Here is a sample structure of a practice schedule for a youth team. It may not be exactly what you would do every practice. For example, some days you may
spend more work on athletic skill work and spend 15 minutes at the beginning of practice to do so. Some days, you may play games to teach skills half of the practice (which I highly recommend).
Here is a template of the basic structure of every practice:
Dynamic Warm Up & Athletic Development Work - 10 to 15 minutes
This is probably the #1 thing missing from most youth practices. It helps prevent injury, improves performance, and improve athletic ability. What good is a
basketball player who is injured or is not athletic enough to utilize the basketball skills developed? The better the player moves, the better
the player performs. Why not spend time on it?
There are a lot of players who have tremendous SKILLS, but lacked the ATHLETIC ability to make it to the next level.
However, with this age group, they are NOT mentally capable to take much technical instruction, so it is great to incorporate games to get the players warmed up.
Teaching Skills and Using Fun Drills to Improve Skills - 25 to 30 minutes
The #1 reason kids quit sports is because it's not fun anymore. Youth coaches primary focus should be to teach skills and make it an enjoyable experience!
This isn't high school, college, or even PRO basketball, so don't treat your practices like it.
Try the skill-fun drill technique. This means that you teach a skill, then follow up that skill with a fun game or drill to work on the skill. It helps break
up the monotomy of practice.
Games to Practice Offense and Defense (Plenty of 2 on 2 & 3 on 3 work to teach skills)- 20 to 25 minutes
You'll notice in the sample practice that I did not include any 5 on 5 games. If it were up to me, I would only have kids under the age of 10 play 3 on 3 tournaments. It gets them more touches and gives them enough space to utilize skills.
If you are in a 5 on 5 league, you can incorporate some 5 on 5 time. Although, I would not recommend to do it every practice. Skill work is much more important at this age level.
Cool Down - 5 minutes
AVOID STATIC (held) stretching & YOGA with kids under the age of 10. At this age, the child's nervous system has not developed to the extent that they can properly use
static stretching. As a result, this will decrease safety and effectiveness of the stretch. Yoga can also negatively affect a child's movement patterns and coordination.
Yoga is not bad for everybody. It's just bad for this AGE GROUP. Instead, use dynamic flexibility and full range of motion exercises.
.
Sample Practice Schedule
Dynamic Warm Up & Athletic Work - 10 minutes
Dribble Tag - You could also alternate days with regular tag.
Races From Different Positions - This is great to improve athletic ability and it's fun way to for the kids to work on first step quickness. On
your command whether it's a verbal or a visual cue, the kids race to a spot (3-point line, free throw line).
You can alternate starting positions between standing, on your belly, on your back, facing the opposite direction, or anything else you can think of.
Coach Says - This is a fun game to get the players to practice movements. Coach says a particluar movement. Then, the child does what you
say. It's kind of like Simon Says. Coach says "Do a push up."
You can do this with many different types of movements & directions, such as skips, backward skips, lateral skips, push ups, partner pulls, crawls, lunge, squat, jump, hop, bound, lateral shuffle, and lateral crossover.
Some teams do this after practice. You could do some dynamic flexibility exercises. Avoid static stretching & yoga under the age of 10 for development purposes. Reasons are mentioned at the beginning of the article.
this is gonna be really helpful. I have known about all of these but I forgot to include them into my kids warm ups. also I'm gonna use these for other sports that I am starting to teach. thank you.
Teresa Gibbons says:
12/9/2008 at 12:28:31 PM
Thanks! This is very helpful. I am new to coaching.
Trey says:
12/12/2008 at 5:31:28 PM
Thanks A Lot!
Ricky Thomas says:
12/13/2008 at 8:16:02 PM
thank you I have only two ball players out of 12 that have played aau basketball or any basketball at all
David Morrow says:
1/22/2009 at 10:22:11 AM
Great tips. I am new coach and need some tips to get the kids going.
Thank you thank you
rene ilogon says:
9/23/2009 at 9:32:39 AM
thanks a lot!its a great help to my team.again,thank you and GODBLESS!
Mark P. says:
10/14/2009 at 12:22:31 PM
Thanks a million. I'm teaching middle school girls for the first time ever, and this was a HUGE help. Keep the site up please!!!!
Jeff M says:
11/30/2009 at 9:32:55 AM
Very helpful for new coaches. Thanks for the info!
Laurie C says:
12/9/2009 at 12:50:10 AM
Thanks for this great information. I haven't played since high school and have just been drafted to coach both a 2nd/3rd grade (7-9 yo) and a 4th through 6th (9-12 yo) Upward team.
Appreciate all the time and effort you put into this!
Karl Good says:
12/19/2009 at 9:43:32 PM
Thanks alot! I have been coaching for years, just needed some new ideas.
Dusty Sargent says:
1/8/2010 at 11:22:31 AM
This site is great. I am a volunteer church dad coaching for the first time. You have helped so much, I am very greatful!
