11 Player Youth Basketball Substitution Rotation

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An 11 man rotation for youth basketball is a big challenge. As a youth coach it is always good to follow a substitution pattern that guarantees playing time for each player. Some leagues have minimum playing time requirements. This rotation is based on a league policy that requires a 25% minimum playing time for each player (8:00 out of 32:00).

Rank Each Player: It is helpful to rank each player: above average, average, and below average.Players will be given playing time that corresponds to their rank on the team.

Option #1 Number System / Equal Playing Time: A coach can assign a number system for his team 1 – 11. This makes substitutions really simple. Select the “shift” time and simply have the players sit on the bench by number. Players will rotate in the game. A coach should try to balance height and skill to have balance with each unit. (possible set up)

32 minute game: to keep it simple a coach can divide the quarter in half. The following is based on four 8-minute quarters.

1st Quarter:

Shift #1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Shift #2: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 

2nd Quarter:

Shift #3: 11, 1, 2, 3, 4

Shift #4: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

3rd quarter:

Shift #5: 10, 11, 1, 2, 3

Shift #6: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

4th Quarter

Shift #7:  9, 10, 11, 1, 2,

Shift #8:  3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Playing Time Breakdown

1 – 7 = 16:00 (50%)

8, 9, 10, 11 = 12:00 (37.5%)

Variation #1 Mix the number up: Create a new list each week. A coach can rotate the players in 1 – 7 so no one player is #1. Similarly rotate 8 – 11 so that no player is last all the time.

Variation #2 Pick up where you left off: If a coach is a believer in equal playing time, simply start the next game with the next rotation. This will be the fairest. It will keep most parents happy. And it will allow all players to develop. At the younger ages this is probably the best option (recommendation). 

Game #2 Shift #1: 8, 9, 10, 11, 1 

Variation #3: Use the number system for the 1st 3 quarters, then play the best players. Through 3 quarters the playing time would be the following: 

1 – 8 3 shifts = 12:00 (27.5)

9 – 11 2 shifts = 8:00 (25% if no additional time)

There will 40 minutes of playing time for the 4th quarter (8 minutes X 5 sports) #9 will have not played in 3rd quarter, so it would make sense to find him some time in the 4th or give him a little time in the 3rd.

Option #2 Even Units plus one (4-4-3}: Divide the top 8 players into two even groups based on height and position. Try to create as much balance as possible. With the bottom 3 players, have them rotate the 5th spot on the floor. A coach can switch the 3 rotating players each game to guarantee even playing time for all players if this fit his / her philosophy.

Unit #1 (1-4)

Unit #2 (4-8)

Players 9 – 11 will have 2:40 shifts x 4 quarters = 10 minutes per game

Player #9 8:00 – 5:20

Player #10 5:20 – 2:40

Player #11 2:40 – 0:00

Playing Time Breakdown

1 – 8 = 16:00 (50%)

9, 10, 11 = 10:00 (31.25%)

4th Grade Travel Team Basketball Tryout

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Google Search “4th Grade Travel Team Basketball Tryout”

If you are looking at this page THANK YOU! Here is an outline of a tryout schedule for 4th grade boys. It is not perfect, but hopefully some of the ideas and drills will be helpful as other coaches plan and run a 4th grade tryout.

4th Grade Practice #1

Team Goals:

  1. MOST IMPROVED ball-handling & shooting team in the league.
  2. Run the Floor & Make Lay-ups / Run the Floor & DON’T GIVE UP  Lay-ups
  3. Play great team, especially HELP SIDE, defense 5 vs. 1

6:00 – 6:05 Shooting Knockout* See who can shoot and make lay-ups. Players who are knocked out go to lay-up basket. Record winners. Record finalists. 

Dribbling: Evaluate how comfortable the players are with the basketball! 

Ballhandling

6:05 – 6:15 Dribble lines: ball drills and full court dribbling drills. 

6:15 – 6:20 3 trips, Dribble walk, Dribble March

6:20 – 6:30 2 ball series (together, alternating, escape dribble crossover, between the legs, behind the back) 

Lay-ups

6:30 – 6:40 Rebound & outlet, Full court lay-ups, W lay-ups (1:30)

6:40 – 6:45 Mini Mikans

6:40 – 6:50 2 on 0 fast break, 3 man fast break

SHOOTING

6:50 – 6:55 BEEF, partner shooting

6:55 – 7:00 Range finder

SCRIMMAGE

7:00 – 7:05 ½ court games

7:05 – 7:15 full court Scrimmage

The No-Cut Basketball Travel “A” Team

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills, books, teaching tools, guest blogs and so much more for basketball coaches, players, and parents.

