Have you ever watched a team of youth players shoot?

There's probably one kid who shot puts the ball.

There's another who starts their shot over their head and, as a result, can't get it to the rim.

There's always the kid who shoots two-handed from their chest and fires missiles at the backboard.

Bottom line, it's not pretty.

But we know the ability to make shots is the name of the game as players progress.

So what are you to do? It can be scary and overwhelming to think of how you are going to teach shooting to these players.

Well, take a deep breath. Let's start with this—you aren't going to create a team of great shooters at the youth level. I don't care if you are the John Wooden of youth basketball; it isn't going to happen.

And that's okay! In fact, that should provide you some relief. At the same time, there are things you can do to help lay the foundation for future shooting success. What are they? Read on to find out.

5 Realistic Ways To Start Developing Shooters

1. Focus on broad habits, starting with their feet

   As we said, you aren't going to have a team of Steph Curry's by the end of the season. That shouldn't even be the goal. The goal is to start to teach habits that good shooters possess.

   This will vary a bit depending on age. If you're coaching 2nd graders (hopefully they aren't playing on a 10 foot hoop), strength may prevent the development of certain habits. One example would be shooting the ball one handed.

   However, every player can start to learn the footwork of good shooting. You can teach players how to get their feet hip width. You can teach them about having proper knee bend (but not too much).

   You can teach them the hop - how to catch on a slight hop to spring them into their shot.

   You can teach them how to step into their shot - starting with their shooting side foot back and stepping forward as they catch the ball.

   These are skills that are essential for every shooter. Beginning to develop them at a young age gives your players a head start.

   When teaching the footwork, start without shooting first. Allow them to focus on their feet before adding a ball.

2. Continue with broad habits, focusing on their hands

   As players get stronger, you will want to address the most common flaw in youth shooting form - the two-handed shot.

   By 4th or 5th grade, this is a skill you should be teaching. Some youth players have a full two-handed shot. If you looked at their follow through, you wouldn't know which hand they shoot with.

   Others have a severe thumb flick with their non-shooting hand. This impacts the flight path of the ball and causes players to compensate with their shooting hand.

   Start with hand positioning. That will fix most of the problems. I generally tell players they should be able to see the back of their shooting hand and the thumb and pointer finger on their non-shooting hand. If they can see their other fingers on their non-shooting hand, they're probably shooting two-handed.

   As an aside, I'd caution you against calling the non-shooting hand the guide hand. In fact, you DON'T want that hand to guide the ball in any way. I heard a coach call it the balance hand and think that's a much more apt description.

   When teaching this, do it without shooting on the hoop. Whenever you shoot on the hoop, that's how players assess their shooting. At this point, you are trying to develop the habit. If they struggle to make one-handed shots at first (which is likely, especially if they've taken a lot of two-handed shots), they may become discouraged and resort to their incorrect form.

   If you can get your players shooting a one-handed shot with good footwork, that's a tremendous start.

3. Maximize reps

   Yes, teaching shooting takes some talking and demonstration. However, shooting is about reps. Make sure players aren't standing in lines. When it's time to practice shooting, players need to shoot!

   Have multiple players shoot on the same hoop at once. If the balls hit each other, so what.

   Look at it this way - some of your players have shot the ball incorrectly tens of thousands of times in their life. That's a lot of muscle memory to unwind. How do you do that? With correct reps.

   Once you've taught, give them one thing to focus on and let them practice.

4. Introduce basic movement patterns

   Watching NBA players sprint off down screens and shoot threes in one motion is impressive. It's also unrealistic for youth players.

   That said, you should introduce some movement to your shooting. This could be tossing the ball out to the side and going to get it before shooting. It could be jogging in, receiving a pass and shooting. It could be having a partner toss the ball somewhere close to them that they have to retrieve and shoot.

   Ultimately, players have to learn to shoot while moving. Start practicing now. It's a good way for players to learn the adjustments they have to make, as well as how to apply the footwork you've already taught them.

5. Give each player one thing unique to them

   Everyone shoots a little differently. Ray Allen shot differently than Klay Thompson who shoots differently from Steve Kerr.

   How do you account for the issues presented by each player's individual shot?

   Give them one thing to focus on. Maybe it's getting their elbow above their eye on their follow through. Maybe it's landing in the same spot they jump from (not turning excessively).

   Pick one thing for each player. If they have a few issues, still pick one. If you give them multiple things to focus on, they won't get better at any of them. Allow them to focus on one. Once they make progress there, move on to the next one.

3 Beginner Shooting Drills That Help Youth Basketball Players Master the Fundamentals

• Form Shooting Drill






• Wall Shooting Drill






• Ladder Shooting Drill

These are great foundational drills to teach players proper technique. Doing them regularly will start to ingrain the habits you want to develop.

Looking For More Help Developing Young Players?

Shooting is the hardest skill to teach in basketball. It’s also incredibly rewarding when done right.

By starting general before getting specific, you are able to coach all your players effectively.

Over time, you’ll see confidence grow as they start to make more shots. If you’re interested in more tools to improve young players, consider:

• 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 Huber provides 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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