I am a new coach of middle school girls and am looking for the correct way to help explain each girl\'s responsibilities (areas to be covered and shifting) in a zone defense. It will probably be a 2-3 defense.

If I may repeat myself...

PLEASE..... do your kids a favor and teach them how to play m2m defense...... you might not see it in terms of Ws and Ls early..... but for their future... its the only way to go.

You cannot play the game IF you cant defend. Get them ready to play at the next level.... they will be far ahead of all the other teams that play zone... and your reward??? Seeing them play high school ball.

Good luck.

Yeah, I would play man to man at that level. I personally would not want my own child playing a zone defense at a young age. Probably the biggest reason is that a zone limits the foot coordination and athletic development of the kids. A man to man defense is far superior from an athletic development stand point. The kids playing man now, are getting better foot coordination, stronger muscles to move them laterally, better foot speed, and so on. These kids playing man will improve more athletically than the kids playing zone. Just watch the players in the back of their zone. They hardly have to move their feet and do athletic movements compared to a kid picking someone up at half court and playing tough man.

Even better, have all your youth players play full court 1 on 1 for five minutes in practice every day -- and make them play tough man to man defense in games. You will do MORE FOR THEIR ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT than you can imagine!!!

If you want to learn zone for your own benefit (because you play against it) or maybe someday want it as a secondary defense, here's the answer to your question about zone defense:
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/defense/2-3zone.html