 5th - 6th grade team I was really floundering because I couldn't get down to their level. I asked one of my son's friend's dad who was experienced with coaching youths to be my assistant coach. He taught them how to break a press and we worked on a simple pass and screen away offense.
By the end of the season, we had a few upsets and improved a lot.
With my 7th -8th grade team (mostly 7th graders), we had some better talent and they were smarter....we went undefeated during the regular season and lost by a few points in the finals to a predominantly 8th grade team. (There is a BIG difference between 7th and 8th graders).
Like I said, one hour is not enough time to teach the kids much. And I don't consider letting the kids play some "pickup ball" after our one hour of coaching as part of the practice...lol
Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 28422 Location: LA --> Bay Area
Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 9:49 pm Post subject:
Take out a ball, hold it high, and say "if you can't run to the other end of the court by the time this ball hits the floor, you're running suicides all practice."
Joined: 02 Jun 2002 Posts: 4545 Location: Monrovia, California
Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 4:53 am Post subject:
Definitely the big three.
Passing <-- Kids are selfish, make them share the ball.
Shooting <-- Gotta know how to put the biscuit in the basket.
Dribbling <-- They need to learn how to do this in their sleep.
Always end the practice with something fun like HORSE or Free Throw Contest. _________________
LakerFanAlways wrote:
Somewhere the Utah Jazz are watching this and saying "WE LOST TO THESE IDIOTS"
Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:38 am Post subject: Re: Need Advice for Coaching Basketball
TheJellosJigglin' wrote:
I volunteered to be a basketball coach for the Boys & Girls Club. I'll be coaching kids in grades 6-8, and I think I will have 10 kids on the team. The problem is I have never coached before. We are going to play 8 games and I'll be holding 8 practices. The practices will be an hour long each. Does anyone have advice in general or know some good drills to have them run? I know I could just have them scrimmage and interject with advice every few plays.
Thanks.
I did this when I coached younger kids:
1. Warm ups; suicides and dribbling the ball in place, making sure they switch from right to left, left to right. Around the waist ball handling, around each leg ball handling.
2. Have them dribble once around the gym right handed, then on the second lap have them dribble left handed.
3. Dribble around right foot, then switch and have them dribble around left foot. Repeat. Keep the dribbles low. Ideally figure 8 dribbles around both legs (might be tough for some).
4. Two lines, passing the ball. Chest passes and bounce passes. Triple threat stance.
5. Shooting drills, with proper form on follow through. Do it from the charity stripe to start.
6. Using triple threat stance attacking the basket for layups (right side, then left side). Repeat as time allows.
7. Get the cones out and do more dribbling drills. Ideally get them to crazy 8s.
8. Give and go.
9. Three man fast break practice, passing ball on the run, alternate who finishes on the return.
10. Pick and roll, pick and roll, pick and roll. How to run, how to defend.
11. Form squads, time to play and have some fun.
Before you start, you'll wonder if you'll run out of drills in your allotted hour of practice. Later you'll realize that an hour seems too brief.
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2014 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: Need Advice for Coaching Basketball
angrypuppy wrote:
TheJellosJigglin' wrote:
I volunteered to be a basketball coach for the Boys & Girls Club. I'll be coaching kids in grades 6-8, and I think I will have 10 kids on the team. The problem is I have never coached before. We are going to play 8 games and I'll be holding 8 practices. The practices will be an hour long each. Does anyone have advice in general or know some good drills to have them run? I know I could just have them scrimmage and interject with advice every few plays.
Thanks.
I did this when I coached younger kids:
1. Warm ups; suicides and dribbling the ball in place, making sure they switch from right to left, left to right. Around the waist ball handling, around each leg ball handling.
2. Have them dribble once around the gym right handed, then on the second lap have them dribble left handed.
3. Dribble around right foot, then switch and have them dribble around left foot. Repeat. Keep the dribbles low. Ideally figure 8 dribbles around both legs (might be tough for some).
4. Two lines, passing the ball. Chest passes and bounce passes. Triple threat stance.
5. Shooting drills, with proper form on follow through. Do it from the charity stripe to start.
6. Using triple threat stance attacking the basket for layups (right side, then left side). Repeat as time allows.
7. Get the cones out and do more dribbling drills. Ideally get them to crazy 8s.
8. Give and go.
9. Three man fast break practice, passing ball on the run, alternate who finishes on the return.
10. Pick and roll, pick and roll, pick and roll. How to run, how to defend.
11. Form squads, time to play and have some fun.
Before you start, you'll wonder if you'll run out of drills in your allotted hour of practice. Later you'll realize that an hour seems too brief.
