Physical Fitness for Life

*Don’t spend too much time on drills as they need to play for at least 20-30 minutes. 

Warm up – have your group run around the court, then stretch, and take roll. 

Put the group into a straight line (you can use lines of the court) or a circle for demonstration purposes. Ask that they do not dribble while you are discussing techniques and that they must wait until you blow the whistle. 

Goal for Session 1 - dribbling, shooting technique, triple threat, pivoting 

Skill development: ONLY DO THIS DRILL IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH BASKETBALLS - SKIP OVER THIS. 

Older groups: finger taps, around the waist, around the head, around the legs. Modify for younger groups. 

1. Demonstrate how to dribble the ball first using the right hand. Spread legs, and dribble low with the tips of fingers not the flat portion of the hand. If you dribble with the palm there is no control of the ball. Keep the ball dribbling, but not above their waist. Do this drill for a few minutes then change hands. If the group is too large for each to have a ball, put them into 2 groups and have each dribble then get into the back of the line. 

2. PAIR THEM UP IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BALLS - HAVE ONE dribble while guarding the ball, using their guard arm WITH the OTHER TEAM MEMBER Trying to tap the ball away. Older groups, 4-12th, can do the basic crossover dribble. 

3. Proper Shooting technique. Palm up with ball resting on right hand or left hand, other hand is guide hand. Shoot the ball straight up into the air.   

– Again if the group is too large, put them into two lines. 

4. Explain Triple Threat – pass, shoot, or dribble. Hands tight on the ball so that it can’t get knocked out of their hand, elbows out, the ball to the side of the body. PAIR THEM UP IF THE GROUP IS TOO LARGE. 

5. Basic Pivoting (we’ll cover more 2nd lesson).

6. Game - If the group is too large - bring them up in teams for a couple of  minutes each and then sub in subsequent teams. NO STEALING. Other  variations that can be used are: playing all the girls together and then boys at 5-minute games each. Don’t play 15-20 students at one time, do a minute or two, then sub the groups. Younger group - put your littlest ones on a team. Also, they only have to hit the net for a point. 

Floor Markings 

What is important about each of these markings? 

• Center Circle: To start the game, this 6' foot radius circle is used for a "jump" ball to determine which team has first possession of the ball. It is also used after a 'holding' call is made by the ref ( 2 players holding, pulling, fighting over possession for longer than 5 seconds). 

• The Key: Named for the 'keyhole' shape area in front of the basket.  

During free throws after a penalty is called, team members line up along both sides and outside, of the Key. They are now ready to grab the rebound of an unsuccessful basket or to take possession for the throw-in after the point(s) scored. This zone is also called the "three second lane". During play, there is timed access and a limit to the number of players allowed in the Key zone at any given time. 

• Free Throw Line: Feet behind the line. The player awarded a free throw has 10 seconds to shoot. 

• Three Point Line: A player that shoots a basket successfully from 'outside' the 3-point line scores bonus points. 

• Half Court Line: When a team takes possession in its own half of the court, it has 10 seconds to advance the ball across this center line. 

• Sideline: After the referee has called a foul, the 'injured' party takes possession of the ball and performs a 'throw in' from the sideline. This player has a limited time (5 seconds) to survey player positions and pass the ball to a teammate not being effectively blocked by an opposing team member. 

• Baseline: (End zone) Throw-ins after scoring. After the referee has handed/touched the ball, an opposing team member takes possession and starts the next round of play.