PLAYERS HANDBOOK LAKE SPOKANE YOUTH SPORTS BASKETBALL LEAGUE 2011-2012
Table of Contents FOUR KEYS TO SUCCESS PART ONE: TIPS FOR PLAYERS 1. Footwork & Movement Skills 2. Passing & Catching 3. Ball Handling & Dribbling 4. Shooting 5. Rebounding 6. Defense PART TWO: AT-HOME SKILL DRILLS A. Movement B. Ball handling C. Dribbling D. Lay-Ups E. Passing F. Shooting Mechanics G. Jump Shot H. Rebounding PART THREE: BUILDING LIFE SKILLS 1. Respect 2. Sportsmanship and Fair Play 3. Leadership 4. Goal Setting 5. Attitude 6. Communication 7. Hard Work and Discipline 8. Focus and Determination 9. Responsibility 10. Balance 11. Confidence 12. Teamwork APPENDIX Basic Basketball Offensive Skills
Four Keys to Success (adopted from basketball-plays-and-tips.com) Focus: This is absolutely necessary to have any real success in basketball. You must concentrate fully on what it is you're working on. Listen to your coaches, run through the drills correctly, and refuse to be distracted from your immediate goal. Desire: Put simply, you gotta want it more than the next guy!! Show your desire by effort and hustle on EVERY PLAY and EVERY DRILL. Positive Attitude: No one likes a whiner, complainer or crybaby, right? If you put out a negative vibe, it will affect everything from the development of your own skills to the overall success of your team. Never Give Up: The only way to fail at anything is to simply stop trying.
PART ONE TIPS FOR PLAYERS Here are tips to help make you a better basketball player! Use these tips and do the Skill Drills at home to take your game to the next level. If you have specific questions about any of the tips or need help with the skills, talk to your coach. Practice hard! Play smart! 1. Footwork & Movement Skills Triple Threat Position Hold ball with both hands, one foot forward, protecting ball with body, arm & elbow. From this position the player is ready to dribble, shoot or pass. Practice actually dribbling, shooting and passing from the T-Threat Position. Practice catching the ball and squaring up the basket in a T-Threat Position. Practice jab steps & crossovers from the T-Threat Position. Running Teach good running form: elbows in, arms pumping. Teach Change of Pace, Change of Direction, Stutter Steps. Cutting Plant foot and push off; explosive movement. Practice V-Cuts, L-Cuts, Cuts to Basket to get open (always show Target Hands). Stopping Stride Stop normal way of stopping on the run; determines which foot is pivot foot. Jump Stop a two-foot hop-to-stop; either foot may then be used as pivot. Pivoting Teach Front Pivot and Reverse Pivot. When to Pivot: Catch & Square-up Boxing out for rebounding Evading overplaying defender Finding new passing angle Triple Threat Position Reverse Pivot is Used in Rebounding
2. Passing and Catching Passing: Basics Effective passing can breakdown the opponent s defense and give you and your teammates easier shots. Play games where you keep score in assists and hockey assists. Types of Passes: Chest Pass a two handed pass initiated from in front of the chest toward a receiver. One-Handed Push-Pass - a one handed pass initiated from the chest that is slightly quicker than the chest pass and a more natural movement to make. Bounce Pass Fake, then step through defense, using body as shield; Modified push pass. Overhead Pass a two-handed pass initiated from over the head toward a receiver. Baseball Pass (one-hand overhead) One-Handed Push Pass Step-through Bounce Pass Proper Techniques in Passing: Body should be flexed; eyes targeting the receiver (but don t telegraph ). Step in the direction of the intended receiver. Follow through with pass with palms down, arms straight, and thumbs should be pointing downward at the release. Passing in Game Situations Passes should be short and crisp to avoid steals and deflections. Create good passing angles with use of dribble, fakes & pivots. Do not telegraph passes. Do not pick up dribble to pass, unless teammate is open to receive pass. Use ball fakes to deceive your own defender and the intended recipient s defender. Fake a pass to make a pass. Don t leave the ground when passing. You will be out of control and draw charges or make bad passes.
Receiving Techniques: Hands Up; Target Hands Show Lead Hand on All Cuts Give the Passer a Target, especially in Traffic Catching Stance Showing Target Hand on Entry Pass Calling for the Ball 3. Ball Handling & Dribbling Make sure each player has appropriate size basketball for age group. Div K & Div 1/2 (Junior 27.5"), Div 3/4 & Div 5/6 (Women s 28.5"). Teach fingertip control & head up, eyes scanning. Dribble, Dribble, Dribble. Dribbling with a Purpose A player should always dribble with a purpose in mind. Valid purposes are typically to: Advance the ball up-court and penetrate to the basket. Improve angles through passing lanes. Set up a player s offensive moves, e.g., crossover dribble. Proper Form Bend knees when dribbling.
Look up to see what is happening in front of you. Dribble with your eyes up. Push the ball down with fingertips to exert more control; palms should not touch the basketball. Don t slap at the ball. Keep dribbles low and close to your body; less chance of defender deflecting it. Body should be between the defensive player and the dribble. Use your non-dribbling hand to shield and protect the ball. Do s and Don ts Don t over-dribble; it allows the defense to get set and deny passing lanes. Do remember that passing is a faster way to advance the ball than dribbling. Do always pass the ball to an open teammate closer to the basket. Do dribble the ball up the court with your weak hand so that when the defense pressures or overplays you, you can crossover quickly to your strong hand. Do show your opponent different moves to keep them guessing. Do square up to the basket whenever you receive a pass; Don t dribble first. Don t pick up your dribble without the intention of passing or shooting; this invites overplay, denial and trapping. When dribbling on the fast break, do push the ball in front of you while running to cover more distance. Dribble drive to the basket Types Pivot dribble, protecting ball with body & forearm of Dribbles Speed Dribble (low and fast; stationary) Crossover Dribble (hand-to-hand) Dribble-Drive to Basket Step-Back Dribble One-Hand Reverse Two-Hand Reverse Between Legs Behind Back Static Dribble Stutter or Change-of-Pace Dribble
Learning to dribble well is perhaps the single most important skill a young player can learn. Spend a lot of time dribbling. Practicing Crossover Dribble Executing a Crossover Move: Fake Left, Go Right Dribble Drive toward the basket; Dribbler plants the right foot to change direction quickly Knees bent, head up, ball protected by body & forearm