Hey follow coaches,
First I would like to say I truly enjoy this site. It has helped me with my coaching immensely. Keep up the good work. I am looking for a little insight on something. With my team we get into a lot of jump ball or tie up situations while rebounding. During practice me and the head coach try to emphasize being tough with the ball and staying low and pivoting to get out of trouble and see open opportunities but during the game it goes all away. It seems like they get the rebound and rather than pivoting they just want to hold it while the defense swarms in trying to steal it or jam the rebounder. It seems like also they are nervous that they might hit someone and I try to tell them that in order to create space sometimes u have to make contact its not intentional but its just a way to get them off of you. What are some ways we can instill the proper way so it sticks with them during the game, rather than turn the ball over every other time?

You can chin and pivot or rip the ball thru as you pivot, find your outlet pass and get rid of the ball. There is going to be contact, no doubt about it.

You could set up your own drill 1 vs 2 ... throw the ball off the glass lightly so the guy you want GETS the ball... the 2 defenders attack and trap him/her and then do one or both of the things I mentioned above. The idea is to make it harder than the games will be.

We ran an Open Post offense and we played a lot of 5 on 6 defenders to make our kids tougher with the ball.

What age group? Girls? Boys?

Chinning it, like Coach Sar suggested is a good way to help prevent players from reaching in to steal the ball. We run drills just for that aspect of the rebound with a front pivot to the side court for an outlet.

Try this: Run a basic rebounding drill where a shot is taken and the rebounder must get high and rebound. Emphasize that they must grab the ball at the highest point. Have them stop once they rebound the ball and watch where they keep the ball after a rebound, you'll see the problem right away. Most players keep it at head level or even worse drop it to their chest or stomach area.

Run the drill again and once the first person rebounds, emphasize chinning it with their elbows out. If their elbows are out and they turn to pivot, it will take some guts for someone to try and poke the ball away. You can even demonstrate how it looks when someone chins the ball and that it will more likely draw a foul if someone has to go through their arms to get the ball.

Refs aren't keen on kids chinning it and taking big swings with their bodies though, for obvious reasons. So I'm not advocating "throwing elbows" here.

This will be something you'll have to watch and remind the kids during practices. "Chin it!" will become a mantra for a while.