Motion Offense for Youth Basketball

I am coaching 9-10 year olds. In the past I have run a "set" offense against a required zone defense. Your opening paragraph makes a lot of sense to me and I am ready to stop wasting time teaching a set play and move to a motion offense based upon principles. But how do I tell the kids to originally get configured on the court? 1-3-1? Does it matter? Should they have "positions"?

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Jeff Haefner says: 12/20/2014 at 6:37:47 AM Pat - I would suggest running a transition offense using a "numbered break". That gets players in spots and with good spacing so you can flow into your motion offense. So 2 could sprint to right corner, 4 to left corner, 5 to strong side block, 1 to right wing, and 3 trails to left wing. The PG can pass to open player. If they have a good shot they take it. Otherwise it flows right into motion without hesitation. You can also have real simple quick hitter entry to enter the ball and kick start the motion. This can be helpful when the defense is set after dead ball situations, etc. You can go box, stack, 1-4, etc. Or you can just start from fast break spots. Like     login   register

@Kristi,

I would say it''s mainly b/c your kids are right handed, don''t feed confident enough in their dribbling to go left, and get nervous in games against kids they don''t know.

I would day to introduce drills to get them passing to their left side in a circle, and dribbling off the triple threat to the left w/ their left hand as well.

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J says: 12/17/2014 at 9:48:21 PM All younger kids will dribble to the side theyre most comfortable with. To break this tendency have all the righties dribble exclusively with the left hand during practice. Within a few weeks you will see the team working both sides of the court. Build confidence in the off hand and watch the fun that comes with success Like     login   register

I have a problem with kids "forgetting" the offense- and just dribbling to the right baseline and getting trapped. In practice they do fine with pass, cut to the basket..., etc and in drills. At game time they seem to freeze.. Suggestions? This is a rec team, mixed ability ages 9-11

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Does motion offense work even 2-3 zone?

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I run a drill that I call "street ball." When you play in a pickup game or street ball you are constantly moving either cutting or screening. I tell my kids to run a half court offense as if they were street balling.
Then we introduce motion offense to them and they are amazed at how much similar it is to street ball with some rules we put in place.

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My groups right now are 9-11, so we can put some good work into the motion offense. I usually start with 4 out and 1 roaming the baseline. The key is getting the players to move to space. After the PG makes the first pass, he is required to cut through. This then opens space for the other players to go to. I have only one or two true post players so they are the baseline players and ultimately get the ball near the hoop. Luckily, I have a passing PG who makes it all work.

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An excellent way to describe the motion offense. It is something I will try with young kids to bet them all involved with the offense

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DS, this is something that I've battled with too. Personally, I don't think this is much of an issue as long as you're teaching them how to play. Everybody has different styles and beliefs. And every situations is different. What might work best for my situations may not work the best for your situation.

Personally, I like to give them choices, but teach them why they might do certain cuts in certain situations. Short-term is this going to make your offense look the best... probably not, but I believe it will develop better players over the long haul. It gets them involved and it gets them thinking. When they are able to take some ownership, they become more passionate and involved with the team.

After a few years and enough repetitions, the kids start to figure out how to play basketball.

Last fall, I heard a parent say a sarcastic remark to a former coach about our "lack" of offense after the first tournament and 8 practices together. Some kids had only made it to 3 practices due to football. As you probably are already thinking, how the heck are your supposed to be getting a new group of kids executing an offense? To give you a little background, the previous year his son played on a team that had over 40 set plays in the 7th grade. Well, I only teach one motion offense and a few sets, so it was quite different.

The same parent came up to me at the end of the season and said how much better the kids got offensively individually and as a team. I think we won our last 4 tournaments after starting 1-5 in the first two tournaments.

So I know it can be done with "choices". Which way is better... who knows!?

By the way, I do use rules.

1. Keep spacing.
2. Pass and move.
3. Don't stand still for more than 3 seconds.

After that, I introduce situations and show them how you could attack in those situations.

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Kevin says: 12/28/2016 at 11:53:52 AM What kind of situations do you introduce? Like   1 reply   login   register Joe Haefner says: 12/31/2016 at 11:27:55 AM The situations are endless, but here are a few examples I've done with my team. - After every pass, you must basket cut. - After every pass, you must screen away from the ball. - No dribbles allowed. - 2 dribble limit on each catch. - Ball on the wing - pass into the post. Then play. - Every possession must start with ball screen. - Possession starts with a pass to the corner. - 10 passes before a jump shot (lay ups only) - 3 Ball reversals before a jump shot (lay ups only) - 2 post touches before a jump shot (lay ups only) - Start the ball with a trap at half court or in the corner. Like     login   register

If were running a 3 out or 4 out I would say, "IF the defender is above the 3 point line, V Cut & BACK DOOR ( cut all the way to the rim so you don't confuse your own player ) If he is below the arc, screen away.

