Question: Should I run sets with my 9 year old team?
Answer: We recommend limiting teaching sets and focus on teaching concepts. Rather than having young players memorize plays and stand in specific spots, it will help the players in their development to teach concepts like pass and cut, pass and screen away, or drive and kick. These concepts will give the players an understanding of offensive movement while helping them feel comfortable reacting in a game that is fluid. We do not discourage having a simple play to help them understand execution, but they will get more of that as they progress in basketball. Sets at this level often lead to a couple of players having the ball a majority of the time which stunts the development of others and the team.