Hey guys.

I've helped out a couple years on a 5th and 6th grade team, but they ran set plays. I've moved on to taking my own 3rd and 4th grade team and want to teach basics of the motion offense. Everything I read works with 5 man offenses, but we play 4 on 4. I don't anticipate high scores really. I am just looking for the best pointers into what to teach and how to make it work with 4 players. And any other great things to read for learning more about it would be appreciated.

David -

This would work just a like a 4 out 1 in without the 1 in..... spread your offense out, ( like in a box set but wider ) Probably inside the arc.... pass and cut to the basket looking for a return pass - everyone else fills the open spots. This would be very simple for kids of this age and the idea is for them to have fun.... while learning a little bit about the game.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Thanks for the help. I'll start studying that. Other than V-cuts and Basket cuts. Two early for screens away from the ball, or should I just see how well they pick up the very basics. Teaching the pivot has even been a chalenge. lol

With 4 on 4, if you spread out (two up top and two below FT line extended), that should give a lot of space to dribble drive, pass and cut, and back door cut. I don't think it's too early for screens. A player setting a back screen for the ball handler might be a good place to start. If you can get the person with the ball to get in triple threat each time, you're doing great.

I just think that its one step at a time... pass and cut, v cuts etc.... lots of takes and back doot opportunities.

At this age its more about teaching them fundamtnals and how to play....

The pick and roll will work great... no real help side.... but is that all you want to do? I did that in a JV game when I only had 4 players, so the other coach only played 4, a real gentlemen.... it worked very well for us.

Actually, pick and roll was never really on my list of things to teach. Depending on how well they learn, though. My thoughts were screen to open a cutter, simple give and go, and ball screens to give the ball handler a shoot or pass off option. Try to emphasize the pass, until we have the open shot in the paint. Everyone scores, and everyone plays defense. I figure at this age, if I can get them to effectively box out, scoring gets a whole lot easier. But I guess that is true at every level. lol

Pass and screen away is a big part of motion offense.... but it this were me, with this age group.... I would have them pass and V cut to the basket... and go from there.

Boxing out is a whole new problem as you will see LOL AT EVERY AGE :-)

I only told you about the P&R because of what I did but that was at the high school level.... I would work on the pass and cut first, then pass and screen away before I went anywhere near the P&R. One step at a time....

Take a look at your talent and then you will be able to decide just how much you can do with them... I had some high school kids where I needed to use the KISS method.

Good luck and make sure that everyone has fun, including you.

Thanks for everything. After two practices, looks like there is some talent there, but keeping the focus so they can learn something is the main challenge. Which at this level especially wasn't unexpected. 11 kids is definitely a challenge. lol

One thing I might try is a simple rule: Whichever side the ball is on, the other players screen to the oppisite side, while the players on the oppisite side cut towards the ball side.

At this age, I would also include a rule that they are to take the open shot. I found if you didn't tell them to shoot, then they would not shoot.

Good luck.