Andrew Pace
Training your child in basketball can be a rewarding experience that encourages physical fitness, mental and emotional growth, and the development of important life skills. To begin, it's important to teach your child the fundamentals of basketball, such as understanding the rules and building basic skills. This includes learning how to shoot, pass, dribble, and move with the ball. You can start with simple drills that can be done at home or on a basketball court, focusing on good stretching, ball handling, and passing techniques. As your child progresses, you can introduce more advanced skills and drills, such as layups, shooting forms, and defensive stances. It's important to prioritize your child's health and well-being by ensuring proper nutrition, adequate rest, and a balanced schedule that includes time for friends and family. Customized training programs can also help your child develop their skills effectively while maintaining enthusiasm and avoiding burnout.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Training schedule | Training schedules should consider the child's motivation and mental health to prevent burnout and maintain a positive attitude toward the sport. |
| Training time | Children aged 7-8 are recommended to have one 30-60 minute practice session and one 20-28 minute game per week. |
| Nutrition | Prioritizing proper nutrition and adequate rest can support the child's overall health, energy levels, and performance on the basketball court. |
| Rest | Adequate rest is vital for muscle repair, injury prevention, and mental recovery, ensuring sustainable growth and performance for young athletes. |
| Fundamentals | Teach the child the fundamentals of basketball, from understanding the game's rules to building fundamental skills. |
| Passing | Passing and catching are essential for productive teamwork. Teach the chest pass and the bounce pass. |
| Footwork | Practice ladder drills, cone drills, and jump rope to improve foot speed and coordination. |
| Balance | Incorporate balance exercises, like standing on one foot or balance beam activities. |
| Stance | Teach the child the proper defensive stance—knees bent, weight on the balls of the feet, and arms out. |
| Dribbling | Teach dribbling with the head up to make it second nature and train their movement with the ball. |
| Shooting | Practice layups and free throws to improve shooting. |
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What You'll Learn
Fundamentals of basketball: rules, scoring, and objectives
Basketball is a sport with a lot of variation in its rules depending on the level of play and location. However, the fundamentals of the game are centred around scoring points by throwing the basketball through the opponent's hoop or basket. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Rules
Basketball players must abide by several rules during gameplay. The rules for the offensive team, or the team with the basketball, are as follows:
- A player must bounce, or dribble, the ball with one hand while moving both feet. If both hands touch the ball or the player stops dribbling, they can only move one foot, which is called the pivot foot.
- A player can only take one turn at dribbling. If a player starts dribbling again, it is called a double-dribbling violation and the player loses the ball. They can only start another dribble after another player touches or gains control of the ball.
- The ball must stay in bounds.
- Once the offensive team crosses half court, they may not go back into the backcourt. This is called a backcourt violation.
- The player's hand must be on top of the ball while dribbling. If they touch the bottom of the ball while dribbling and continue to dribble, it is called carrying the ball, and the player will lose the ball.
The defensive team, or the team without the basketball, must also follow certain rules:
- The main rule for the defensive player is not to foul. A foul is described as gaining an unfair advantage through physical contact. In general, the defensive player may not touch the offensive player in a way that causes them to lose the ball or miss a shot.
- No player can touch the basketball while it is travelling downward towards the basket or if it is on the rim. This is called goaltending.
Scoring
There are several ways to score points in basketball:
- Players score 3 points for any basket made beyond the 3-point line, in bounds.
- Players score 2 points for any basket made inside the 3-point line, in bounds.
- Players score 1 point for made free throws, or shots when a player is fouled in the act of shooting.
Objectives
Basketball academies, such as the Fryer Basketball Academy, often emphasise the development of fundamental basketball skills and sportsmanship in their athletes. Their objectives include enhancing each athlete's skills to help them achieve their short and long-term goals, as well as promoting values such as respect, responsibility, leadership, and teamwork.
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Passing and catching techniques
Passing and catching are essential for productive teamwork in basketball. Here are some techniques to teach your child to improve their passing and catching skills:
Passing Techniques
- Chest pass: This is a fast, straight pass from the passer's chest to their teammate. It is one of the basic types of passes that young players should learn.
