Coaching 1st to 4th graders?
Develop Better Youth Players
Who Are Excited to Practice and Play
Coach with complete confidence...
even if you have ZERO basketball experience
Dear Coach,
Have you ever wondered if your coaching style is truly best for your players?
Being an effective youth coach isn’t just a matter of showing up.
New research shows there’s a youth-centric approach most coaches never learn...
Which greatly impacts their players’ skill development and love for the game.
If you want to truly make a difference in your players’ basketball experience, then keep reading.
Because you’re going to learn from one of the world’s leading experts on youth coaching about:
- Developing deep confidence in your coaching skills and approach
- Demonstrating and teaching the most important (age-appropriate) skills to your players
- Helping players build a sense of joy and excitement around the game
- Learning the proper skills, drills and coaching style to use with youth players
You’ll also learn exactly what you need to make the most of your unique opportunity to impact kids through coaching...
This will help you even if you have zero basketball or coaching experience.
And also if you used to play at a high level and want to make sure your coaching doesn’t go over young players’ heads.
No matter where you’re starting, you’re in the right place.
We’ll get to all that in just a moment, but first I’d like to make an introduction...
Meet Coach Bigelow
Bob Bigelow is one of the most respected youth coaching experts in the world.
He’s a former hoops star and First Round NBA Draft Pick, playing for the Boston Celtics, Kansas City Kings and San Diego Clippers.
But he’s really made his mark working with thousands of coaches to create a positive, rewarding youth sports experience for kids.
- His work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, The New York Times and NBC Today Show
- Co-authored Just Let the Kids Play
- Conducted over 2500 talks and clinics on youth sports and basketball since 1990
There is no better expert to teach you the youth coaching principles that will make a difference in your kids’ lives.
With that said, we’re going to turn it over to Bob to explain his approach...
As well as how you can copy it with your team to create a positive and successful experience for your players.
Best,
Jeff and Joe Haefner
These 4th graders were BORED TO DEATH
Hello! Coach Bigelow here.
I can vividly remember the day my entire approach to youth coaching changed.
The year was 1988 and I was doing a clinic in my hometown of Winchester, MA.
The topic was the pick-and-roll, and my audience that day was 3rd and 4th grade boys.
Who better than a former NBA player to teach young kids, right?
Not so fast!
Within a few short minutes, I knew there was a problem:
- Kids this age hadn’t mastered the basic fundamentals needed to run the pick-and-roll (since they were only 9 years old!)
- They weren’t physically at a point where they could do what I was asking
- There were much more important AND FUN things to teach them at this stage
It was a classic example of teaching what I wanted to teach, not what they needed to learn.
But this wasn’t about me.
It was about THEM.
Within 3 minutes, the players were chatting amongst themselves, tuning me out.
I knew I’d lost them.
By failing to design a youth-specific session, I wasted an opportunity to create a fun experience that would draw them into the game rather than pushing them away.
And it’s a mistake I see the majority of youth coaches making...
Even experienced coaches who are truly dedicated to their players.
And the results will ripple through a kid's basketball life for years to come:
- Never learning the basic fundamentals they need at higher levels
- Losing their excitement for the game
- Feeling like the game is serious work, rather than a fun activity they want to participate in
- Quitting at a young age (and missing out on friendships and life lessons that come with playing)
- Losing confidence in their game before their body and mind ever develops
While these results can feel grim, it’s important to remember...
It’s not the coaches’ fault.
No one taught us how to coach kids!
Look, there are a lot of reasons why people go into a youth coaching role:
- Their child’s team needed a coach
- They want to share their love of the game with their children
- They want to contribute to the community
But rarely have these folks been trained in childhood development, coaching and teaching sports to young children.
It’s NOT that they aren’t good coaches.
It’s that no one has showed them how to be.
Until now.
Re-thinking how we coach youth players
I realized the stakes were enormous for our youth and for the sport.
And I’ve been on a 30 year mission to empower youth coaches with the training and perspective they need to make a lasting impact on their kids.
Among the driving forces are:
- Focusing on what’s best for the players and their long-term development
- Creating fun, rewarding experiences around the sport so players love to play
- Making adjustments based on the developing body/strength coordination of the players
- Incorporating the science of learning and childhood development
- Emphasizing the fundamentals so players build on a strong foundation
- Empowering the coach to make the most of their precious opportunity to impact their kids
Former Players... Listen Up
You might think that a history of playing or coaching high school or college ball means you already know what you need to know.
At one time, I sure thought so.
But former players and coaches at higher levels are often the worst youth coaches...
Because they can’t break out of the high intensity/ strategic/ win-now mentality they learned years ago.