Yeah, I don't think an hour would be enough time for all that. The game at the end is going to take 10-15 minutes at least. _________________ LakersCardinalsRams
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 9:25 am Post subject: Re: Need Advice for Coaching Basketball
Grammer wrote:
Yeah, I don't think an hour would be enough time for all that. The game at the end is going to take 10-15 minutes at least.
That reminds me. Split into two groups (or three, depending up on number of kids and gym layout) and have an assistant coach (or two) take charge of the other groups. You get through the drills much faster.
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 1:57 pm Post subject: Re: Need Advice for Coaching Basketball
Grammer wrote:
angrypuppy wrote:
TheJellosJigglin' wrote:
I volunteered to be a basketball coach for the Boys & Girls Club. I'll be coaching kids in grades 6-8, and I think I will have 10 kids on the team. The problem is I have never coached before. We are going to play 8 games and I'll be holding 8 practices. The practices will be an hour long each. Does anyone have advice in general or know some good drills to have them run? I know I could just have them scrimmage and interject with advice every few plays.
Thanks.
I did this when I coached younger kids:
1. Warm ups; suicides and dribbling the ball in place, making sure they switch from right to left, left to right. Around the waist ball handling, around each leg ball handling.
2. Have them dribble once around the gym right handed, then on the second lap have them dribble left handed.
3. Dribble around right foot, then switch and have them dribble around left foot. Repeat. Keep the dribbles low. Ideally figure 8 dribbles around both legs (might be tough for some).
4. Two lines, passing the ball. Chest passes and bounce passes. Triple threat stance.
5. Shooting drills, with proper form on follow through. Do it from the charity stripe to start.
6. Using triple threat stance attacking the basket for layups (right side, then left side). Repeat as time allows.
7. Get the cones out and do more dribbling drills. Ideally get them to crazy 8s.
8. Give and go.
9. Three man fast break practice, passing ball on the run, alternate who finishes on the return.
10. Pick and roll, pick and roll, pick and roll. How to run, how to defend.
11. Form squads, time to play and have some fun.
Before you start, you'll wonder if you'll run out of drills in your allotted hour of practice. Later you'll realize that an hour seems too brief.
Yeah, I don't think an hour would be enough time for all that. The game at the end is going to take 10-15 minutes at least.
The game at the end is "play time" after practice is over...walk away and let them play. The kids love to play...you can't help it if they want to hang out and play some ball while they wait for their parents to pick them up (an hour late)
That same coach who gave away dollar bills during practice also paid for his team to go to another coach's basketball clinic on a different day. Sneaky SOB.
Don't even worry about offense to start. Start with defensive footwork drills (sliding their feet etc). Then weak side strong side defensive positioning. I'd also drill into them from the start, to talk to each other in the floor. A very important skill to teach early.
Graduate to defensive shell drills.
Keep the offense simple to begin. Usually with beginners spacing is one of the most important things to teach. Screen rolls etc. Maybe like a 1 in 4 out offense depending on the size of your team. Just teaching them screens, spacing, and movement on offense will probably be good for the time constraint your working with. _________________ "It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up."-The Greatest
I just went through tryouts at their intermediate school on an outdoor court. Was girls and boys grades 6 through 8 and about 25 kids tried out. I had them start with layup lines right handed and then left handed. Then I had them do the three man weave. Then I had them get in two lines and have the offensive player dribble in a zig-zag with a person in front of him/her doing defensive slides. Then I had them do a couple of 2 on 3 drills.
Our first practice is on Wednesday, and our first game is a week from Wednesday. I am going to try to hold two practices a week now instead of one, on Mondays and Fridays. There is also another guy that has been working with the Boys and Girls Club at that school for years, so he knows most of the kids already and he is helping me out with the practices a little bit. He is going to practice with them on Tuesdays when I am at school all day. He won't be with me at the games, however. That's going to be all me.
I'll probably update all of you or ask more questions here periodically. Thanks again for all the advice, it is helpful.
I just went through tryouts at their intermediate school on an outdoor court. Was girls and boys grades 6 through 8 and about 25 kids tried out. I had them start with layup lines right handed and then left handed. Then I had them do the three man weave. Then I had them get in two lines and have the offensive player dribble in a zig-zag with a person in front of him/her doing defensive slides. Then I had them do a couple of 2 on 3 drills.
Our first practice is on Wednesday, and our first game is a week from Wednesday. I am going to try to hold two practices a week now instead of one, on Mondays and Fridays. There is also another guy that has been working with the Boys and Girls Club at that school for years, so he knows most of the kids already and he is helping me out with the practices a little bit. He is going to practice with them on Tuesdays when I am at school all day. He won't be with me at the games, however. That's going to be all me.
I'll probably update all of you or ask more questions here periodically. Thanks again for all the advice, it is helpful.
I hope you end up with a better record than me. Like D'Antoni, I don't think I'll ever be asked to coach again.
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