Teaching basketball drills for kids can be tough because there needs to be a balance between fun and competitiveness. These two factors are the reason most parents get their kids involved in sport – to enjoy themselves, but also to gain the qualities of sportsmanship, working towards a goal and so on.
If a basketball drill is begun to early, there is a risk it will alienate the child from the sport. Kids tend to be more fickle than adults and do not recognise that there is fun at the other end of this boring basketball workout. In this regard, it is best to always teach kids in a fun way. Skills can be taught within in an activity without them losing concentration. For example, show a chest pass a few times. Let them try and pass towards a target such as a circle on a wall and get them to count how many they can get in a time limit, or how many they can get in a row. Expect fibs – kids love to be the best! Little lies are often okay unless the honest kid knows the other one is lying! I find it’s best to manage these situations by pointedly watching the kid prone to exaggeration so he knows he can’t get away with it.
During the basketball drill, you can give them pointers. This is usually tips to change their technique, for example, being shown to pass from their chest instead of from over their shoulder, a very typical technique for 4 year olds. If the group is too big, bring them back in and show them one or two pointers – the fewer the better.
Make sure that you know your setting. Some teams exist purely for fun – the kids are just there to make friends and be active. Basketball drills for kids should focus on a basic understanding of the rules, or some variation of them (letting kids take a step or two before dribbling is pretty common) and then let them play modified games. Other settings are competitive – parents are ex-ballers themselves and are keen for their kids to continue playing for most of their childhood and adolescence. The kids might be a little more diligent in these groups too, and consequently you can modify your teaching style to suit kids who can put up with a lack of fun every now and then.
The most valuable thing you can do with your basketball drills for kids is to foster an excitement and interest in basketball that will take seed and promote physical activity and an interest in our great sport that could last a lifetime.