They often skip the most basic fundamentals and take the fun out of the game for young kids.
Almost every coach "borrows" drills and coaching style from their former coaches.
But you can see the issue with using an advanced approach with kids who just want to have fun and learn the basics.
Instead, use your coaching opportunity to teach kids the fundamentals and create excitement about playing.
What are "Fundamentals"
for youth players?
For the sake of clarity, let me quickly define the youth-specific fundamentals.
For individual players...
- Dribbling
- Passing and catching
- Shooting and lay-ups
- Footwork
- Individual defense
All players, regardless of position, should learn each of these fundamentals as early as possible.
As a unit, youth teams should run the following:
- Motion Offense
- Man-to-Man Defense
These both teach players HOW to play and think on the court...
As opposed to them memorizing set plays (or zone defenses) where they just go to "their spot" without much thought.
The Youth-Centric Model is NOT
Win-At-All-Costs
It’s all too common for youth coaches to bring a mentality that’s more appropriate for higher levels.
With everything geared around winning and competition.
But at youth level basketball, that should not be the priority.
Instead we need to focus on developing individual skills, learning team concepts and having fun...
If you truly want to be
the best coach you can be...
Teach them to love the game...
The rest will fall into place because they’ll be motivated to stick with it.
Players who love to play end up:
- Practicing more
- Playing more
- Developing greater skills
- Making new friends in and around the game
- Growing their confidence
- Having fun every step of the way
The Framework is simple
1. Determine what needs to be taught
This helps you focus your attention on the most important fundamentals and make the most of limited practice time.
2. Demonstrate the skills
Your players will learn more quickly if you can demonstrate the proper technique for the fundamentals you’re teaching.
If you can show them in real-time, that’s ideal. If not, you can show them videos so they can see how it’s supposed to look.
3. Perfect your coaching style
Your ability to instruct and correct players in a clear, encouraging way will make a big difference in their improvement.
Great coaches understand that there’s a time for coaching and a time to let them play.
4. Cater to the different skill levels on your team
Your ultimate goal is team-wide improvement throughout the season.
This requires some training, as you’ll need to challenge your best players without leaving behind less-experienced players.
We accomplish this through drill "progressions", which are varying difficulty levels of the same drill.
Where do you have the most
room for improvement?
Depending on your past basketball and teaching experience, you may have bigger opportunities for improvement as a coach in certain areas.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of the key categories to consider:
- Individual offensive skills (shooting, passing, dribbling, lay ups, footwork)
- Individual defense (stance, footwork)
- Team offense
- Team defense
- Practice planning for fun and efficiency
- Getting players ready for game speed
- Tailoring to different skill levels on your team
- Communication and coaching style
Once you’re confident in these categories, your players’ development and enjoyment will go through the roof.
You’ll mold better players who burst with excitement every time they pick up a ball.
Take the Shortcut...
Now, I mentioned the simple framework above.
And while it is simple, it’s not necessarily easy to figure this all out on your own.
Remember, I’ve spent 30 years perfecting my approach (and I’m still learning more every year)!
Many coaches try to "go at it alone" because they don’t realize there’s an easier way...
Or recognize that their kids’ future with the sport is at stake.
But my goal is to help coaches like you find the shortcut to success, so you can have the biggest possible impact on your kids.
So I’ve broken down my complete system into an easy-to-follow program you can put to use starting with your next practice...
Introducing…
Bob Bigelow’s
Youth Coaching the RIGHT Way
Youth Coaching the Right Way is a complete roadmap you can follow to develop skilled youth players who love to practice and play.
You’re getting all the following as part of the program:
- Step-by-step guide to the proper skills, drills and coaching style to use with youth players
- 3+ hours of training from youth coaching expert Bob Bigelow
- 62 Youth-Specific drills to develop your players
- Step-by-step instruction on how to keep young players motivated and engaged
You’ll learn step-by-step:
- What to teach (and in what order)
- How to teach for quick learning and retention
- Secrets to maximum fun and development for your entire team
This will take away all the fear and anxiety if you’re a first-time coach.
Even if you have basketball experience, Coach Bigelow will open your eyes with ways to tailor your coaching to the youth level...
And improve your all-around coaching and communication skills so kids love to practice and play on your team!
Here’s What’s Included:
Volume I:
This DVD covers basic skills & has over 30 fun drill progressions for footwork, dribbling, ball handling, passing, shooting, and youth offense concepts.
Introduction to Youth Coaching
- The challenges of young kids playing basketball and putting things in perspective.
