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PostPosted: 09 Dec 2009, 16:40 

Posts: 4
I coach a 4th grade travel team and I want some tips or advice anyone has on how to run my offense and defense when I put in my kids off the bench. I have five kids that know how to play and understand how to switch defense or run a different offense. I have three kids that usually come off the bench that are as lost as easter eggs when they get on the court. If the team we are playing switches defense or subs new kids in, my 3 from the bench can't figure out where they need to be on offense or who to guard on defense. So when I use these three kids it really disrupts my offense and my defense for a few possessions. Does anyone have any ideas or tips on how to get my kids to improve?


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PostPosted: 09 Dec 2009, 17:13 

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4th grade, as in 9-year-olds?

What sort of plays are they running?


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PostPosted: 09 Dec 2009, 17:33 
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This question begs to be asked, what are you doing during your practices???working with only five kids while the others watch??? You could try teaching the offense to the other five kids on your team that might work..coach Mac


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PostPosted: 09 Dec 2009, 20:36 

Posts: 4
we have three plays we run and they are all from the same set. I use all eight kids but when my bottom three are in, they can't react fast enough on what they do different when a different play is called. In games when defenses switch from man to zone or if subs come in and any of my bottom three come in, they can't figure out who they are supposed to be guarding. Maybe it is because they are 9 and 10 years old but my top five kids do not have problems and I do all the same drills and practice all eight the same.


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PostPosted: 09 Dec 2009, 20:38 

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oh, coach mac, I do teach all the kids everything and play all of them . As crazy as that sounds.


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PostPosted: 09 Dec 2009, 21:35 
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jhen: Forgive me for sounding facetious when i replied to your question, I just could not quite understand what was going on. I have a better grasp of it now. As far as subbing in your three less experienced players why not do it one at a time. Also make them communicate with each other when subs from the other team come in. tell them as soon as this happens, they must communicate with one another as to who is guarding whom. e.g. ive got 15 who do you have john etc. Further, if they cant recognize what they are being played on defense, tell them to send a cutter through the key, if they are not followed by anyone, then its probably a zone. Also drawing things up on a board tends to help, many young players need to see a visual prior to actually putting the play into practice. If you play your less experienced kids at the same spots eventually they will learn what it is you want them to do. With 9 and 10 year olds all i can recommend is time and patience. Finally, with these three players you may need to use the "part whole" method. by this i mean take your offense and break it down into individual drills, drill the individual parts then put the parts together and that will be the whole. good luck coach Mac


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PostPosted: 10 Dec 2009, 09:22 

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Thanks coach for your help. I will try and break down our plays into parts and see what happens . Thanks again.


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PostPosted: 09 Jan 2010, 13:53 

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jhen: You may have probably tried this but here is an option. Don't play all three at the same time. Kids play with more confidence and relax more when they know they have someone on the court that can give them help. I play all my kids on my varsity team every game and I some group that can't score and I have a group that can't defend as well. I just don't put them out there at the same time. It doesn't sound like a big thing but if your best five can't take your last three under their wing or simply don't want to play with them you're going to struggle. Make your best five assistant coaches on the floor. It will help those other kids relax and make the better kids better leaders. REMEMBER, in my 42 years I've never coached a kid who would intentnionally mess up. Hope this helps !


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PostPosted: 09 Jan 2010, 18:12 
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Coach, you are not alone when it comes to players that just don't get it sometimes. I had a starting point guard on my boys varsity high school team that just couldn't understand our continuity offenses... 3 out 2 in motion or an Open Post set... no matter how hard we tried to teach it to him... nada!

When we ran that the other 4 players would have to help him through it... BUT.. he could remember sets.... no matter how many I put in.... he remembered them... figure that one out. We do what we have to do to help the kids be successful.

The advice about mixing and matching the players is great... always have at least ONE good leader on the floor... one who is willing to help the other kids.... and God Bless you for working with young kids like this.


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PostPosted: 09 Jan 2010, 18:16 
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I know, you guys are asking WHY the heck is he the starting point guard??????

Because NO ONE in the league could guard him... as a matter of fact... two defenders couldn't stop him most of the time... he was QUICK..... he could break down defenses all by himself. No one bothered to press us.... too bad we only had one other kid that could shoot the ball.


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