Any hints/drills to help my middle school girls learn how to come and "meet the pass?" Passing is getting better but they all stand flat footed to catch the pass and many passes are therefore intercepted. Thanks,

Break your offense down to the part where you are making a pass from the point to where it is beimg intercepted...

Set your girls up in a 2 on 2 situation... have the person receiving the pass make a V cut freezing the defender and make her cut towards the ball. Run this as a drill until they understand the concept.

Is this where you were getting the passes intercepted from?

Here is another two person drill -

http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/drills/pairpassing.html


The player who is going to receive the pass should step towards the ball while it is in the air to get to the ball before the defender does. If the offensive player just waits for the ball to get to him, the defender will often step in front of the ball and steal it. Stepping into the pass will reduce turnovers on stolen passes.

Thanks for the hints. My biggest problem is getting them to ''step into the catch'' I have tried having them pass to a point on the floor and the pass receiver has to get to that point. This works in practice but in a game they are back to standing still and waiting for the pass to get to them. Even the high school boys and girls do this and so I feel there is a fundamental that is missing...just not sure how to emphasize it more.

In all my years of coaching I found that what YOU emphasized in practice and worked on a lot is what they believe in.... they have to know that it is IMPORTANT to you.

The next thing is all about repetitions - the more you work on it (practice) the better they will get at it. So, its practice, practice and more practice.. It has to be second nature to your players.

Yes, I have seen high school players do the same thing... there are some things that just don't seem to transfer to games for whatever reason.... lazy, forgetting, not sure what to do etc.

Coach Sar,

Thank you I was having the same problem with the same age group. Practices are done and our season ends this weekend, but I will definitely add this drill to the pick list for next season.

Dave

Have the kids catch the ball in the air or "hop to meet the ball" is a term I use. I start with a 2 man drill and the pass receiver is stationary. Not all players will move to the ball, but the next progresssion is a blast cut where they are moving to the ball. They will catch on soon enough.