Well, my 3rd grade boys team ran into a very talented 4th grade team and exposed some areas of improvement. Mainly PASSING!!!! We don't have a set offense so we work alot on setting picks for our PG's. This other team played terrific help defense (M2M0 and our boys just couldn't seem to keep their eyes up looking for the man that was left open. Their passes sailed on them or the passes were thrown carelessly in the air in hopes that another teammate can pull it down. Once we pick up our dribble, we get really nervous and didn't create the space needed to make an effective pass.

I've incorporated a flat ball 3 on 3 drill which should have indicated to me that they needed more work on it because it was extremely frustrating to watch. They don't know how to move without the ball and get open which fuels the boys anxiety once they pick their dribble up.

Any ideas on drills we can work on this week? Any drills for moving without the ball and/or effective passing?

Thanks in advance!
Brent

The first thing I would work on is teaching them HOW to pass... stationary and then while moving.

Then I would run a NO DRIBBLE game with defense but the D isn't allowed to steal the ball ... once they get the idea of how to move without the ball and where to look for open teammates you can make the drill live.

I hope this helps.

Yeah lots of basic passing drills (chest, bounce, etc). Then 3 on 3 no dribble type of stuff. I have done this with 3rd graders in the half court and yeah it's ugly and takes time to get better, but it does help them. You use the drill to show them things... sealing for position, screening, keep spacing, back door cut, and just move forcing the defense to cover DISTANCE.