Hello all,

I m coaching a 1st and 2nd grade team for the second year in the row and we are really struggling with transition defense :(
In the previous league that we were in, player were matched using wristbands of the same color so it was easier for the kids to know who they were supposed to pick up on defense but in the new league there are no wrist bands and the kids are really struggling with figuring out who they should pick up on defense.

Do you guys have any tips to help them improve in that area?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

That's a tough transition for the little guys. In practice, we'd split up into defense and offense (half court, no ball for this drill), then tell the defense to pick a player they were guarding. Told them to take a good look at them, shoes, hair color, jersey #. Then we'd take the offense away and make them huddle up. Coach would tell each player in the huddle where to go when they heard my whistle, we'd spread them out in the corners. On my whistle, they would go to their assigned positions on the court and the defense had to go touch their man as quick as possible. We timed it and made it a competition between the two teams. Give it a name, like Magnet. Then in the game, you can shout out "Magnet!" and they should have a reference point to find their man.


Maybe that will help?

Thanks Coach Rob!
Will give it a shot...

Another issue as well is that they get totally lost when there is a substitution

Communication on defense is definitely an issue for that age bracket ...
Any input there?

Yea... working with 1st and 2nd graders is tough. I have never tried to play 5on5 games at this age. Doubt I ever will. So the only thing I know to do is...

Every time they ball comes down the floor train them to call out the person they are guarding and point to them. The same thing applies to substitutions. On every substitution, you have players point to their man and call out who they are guarding.

We do that at the high school level. They still sometimes get mixed up on who they are guarding at that age so we just have them point to the man and communicate every time. It's a habit you develop in games and just hold them accountable.

At the 2nd grade level, we play 3on3 only. I'm not a big fan 5on5 with young kids. The communication was not much of a problem with 3on3 full court. Maybe that makes it easier because it was easier to see who was covered and there were less players to choose from. So if you can find a 3on3 league -- or just create your own league by inviting teams to play you, not only do your players get a lot more touches on the ball and develop ball skills faster, you solve the transition defense problem. :)

Hope this helps.

I think it was Bob Bigelow who said something like, "when you're out on the court, you're making a decision every 2 seconds", which is a lot of decisions in the span of even 10 minutes. Add to that parents, teammates, and coaches yelling instructions and you've got quite a chaotic environment out on the court. The level of noise in a gym can be insane. Keep all that in mind as you go for this ride.

Getting rid of the wristbands at 1st/2nd grade is too early imo. Also, the refs should be allowing the teams to regroup after a sub and helping to remind them to get their man. Honestly? Before the game starts, I would ask the refs if they could match-up everyone real quick after each sub. Can't imagine the opposing coach wouldn't want the same thing. You could even write a quick e-mail to the league director asking for their support. If they won't cooperate, you're in the wrong league.

In the end, you'll be like the rest of us yelling out for Johnny to get #10. You'll just be doing it more frequently, that's all.

I love Breakthrough Basketball! I wish I could reply more often. What a great resource for the parents and players.

My opinion may run against the grain a little bit. I don't think there should be any games or leagues or travel or refs or trophies or results of any kind before 5th or 6th grade. Our approach (Basketball Basics in West Michigan, now also in North Carolina) is to teach through precise demonstration of the key skills, and then to repeat these skills over and over and over again. We permit minor scrimmaging beginning around age 10 but the scrimmage is stopped frequently to instruct.

I know the kids want to play. They also want to win, most of them. Imagine asking a kid to do something they are NOT capable of doing and then assigning a consequence to the outcome. This is what almost all youth leagues do: play before any degree of mastery of these skills and then we will judge the team with a W or an L.

I heard a dad recently ask me "Well how can we know where we are? If a team beats us in the U-9 or U-10 or U-12 league, they are better than us and we know where we stand." My reply is the other team is most likely not better, they are simply less awful! Basketball is the most highly skilled game of all. To use a Michigan coach of repute (Tom Izzo at MSU): "Skills defeat athleticism almost every time." Forget the leagues, teach the skills. If you have to scrimmage, that's OK. Teach them DURING the scrimmage. Good luck!

Great stuff Jim! There is way too much emphasis on winning rather than learning/knowing the fundamentals of the game.

One of my favorite sayings is - " Winning is a by product of being fundamentally sound! "

Who cares if you 30-0 at U8 - 9 10-even U11 IF they cant play at the next levels.... especially once they get into high school

Hi guys, I have a little bit of a problem. I coach a under 15 age group in South Africa, now here's where my problem lies, most of the players haven't been taught ANYTHING in the lower age groups and struggle with basics, I try to incorporate it into my practice but I also have to focus on game play as other teams seem to be on a level above. I have one VERY TALENTED PLAYER!!! But he can't play the game himself! What should I do, what do you guys suggest I do on offense and defense, my starting 5 are okay, they know a bit, should I play a zone, man to man, should. Focus on fast break ball? Passing the ball, ps they also do not have height. PLEASE HELP

I would focus on developing really good defense, rebounding, and skill development. With inexperienced players, that is the way to go. I would teach man to man defense because that will provide a better foundation and maybe later on you can switch to zone if you really want to.

As long as you are willing to work, you can get good and defense and rebounding... even if you're a beginner. And if your team is good at those two things, it will keep you in games. Then that allows you to spend time on basic fundamental skills that those players need... dribbling, footwork, passing, shooting, lay ups, etc.

Jeff is spot on....

Take care of the fundamentals..... and the rest will take care of itself. If you are going to experience any success, your kids need to be fundamentally sound. Spend more time on the fundamentals early, don't worry too much about Ws & Ls - otherwise you will never catch up to other players/teams.