Drills for Skills
Proven Drills to Improve Individual Player Skills & Team Performance
CAUTION: Be a skills coach not a drill coach. Drills are just vehicles to teach and refine basketball skills and techniques. Pay close attention to details and demand proper footwork and execution at all times.
There is no minimizing the fact that drills can be methodical, repetitive and often demanding. Skillful execution of basic basketball skills along with reads and counters to any given game situation cannot be achieved in any other way. However, when drills and learning are approached with enthusiasm and intensity and are reinforced by consistent, positive encouragement and feedback, tedium gives way to tenacity. Practice and drill work actually becomes fun and challenging not work!
Such a learning climate is no accident. But, rather, the result of conscious, careful planning and support. Creating drills and plays are one of the enjoyments of coaching basketball. Be creative and design your own break down drills to fit your specific needs and player abilities. During the season, review the breakdown drills as needed. During the off season individual drills and self-training become paramount.
| Individual Offense | Individual Defense | Offensive Breakdown | Defensive Breakdown | Scrimmages | Fun & Games |
Coaching Tip: Always introduce a drill one day and refine it the next.
Individual Offensive Drills
Before any offense or defense can be implemented, players must possess basic basketball skills. Offensive fundamentals include shooting, pivoting, passing, dribbling, creating leads, post moves, outside moves, along with offensive rebounding techniques.
Individual Defensive Drills
The success of any defense is totally dependent on individual player skills and techniques. Like their offensive counterparts, individual defensive skills must be broken down and practiced constantly on all levels of basketball.
Offensive Team Breakdown Drills
Offensively, success is a result of execution and effort not plays or systems. Players must taught to move with a purpose. This is best done through a series of breakdown drills that include creating leads (getting open to receive the ball), setting & using screens, post play and flashes, basket cuts along with rebounding and defensive balance on missed shots. These breakdown drills should be reviewed during the season as needed.
Defensive Team Breakdown Drills
Defensive requires a total team effort and does take time to perfect. For best results, defense should be taught and installed through a series of breakdown drills progressing naturally from one-on-one, to two-on-two, to three-on-three to four-on-four and finally five-on-five. These breakdown drills teach proper footwork,timing and execution. They should be reviewed during the season as needed.
Half & Full Court Scrimmages
During practices coaches do an excellent job of teaching through breakdown and conditioning drills. However, when it comes to scrimmaging, they are usually poorly conducted with players reverting back to old habits. Here are some proven scrimmage ideas that will enhance learning and help prevent game slippage.
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Fun & Games
Learning is best when it is "Fun." Fun & Games competition is a great way to enhance learning and performance. These competitive drills are excellent not only for large groups, such as basketball camps and clinics, but also as a change of pace during the season. Once learned, players will organize and play these competitive drills on their own.
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