Chapter 1 - The Importance of Pivoting and Movement
- Why you can’t play your best without great footwork
- How to teach footwork to youth players (including 4 footwork drills)
Chapter 2 - Teaching Dribbling the Right Way
- The proper way to build dribbling skills for young kids (with 9 drills)
- The 2 most important dribbling concepts for young kids to learn
- When and how to add defensive pressure
Chapter 3 - Successful Passing for Kids
- Why young kids are less inclined to "share" and what to do about it
- Challenges for young kids passing the ball and how to handle it
- 12 Drills for improving passing accuracy and hitting moving targets
Chapter 4 - The Right Way to Teach Shooting
- Matching kids' size and strength with the best shooting techniques
- The 13 spots to start shooting (with drill progressions)
- The real reason youth players miss so many lay ups — and how to fix it
Chapter 5 - Simple Offense for Youth Teams
- Simple but powerful motion offense for youth teams
- Understanding the importance and concepts of triangles
- Teaching youth players to cut, screen and move without the ball
Chapter 6 - 3 on 3 is the Best Way for Young players to Learn
- How to use 3-on-3 to fast track skill development (and make practices FUN!)
Chapter 7 - Planning and Applying these Concepts in Practice
- 3 iron-clad rules for youth practices
- Practice planning - how to ensure that you and your players get the most out of practice.
Chapter 8 - Coaching Youth Games the Right Way
- Clear directions on what you should be doing on the sidelines
- When to give critiques and suggestions (and when to let them play)
- A simple framework for deciding playing time
Chapter 9 - Final Thoughts and Important Guidelines
- Why basketball is a late developing sport and what that means for your coaching
- Understanding the development process of young players
- How to avoid the most common youth coaching mistakes
Volume II:
Volume II builds on the concepts in Volume I to give you an even stronger foundation for your coaching.
Chapter 1 - Basic Rules and Referee Tips (NEW Topic)
- Rule differences for boys and girls
- Guidelines on how to referee young players
Chapter 2 - Proper Training Progressions
- Learn the order that you should teach skills
- Why it's important to introduce skills by progression
Chapter 3 - Ball Handling
- 10 NEW ball handling and warm up drills
- Tips and key coaching points for ball handling drills
Chapter 4 - Dribbling
- How to properly progress through dribbling skills
- Tips for youth coaches when they teach dribbling
- 5 NEW youth dribbling drills.
Chapter 5 - Coordination & Footwork
- Why certain skills are often introduced too early
- How to get young players to move at faster speeds and stay under control.
- 3 NEW coordination, footwork, and movement drills.
Chapter 6 - Passing
- Passing tips and fundamentals.
- 3 NEW youth passing drills.
Chapter 7 - Shooting
- How to teach shooting form for quick learning and improvement
- Youth-specific shooting drills to develop fundamentals
Chapter 8 - Lay Ups
- The best way to teach lay ups and progress through each step.
- 4 NEW youth lay up drills.
Chapter 9 - Rebounding (NEW Topic)
- Why your best offense is the missed shot
- Rebounding tactics to score more points
- Average rebounds available based on age level
- How to teach proper rebounding technique
- Unique perspective on rebounding at the youth level
- 3 NEW and simple rebounding drills
Chapter 10 - Individual Offense (NEW Topic)
- How to simplify individual offense moves for youth players
- Teaching jabs and ball fakes to make youth players more effective scorers
Chapter 11 - Team Offense
- Additional screening and cutting concepts
- How to cut and get open to create offensive opportunities
- 3 NEW and simple drills for teaching team offense
Chapter 12 - Defense Tips (NEW Topic)
- Crucial team defense tips for youth players
- Keys to reduce fouls team-wide
- How to lower your opponent's shooting percentage
Chapter 13 - Individual Defense (NEW Topic)
- How to teach the defensive stance to young players
- The proper way to shuffle and guard the ball
- NEW drills and tips for on-ball defense
Chapter 14 - Team Defense (NEW Topic)
- The type of defense EVERY youth team should play
- Learn the pillars of great team defense
- Understanding and teaching proper defensive positioning
- Help defense principles all players must know
Chapter 15 - Critical Youth Coaching Tips
- Ways to keep practice moving and keep players engaged
- Detailed instructions on how to structure your practice
- How to discipline kids, handle behavior problems, and keep their attention
- Differences between coaching in practice versus games
- How to keep less experienced kids from getting discouraged
- Stats you should (and should not) track at the youth level
- Common mistakes high school and experienced coaches make with young players
Here’s what coaches like you are saying
about Youth Coaching the RIGHT Way:
John from East Meadow, NY says:9/13/2019 at 10:17:27 AM
Really great product! A long time ago I coached 8th and 9th grade and now I am coaching my son's 4th grade team. Obviously there is a big difference from a physical and maturity standpoint between 9 yr old's and 14 yr old's and Bob's DVD's really helps youth coaches with a philosophy and structure for coaching, teaching and developing youths in basketball.
