I have a 4th grade girls team and I have 1 girl who is consistent about being 10 to 15 minutes late for practice and when she gets there she doesn't even want to participate she acts like it is the last place on earth she wants to be, and is distracting to the other players at times. I have tried everything I know to encourage her, I have spoke with her father on several occasions in regards to her attitude. The child is young but I really don't like the idea of forcing a kid to play a sport he/she doesn't have interest in, I think this may be the case with this girl. HOW DO I HANDLE THIS. Thanks

This is a young age and just maybe she doesn't want to play... and its the fathers dream..... How do you - or better yet DO YOU want to force this kid to play!
First, its up to the parent to get her there on time.... its not like she is driving herself to practice.... :-)
These are young kids, this has to be A LOT of FUN... bottom line... find out what her hot buttons are and try to have something that she LOVES to do early in your practices. You are going to have to sell her on the FUN part of basketball.... let her know that this isn't about winning or losing, its all about learning some skills, being with your friends and having FUN.
Part of the problem might be that she doesn't think that she is very good and doesn't want to embarass herself? Kids are funny that way.
Good luck on this one, a tough age and a tougher challenge, but thats why as coaches we make the big bucks. :-)
One last thing... make sure the last thing you do in practice is FUN... so the kids WANT to come back again..... we did this with Varsity boys.. kids are kids.

Thanks coach, I set aside 1/2 of a practice for games so 1/4 of my practice time is fun games, simon says, relays, sumo drill, shooting games, should I do more, we also scrimmage every practice for 20 min. which they love to just play.

Here are some motivation ideas that may or may not help:
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/mental/motivate-players.html

A lot of good information from Jeff.....

Here is something I did in my summer camps for younger kids...
( your kids fit into this ) Have little contests where they can earn a small reward..... like a frozen pop... they are really inexpensive... pennies....... then make sure that everyone can win one from time to time... shooting, dribbling, passing etc.... I know the kids I workeed with looked forward to the end of practice for their "reward"

It seems like your practices are well planned for this age group.... so find out what makes your group tick... especially the one girl.

Maybe do some drills with two players and team her up with someone she likes... someone she looks up to... or a leader that is willing to help her / wants to. Just some rambling here.... good luck.

I totally agree with scrist24!! These are 4th grade girls...8 or 9 years old!! Just beginning to learn the very basics and fundamentals of basketball!! It absolutely HAS to be FUN!!(Coach Sar).
At that age many kids get signed up by their parents just to stay active and have fun being on a team...they may not have any interest in ANY sports....but don't worry about it. Just do the best you can by teaching fundamentals of the game and making it fun.

Here's a few fun drills I used with girls at that age:
This document was previously typed up by me for a friend of mine so there may be some references you may not understand.


Drill: Dribble X
Type: Stationary Dribble Control
Level: Beginner

Use masking or medical tape to mark an X on the gym floor on the side of each kid.
Each girl must dribble with control on the X. Ensure they control dribble on the side of their body. At this stage, the player is allowed to look down at ball to maintain accuracy of hitting X and establishing “feel” for ball. Go about 30 seconds switching to weak hand, then back to strong hand. Do a number of sets with each hand.

Drill: Dribble Alphabet
Type: Stationary Dribble Control
Level: To be used after above drill

Have players bend over and start dribbling low in front of them. Coach will call out letters of the alphabet. Players will dribble the shape of the letter in front of them. Players should use a very low controlled dribble of maybe 6 to 10 inches above the floor. Switch to weak hand and repeat. Option: Dribble Shapes- have players dribble triangle, square,
circle, rectangle shapes…..throw in a trapezoid just to see their reaction!

Drill: Blind Dribble
Type: Stationary Dribble Control
Level: Intermediate

Have girls line up each with ball and dribble on the side of their body. Maintain control
while looking forward. Now have them close their eyes for 20 seconds while dribbling.
Open eyes…close…open…. Now switch to weak hand…repeat. Now have them bend knees and get down low with a power dribble….close eyes for 20 seconds….open….repeat.


Drill: Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light
Type: Motion Dribble Control
Level: Beginner

Have all girls start at baseline each with a basketball. Coach is at other baseline. On whistle coach calls out Green Light, or Yellow Light, or Red Light randomly. Green Light means player will jog while dribbling ball toward other baseline. Yellow Light- they must walk while dribbling…Red Light means they must stop but still maintain dribble. Repeat with weak hand.



Drill: Clothes Pin Tag
Type: Motion Dribble Control
Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Go to the Dollar Store and buy some clothes pins. I have a bunch you can borrow.
Seal off an area of the gym floor with cones, for 10 girls….seal off maybe a quarter
court area. All girls get a basketball. All girls get 2 clothes pins clipped onto the back of their shirts. All girls must stay within the cones. All girls must maintain dribble. Object
of the game is to grab clothes pins off your teammates back but protecting your own back
while dribbling a basketball. Players that get both clothes pins taken off their back must sit and watch the fun. As you get down to 6 players left, move cones closer. As you get down to 4 girls enclose area more. With final 2 girls enclose to a small area of about 6 X 6 feet. If final 2 girls are just taking too long to grab clothes pin, end it as a draw.