  • Should I Coach Youth Basketball?

The title of this post might seem like a trailer for a scary Halloween movie or a Mike Lupica book. But it can happen and does happen. The big question is how does it happen and then more importantly how should a coach approach the season.

Some grades will have a low turnout for a variety of reasons, but there is always hope until the 1st tryout that a few more bodies might show up.

The goals of a youth basketball tryouts are:

  1. Evaluate the Talent: The tryout should include drills, half-court, and full-court games that will allow the evaluation committee to see the skills level individual players
  2. Select 1 – 4 “Travel Teams:” This is often the most challenging aspect or a tryout because the differences between skill levels of youth basketball players, particularly at younger ages, is not always clear. Many parents will be sending emails to the coaches and directors once the teams are posted.

In this particular situation, 11 players showed up for the tryout. To put this in perspective the grade above this team had over 70 players tryout and there were 4 travel teams. The grade below also was very competitive and had over 50 players tryout.

What Should a Coach Do?

The best thing for a coach to do is stick with the tryout schedule. The coach surely spent a great deal of time preparing a variety of drills and games to assess the skill level of the players. This would be the team he/she will be coaching so it is an amazing opportunity to really focus on the players. The coach can evaluate basketball skills, but additionally work ethic and the ability to listen.

At this particular tryout it was clear there was one particular player who really had no interest in being there. Asking questions like “When will this be over?” and “Are we done yet?”

The good news was there were no cuts and no nasty emails to respond to. The bad news was there were no cuts and there were several, if not ALL players who did not possess the skills be on a “A” Travel Team.

Here is the 4th Grade Tryout schedule

Stay tuned… our next post will be about How to Coach the Worst Team in the League?

Yearly Youth Basketball Coaching Plan

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills, books, teaching tools, guest blogs and so much more for basketball coaches, players, and parents.

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills, books, teaching tools, guest blogs and so much more for basketball coaches, players, and parents.

The following is a list of youth basketball ideas for each month. Each region of American will have different schedules, so adjust the ideas based on your season and age group.

October

Review Basketball Library: We have always found it helpful to spend some time reviewing your favorite basketball instruction books. This will get your mind thinking basketball.

Youth Basketball: December

Youth Basketball Year: June

Youth Basketball Year: September

#1 Coaching Youth Basketball Book

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills, books, teaching tools, guest blogs and so much more for basketball coaches, players, and parents.

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills, books, teaching tools, guest blogs and so much more for basketball coaches, players, and parents.

Coaching Youth Basketball-5th Edition by Don Showalter is the best book we have come across for youth basketball coaches. Here are our top 10 reasons why:

This is the best purchase you can make for $5.99 you cannot go wrong.

  1. Author: Don Showalter is the director of youth and sport development of basketball. He has held this position since 2016. He is the most knowledgable individual about developing basketball skills and players. In addition he was a high school coach for 42 years. 42 years! That is greater than the average age of a youth basketball coach. (Made up stat, but probably true.)
  2. 5th Edition: The book stands the test of time. 5 editions is incredible. Many coaches, parents and players have seen the value in this resource.
  3. USA Basketball: He is surrounded by the best minds in basketball. He shares ideas with some of the greatest players and coaches in the world. His job is basketball.
  4. Age Specific Focus: As a youth coach, the age-specific focus is priceless. Coaches all possess a background in basketball, but not a background in 1st or 8th grade basketball. Each age group is capable of learning different skills. This is invaluable for practice planning.
  5. Rule Modifications for different ages: Once again these recommendations come with the support of USA basketball.
  6. Teaching: The goal of coaching youth is to teach young players basketball. It seems teaching is the driving focus of this book.
  7. Drills, Drills, Drills: The drills in the book are fantastic for rookie and veteran coaches.
  8. Pictures: The pictures do a great job of presenting a visual that might answer questions. There are plenty of pictures that all are very helpful.
  9. Coaching Tips: The tips are very helpful in explaining the drill and how it might apply to the bigger picture.
  10. Checklist and Forms: The least enjoyable, but in many ways the most important aspect of coaching. It is all here prepared for all youth coaches.

