Coaching Youth Basketball - Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16 - Defense Wins Games (but it's not very popular)

POSITIONING AND STANCES

You are probably confused, no? You should be. I'm talking about zone defenses and in the very next breath I have you dealing with the "parents from hell." Trust me, there is a method to my madness. I am trying to keep you on a timetable and it's at this time that the parents start to raise their cobra heads.

When I read a manual on how to set up my computer, or digital camera, or whatever, I only read the part that I need right then. I never read the thing from start to finish, and I figure some of you are like me. A lot of you will probably only read the chapter that applies to you for that next step. This is why I had to deal with the parent issue, because it was due to come up in the scheme of things.

MAN-2-MAN DEFENSE - Defense is going to be one of your biggest challenges. Defense isn't a high profile affair. The crowd doesn't go ooohhhh,or aaahhhhh, when you play solid defense. Let a kid make a 3 pointer and see how the crowd reacts. There's just no glory in playing D. And yet, most coaches will agree that defense wins games. So let's see if we can climb Mt. Everest by making defense fun.

Proper defense is played with your feet, not with your arms. I have given you drills for proper footwork and they should be used in every LS. Kids learn by repeating things over, and over, and over again. When they do their defensive drills, make sure you have some type of treat or special reward to give them. I don't care how badly they do the drill, as long as they are showing improvement, give them a treat. Reward your kids for learning defense. By the way, I never gave out treats for shooting drills because these are too much fun for the kids. I reward them for doing things that aren't traditionally considered to be fun.

Now let's talk about a good defensive stance. Standing straight up with your knees locked isn't the way to do it. Defense is all about moving quickly in any direction. Basketball is about running, in particular, sprinting, moving side to side, and running backwards. You can't do this with locked knees.

The proper stance is to have your knees bent and your feet spread apart by at least 2 feet or more. Your arms should outstretched to make you as wide as possible. Your hands should positioned with palms up. This should make you only about 2/3 of your normal height. If this is the case, your stance is on the money. Now teach your kids this stance.

Once they have their stance, here's a little defensive drill. They all line up about 6 feet apart, in their proper stance, facing you. They are to watch you and follow your movement. You move quickly to the right, they move. You go left, they move as well. You go backward, they follow you. Watch them the whole time and make sure they keep the proper stance. Do this several times for practice. When you feel they know it, divide them into 2 teams. One is offensive, one is defensive. The offensive player is to run down the court at half speed while moving right, left, backwards, and forwards. The defensive player is to stay within 3 feet of the offensive player, and they are always to stay between the offensive player and the basket. Do this without balls. The offensive player's goal is to get past the defensive player. Remember, only 1/2 speed. Have them do it the length of the court. Once they hit the opposite baseline, they switch positions. Offense becomes defense, and defense becomes offense.

After they do this several times, now you make it a contest. You already have them in two teams, so everyone goes twice. Whichever team stays with their player the best wins. The whole time this is going on, have each team cheer for their team mate who is currently competing. Let them know that if a team doesn't cheer loud enough, they run a suicide. If you do this with every competitive drill, you will have one of the most positive vocal teams in your league. Teamwork is a wonderful thing and you will have just taken a major step in developing teamwork. By the way, the losers of the competition do a suicide while dribbling two balls. Kids love games and will actually look forward to this part of your LS.

After the losing team does their suicide, give everyone a water break, they'll need it. Then sit them down and explain what they need to look for from the offensive player. You shouldn't watch their eyes or even the ball. At this age tell them to watch the offensive player's waist. Where ever their waist goes, so to do they go. Players will fake you with their eyes, their heads, the ball, their hands, but where ever the waist goes, the player will follow.

Now you ask the losing team if they want a chance to get even using this new info, and you have them compete again, loser does the suicide. Again the cheering must come into play here. This is a drill I would do every LS. In later LS's have them go full speed.

Any questions, feel free to e-mail me at firepow55@aol.com more chapters to come