The absolute beginner

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011

The core two skills that every beginner needs . . .

A recent online forum post asked what the core skill requirements would be for a beginner basketballer, and it got me thinking. What would I teach a 5/6/7 year-old who is picking up a ball for the first time. I'm going to be pretty brutal here, but please understand it's the law of the jungle . . .

1. Catching: If a player can't catch the ball, other beginner players simply won't pass it to them.
Solution: Start with a soft/light ball like a 'Nerf' ball or similar. Practice passing and catching from close in, gradually progressing further away and higher in the air. Mums and dads and crucial here. Start it early and there will be benefits quickly.

2. Bouncing: bouncing on the spot first, getting the 'pushing' rather than 'hitting' motion of bouncing the ball.
Progression: Start on the spot, then walk, then run. Start watching the ball, then looking up, watching something else and reacting to it (obstacles, coaches holding up certain fingers or pointing certain directions, etc). I have had good success by rolling a 90cm fitball through the players while they're dribbling across the court. If they get hit, they're temporarily out. They love it.

Once they get the dribbling down, starting and stopping without travelling become relevant. Stop/go games while dribbling in a straight line should be put in. The simplest key here is to bounce the ball as their first step touches the ground.


That's it! Master catching and dribbling without travelling and things can springbord from there.

If you're a coach, employ drills where beginner players ALWAYS have a ball in their hands. I've lost count of how many 'coaches' I see using one ball, with ten kids lined up waiting for their turn. Kids get bored and rowdy. Give them all a ball and DEMAND they dribble while they're waiting for their turn (if they have to wait). Better still, keep them going the whole time, the more activity the better. Let them learn by DOING, not waiting.