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Youth Basketball Drills (Page 1)

Ballhandling Drills
Everyone on the court should be a good ballhandler, whether a guard or forward or center. The key to practicing ballhandling drills is to try to improve your speed and ability each day. For example, if you take the ball around your waist 30 times on day 1, try to improve that to 31 on day 2, etc. You must also get quicker without making mistakes. QUICKNESS WITHOUT EFFICIENCY IS WORTHLESS. There are tons of ballhandling drills you can use. You can even make up some of your own. Practice them each day!!

Drill 1:Put your right foot forward and your left foot back. Take the ball and see how many times you can take it around your right leg in 30 seconds, then reverse to the left leg and do the same thing. Try to improve your numbers each day. Compete against the clock and change directions every 5 or 6 rotations. Keep your head up. DON'T WATCH THE BALL.

Drill 2:Take the ball around your waist, then head as many times as you can in 30 seconds. Every 5 or 6 rotations, change directions. Keep your head still, and when going around your waist, keep your hips and waist still (i.e. avoid doing the "hula dance")

Drill 3: THE FIGURE 8 Take the ball around the right leg in front, then between the legs and behind the left leg where you get the ball with your left hand and bring it in front of the left leg and go between the legs handing the ball to your right hand behind your right leg. Bring the ball around your right leg to the front and start over again. See how many times you can do it in 30 seconds. Again, keep your head up and still. (If you really get good at it, try dribbling the ball in a figure 8 between your legs. If you get really good at this, take the SEGRO CHALLENGE: Try it with 2 balls.

Drill 4:Hold the ball in front of your knees with both hands. Flip it through your legs without bouncing it, and catch it behind your knees. Then try passing it back to the front. THIS DRILL WILL DEVELOP GREAT HAND QUICKNESS.

Drill 5:Alternate hands with one in front of your legs and one behind. The ball is held with both hands between your legs. See how many times in 30 seconds you can switch your hand positions front and back without dropping the ball

Drill 6:Repeat drill 4, except bounce the ball between your legs. See how many times you can bounce it back, then bounce it to the front again in 30 seconds.

Drill 7:This drill lets you practice dribbling, coordination and ballhandling at the same time. Dribble 2 balls around both your legs at the same time. Then try taking each ball around a different leg (i.e. Right hand ball around right leg only; left hand ball around left leg only...both at the same time)