Basketball players wear uniforms. Colour and design your own basketball uniform.

Basketball players wear uniforms. Colour and design your own basketball uniform.

Basketball is a team sport played on a basketball court, with a basketball, and net on either end of the court. Players wear a sleeveless jersey with their name and number on the back and the team logo on the front, shorts and basketball shoes. Some players wear headbands or wrist bands to wipe the sweat from their faces during a game. A basketball game is played in 4 12 minute quarters. Basketball is a non-contact sport so players must defend their basket without making contact with the players on the other team. Defenders must steal the ball or pressure opponents into missing their shots so as to rebound the ball and gain possession. Each team has five players on the court at each time with substitutes, called subs waiting on the team bench. The object of the game is to shoot the ball through the basket and get more points than the opposing team. A player can score between 1 and 3 points per basket, depending on where on the court the ball was shot from. When a player has the ball they can do the following: 1. Remain stationary; one foot must be planted on the ground while you move around with the other foot. 2. You can pass the ball to another player. 3. Or you can dribble the ball; bounce the ball constantly with your hand while you are moving. Once you stop moving you must pass or shoot the ball. You cannot start dribbling again; that is a foul called double-dribbling. In basketball, the official is called a referee. A referee is the person whose responsibility is to enforce the rules and maintain the order of the game.

The Court: Frontcourt: The half court area where the offense accumulates points. Backcourt: The half court area where a team defends its basket. Baseline: Line that defines out-of-bounds at either end of the court under each basket. Sideline: The boundary marking out-of-bounds on each side of the court. Key: Rectangular area that spans from the free throw line to the baseline. A three-second violation is called if an offensive player stays in the key for three seconds or more. Free-throw line: The line from which a free throw is taken following certain fouls. Three point line: An arc-shaped line about 20 feet from the basket behind which shots are worth three points. Basket: To score, the ball must pass over and through an 18-inch iron circle that is mounted 10 feet off the ground to a wood or glass rectangular backboard. A net hangs below the basket to help determine when a shot is scored.

Positions: Two teams of five players each are on the court at all times, and everyone plays both offense and defense. Players are usually assigned to a unique position. However, any lineup is acceptable, and these specific roles do not have to be filled at all times. Center: Usually the tallest player on offense. Receives ball and shoots close to the basket. Serves as the last line of defense, blocking opponents shots and rebounding their misses. Power forward: Tall player who relies on strength and toughness to control activity in the lane. Frequently rebounds, especially on defense. Has a decent shot from short-range and scores many points by rebounding missed shots and quickly shooting them. Small forward: Versatile and very athletic player. Aggressively attacks the defense by driving and cutting towards the basket, but also has a consistent outside shot. Shooting guard: A tenacious defender with an aptitude for stealing the ball. On offense, serves as the secondary ball handler and sharpshooter. Has the ability to convert shots from three-point range. Point guard: Leader of offense who uses superb passing and dribbling skills to set up teammates for open shots. Has a reliable jump shot and ability to break down a defense by driving into the lane.

Basketball Terms: Air ball: A badly missed shot that fails to hit the rim or backboard. Alley-oop: A pass that is received in mid-air and dunked or laid-up before the player touches the ground. Assist: A pass that, once received, is immediately shot and scored. Awarded to the player who passes the ball. Bank shot: A shot that bounces off the backboard and lands in the basket. Blocked shot: A shot that a defender prevents from scoring by deflecting the ball. Blocking: Penalty on a defender for stepping in front of an offensive player to impede progress. Double-Dribble: A violation when a player uses both hands to dribble or stops dribbling and begins to dribble again. Dribble: To advance with the ball by using one hand to bounce it off the court. Drive: To cut, with or without the ball, towards the basket. Dunk: Shot slammed through the basket from above the rim. Fake: An offensive player uses any part of the body, including the eyes, to deceive a defender. Pretending to shoot is called a pump fake. Jump ball: When possession is unclear, the referee tosses ball in the air and one player on each team jumps and attempts to tip it toward a teammate.

Jump shot: A shot in which the player jumps and is in mid-air when he releases the ball. Lay-up: An easy, one-handed shot near the basket that bounces off the backboard and into the basket. Rebound: Move in which a player catches the ball, often in mid-air, after a missed shot. Steal: To take possession of the ball from an offensive player who is holding, dribbling, or passing the ball. Timeout: Teams can stop play several times per half when they have possession of the ball to strategize before resuming play. Tip-off: A jump ball that is used to start the game. Traveling: Violation for two or more steps without dribbling the ball.

Fun Facts about Basketball: 1. The National Basketball Association, known as the NBA is the men s professional basketball league in North America. 2. James Naismith is the Canadian who invented basketball in 1891. 3. Peach baskets were used as the first hoops and the first backboards were made of wire. 4. Back when peach baskets were used as the hoop, every time someone scored, a referee had to fetch the ball by climbing a ladder. 5. Basketball became an official Olympic event in Berlin, Germany in 1936. 6. The first basketball was actually a soccer ball. The modern basketball was introduced in 1929. 7. The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. 8. Paul Sturgess of the United Kingdom is the tallest professional basketball player with a height of 7 feet, 7.26 inches. 9. Even though basketball is widely known as an American sport, the first pro game was played in Toronto, Canada in 1946. 10. Most male basketball players are at least six feet, three inches tall, and have an average weight of 222 pounds. Guards are usually the shortest players. Mugsy Bogues was the shortest player to play in the NBA. He was only five feet, three inches tall.

Activities: Shoot Hoops: Set up a basket/box and practice throwing the ball into the basket from a sitting or standing position. Record how many baskets each child gets. Dribble: Dribbling is when you hit the ball with the palm of your hand and bounce it continuously. Time how long children can dribble the ball for and how many times they can bounce the ball in a row. Pass the Ball: Practice passing the ball. There are two types of passes in basketball, a chest pass and a bounce pass. How to complete a chest pass; take the ball on either side, in both hands, as if you were trying to squeeze the air out of it. Bring it in to your chest, then flick both hands outward to pass the ball to a teammate standing a comfortable distance away, without letting the ball touch the ground. How to complete a bounce pass; Hold the ball in the same way, as if you were trying to squeeze it. About halfway between you and your teammate, bounce the ball into the ground and to the other player. Practicing passing the ball will also encourage sharing. Younger children can practice just by rolling the ball back and forth. Spin the Ball: Some basketball players can balance and spin the ball on their fingertip. Have children practice spinning the ball on the floor. If they want to try it, they can try spinning it on their fingertip. How many times could they spin the ball and for how long?

Play 21: 21 is a game where individuals play against one another. Players take turns shooting the ball trying to get a basket. If a player gets the ball in the basket they get one point and continue shooting until they miss the basket. If they continue to get the ball in the basket, they get one point for each basket. Once they miss the basket, the next player takes their turn. The first player to 21 wins the game. Record each child s final score in the game. Play Horse : Horse can be played with any number of players. The first player takes a shot from anywhere they want. If the shot is made, the next player must make the shot from the same place. If the shot is missed, that player receives the first letter in the word "horse" (or any word you want to use) each missed shot results in another letter. The game continues until the losing player has spelled out the entire word. Dribble Relay: If children are able to dribble, try adding a twist. Set up obstacles for children to dribble the ball around the obstacles. You can add a time limit or a point value for each obstacle passed. Guarding and Stealing: Have one child dribble the ball and they have to try and get by the other player who is trying to steal the ball. Beanbag Dribbles: Divide children into teams. Set beanbags up away from players. Players must dribble the ball to the beanbags, pick one up while still dribbling the ball and dribble the ball back to the next player.