Coaching kids can be a completely different challenge. When coaching adult or youth basketball, especially at the elite level, you can tailor your basketball workouts since the players have an understanding that they are there to get better! Kids basketball drills should be fun in order to promote participation in our great sport.
I like to throw in a keep away game for a dribbling workout. There are two good ways to do this.
1. Dribbling along lines
One person is ‘it’ and chases others along the lines of the court. It’s best to start with everyone well spread out around the half court along any court line including 3 point line, key and boundary lines. Keeping it in the halfcourt promotes enough congestion so that the kids that aren’t as good at dribbling are still able to tag someone else.
2. Keep away
This game requires each kid to have a ball. Each players starts within a designated area – typically for 10 players you can start within the 3 point line area, although depending on numbers you could extend to the half court. Players must dribble the ball constantly whilst attempting to knock the other players’ ball out of their possession. Normal foul rules apply, and insist that players be aggressive – people who camp in a corner of the designated area should be ‘out’! Encourage the arm guard to protect the ball from other players. Gradually reduce the area from half court (more than 10 players) -> 3 point arc (10 or less players) -> lane (5 or less players) -> foul line circle (2 players).
These workouts keep things fun whilst also working on staying alert of surroundings whilst handling the ball, one of the trickier skills to develop at an early age.