- Bounce pass: This pass involves bouncing the ball on the floor so that it reaches the intended teammate.
- Overhead pass: This is another basic type of pass that young players should learn.
- Firmness: Passes should be firm, but not too hard (a "bullet pass") or too soft (a "rainbow pass"). A pass that is too soft can give the defense too much time to react.
- Feet on the floor: Players should keep their feet on the floor and not jump when passing. Jumping to pass increases the chances of a turnover, as the player cannot then land without travelling.
- Timing: Good timing is key for effective passing.
- Quickness: Passes should be made quickly to catch the defense off-guard and create opportunities for jump shots and layups.
- No lob passes: Lob passes make it too easy for offensive players and do not adequately challenge them.
- Communication: Good communication between teammates helps to ensure effective passing.
- Eye contact: Players should make eye contact with their teammates before passing.
- Hand signals: The receiver should show their hands as a target for the pass, with their hands up and ten fingers showing.
- Creating space: Young players should learn how to create space and get open to help their teammates.
Catching Techniques
- Catch with fingertips: Players should catch the ball with their fingertips, which allows them to better control the ball and make quick moves.
- Eyes, feet, and hands: Catching a basketball involves using not just the hands but also the eyes and feet. Players should watch the ball and be ready to move their feet to get into position to catch it.
- Catch in triple threat: Players should aim to catch the ball in a "triple threat" position, so that they are immediately ready to shoot, dribble, or pass.
- Ball in the air, feet in the air: When catching the ball, players should jump to catch it with two hands, bringing their feet off the ground. This allows them to use their permanent pivot foot to make quick crossovers.
- Pivoting: Players should stay low and balanced when pivoting.
Drills for Passing and Catching
- Give and Go: Players practice passing the ball, moving to an open space, and receiving the ball back.
- Up and Back: Players are divided into groups of three, with two passers lined up apart from each other and a "monkey in the middle." The passers must pass to each other without using lob passes or dribbling, while the middle player attempts to steal the ball.
- Passing Tag: A fun twist on the traditional game of tag that helps players practice pivoting and moving without the ball.
- Circle Passing: Players pass the ball around the court and into the basket in this fast-paced team activity.
- Basketball Tennis: Players practice catching difficult passes in a game that combines basketball and tennis.
- Diamond Passing: Players keep the ball moving in a diamond formation, teaching them the importance of pivots and jump stops.
- Footwork drills: Players can practice ladder drills, cone drills, and jump rope to improve their foot speed and coordination, which will help them with their passing and catching.
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Footwork and balance drills
Ladder Drills
Players can use ladders to improve their foot speed and coordination. This drill helps in developing quick feet movement while maintaining body control, which is crucial for better balance during shooting or rebounding.
Cone Drills
Set up cones in a zigzag formation or straight lines at varying distances apart across half-court areas. Athletes then weave through these obstacles, focusing on maintaining proper footwork, balance, and body control. This drill helps improve agility and coordination while also teaching players how to move effectively with the ball.
Jump Rope
Jump rope is a simple yet effective drill to improve agility and coordination. Players can add challenges such as single-leg hops or double unders to increase difficulty and improve foot speed and endurance.
Mikan Drill
Named after the legendary player George Mikan, this drill focuses on footwork around the basket. Players practice layups from both sides of the hoop using alternating hands. It helps develop better timing, rhythm, and positioning for close-range shots, improving their overall skill and confidence on the court.
Zig-Zag Slides
Players start on the baseline and defensive slide from one corner to the high post, performing 90-degree drop steps to change directions. This drill teaches proper defensive sliding and dropping techniques while also improving footwork and balance.
Jump Stops and Pivots
Beginners can start with basic jump stops, front pivots, and reverse pivots. Once these are mastered, more advanced concepts can be introduced, such as combining dribbling skills with jump stops for better control and power during layups.
U-Stance
The U-Stance is a fundamental position in basketball that prepares players for both offense and defense. Feet are shoulder-width apart with heels up, hips back, and chin on the shoulders, providing great court vision. This stance allows players to be a threat on offense and a solid defender.
These drills will help children develop their footwork and balance, which are crucial for improving their overall basketball skills and performance on the court.