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I love motion offense, but instead of giving choices wouldn't it be better to give them rules for when to basket cut versus pick away? I've found that with choices you get kids that always do the same thing and it usually results in basket cuts because that is easier to remember than picking away and more natural. For example, maybe say after you pass you that you basket cut if you have a clear path, but if not you pick away. The reason I think things like this are better is because I heard Andy Landers say at a clinic one time that you never give kids choices - you give them rules, because if you give them choices they will always come back with "but coach you said..." if you give them choices. He gave great examples of how he learned this in his career and it's always stuck with me! Just a thought.

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I HAVE 2 7TH GRADE GIRLS AND THE COACH FOR THE TEAM CAN NOT COACH THE LEAGUE THEY JOINED. I PLAYED A LITTLE WHEN I WAS A KID BUT IM NOT A PRO AND THESE GIRLS ARE ALL BEGINNERS WHAT IS THE MAIN THING TO START WITH ?

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I am searching for a motion offense to implement with a group of 5th-6th graders. None are exceptionally good shooters and none are exceptionally good post players. I am looking for something easy to learn, so they do not become overwhelmed during in-game situations. What would you recommend? Thanks.

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Steve,

I've used a similar drill called 'No Dribble', except I didn't think of letting them dribble when they get the ball in the paint. That's a great idea.

And you're right. It teaches them to move without the ball and recognize cutters!

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Joe and Jeff, great advice. I have been coaching basketball for over 30 years and I really appreciate your honest answers. A motion offese started right when players learn basketball will benefit them so much as they grow with the game. You've already hit on the two simplest forms, the cut to the hoop or screen away. Here is something that I do for all levels of players and that is a drill that I simple call "X". In a full court scrimmage, players are not allowed to dribble, unless in the paint. This may seem like such a simple drill but it will teach players to move without the ball as well as passers to recognize cutters. I joe said earlier "It may look ugly at first..." but you'll be surprised at how well kids will run the court and score often without ever putting the ball on the court. I use this in games just to entertain the crowd.

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Bob - I recommend motion offense as soon as the kids start playing basketball. The great thing about motion is that you can make it as simple as you want. You create rules that fit your team. Your rules could be as simple as:
- when you pass cut all the way to the basket
- don't stand for more than 3 seconds (cut to the basket for find another spot)

You can put them in any formation you want (5 out, 4 out 1 in, etc). Our motion offense ebook would help you better understand how it works and give you ideas for rules.

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At what age group would you recommend using a motion offense? Even with 4th & 5th grade girls 90% of them new to basketball? If I had to do this first year of coaching again, I would consider starting with a motion offense instead of what we're trying now, a 1-2-2 offense with plays that incorporate dribble-drives, screens, give'n goes and hand-offs. But maybe you guys with more experience would say 4th & 5th grade is too early to introduce Motion. Something tells me teaching principles instead of plays and spending more time on drills than on diagrams would be a good thing even at the 4th & 5th grade level!

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Ron, I usually start by giving them two choices: basket cut or screen away. Some teams, you have to give one choice. For example, when you pass, you cut. Then, after they get the hang out it, you can add the screening options and more.

For players away from the ball, it's simple they can cut to the basket or screen somebody. It'll be ugly at first, but as they get more experience, they'll start to figure things out. Just be patient and have fun!

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Greg says: 12/11/2014 at 7:44:40 PM Joe, What do you mean by screen away, is that what you refer to in your second paragraph? Or does it mean, if the ball goes away from you, you look for a screen to set? Also, when they cut to the basket and do not get the ball they then do what? Find the open spot? Thanks! Like   1 reply   login   register Joe says: 12/12/2014 at 8:28:15 AM Screen away means you go away from the ball and set a screen for another player on the perimeter. That player then cuts off the screen toward the ball (often times curling off the screener). Look at this page to learn about different types of screens and definitions: https://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/Offense/offensiveTheory And yes, after you cut to the basket and you don't get the ball, just find an open spot (to improve spacing). Like     login   register

When you say that the players should move after 2 seconds, WHERE should they move? Any tips? I know that some "waiting" should occur, i.e., fill up if your teammate cuts, but how do you balance that "waiting" and moving?

Thanks!

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Jeff says: 1/25/2019 at 3:59:03 PM Cut or screen after 2 seconds. Players can choose their cut or screen. If they don't know how to cut or screen, teach them a couple simple actions in practice... like basket cut and screen away. Beyond that keep spacing, except when you're setting a screen. Most important thing in offense is spacing. If you just have decent spacing, a little bit of player movement, and some skilled players.... that makes for pretty effective offense. If you need more direction, start with a simple offense like this: https://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/offense/cutters <a href="https://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/play.asp?id=7704"> https://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/play.asp?id=7704</a> Like     login   register