READING

ROCKETS

2010

BASKETBALL IN THE PRIMARY

SCHOOLS

Contents Page

Page Information3 Introduction

4-5 Responsibilities

6 Branding/Reputation

7 CRB/First Aid

8 Disipline

9 Problem Children

10-15 Shooting

16-22 Ball Handling

23-28 Passing

29-31 Games For Understanding

32-34 Ideas

35-36 Lesson Plans

37-39 Structure of session

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Introduction

This handbook is a guide for you as a coach to the many different games that are out there for you to deliver to young children. They are only a guide and are open for you to add your own ideas to and make them your own. The guide also gives you an example of a school lesson plan which outlines the structure of a typical schools session.

When working with young children it is important that you have as many working at the same time and not sitting out or waiting in lines.

Add your own rules to allow for healthy competition and always encourage good sportsmanship. This may involve extra points for good team play or encouragement in team games.

Ensure you are well prepared with lots of ideas before your session to avoid kids being bored through doing the same thing for a long time. Kids love competition and games.

Use different rules and scoring systems to make them feel they are in a game and competitive situation whilst they are learning the fundamentals and rules of the game.

Enjoy Your Coaching!

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Responsibilities

As a Rockets community coach you have a responsibility to the club, but more importantly to the children you are coaching. Before you begin blowing that whistle please take note of the points to which YOU need to know the answers.

These are extremely important to ensure both you as a coach are clearly informed and prepared for the session, as well as maintaining the safety of the children

Arrival - Ensure you introduce yourself to member of staff (PE teacher, head teacher)

Where will a member of staff be during your session?

Where can the children go if they need a drink?

Will they be able to get into the school if they need the toilet? Is there supervision there?

Registration Forms –At the first session at each school please collect from the teacher all the Rockets Registration forms that have been collected in and drop them into the office. We have to submit these to England Basketball at the end of the season so they are very important!

Responsibilities cont…

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Registers – It is your responsibility (unless the school has designated a teacher to keep this information) to keep a record of which children have been attending the session. This may be needed by the school or the club.

Language – This goes without saying. Under no circumstances must you use inappropriate language around the children. Even when dealing with stressful or frustrating scenarios you must maintain your professionalism.

Information – Make sure you know and have on you information about times/place/coach etc for the nearest community session in which the children should attend.

The more children we can inform of our community sessions the more successful the programme will be

Tickets – Support at Men's games is of key importance to the club, please ensure you always have tickets on you and publicise them during your session. Make the men's games a really exciting event for them to come to and enjoy.

End of session – Check with the school as to what the procedure is for children leaving the school after your session.

Is there a member of staff who is in charge in ensuring they all leave with their parents?

If it is your responsibility you must stay at the school until all children have been collected safely

If any children are still there and you are needing to leave (ie for another session) ensure you find a member of staff to leave them with.

Branding/Reputation

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Our Rockets branding and reputation is crucial in the success of our community programme and the club as a whole. We need to ensure we build relationships with our schools in order to prolong our involvement with them.

Dress code – As a coach you need to ensure you “look the part”. Always be in sports gear (Ideally a Rockets polo/hoody) and trainers. Never turn up in anything you wouldn’t allow your kids to turn up in. Set a good example!

Relationships – Try to make sure you build relations with your schools. Ensure you introduce yourself to the member of staff in charge of the afterschool club. Be friendly and keep them informed on how the sessions are going, give them tickets to games as well as the children.

Future Sessions – As your course of sessions are coming to end enquire wit the teachers whether they are interested in carrying on for another half term either with the same group or with a new year group.

CRB / First Aid

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CRB

Your criminal record bureau check is now required by ALL the schools that we are coaching in. The office will ensure you all continue to hold a recent CRB though out your time with the club. Please ensure you always have on you a photocopy of your CRB so when schools request to see it you have it with you. If they require a copy they may take a photocopy, but please ensure they hand it back to you before you leave.

First Aid

It is especially important to ensure that the children are kept safe during your sessions. However incidents do happen where the children will need first aid care and you need to make yourself aware of the schools procedure.

Find out where and who you should send children to who need assistance.

If you need assistance from a teacher send 2 children into the school to get them. Dont leave your group

Regardless of how serious you decide the injury is always report the injury to he parent, teacher, Rockets office, and also keep a written note of what happened. Eg child/time/situation incident occurred in.

This area of first aid must be taken seriously as repercussions can be damaging.

