Dynamic Warm Up & Athletic Work - 10 to 15 minutes This is probably the #1 thing missing from most youth practices. It helps prevent injury, improves performance, and improve athletic ability. What good is a basketball player who is injured or is not athletic enough to utilize the basketball skills developed? The better the player moves, the better the player performs. Why not spend time on it? There are a lot of players who have tremendous SKILLS, but lacked the ATHLETIC ability to make it to the next level. Because it is the game of basketball, I do try to include a basketball

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Dynamic Warm Up & Athletic Work – 10 to 15 minutes

This is probably the #1 thing missing from most youth practices. It helps prevent injury, improves performance, and improve athletic ability. What good is a basketball player who is injured or is not athletic enough to utilize the basketball skills developed? The better the player moves, the better the player performs. Why not spend time on it?

There are a lot of players who have tremendous SKILLS, but lacked the ATHLETIC ability to make it to the next level.

Because it is the game of basketball, I do try to include a basketball in the warm up as much as possible. I am going to present two different dynamic warm ups. If you are fortunate enough to have enough basketballs for everybody, we have a basketball-related warm up. For those of you who do not have very many basketballs, we include a warm up that does not require a basketball.

Teaching Skills and Using Fun Drills to Improve Skills – 30 to 45 minutes

The #1 reason kids quit sports is because it’s not fun anymore. Youth coaches primary focus should be to teach skills and make it an enjoyable experience! This isn’t high school, college, or even PRO basketball, so don’t treat your practices like it.

Try the skill-fun drill technique. This means that you teach a skill, then follow up that skill with a fun game or drill to work on the skill. It helps break up the monotony of practice.

Drills & Games to Practice Offense and Defense – 15 to 25 minutes

End of Game Drill – 10 to 20 minutes

Cool down with Light Stretching – 5 minutes
Sample Practice Schedule
Dynamic Warm Up & Athletic Work – 15 minutes

Warmup #1 – With Basketball:

Stationary Ball Handling:
Around the World – 30 sec
Figure 8 – 30 sec
Behind-the-back dribble – 30 sec
Two Ball Dribble Crossover – 30 sec
Two Ball Front-to-Back Dribble – 30 sec
Full Court Ball handling: (Incorporate Lay Ups if you want)
1/2 Speed Dribble
Backpedal – 1/2 Speed Dribble
Protect-the-Ball Dribble going backwards & forwards – Switch Hands at Half Court
Crab Walk – Figure 8 while walking. Walk down the court forwards. Come back walking backwards.
3/4 Speed Dribble
3/4 Speed Crossover Dribble
Full Speed Dribble
Full Speed Crossover Dribble
Full Speed Behind-the-Back Dribble
Full Speed Inside Out Dribble
Partner Passing – Shuffle and Pass – Chest, Bounce, & Overhead.
Warm up and Athletic Skill work without ball:
Full Speed Defensive Shuffle without Ball – 15 to 25 feet – twice each direction
Butt Kicks – Up the court
High Knees – Down the court
Lunge Technique – 2 sets of 10 reps
Squat Jumps – 2 sets of 10 reps
Warm up #2 – Without Basketball
Jog.
Backpedal.
Carioca.
Defensive Shuffle – 50% to 75%
Walking Lunge with Hamstring Stretch
Side Hops.
Skipping with Arm Swings.
Butt Kicks
Crab Walk
High Knees
Bear Crawl
Squatting Form – 10 Reps
Jumping and Landing
180 & 360 Degree Hops
Diagonal One Leg Bounds – with 1 second Pause
Tennis Ball Drops – Start on Belly – Get Up & Sprint

Teaching Skills and Using Fun Drills to Improve Skills – 40 minutes

Two Ball Dribbling Drills – 5 minutes
Form Shooting – 5 minutes
Two Ball Shooting – 5 minutes
Knock Out and Water Break – 5 minutes
Teaching Motion Situations (Motion Drills – 2 on 2 & 3 on 3 work) – 10 minutes
Wing – 1 on 1 – 4 minutes
Defense Reaction & Conditioning Drill – 2 minutes
Free Throws & Quick Water Break – 4 minutes
Drills & Games to Practice Offense and Defense – 25 minutes

No Dribble Keep Away – 5 Minutes
4 on 3 – Overload Drill – 5 Minutes
4 on 4 – 5 minutes (Emphasize rules and teaching skills – after pass to wing, you must screen away. Similar to Situations Drill below.)
5 on 4 – Overload Drill – 5 minutes
Situations Drill – 5 minutes
End of Game Drill – 10 minutes

Use the end of game drill to end practice in a fun fashion. It also gets players accustomed to end of game situations.

Cool down with Light Stretching – 5 minutes

Some teams do this after practice.

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Grandma with two sports crazy grandsons! I also coach softball and girls basketball as my passion!

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Have you done this? What can you add to this tip?