Coaching 1st Grade Basketball

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills by grade, books, teaching tools, basketball jokes, guest blogs, basketball quotes, and so much.

Where do If you start when you are coaching 1st grade basketball. Most people would do a google search “Coaching 1st Grade Basketball”, Here are the results:

There are some good resources to get started.

  1. Pre-Season Email
  2. Top 10 Things to Remember About Coaching 1st Grade Basketball
  3. 1st Grade 1 hour Practice Plan
  4. 1st Grade Basketball: Weekly Shooting Progress Chart
  5. Take a Family Dribble Walk

Kidssports: 22-page Coaches Manual: This is a solid starting point.

YMCA: Prairie Nebraska: 29-page manual: Included in the manual is 10 detailed practice plans.

Online Basketball Drills: 1 page

Breakthrough Basketball: 1 Questions with 29 answers.

Basketball for Coaches: 73 Drills

Inch & Miles: Amazing Children’s Book

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills, books, teaching tools, guest blogs and so much more for basketball coaches, players, and parents.

This is the 1st book in any basketball library should be Inch and Miles: The Journey to Success. It is an amazing book that will help children develop a healthy definition of success that they can use in sports, school, and life.

The story takes two friends Inch and Miles on a journey to learn the blocks of John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success. The main characters, Inch and Miles, are given a magical whistle by Coach Wooden to help them on their journey to understand the meaning of success.

The colorful characters that Inch and Miles encounter are unique. Each represents one block in the Pyramid of Success.


Inch and Miles: The Journey to Success is a great resource for parents, teachers, coaches, and any person who works closely with children.

In a classroom, a teacher could read one section a week or a day. A youth basketball coach could encourage the parents to buy a copy and read to the child.

It is a great book for many reasons.

  1. The Pyramid of Success: It is based on John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success which is a great blue print for life. Every parents, youth coach, and youth athlete can benefit from learning and applying the blocks of the pyramid to life.
  2. Colorful Characters: Each character is colorful and drawn with incredible skill. The message of each character is presented in a rhyming poem. It is fun to read and great to hear.
  3. Excitement: The story has a great plot and leaves the readers waiting

Below are the blogs for each theme:
Inch and Miles: The Magic Whistle: As our heroes begin the quest to find the answer to Mr. Wooden’s question, what is success? Inch and Miles are given a special whistle that will be of great assistance on their journey to understanding success. Below are Mr. Wooden’s final words of advice to our heroes:

The First Row

Cornerstone: Axelrod the Ant: Hard Work: Axelrod the Ant teaches Inch and Miles about one of the cornerstones to the John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success. Axelrod is the first character Inch and Miles meet. Axelrod shares his story of hard work.

Charlie the Chimp: Friendship

Loyalty

Betty the Bee: Cooperation
Cornerstone: Rhonda the Robin: Enthusiasm

The 2nd Row
Tess the Trout: Self-Control
Rascal the Rabbit: Alertness
Skittles the Squirell: Action
Fred the Frog: Determination

The 3rd Row
Hugh the Horse: Fitness
Silky the Spider: Skill
Louie the Lion: Team Spirit

The 4th Row
Everett the Eagle: Poise
Albert the Alligator: Confidence

The Top of the Pyramid
Personal Best

Create a Basketball Library

Youthbasketball123 is a website designed to provide ideas, drills, books, teaching tools, guest blogs and so much more for basketball coaches, players, and parents.

Children’s Books

Inch & Miles: Amazing Children’s Book: What a great book to read to young children. The characters are amazing and teach great life lessons from John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success.

Coaching Youth Basketball 5th Edition is #1 Coaching Youth Basketball Book: Read a full review of book. This is a GREAT resource for youth coaches of all levels.

We will share with you some of out favorite basketball books for all ages.

High School books

Basketball Shooting by Dave Hopla: #1 Book for Teaching Players How to Shoot a Basketball This is the best instructional book on shooting basketball. It is really helpful for coaches. Being able to help players improve shooting with great technique and many drills from form shooting to moving drills. Read the full book review…

Stuff Good Players Should Know: Intelligent Basketball From A to Z 

River Dreams: The Friday Night Lights of High School Basketball: Fall River Dreams is a MUST read for any committed high school basketball player or coach, especially if you live in Massachusetts. Below are some 5 reasons this books is a great resource. Read full book review