Pretty much every kid has played Follow The Leader at some point in their lives.

For those who need a reminder, the rules are pretty simple. One person is designated as the leader. The follower(s) have to do exactly what the leader does.

How does that apply to basketball?

Well, Follow The Leader is a great youth practice drill to randomize practice for your players in a fun and engaging way!

Let’s look at a couple different ways you can use this game.

Follow The Leader Dribbling

• This drill is best done in partners. Every player has a ball.
• Designate one player as the leader and the other as the follower.
• When you say go, the leader starts dribbling anywhere and in any fashion they’d like.
• The follower has to imitate the leader as closely as possible.
• Encourage your players to use their creativity. I’ve seen kids hold a plank and dribble, lay down and dribble, and do crunches and dribble. While those aren’t game moves, they are different ways to challenge each other.
• This drill is even better with more groups. The more groups you have, the more traffic there is on the court. That forces players to keep their head up and see the other dribblers around them.
• Switch after a predetermined amount of time (:30-:45)

Follow The Leader Shooting

• This drill can be done in groups of 2 or 3. Every player has a ball.
• As before, designate one player as the leader and the others as the followers.
• When you say go, the leader shoots from wherever they want.
• The followers must take the exact same shots.
• Players rebound their own shots.
• Encourage your shooters to vary the types of shots they take. They should take a combination of catch and shoot and off the dribble shots. They should shoot from different angles and distances.
• To make the drill competitive, have players count their makes.
• Switch after a predetermined amount to time or makes.

Follow The Leader Finishing

• This is the same as follow the leader shooting with one exception.
• All shots are now taken at the basket area.
• You can increase the challenge by telling players they can’t take normal layups (this would be for more experienced groups). 
• Encourage players to shoot from different angles, use different hands, and mix up the type of finishes they shoot (1 foot v. 2 feet, backboard v. no backboard, etc.).

A Great Way To Up Your Practice Challenge

This drill works for a couple reasons.

First, it’s fun. Kids love it. They enjoy being the leader and the follower.

For the leader, they must think and make decisions about what moves & shots they are going to take.

For the follower, it’s a challenge. They will be motivated to keep up with the leader and try to match them.

Additionally, this is a great way to incorporate random practice into your practices. Players will be constantly using different skills in a random order. This increases difficulty and makes the drill more like a game, where you can’t always predict what you will need to do next.

Gamifying practice is a great coaching technique, as long as the games teach the skills you want your players to know. Follow The Leader does exactly that. Try it out - you’ll see smiles & skills on display!

Looking For More Fun Ways To Coach Youth

Coaching youth basketball is hard. If you’re looking for proven methods that get results, check out these resources.

• For those coaching true beginners, consider Jim Huber Beginner Basketball Ages 5-9. This is a great resource to help those new to the game. Coach Huber provides a number of games and age-appropriate drills that result in rapid improvement and a good experience for young players.

• The Youth Coaching System With Jim Huberprovides an entire blueprint for coaching a youth team. It’s a one stop shop for all youth coaching needs. If you’re looking for a proven system to get the most from your team, this is the resource for you!

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