Better to be safe than sorry – Report everything

Discipline

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This is a part of your coaching which when mastered will make your sessions run much more smoothly and give YOU as the coach less headaches. It is of paramount importance that you establish team rules within your sessions, and ensure you stick to them throughout. It is much easier to gradually relax with a team than trying to rein them in once you have allowed them to get away with unacceptable behaviour. This doesn’t mean you need to approach your groups with an iron fist but be firm with them.

Suggestions to ensure Discipline

1. Always stop on coach's whistle2. Don’t talk or bounce the ball while the coach

is talking3. Run into the coach quickly when instructed to4. Always watch other games if waiting for your

game slot

Consequences1. Not allowed ball for next drill if keep

bouncing it2. 10 press ups if last team member to run into

huddle3. Knock time off games if continuously waiting

for kids to behave (remember that is the bit they are looking forward to)

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Problem Children

Within your group of little angels there will be a few you come across who are out there to challenge us!The biggest thing to remember when you have a difficult or misbehaving child is that they are probably known in school as the “naughty kid”. Basketball could be their only outlet where they are treated like any other child in the group.

Don’t allow them to take away your energy from the rest of the group, but praise them even for the little things.

Give them responsibility. E.g. make them a team captain, allow them to help you referee etc.

This will make them feel needed and wanted and you may see those problems start to disappear.

Remember: If you are having real problems with individuals don’t shy away from spending 5 minutes before the session with their teacher. They may be able to give you some support with them.

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Shooting

Individual

Shooting Form

Introduce the technique to shooting a basketball with the use of visualisation.

Eg – 9 eyes looking at the basket- Follow through – hand in cookie jar/

goose neckGroups can practise this in pairs by both kneeling facing each other and shooting the ball high in the air to the other person's hands.

NBN- Nothing but Net!

In pairs each player shoots 5 shots. If they score without the ball hitting anything but the net they get 2 points. If it hits any other part of the ring, backboard etc before going in they get 1 point.

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Beat The Pro

Player thinks of favourite basketball player. They play them to a score. Every time they miss the pro gets a point every time the player scores they get points.

- For weaker players give them 2 for a score and 1 to the pro for a miss and vice versa -

Strings

Player picks a spot to shoot from. They shoot for a minute and see what is the maximum number of shots they can get in a row (i.e. a string).

Miss And Run

Players shoot to a certain score. Every time they miss they must run either to another basket, or to the half way line and back. If they score they stay at basket and keep shooting.

- Choose different tasks for the players to do before they go back and score again -

E.g. - Put ball through legs twice Bounce ball 10 times with weak hand

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Horse

Shortest player starts and chooses what kind of shot they take. The next partner must mimic that shot. If one of the players misses they get an “H” and carry this on till they are a horse.

- Alternate who takes the first shot for each letter-

Half Way Dribble and Shoot

Players stand back to back at the half way line. Player with ball dribbles to basket they are facing and takes one shot. They then dribble back to their partner who goes the other way and repeats.

- Put in different rules to vary game, for example limit dribbles, catch the rebound before it hits the floor for a bonus shot etc…

Hot Shot

Choose a number of shooting spots which are worth different values. Players have a certain amount of time to score as many as they can. Use one ball per pair and alternate shots.

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Small/ Large groupsLine Shooting (keep lines short)

This is generally done as a competition. Line(s) of players at a basket, play first to a score. Again add your own rules to make the games fun.

- Change target score- Change points for each basket- Introduce dribbling Tasks from the team

to the basket. (i.e. through legs twice )

21’s

Free throw line shot to start (first shot from here = 1 point). If player misses next player catches rebound and shoots from where they catch it which = 1 point. They then go to the free throw line to shoot baskets worth 2 points. They stay there till they miss and next player rebounds. First to 21 wins.

Killer/Knock Out

One line of players at a basket. 2 balls are with the front 2 players. The front person takes the first shot which cues the next player to shoot. It is now a race as to who can get their ball in first. If any player over takes another player then they knock them out. For example if player 2 scores

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before player 1 then that player has been knocked out.

Variations

Hot Seat- This is the same idea as killer only once a player gets knocked out they are in the hot seat. They stay there until someone else gets knocked out who frees them back into the game.

Jail – Once players have been knocked out they stand in jail under the name of who knocked them out. They can’t re join the game until the person who originally knocked them out gets knocked out.

In The Pot

Minimum of 3 players in a line at a basket. Each player has a shooting pot which can hold as many points as the coach decides. Each player takes a turn to shoot. When players score a point is then added to the basket. Anytime a player misses they collect any points that have immediately been scored before them. Once they reach their maximum amount of points for their pot they are out.

