Help Wanted. I have 20 very enthusiastic 11 year old girls who I have started coaching (about 2 months) for 1 1/2 hours a week. I have a good background in playing and am a qualified referee, but the coaching of the girls is quite trying. They have good basic skills and I have initiated a number of your coaching skills and drills in the sessions and they follow them very well 1/2 court. The problem I am having is that as soon as we have a 5 on 5 scrimmage full court, they all follow the ball and we have 10 players very close to each other on court. I've tried to teach them about spacing and the general on court positions that they might play in, but to no avail. The girls don't seem to have any concept of positional play. They also all stay in the back court passing when they get the ball on defence, no one moves ahead for offensive. Do you have any ideas that might help me with Defensive, Offensive Positions with the girls or am I expecting too much from them too soon?

Yours Expectantly,
Ian Johnson

Ian - We can give you some ideas and drills to help with those things. But most of the challenges you face are very common and just how it is with 11 year olds. You need to be very patient, keep things fun, teach life lessons, set a good example for them, and teach fundamental skills (dribbling, passing, footwork, basic man to man defense). Those are the most important things!

For spacing, here's a good drill to try:
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/drills/basicspacingdrill.html
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/drills/advancedspacingdrill.html

I actually recommend that you play more 3 on 3 and 4 on 4 games. That will help with spacing and is actually better for young kids and their skill development. With these small sided games they get to touch the ball more, dribble more, and shoot more, than with 5 on 5 games.

For defense, this will show you step by step how to teach man to man defense:
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/pr/mandefense.html

I highly recommend this youth coaching DVD (if you don't already have it):
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/pr/bigelow-youth-right-way.html

Thanks Jeff,

We have practice this evening, so I'm going to go back to Basics and also try practice what you have suggested.

Many Thanks.

Ian