PRACTICES

Please take the time to plan your practice in advance each week. You will have 12 plus practices during the course of the season. Please remember to teach all of the skills, concepts and rules listed on the sophomore coach’s home page. Also, for each game there will be a teaching point that the referees will spend a little time working on with the players. Make sure to spend some time on the teaching point at practice prior to the each game.

Most coaches will have half a gym for an hour each week and will be sharing that gym with another team. If both coaches agree it is a good idea to have both teams start each practice with the weave drill or some other full court passing drill. (At this level the weave will start very sloppy but they will progress rapidly.) Also, some full court scrimmaging should take place each week, usually at the end of practice. Communicate with the coach you are sharing a gym with and plan your practice accordingly.

Please remember to start your practice on time, and to finish your practice on time. Often another team is waiting, as are the player’s parents.

The following are two sample practices mapped out to start the season. These are offered as examples for informational purposes to use as you see fit.

Practice one:

6:00-6:07: Lay-ups or full court weave drill

6:07-6:12: Address team. Introduce assistant coach and explain your expectations for punctuality for practices and games and the need for communication if they can not attend. Explain that you will be scrimmaging each week – once you get through the teaching and drills! Speak to them about sportsmanship and let them know your expectations of good sportsmanship.

6:12-6:17: Teach proper dribbling technique. Run quick dribbling drill and tell them to practice at home with both hands. Explain walking and double dribble rule.

6:17-6:20: Bounce/chest pass alternate drill. Make sure they use both hands and step into pass.

6:20-6:27: Teach position by numbers. Point guard (1) top of the key, wing guards (2 and 3) fouls line extended, forward/center (4 and 5) down in the blocks. Teach them to spread out and move without the ball, explain three second rule.

6:27-6:35: Teach basic defensive position. Between man and basket, facing man, back to basket. See the ball, see your man.

6:35-6:40: Teach proper on the ball defensive stance. Defensive stance and shuffle drill.

6:40-6:50: Teach in-bounds play. Assign players positions (with numbers) and use those numbers to set up simple inbounds play. Teach five second rule, (five second clock begins when player has possession of the ball), when inbounding player should not be under basket, teach player inbounding to fake defender.

6:50-7:00: Full court scrimmage. Have both teams scrimmage full court, stressing offensive and defensive positions. Run the inbounds play. Rotate players in so all participate. Keep the action moving while constantly instructing. Do not let them call for the ball. Teach them to put hand up if free and cut to basket.

Practice two:

6:00-6:07: Lay-ups or full court dribbling relay race

6:07-6:10: Address team. Remind them of time and location of Saturday’s game. Remind them of your expectations of sportsmanship.

6:10-6:13: Defensive stance and shuffle drill

6:13-6:17: Teach them concept of cutting of the baseline (beat the offensive player to the spot) and forcing him middle.

6:17-6:25: Shooting drill (girls can play “knock-out”) Teach them proper form, keep eyes on target.

6:25-6:30: Teach proper line up for foul shooting - positioning offensive and defensive players, lane violations, cannot touch lines, must wait until ball hits (not on the release) failure to make contact with the rim is a violation, girls game only four  rebounders and the shooter, hands elevated ready to rebound, teach boxing out the opposing rebounders and shooter.

6:30-6:35: Review offensive positions and defensive positioning.

6:35-6:40: Review inbounds play.

6:40-7:00: Full court scrimmage. Have both teams scrimmage full court, stressing offensive and defensive positions. Run the inbounds play. Rotate players in so all participate. Keep the action moving while constantly instructing. Do not let them call for the ball. Remind players of game time and location on Saturday. Ask them to call you if they are going to be late or unable to attend.