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Round The World

Use the key for shooting markers. Team starts one side of the key and must make a certain amount of shots from each marker before they can move on. First team to make it round the world wins.

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Ball Handling/Dribbling

Coach Does

Players stand in front of coach. Coach has a ball. Whatever the coach does with the ball, players copy. If any player fails to copy quickly give them a task to do before joining back in.

Copy cat

This is a smaller version of coach does. It involves 2 players both with a ball. Number themselves 1 and 2. 1 starts as the coach and 2 copies. On the whistle they switch.

Gauntlet – (Gladiators)

In a restricted area place 3-4 defenders who all have a job at defending a certain part of the area. Eg defender 1 guards the first section, defender 2 guards second etc.

D1D2D4D3

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One player goes at a time and starts at the end where defender 1 (D1) is standing. They now have to dribble the ball round all the defenders without the ball being taken off them.

Each defender can only guard their area, once a player reaches the boundary of their area they must leave them to be guarded by the next defender (D2).

If a player struggles to clear an area they can have 3 attempts before they move on.

All Player dribble

This involves all players dribbling around the court.

Add rules to test their dribbling skills. Include rules which get them to keep their eyes off the ball.For example

- Left hand only- On whistle bounce ball through

legs/behind back.- Slap high fives with every player they

pass- Tell each player they pass what colour

their eyes are.

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Numbers

This is the same set up as the all court dribble. The coach calls out numbers (as many as group can cope with). Each number represents a skill to be carried out.

e.g. 1 = ball through legs 2 = touch floor with right hand

King Of The Court

All players in a restricted area. Players dribble ball with one hand whilst using the other to knock people's ball away from them whilst still dribbling their own.

Variations- Have 2 games going on and when

knocked out of one join another- Partner players up before games, during

game shout “partners”, and they stop getting everyone and only get their partner.

- Add rules as to who everyone has to get out. E.g. get the boys only, get anyone wearing white trainers etc……

Dribble Tag

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Choose a couple of players from the group who don’t have a ball. They then chase the rest of the group who are running round dribbling the ball. If players with a ball get tagged by the chasers they must give their ball to the person who caught them and then run off and chase another player.

Stuck InThe Mud

This involves the same set up as dribble tag. This time once the players are caught they must stand with the ball on their head and feet wide. To become free a player with a ball must roll the ball through their legs. Players stay ‘it’ until they are changed by the coach.Play for a short time eg 1 minute

Command

Players get into partners and stand facing each other with a ball on the floor equal distance between them. The coach shouts commands. This can involve some or all of the following:

- Shout parts of the body and they must touch with both hands.

On the whistle run to line behind them and back- Numbers represent number of claps- Sit down/stand up

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- When the coach shouts “ball” it’s the first player to pick the ball up.

This is a lot of fun when it gets quicker and quicker.

Bull Dog

The entire group starts at one line with aim of dribbling their ball to another line without getting caught. The player in the middle without a ball must try and catch any player with a ball. Once players have been caught they then join the catcher.

N.B To avoid accidents introduce rule that catchers can’t make bodily contact with the dribbler. If they do the caught player returns to the game.

Relay Races

These are free for you to add any rules you want.

- Use cones for change of direction- Introduce dribbling/ball handling tasks

Tails

Each player has a ball and a bib which is tucked in behind them representing a tail. Once a player's tail is taken they are out, the winner is the one with the most tails.

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VariationsTimed game- Play the game for 2 minutes. Once a player's tail has been taken they can replace it with any others they have collected. If they have no others they must steal another one to replace it. After the given time the winner holds the most tails.

Teams – Blues Versus Reds. First team to take all the tails from the other team.

Cross Court Dribble

In 3’s/4’s have half the group on one side line and the rest on the other. Players must dribble across and hand/pass the ball to the next person in line who repeats the dribble back to across the court.Variations

- change dribbling hands- Introduce cross overs- Add jump stop before they pass

Don’t look at the ball!

To ensure players don’t look at their ball whilst they dribble add in hand/arm signals to represent what the player must do with the ball. These hand/arm signals are done by the player who the dribbler is running towards.

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Eg - Arms up = dribble backwards- Turn around = dribbler spins whilst

dribbling- Right arm up = right hand dribble

2 Ball Dribble

Put players into partners so free players can retrieve balls.

- Alternate ball dribble- Both together- Bounce one and roll the other- Bounce one high one low

Introduce competition within the partners, as to who can do the most dribbles without stopping.

