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- Coaching 1st Grade Basketball
It seems at the early grades, it is best to have some drills that are completed each week. It is easy to add variations to drills to increase time, difficulty or both. A great way to start a skills sessions / practice is with Dribble Laps.
Some reasons this is a great way to start practice is :
- It gets ALL the players moving.
- The drills are easy to execute.
- It allows any players who arrive late to join the drill without any confusion.
The head coach should lead the drills. In some cases up to 4 teams may share a court. In this case, one coach can lead. (It can be alternated each week too.) The other coaches can walk around and provide guidance, direction, and encouragement.
The 1st week might require a little explanation, but as the season progresses, players should transition to the drill very easily.
ORGANIZATION: Players line up around the sidelines and baseline of the court. If the practice space is 1/2 court use this as one of the locations for the players to line up. Be sure the players have good separation between each other. On the coach’s command, players will start dribbling in the same direction using the right hand. There will be three different speeds for the players.
“WALK”: Simply have the players walk while dribbling. This speed allows players to gain confidence. Depending on the age and skill level, determine how long players dribble while walking. This is best for younger and less skilled players.
“JOG”: This increase in speed will lead to an increase in balls rolling around the gym. (Coaches can help round up the balls for the players) This is perfectly fine. There will be fewer and fewer lost balls as the season goes on.
“FULL SPEED” under control: It is important that the coach stresses the “under control” aspect of speed because players of all ages and skills levels like to go 100 M.P.H. whenever the can.
This is where the fun starts. Players will pick up the ball and run as fast as they can without dribbling. Others will dribble the ball once, pick up the ball run 5 steps, then repeat the process. A coach at this level must remember it is less about teaching skills and more about getting kids to exert some energy and interact with peers. Hopefully as the season progresses the chaos will be a little less and the skills will be a little more.
Once players have completed these speeds, the coach needs to move on to the next coaching point.
“Balls at Your Feet” This is youth coaches best command. The benefit of each player have a ball is there can be so many more repetitions for each player. The drawback is the players will bounce the balls every chance they can get, especially when a coach is speaking. Sharing this command will make it easier to make coaching points and transition the players to the next drill.
Explain Triple Threat: For each grade level of player, there will be modifications for expectations of triple threat. For 1st grade triple threat position, do very little correcting. It is simply one more introduction of a skill that will be refined each year. Simply introducing the term is big plus for this age group.
Once the explanation is complete, have the players pick up the ball at their feet. The directing coach can yell “TRIPLE THREAT.”
1. “Triple Threat” (starting position) Ball on “shooting hip.”
2. “Shot Fake” Jab and lift “Ball above eyes” at the same time. FREEZE to check ball position
3. QUICK return to the starting triple threat position.
Once this is complete, the coach can direct the players to go in the OPPOSITE direction. This time the players will dribble with the left hand. Follow the same order of instruction. Lastly, have the players complete the dribble laps using alternating dribbles.
Notes: Triple threat position is a fairly simple idea to introduce, though most players will not be able to execute it during games. Coaches can use the following verbal commands to the players to help them understand the movement of the ball fake. “HIP (starting point), “JAB (step) & LIFT (The basketball above the eyes), (return the ball to the) HIP!”
Stationary Ballhandling Drills: Stationary ball handling drills are a must for players of all ages. After the players have completed the 1st set of dribble laps and triple threat fakes, it great to have them complete some stationary drills. This allows the players a little rest after a good amount of running. Select a few drills to complete, then have the players repeat the drills with left hand dribble laps. (It is fun for the players if you switch directions.) Complete the triple threat fakes along with a few more different ball drills.
Triple Threat Position: 3 – 4 times blow the whistle (single for players to STOP and YELL “TRIPLE THREAT”).