Put away the cones
Play dodgeball instead… Read more
Small-Sided Game: Swing and Attack
by Paul Cortes
Head JV Boys Coach, Jewish Community High School of the Bay
Youth Basketball Coach, San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department
AAU Coach, Bay City Basketball
I have a lot of different small-sided games and competitive drills that I like to use with my teams. Most of them are ones that I’ve stolen from other coaches, but here’s one that I created myself to work on reversing the ball into a 1v1 situation.
Super Six Two-Ball Dribbling Drills
Maravich Drills
Reactive Attacking Moves Drill
Not a perfect drill, as players do not react to a person lifting her arm during games, but better than a drill with no reaction or a cone that allows players to pre-plan their moves.
Who decided that a point guard has to be small? More importantly, what is a point guard?
We expect a point guard to be a leader and have a high basketball I.Q. Why don’t we expect or challenge all players to develop this game awareness? Why rely on only one player?
English soccer academies wait until players are 11 to play full 11v11 soccer; in Italy, youth basketball players participate in skill-oriented clinics at 6-years-old, but start competitive games at 12. In the United States, kids play 5v5 full court games and compete for national championships when they are 8-years-old.
The PBDL emphasizes learning and development. Presently, players and parents have numerous recreation options - leagues based on fun and equal participation, typically for beginners - and numerous competitive opportunities - teams focused on strategy, game preparation and winning. There are few true development leagues - until now.