Starter Practice Plans

• All players need a basketball (or share) and should stand on the sideline.
• The players will start with the basketball in their right hand in a good stance with their eyes up and using their left arm up to protect the ball.
• Using only the right hand, each dribble should bounce wide outside of their right foot and will bounce forward and backwards forcing the player to get their hand behind the ball to bounce it back forward and then get their hand in front of the ball to then bounce it backwards.

• All players need a basketball (or share) and should stand on the sideline
• The players will start with the basketball in their right hand in a good stance with their eyes up and using their left arm up to protect the ball.
• Each dribble should bounce out in front of their right foot and will bounce from right to left only using their right hand forcing the player to get their hand to the side of the ball to bounce it to the other side.

• All players need a basketball and will stand on the sideline.
• Players should stand only on their right leg with the knee slightly bent and dribble the ball with their right hand.
• The players will then do the same thing with their left foot and left hand.

TECHNICAL LOAD 

• Have players in pairs and designate one as the leader. The leader balancing on one leg changes their dribbles from high to low and between hands. The follower mimics the leader.
• Have one ball between two players. One player is balancing on one leg and their partner, facing them, passes the ball. The balancing partner dribbles 3 times on each hand and passes the ball back. Repeat a few times and switch. Change the number/type of dribbles.

• All players need a basketball (or share) and should stand on the baseline.
• The players will walk slowly in a low stance while dribbling the ball to half court.
• Once the players reach half court, they will transition into a jogging dribble to the other baseline.
• The players will change hands and do the same thing coming back.

• Have the player get in groups of 3 standing in a triangle with one basketball.
• 1 player will have the ball facing away from the other two.
• The two players without the ball will determine 1 player to make eye contact with the player with the ball.
• The player with the ball will then jump and turn around to face the two players and locate which player is looking at them and has their hands up for the pass and make a quick step and pass.
• Repeat this action with the new player with the ball.

TECHNICAL LOAD 

• Add a 4th player as a defender. When the player pivots and turns around they pass to the player that is not being defended.
• Add an additional defender on the player that is passing so they are making the open pass through a defender. Encourage the passer to use pass fakes.

• Have the players start on the baseline on the right side of the court in one line.
• Each player can have a basketball or the first 5-6 players.
• Set up a cone at the opposite wing on the other side of half court.
• Have the players take 2 jogging dribbles forward and then make a running pass ahead trying to hit the cone.
• The coach should stand behind the cone and give the ball to the players after their pass.
• Players will get the ball back and go to the back of the line.
• Players receive one point each time they hit the cone.

• All players need a basketball (or share) and should stand on the sideline.
• Remind them of the perfect shooting form; knees bent, elbow under the ball and shoot up and follow through.
• Now, on the coach’s command, have the players do this by shooting the ball up in the air.
• To make a perfect shot to self, the player must hold up their follow through from where they finished their shot and not move their hand.
• The ball must go up in the air then bounce on the floor just in front of the player and bounce up and hit their shooting hand follow through without them moving it!

COMPETITIVE LOAD

• After each player completes their set of 8 attempts see who had the most perfect shots and identify a winner for each round.

TECHNICAL LOAD 

• Have the players get partners with one ball. One partner will dribble the ball creatively until the coach says “pass.” The player will then pass to the shooter who will catch and attempt a perfect shot.
• The partners will change roles and continue.

• Have the players in a line in the paint. Throw the ball up off the backboard and have the first player in line grab the rebound chin it and toss it back to you and go to the end of the line.
• The player will go to the back of the line and the next player will step and continue the same action.

TECHNICAL LOAD 

• After rebounding have the player take one shot attempt to make a basket before continuing to the end of the line.

PHYSICAL LOAD 

• Before every rebound, have all players squat and jump as high as they can to grab an imaginary rebound. When everyone lands, the coach will toss the ball off the backboard for the first player in line and continue the drill as described.

• All players need a basketball or pretend to have a ball and should stand in an open space on the court.
• Have the players face forward in a triple threat position.
• When the coach says “tuck back!” have the players say “strong!” while dropping their right foot and putting the ball on their right hip.
• When the coach says “over!” have the players step forward with their right foot while turning 90 degrees.
• When the coach says “triple threat!” the players will return back to the triple threat stance until the coach says relax.

• Have the players dribble around the court working on their ball-handling.
• When the coach blows the whistle, all the players will jump stop and sit in a good stance.
• Repeat this process working on ball-handling and a good jump stop.

• Start with 2 lines at half court and one line with a ball.
• Have a defender starting at the top of the key.
• Have the 2 offensive players attack to try to score in a 2 on 1 fast break setting.
• The player who takes the shot or turns the ball over will then become the defensive player at the top of the key.
• The other players will go to the back of the lines at half court

• Have four players line up across the free throw line extended and 4 lines on the baseline lined up across from them and the first player in the line with the ball.
• The first player in each line will pass the ball out to the player on the court and give a good close out.
• Everybody with the ball will wait on the close out and then give 2 hard dribbles to the right so the defensive player has to move their feet.
• After the two dribbles the player will pick up the ball and the defensive player will trace the ball.
• The player with the ball will pass the ball to the next player in line and go to the back of the line.
• The previous defensive player will become the offensive player.
• Continue this drill for 1 minute in each direction.

• Have the players partner up with one ball per group.
• Have one player on offense and one player on defense starting around the elbow.
• The offensive player will start with the ball facing the basket and gets a maximum of 3 dribbles and only one shot attempt.
• After one shot, that group will go to the back of the line and the next group will start.
• Make or miss the shot, the offensive and defensive player will always change positions on the next possession.

• Assign 3 players to each number and have everybody stand on the baseline. The three players with the same number our teammates and will be playing together.
• Throw the ball on the court and call out 2 numbers.
• The 3 players with those numbers will go for the ball and whoever gets the ball will be on offense and the other 3 on defense for 1 possession and 1 shot of 3 on 3.
• Evenly mix up the numbers you call and the game is over when any team gets to 5 points playing by 1’s.