Basketball Drills for Youth

SportsAspire Staff Nov 3, 2018
Are you a youngster who is new to the game of basketball? Well, read on to learn new drills presented here.
Basketball is a fun game to play, especially for kids and youngsters. Most kids take to basketball after watching their favorite stars slam dunk in NBA league games. Kids step on the basketball court with dreams of becoming the future Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal.
Introducing beginners to the right kind basketball drills at the start is very important in order to ensure that their playing skills develop in a systematic way. Here, we will have a look at some very basic basketball drills.

Basketball Drills for Beginners

The objective of this drill is to develop ball control and improve handling. Stand at a fixed spot on the court. Set a countdown timer of two minutes. Once the countdown starts, continuously keep on bouncing the ball on the ground with your right hand.
Control the bounce and the ball position, and make sure that you do not miss a dribble. Focus on getting a good idea about the bounce height and rebounds. Once you're done with two minutes using your right hand, repeat the same drill using your left hand.
The objective of this drill is to develop a balance between player movement, ball control, and handling. Stand under a hoop and face the opposite hoop (at the other end of the court). Using your right hand, slowly walk towards the opposite end of the court while bouncing the ball with your right hand.
You should be able to coordinate your movements and bounce the ball simultaneously. Initially, you may feel that you are moving at a slow pace, but that's normal with all beginners. Perfection of the technique is of primary importance as speed will come with further practice.
Once you reach the other end of the court, turn back and repeat the same exercise towards the starting point. Perform this drill in three sets with your right hand. Once you are done with the right hand, perform three sets with your left hand.
The objective of this drill is developing the art of shielding the ball from your opponent. Two people are involved in this drill. Your objective is to use your right hand to dribble the ball and keep the possession for a time period of two minutes.
Your opponent's objective is to intercept your dribble and get hold of the ball. While dribbling, make sure that you use your fingertips to control the ball and not the palm of your hand. Also, turn a bit to the side while dribbling so that you can use your body as a shield.
This drill also needs to be done in pairs. Two people should position themselves on the court such that they are facing the same hoop and there is a good amount of distance between them. Player one shoots at the hoop.
If the ball rebounds off the hoop, player two chases it, gets hold of it, dribbles till he gets to a comfortable spot, and shoots. If the ball rebounds, player one gets hold of it and continues with the mentioned process. Perform this drill for a time period of two minutes while ensuring that you cover different areas of the court.
In this drill, the objective is 'hop-step-jump'. The player should stand a few feet away from the hoop. Hop-step-jump is a three step process in which the player has to hop, then take a further step, before launching into a jump to shoot the hoop.
Remember, if you're shooting with your right hand, you must take off with your left foot and vice-versa. This drill requires a good amount of practice until it can be perfected.
These were a few basic basketball drills which can be of help to kids and youngsters who are new to basketball. Go on then, shoot some hoops!