This is a great DVD, especially if you are completely new to coaching youth basketball, or even if you have coached older kids and are embarking on coaching younger kids for the first time.
Matt Touhey from Norwell , MA says:
1/27/2016 at 8:56:07 AM
I love it. It has given me so many different options to use when teaching basketball. I am already incorporating a lot of the first two disc into my practice.. The kids seem to really enjoy it. Win all the way around.
Amanda says:
1/29/2014 at 10:45:33 AM
I have played basketball nearly my entire life, however, when it came to teaching 6-8yr olds how to play the sport, I felt I was at a loss on where to begin and what aspects of the game to focus on. Bob Bigelow does a great job in this DVD of giving you ideas on how to introduce the fundamentals of basketball to young children and telling you exactly what to focus on in your coaching. It's a GREAT resource!
Kevin from Columbus, OH says:
12/18/2017 at 11:07:58 PM
Only made it through the first video so far, but it alone is helping immensely. There is allot of wisdom that can be learned from what Mr. Bigelow teaches. Not just what to coach, but how to coach. Don't explain fundamentals, let this kids play ball. Get it in their hands for more minutes. I love it.
The True Value of Following
a Proven Plan
After seeing everything that’s included in Youth Coaching the RIGHT Way, you may be thinking that the cost will be through the roof.
Given Coach Bigelow’s world-recognized expertise and 30+ years in the field...
Plus the lifelong skills you’ll develop as a coach and teach your players...
And the enormous time-savings for following a proven plan...
And the peace of mind knowing you’re giving your best to your kids...
This program is easily valued at $200.
But we recognize the enormous impact youth coaches have...
And we don’t want cost to be an issue for anyone.
So we’ve worked out a special deal with Coach Bigelow to give you access to his entire program well below its actual value.
Supercharge Your Coaching
With this Special FREE Bonus
($19 Value)
Because it’s so important to keep young players interested and having fun, we want to arm you with even more drills you can use in your practices to develop kids’ skills and show them how fun and exciting the game can be.
So we’re including 60 FUN Basketball Drills and Games for Youth Coaches
In addition to dozens of skills development drills, you’ll also learn:
- Tips for keeping players on their best behavior
- How to shorten the learning curve for every player on your team
- Simple rules for turning kids’ basketball experience into a fun event where they feel successful
- Ways to earn players' respect so they WANT to follow your lead
- How to get max effort from players at practice and in games
This digital PDF sells in our store for $19 and it’s been a favorite of youth coaches for years now!
It’s the perfect complement to Youth Coaching the Right Way and we’re including it FREE when you join the program today.
Here’s Everything You’re Getting
As a recap, you’re getting:
- Step-by-step guide to the proper skills, drills and coaching style to use with youth players
- 3+ hours of training from youth coaching expert Bob Bigelow
- 62 Youth-Specific drills to develop your players
- Step-by-step instruction on how to keep young players motivated and engaged
- Crash course in youth coaching expertise that will serve you for the rest of your life
As I said, the true value of this program is through the roof...$200 at least.
And given how dramatically you’d impact your players, it would be tremendous value even at that price.
But when you join today...
Get the Complete Youth Coaching the RIGHT Way and Special
Bonus for just $69
Click the "Add to Cart" button to immediately ship the DVD Set - Bob Bigelow's Youth Coaching the RIGHT Way.
Don't Decide Now
60-Day Unconditional Money-Back Guarantee
Bigelow’s Youth Coaching the RIGHT Way is backed by our 60-day unconditional money back guarantee.
So take the next 60 days to go through all the videos and try them out with your team.
If you don't feel like this transforms your coaching ability and player development, just email me for a full refund.
No questions asked. No hassle. No worries.
I'm so confident this program will help you make a difference with your kids that I want to take all the risk, so that you can get started with confidence.
Click the "Add to Cart" button below to immediately ship the DVD Set - Bob Bigelow's Youth Coaching the RIGHT Way.
Once you click the "Add to Cart" button, you'll be taken to the "My Cart" page to review your order.
From there, simply click "Proceed to Checkout" and you'll be taken to our Secure Payment page.
Just enter your contact and billing information to complete your purchase, and we'll email you all access instructions within a few minutes so you can dig into the trainings!