Drill: Tennis Ball Dribble Catch
Type: Stationary Ball Control
Level: Advanced
Equipment: 5 tennis balls

Use this drill at least half way thru the season as they are a little more experienced with ball control and keeping head up. Pair up all players. Every player has a basketball. Pairs are facing their partner about 4 feet apart. One partner in each pair has a tennis ball. On whistle they start dribbling. On next whistle they start having a catch with tennis ball while maintaining their dribble. Players must toss it underhand, soft and easy so their
partner can catch it. This can be a difficult drill at first but keep reinforcing this drill throughout the season. This drill takes mind and eyes off of dribbling and puts focus on catching and throwing a tennis ball. As they get proficient have them back up one giant step. By the end of the season downsize to plastic golf balls just to make it a little tougher. Make a contest out of it by seeing which team catches the most in 60 seconds. Try breaking that record next practice. Switch hands so they are dribbling with weak and throwing with strong hand. If you have odd number of players just add one player to a pair and form a triangle.

Drill: Musical Dribbling Chairs
Type: Motion Dribble Control
Level: Advanced
Equipment: Folding Chairs, CD Player

Use this fun drill mid-season when they are experienced with movement and ball control. Use Town Hall chairs and form a circle with seats facing out. Each girl has a basketball. Set up 9 chairs for 10 players. Have one coach turn his back to the game and start music on CD player. As music plays girls must dribble around chairs. Other coach is watching game. The first coach will randomly stop music and each girl must find a chair to sit down WHILE STILL maintaining their dribble as they are sitting. They can not stop dribbling even if they are sitting. The player who is left sits out and one chair is removed.
Rearrange chairs the best you can as you get down to 3 or 4 chairs……should end with 1 chair and 2 girls battling for it.

Drill: Spoon and Golf Ball Dribble Control
Type: Motion Dribble Control
Level: Advanced
Equipment: Plastic spoons, plastic golf balls


Use this drill near end of season. It can be quite challenging for some girls. It is hysterical to watch!!! Every girl has a basketball, a plastic spoon and a plastic golf ball. Line up girls on baseline. They are dribbling with strong hand while holding a spoon with their weak hand and balancing the golf ball at the end of the spoon. Start slow…have them slowly walk to half court then back while maintaining ball control and keeping ball on spoon. Again, this drill takes the focus off of dribbling and puts it on something else.
Switch ball to weak hand and repeat. As season progresses have them speed it up. Have dribble races. When they get really good at this, split team into 2 teams, everyone with a
ball and a spoon but just one golf ball per team. First player in each line must race downcourt dribbling and balancing ball on spoon. When they return they must transfer ball from their spoon to their teammate’s spoon waiting in line. The girls go crazy with this race!! They MUST keep dribbling even during transferring ball from one spoon to the next. Some players may have problems transferring so if they drop it 3 times in a row then they can use their fingers to transfer ball.

Drill: Obstacle Course
Type: Everything
Level: Intermediate

This is fun!!! Girls will love it!!! Make an obstacle course out of the Town Hall Gym.
Using masking tape, tape 1’ X 1’ squares on wall. Set up cones for dribble weaving
(Use one set of loose cones for “snake” weave and another set for “tight” weave)
Set down rubber shooting spots (in gym locker) for shots. This event should be timed with a stopwatch. Have a pre-determined route for this obstacle course. You’ll need
another coach to assist players going thru this route while you are tracking time.
Have player start at baseline with ball sitting at half court. On whistle player runs to ball, dribble weaves thru first set of cones, must pass the ball to the wall and hit within the taped lines (have 2 sets of 3 squares taped on walls anywhere in gym). Throw in some shots at certain spots on the floor (if they don’t hit a shot w/in 3 attempts, move on).
Another set of cones, more shots then they must dribble back to the beginning and slam
ball down to stop the clock. Best time wins prize. Be creative!! Use other props!!
I’ve used hula-hoops, I’ve stood the gym mats on end and created a tunnel…..whatever!
This fun drill uses passing, shooting and dribbling fundamentals.

Coach A -

As usual, you have a wealth of information.... good stuff.

Thanks GUYS- I am taking them to the ultimate pro experience this Sunday to the Fever game, we will get VIP on court before the public is allowed in to watch warm ups- then watch the game with autograph session afterwards- if that don't get them breathing fire for basketball I will be surprised. I am excited for them. This should be a great team event and fun for everyone. Thanks again you guys have some great advise that I will use for sure.