Coaching Youth Basketball: Focusing on the Fundamentals

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The fundamentals of basketball are the foundation for every individual play, offensive or defensive strategy, and every move that your players make. The best players have perfected the basics of the game. Learning and mastering these basics make the rest of the game much easier!

My number one recommendation when coaching youth basketball is to focus on the fundamentals!

Spend at least 75% of each practice on them.

Do NOT teach your youth team how to do a full court press!

First teach them how execute offense and defense in the half court. Even if you think they know how to execute in the half court, I guarantee they don't...

Do all your players know how to read screens? Do they slip the screen when the defense hedges on the pick and roll? Do they set screens shoulder to shoulder? Do they block out after every shot? Do they always see their man and the ball when they're on defense?

If they don't know how to do these things, why in the world would you teach them how to do a full court press?

In 20 years of watching basketball, I've NEVER seen a youth team that was ready to press and had all the fundamentals down pact!

If you make teaching your players the fundamentals your number one goal, your players will enjoy practice, they will appreciate their improvement, and they will be grateful down the road.

Like any sport, no matter what your age -- whether you're a professional athlete or a youth player just getting started -- you need strong fundamentals to be successful!

Unfortunately, most people don't really understand what that means.

So what are the fundamentals?

The fundamentals include working on the little things that will make you better -- no matter what team or coach you play for -- or what offense or defense you are running.

For example, by working on the fundamentals of shooting, you will get better no matter what offense you run. The fundamentals of shooting include proper foot alignment, leg bend, hand position, arm angle, follow through, and so on. These are some of the little things that make a difference. Learn them!

The same goes for lays ups, foot work, post play, passing, jab steps, jump stops, pivoting, blocking out, and so on.

For youth players, we suggest that you focus on teaching the proper technique and fundamentals for:

These are all critical fundamentals to master because they'll make you and your team better, no matter what age level or situation you might be in.

If you'd like some drills to work on those fundamental skills, you can start with these kids basketball drills.

Recommended DVD's & eBook:

The Attack & Counter Skill Development System
This eBook & DVD's will improve your shooting, ballhandling, footwork, perimeter moves, post moves, finishing, aggressiveness, quickness, confidence, mentality, and your all-around game!

Designed by NBA skills coach Don Kelbick, this unique and comprehensive system is incredibly simple when compared to other skill development programs. Yet it works with NBA and pro players at the highest level... (more info)





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Doin' says:
2/1/2021 at 8:28:29 PM

Ok not to brag or anything but I litterly grew 2 feet after looking at this guide

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Harjeet Mahi says:
5/23/2020 at 10:44:40 PM

Hi I'm 18 years old and I'm from London. No one ever taught me basketball and I've learnt stuff from a park by myself playing with friends but I want to play properly. Can anyone recommend me some drills? I'm kind of overwhelmed by everything I've been provided in the ebook. I need a little help

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Bryson Dumas says:
10/2/2020 at 11:08:56 PM

Hey man it all depends on if u love it, or jus wanna get good. your mindset towards it is the most important. like learn the game, search up dirils, for the specific skills and find out what exactly what you want from basketball. and that will be your driving reason to practice. practice the basics first work your way up, then the fun starts your welcome man stay blessed

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Carole says:
2/14/2020 at 5:06:09 PM

I have run the Warwick Youth Basketball program in Warwick, NY for 22 years now. We started out with youth grades 3-8 (34) teams for about 10 years. Then we started the FUNdamentals(12 teams) grade 1-2 with 8 foot portable baskets and Youth size balls. We added teen league (12) teams but it was only boys wanting to play .. This year we had 2 Teen girls teams. Yeah! It is also designed so that if you make he schools Modified, JV, or Varsity teams you DONOT play in this league. It is for the kids who get cut from tryouts and for those who just don't want to try out or want to play on a school team.
Kids love it, I also have coaches coaching this year that played in it and now their kids are.

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Darren D. says:
2/28/2016 at 11:52:55 AM

I have recently become the basketball coach at a small private school. There is talent there but no fundamentals, the last coach was a Soccer coach.
I love the game, and I have some knowledge. But I have never coached or played organize ball. I would like to know if there are any websites discussions or links that I can use to help me with their fundamentals, or for me and my coaching as well.

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CGR says:
11/3/2014 at 9:34:15 AM

Yes Ken I also find the jump-stop layup (in effect a short jump shot off the backboard) is a great way to introduce layups.

Footwork at that age is a major stumbling block, and even with repeated practice in a mini-game setting the footwork evaporates, the kids are excited, etc.

Kids have to first wrap their heard - and bodies - around the concept of going off the board. Wall shooting helps this.

For layups we do a lot of stationary balance drills that seem to help.

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Ken Sartini says:
8/4/2014 at 4:14:30 PM

Precious -

I coached sophomore and varsity boys for for over 40+ years and taught the step and a half lay up, pretty standard.

In my last year I worked with girls and found that a jump stop lay up was more effective. I even found some boys teans doing this after awhile...You might try that.

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Precious says:
8/4/2014 at 2:26:15 PM

Hi, I have a 8 yr old sister I've been working with for 3 years now and she cant seem to grip the concept of how to do a lay up. She knows how to go towards the basket but ends up taking a very close jump shot. What do u recommend I do to get her to get better?

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Jeff Haefner says:
2/25/2013 at 7:25:54 PM

Jeff - I agree with Ken. I would not spend time trying to get them to memorize plays. Teach them fundamentals and run a motion.

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Ken Sartini says:
2/25/2013 at 8:42:42 AM

Keep working on the fundamentals... they need to be able to pass and catch on the move and they need to be able to dribble.

You could run a 5 out open post offense, pass and cut to the basket.... everyone rotates and fills spots.

You need one simple inbounds play.... a line (4)

1&2 cut opposite....... 3 steps up and 4 steps back for a release pass.

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Jeff says:
2/24/2013 at 9:34:47 PM

Hi,Still have more questions on coaching 11-13 yr olds at YMCA league.All kids get to play,we have to sub every 4 mins.I have two kids that can handle the ball pretty good,but i split them up so one of them can bring the ball up when I sub forn them.I have a 1hr practice once a wk.Like to give them some kind of motion offense to try,but don't know if some of them would help them,been mostly working on screens and pick and rolls because it's mostly play ground basketball out there.Is it worth any practice time to work on a out of bounds play or set play,or stay with the fundamentals.Thank you

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