Ok, it’s impossible to make sure youth players “always” know who they are guarding.
But we found a few things that help cut way back on this problem.
Early in the season our 3rd grade players were often confused about who they were guarding — and our opponents scored quite a few points because we left players open.
We almost completely solved the problem by making two adjustments…
1) Try to only sub 1 or 2 players at a time. And sub more frequently.
We used to sub 3-4 players at a time. It was mass confusion for the coaches and players.
Now it’s much less chaotic with 1 or 2 new players coming in at a time. You just have to sub more frequently (every two minutes or so).
2) Give your players towels or pinnies to hand to the player they are subbing for. And instruct them to ask that person who they are guarding.
Those two adjustments made a tremendous difference for us. Very rarely were players left open or unguarded.
Nice post Jeff.
The other thing that helped out my under 12’s team was getting them all to call out the number of the player they’re on each time a basket was made.
– Coach Mac
Hey coach Mac! I’m sorry to be so off topic but if you could please help me with another one of you articles (“how to increase your vertical jump”) so I did the first day of the program I felt amazing and my legs were dead. But now I’m into the rest day and I’m still super sore. As in anytime I bend my legs it hurts. Its nothing medical I know that its not some unbearable pain or anything. Did I do something wrong? I didn’t stretch very well is that a factor?
Coach Mac. Good idea. Thanks for adding the suggestion.
That reminds me. After each free throw and substitution, we told our players to call out the number and point to the player you’re guarding. Eventually I’d like them to get in the habit of doing that on their own without the coach reminding them. Thanks!
Agree with what both of you have said. We’ve been trying to tell our 4th grade boys team if you don’t know who you are guarding then get in the lane right in front of the basket and look for an open player but don’t move from that spot until you do. At least the open player on the other team couldn’t drive uncontested to the basket. I know that you couldn’t do this in a no-zone league or tournament but has worked for us and beats having a kid run around the perimeter not knowing who to guard.
Some good ideas here. Both of the leagues I coach in have scheduled substitution times. One will give me the time to line our players up, see who is in for the other team and do matchups. The other league does not as it is running clock and they run subs at the midpoint of each quarter. Makes it a bit chaotic as I am trying to get the kids matched up.
We promote defensive transition from a very early age for that reason – on losing possession players will immediately run back to key, turn and find their own player . Must call out player number they are defending and close out to three point line if possible. First player back is the Captain and helps to remind players to find their opponent by yelling ” numbers” or similar reminder.
Jeff,
What do you think of the following:
All the teams in this rec league play a standard 1-2-2 set.
I was thinking of telling them to just sprint down to the lane in a 1-2-2 set, first pick up the girl with the ball and point to them, then point to the girl whatever girl ends up next to them and guard them.
I thought this would help with the looking around for their girl.
Coach – It sounds like that would probably solve the problem short term. I have never tried what you suggest but I’m guessing it would work well.
However long term it may not be the best solution. Most teams at higher levels guard certain players and have to learn how to run back in transition and match up. So at some point they will have to learn how to do this. In the long run you’ll save time by teaching players how to find their players now versus tackling this later on. So I guess it depends on long term goals versus short term goals.
With that said, plenty of other more important things to worry about so don’t stress over it… either way will work. Good luck!!
I coach in a rec league with no numbers on the front of the uniforms, which makes it even more difficult because as the team is coming up the floor, you can’t see the number. I tell them to look for shoes, socks, hair, shorts, ANYTHING, that helps them find their player.