Here’s more feedback from coaches like you
Ray Card from Crystal Lake, IL says:2/13/2019 at 11:24:22 PM
Very well done. Love his perspective on focusing on the fundamentals and the process of developing players and not winning and losing. Focus on the day to day improvement and winning takes care of itself. Failure is part of everything we do and we only fail if we don’t learn and we stop trying to improve.
Bob Maronde from Grafton, WI says:
4/3/2017 at 7:36:09 PM
Absolutely the best videos for youth basketball coaches. As a head coach it is not always easy (availability of head coach & youth coach) to effectively communicate and demonstrate the proper teaching and teaching progression of skills. These videos do it clearly. Another voice (Bob's) reinforces my beliefs and thoughts exactly. Well done!
Reno from Novato, CA says:
1/19/2016 at 10:56:37 AM
I loved these DVD's. I have coached for many years at multiple levels and I have to say the instruction in the video explains exactly the best way to help kids understand and learn the basics without them thinking about it. If you are a first time coach this will take out all the fear and anxiety of if you are doing the correct things for the children.
Jason from Lexington, KY says:
11/20/2014 at 8:33:59 PM
This video presents a perfect framework for teaching young players and even older players needing work in fundamental technique. I feel much better prepared to coach the 3 teams I will have this season!
Nikki Bradford from San Diego, CA says:
2/2/2013 at 7:37:44 AM
Excellent instruction on coaching youth players. Every coach should watch to understand the developmental needs of young players and how to best teach them the fundamentals of the game. I played basketball but not at the young level I'm coaching (9 and 10 year olds) and the game really should be introduced and practiced differently than the way many of us might remember our varsity playing days. I will be recommending some changes to our local rec center league and have already shifted my focus as a coach of young players. Highly recommend!
Your coaching plays a HUGE role
in players’ fun and success
Don’t underestimate the impact you can have on the kids!
A positive experience with you could be the start of a lifelong love for the game, great memories, new friends and maybe even a college scholarship down the road.
But a less-than-stellar experience could stop all of that in its tracks.
Which is why we recommend ALL coaches follow a proven step-by-step plan.
It just doesn’t make sense to risk it with trial-and-error when your kids are counting on you.
It’s up to you how this next season goes...
And how the kids on your team learn and experience basketball in their formative years.
You can eliminate the guesswork now and have an incredible season if you follow this proven plan.
Click the "Add to Cart’ button below to take the first step.
To your coaching success!
Coach Bigelow
P.S. This is the fork in the road where you have 3 options...
Option 1: Do nothing
But since you read this letter all the way through, I believe you understand the consequences of "winging it".
Option 2: Go at it alone
You could try to figure this all out on your own. But remember, it took me years to do that (and I had a lot of great mentors and a professional playing career to lean back on).
Option 3: Take the proven path
Leave behind the confusion and anxiety and move forward with complete confidence. The small investment is a minimal price to pay for setting yourself and your players up for success this season and beyond.
Of course, I hope you join me. But no matter what, I wish you the greatest success and fulfillment on your coaching journey!
Best,
Bob
This is a great DVD, especially if you are completely new to coaching youth basketball, or even if you have coached older kids and are embarking on coaching younger kids for the first time.
The one thing I wish though, is that there was more specific instruction for really younger kids. Last season, I coached Kindergartners, and now I am coaching 2nd and 3rd graders, so what they can do physically and mentally differs from that of a 5th grader. I found doing the passing drills much harder with this group. I'd love some more age appropriate rebounding drills. And of course, the kids want to shoot - but Bob says not to teach them shooting yet - so what to do?
I was hoping for more coaching tips centered around creating and running an offence for youngsters as well as some half court defence. I should have spent my money on a different video. I'll sell mine back to you?
Well explained.
Easy to understand.
EXCELLENT points made about the right ways to teach young kids.
Also shows how NOT to teach them.
All the drills in the DVD will be beneficial to all young players.
I like the way he simplifies things and his philosophy on kids and kids basketball.
I try these ideas in my practices and think the concepts of bob's DVD are right on the spot.
Thanks for the coaches and all involved in this.
I expected a DVD for Youth to get better in fundamentals. Not to start learning fundamentals.
Also appreciated the emphasis on skill development and fun vs winning games.
Anyway, thanks for the DVD and the other valuable information on your website.
I would have liked to see his "shooting mechanics", which he referred to but did not detail. His comments on basket height and ball size were great for the various age groups was very helpful.
The various dribbling, passing drills were very helpful.
The DVD would be even better if it included a little more on defensive drills and skills development. That said, I'd strongly, strongly recommend it for any youth coach.
Probably one of the top 3 purchases I've made as I strive to become a better youth coach!
Some additional fun/compeitive drills would have been good.
We are using it with our AAU U10's.