Teaching basic basketball skills to youth players means teaching kids habits that will most likely stick with them for their entire lives. Young players are impressionable, so you have a responsibility to teach them the right things.
The great thing about basketball training for kids is that they are enthusiastic about their training. The kids actually want to play basketball and they eagerly look up to you for instructions and directions – they will listen to you and pick up on things on their own.
If handled right, basketball skills training for youth is a rewarding job that will produce impressive results. Here are some of the basic skills for young players to practice.
Some basic basketball skills training for youth players
1. Layups
Layups are one of the most basic skills for young players. You should let kids practice a lot of layups. Get them to use both of their hands when they do this. This will help them to develop the use of both of their hands really well. A lot of players (including professionals) end up with one dominant hand and will have to train specifically to improve their off-hand. You will do kids a lot of good when you teach them to make layups with both of their hands.
As they master layups, they can also begin to master some basic legwork. Start close to the basketball and then get them to make layups from further out.
2. Footwork
Kids need to master footwork as early as they can. One of the fundamental basketball skills to teach them is how to position themselves and pivot their feet correctly when they are not traveling. They also have to learn jump stops, squaring to the basket, and the basics of simple treat position.
3. Ball handling
Young players also need to learn how to hold and handle the ball correctly. Some of the basic ball-handling skills they need to master include speed dribbling, crossovers, backup dribble, and how to protect the ball when they are dribbling. Again it will also be highly beneficial if young players practice these basic dribbling skills with both of their hands equally.
4. Movement skills
Basketball players need to be agile and athletic and this is another skill that you can teach to kids early. As part of rudimentary basketball training for kids, you can teach them jumping and landing, traveling with the ball, lateral movement, skipping, and stopping among other basic movements. They don’t need to know the complex moves yet. Just the basic foundation will give them the basics they need.
5. Basic passes and offense
Kids can also be taught the basics of passing the ball. Simple basketball passing moves like basic chest passes, overhead passes, and bounce pass should be mastered in beginner classes. You don’t need to teach kids any patterned or structured style of offenses. Just get them to master the basic moves of moving with the ball and passing to their teammate and leave them to figure out how to attack with the ball on their own.
6. Defense
As part of the basic basketball skills training for youth players, they’ll need to learn rudimentary defense moves. This includes basic defense stance, off-ball principles, defensive slides, and other basic moves. Kids don’t need to spend a lot of time learning how to defend. They’ll figure things out on their own and learn more as they get older too.
Conclusion
Additional skills training for beginners will include: footwork, spacing, rebounding techniques, and basic post moves. Students can be grouped into age groups or categorized based on the skills they have learned and mastered. What we teach as part of our basketball skills training for youth players depends largely on their age and skill level.