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Dribbling and ball handling
Dribbling is considered the most important skill in youth basketball. It is important to teach children the correct technique first, and then build on that with games and drills.
Technique
When teaching children how to dribble, it is important to ensure they are using enough force. A common issue young players face is dribbling with their wrist only, which results in a weak dribble. To avoid this, teach them to use their entire arm, incorporating the strength of their elbow and shoulder. This will help them to dribble with more force and maintain control. Additionally, encourage them to keep their dribble low and controlled, and to always keep their head up.
Drills
Once children have a basic understanding of dribbling, there are various drills that can help improve their skills. Here are some examples:
- Fingertip drill: Stand up straight with your eyes forward and arms extended to chest level, elbows slightly bent. Move a basketball back and forth from one hand to the other using only your fingertips, gradually increasing speed.
- Spider dribble: Spread your feet about shoulder-width apart. Dribble the ball in a figure-eight motion between your legs, alternating between the left and right hands in front of and behind your legs. Try to increase your speed with each dribble.
- Drop and catch: Hold the ball between your legs with your right hand in front of your body and your left hand behind. Drop the ball and quickly switch hand positions, catching the ball before it hits the ground.
- Follow the leader: This involves combining a slideshow of ball-handling tricks with a warm-up routine. After teaching the drills, lead the class in a follow-the-leader-style warm-up to practice footwork and dribbling skills.
- Dribble figure eights: Spread your legs about shoulder-width apart. Dribble the ball through and around your legs in a figure-eight motion. This can be done in multiple ways: front to back, back to front, low dribbles, or high dribbles.
- Tag: A classic playground game that can be adapted to incorporate dribbling. Divide the players into 'sharks' and 'minnows', with the sharks chasing the minnows while dribbling. You can increase the challenge by having the minnows dribble two balls or by adding an extra shark.
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Layups, shooting, and defence
Layups are one of the most fundamental and widely used shooting techniques in basketball. It is the only shooting technique commonly used by children playing basketball. To perform a layup, the player must first grab the ball with both hands while approaching the hoop, then jump into the air and flick the ball onto the backboard and into the hoop. The layup can be performed with either hand, and the footwork depends on which hand is used. For a right-handed layup, the player should jump off their left leg, and for a left-handed layup, the player should jump off their right leg. It is important to practice layups with both hands to improve your game.
When teaching shooting to children, it is recommended to use smaller balls and lower baskets. Additionally, allowing children to dip their elbows will give them more strength. It is also important to teach them basic athletic movements such as running, jumping, and landing.
Defense is a crucial aspect of basketball. When teaching defense to children, it is important to focus on the basic stance, defensive slide, and basic off-ball principles. Children should also be taught to protect the ball while on defense to prevent it from being stolen by the offense. This can be done by having strong hands and keeping the ball close to their body.
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Frequently asked questions
Basketball is a team sport where the main goal is to score points by shooting the ball through the opponent's hoop while preventing them from doing the same. A basket scored inside the three-point line is worth two points, and a shot from outside the line is worth three points. One point is given for a free throw. After a tip-off, players can move the ball by passing or dribbling.
Here are some basic rules to get your child started:
- Scoring: A basket scored inside the three-point line is worth two points, and a shot from outside the line is worth three points. One point is given for a free throw.
- Passing: Passing starts with your hands in the right positions. Hands should be on the side of the ball, pushing it out toward your partner or against the wall.
- Dribbling: The ball should not "slap" the hand when dribbling. The only noise should be the ball hitting the ground.
Footwork drills such as ladder drills, cone drills, and jump rope can help improve foot speed and coordination. Balance exercises such as standing on one foot or balance beam activities can also be practiced at home.
Training schedules should consider your child's motivation and mental health to prevent burnout and maintain a positive attitude toward the sport. The NBA has recommendations for participation times for different age groups. For example, children aged 7 to 8 are recommended to have one 30-60 minute practice session and one 20-28 minute game per week.
Coaches and parents should create a supportive and nurturing environment for the child's basketball training. This includes fostering a sense of teamwork, respect, and sportsmanship. Leading by example is also important. Demonstrate good sportsmanship, dedication, and a strong work ethic.
