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I am coaching a 3rd and 4th grade girls(combined due to small enrollment) basketball team. I have 2 girls that are very difficult to coach. They are disruptive and rarely listen when I am trying to explain something. So, when it is actually time to do the drill, they do not know what to do and I have to explain it again. When I try to correct something they are doing incorrectly, they blattantly disregard what I have told them and continue to do it wrong. I have tried punishing them by making them run, punishing the entire team by making everyone run, making them sit out practice, talking to their parents, talking to the girls about disrespect, and unfortunately yelling and nothing seems to work. I am at my witts end. I am hoping that someone has some suggestions on how to handle some "unruly and incorrigible" young girls. They are turning me into an angry, constantly frustrated coach and I just want to enjoy coaching my daughters team and I want all of the girls to enjoy playing basketball and enjoy having me as their coach. I am sure that is not happening at this time.

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Vince,

Just because I used the help-line and had success, doesn't mean you can't have success with Wooten's defense. I think his is similar, except he extends the defense and pressures the ball and the passing lanes a bit more than Knight's defense.

I don't think there is anything wrong with that, especially if you have an athletic group of kids. If it works for you, keep doing it. The fact that you're teaching defense is great!

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Joe,

Thanks, this is helpful. I suspected the help-line method was easier to teach. I will stick with Wooten's for an existing group who have a tournament in a week's time (madness to change it now!); and then introduce the help-line version with my Under 12s group for next season.

Cheers,

Vince
Hertfordshire Warriors
Hertfordshire, UK

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Hi Vince,

I have studied both Wooten's and Knight's defense. I really like both of their defensive philosophies and I think they both can be really effective based on your personnel.

For youth kids, I like to use Knight's philosophy with the imaginary lines. I think it's easier and the simplicity of the rules make it very easy to teach to any age level.

When I coached a group of 6th graders, I taught them to get on the rim line when the ball was 2 passes away. I did not even mention the 2nd line at the free throw line extended. I just mentioned to sink to the level of the ball. However, I did not know of Knight's analogy, so I may have done that if I had known at the time.

Anyways, this group was not very athletic, but by having sound defensive fundamentals they had a winning record for the year and beat a few teams that were much more talented than them.

I hope that helps.

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I have been impressed by Morgan Wootten's book 'Coaching Basketball Successfully' and would highly recommend it to any coach as a valuable reference book.

However, his technique for teaching help defense whilst playing man seems a little at odds with what I see and hear being taught elsewhere (although is more advanced than the shell drill covered on my level 2 course).

Essentially, his method is this: man on the ball - D up tight, pressure etc,; defenders 1 pass away - slightly off position, but in an overplay; defenders 2 passes away - one foot in the zone, whilst see man see ball; and defenders 3 passes away - in the lane, ready to stop the ball-side drive. I have taught this to a Year 7 group, and they understood the basics very well.

A recent article, reporting on the Bobby Knight Clinic in Spain, explained how Coach Knight uses a middle line for teaching what is essentially the same thing - a pressure man D with help defense. Here, the defensive end of the floor is split in to a ball side and a help side, with a secondary imaginary line running across the floor from foul line extended. Defenders sag onto or just off the help line depending on where the ball is, and whether it is above or below the cross-court (foul line) help line.

This second version is the type of help D that I see being taught. I would value any guidance from experienced coaches as to which may be the better system to teach. I appreciate that once ball penetration occurs, rotation becomes key, but I think with youth players my focus is on getting them switched on to the principles of Help!

Morgan's system does seem very easy to teach, but does the imaginary line make it even easier for youngsters?

I would value some guidance on this please Coaches!

Thanks,

Vince

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For this age, I wouldn't get too worried about help defense, yet.

I would focus on stance and slide. Once, they start to get the hang of that. I would teach them a simple man-ball principle. Have the player position his head so they can see the man and the ball. Have them stand between the man and the ball. Have their back facing the basket. Have them point at the player they are guarding and the player with the ball. This will help them keep track of the player they're guarding and the player with the ball. Once, they get a little older, you can teach them how to play help defense. :)

I would focus the majority of your time on fundamentals such as ball-handling, shooting form (not actually shooting at baskets), passing, and footwork.

If you want to see more about youth basketball on our website, you can click here: http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/coaching/youthbasketball.html

For coach & player fundamental development, click here: http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/fundamentals/basketballfundamentals.html

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