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Passing

Passing Fundamentals

In pairs they must pass the ball between themselves. However when one person has the ball they must triple threat and be moving the ball (mimicking they have a defender on them), whilst the other player cuts away and sprints back to ball (mimicking getting open in a game). Ensure players step into pass and make a good hard straight pass to their partner.

Progression – In 3’s once player has passed the ball they follow and then defend the pass to the next person. This then repeats around the 3 players. They can now practise passing against a defender.

Pass And Follow

2 short lines facing each other. The front player of one line passes the ball to the first player in the opposite one. Once each player has passed they follow their pass and join the back of the opposite line.

Progress into competition using chest, bounce, and over head pass.

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Circles

This shares the same idea as pass and follow but the group is in a circle where 1 or 2 balls can be used. Players still pass and follow whilst using all 3 passes.

2 Ball Passing

Partners face each other both with a ball. One player performs a chest pass, and the other a bounce pass. On the whistle they swap passes without hitting each other's ball.

2 Vs 1 / 3Vs 2

Players stand in a designated area with one ball. There needs to be one more attacker than defenders. The attackers must pass the ball around them without dribbling whilst the defender tries to get the ball. If the defender touches the ball, the player that passed the ball then becomes a defender.

Rules- Player must hold ball for 3 seconds to

allow defender to run from one player to another

- Do not allow players to pass the ball over the defender's head. ( It is NOT piggy in the middle)

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Inside/Outside

2 players stand back to back with a ball each. These players are called the “inside”. Opposite them passing distance away is another player without a ball. This player is called the “outside”. These players pass the ball between them whilst listening to the coach’s command.

Inside Switch – Inside players pass ball to outside and switch places.

Outside switch – Outside pass ball to inside and switch with the other outside player

Inside Dribble – Inside player dribbles round outside.

Outside Dribble – Outside Dribble up to inside slap fives and then dribble backwards.

All Switch - Outside players switch with inside players and vice versa. Ensure the person who has the ball dribbles it when they move.

You can add any other commands to this game. Use your imagination!!

Passer/Disher

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The group forms a circle round 2 players who are standing in the middle. One player is labelled passer and the other disher. The ball must be passed from the circle players to the passer who passes it to the disher who dishes it out to the circle again. This process continues.

Variations

- Add more balls to it- Add defenders to make all the passes

harder

8 Pass Drill

2 equal teams in a given area. In order to score a point a team must make 8 passes between them without the defenders touching the ball. If the defenders touch it they get the ball and try to get 8 passes.

Full Court Passing

This can be done with 2 or 3 lines of players starting on the base line. Players use all three passes (bounce, chest, overhead) to move the ball down the line and back again whilst progressing down the court.

Variations

- Use 2 balls on the outside lines so player in the middle receives ball from one line

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and passes it back then looks quickly to the other line to repeat. (The player who is waiting to pass must dribble till the person in the middle is ready to receive the ball)

- Introduce a dribble before they pass the ball

- Allow every player to have a ball but instruct each player as to which passes they are going to do. Eg one player does bounce pass whilst other does a chest pass. This way both balls can be passed at the same time.

Rapid Fire

One player stands with a ball (P1) with the rest of their team 4-5 players in a semi circle around them, with one of the team holding another ball. When the whistle goes P1 passes their ball to one of the other team at the same time as the ball being held by the team is thrown to P1. This process repeats for the duration of the drill (eg 45secs) with the balls being passed quicker and quicker.Ensure you make it clear to the children that you can only pass a ball to a player who is looking at them!

If the player has not made eye contact call their name to get their attention before passing the ball

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Clap – Catch

This can be done in pairs or small groups. The idea is to try and clap before catching the ball from another player.

You cant clap until the ball has left the other players hands.

If a player forgets to clap before catching the ball then the passer receives a point. Also if the receiver claps before the ball is thrown the receiver would also receive a point.

Variations1.Stand players closer together to make it harder

2.Get players to clap twice before catching the ball

3.Get players to clap behind their back before catching the ball

4.Introduce the pass fake to see if they can make the receiver clap without actually passing the ball! The Passer can receive a point if the receiver claps

on a fake.

Games For Understanding!!

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Continuous play (3 on 3/ 4 on 4 / 5 on 5)

3 teams are needed with 2 starting under each basket and one team in the middle of the court with the ball. They attack one of the teams and try and score. Once they score or the defenders steal the ball the team who defended then attack the team at the opposite end whilst the other team stay where they are and wait for another team.

-Teams attack and then defend a basket before moving to the other one –

Cut Throat

Half court games with a minimum of 3 teams involved. If a team gets scored on they go off and next team comes on. Coaches can put in their own rules which if broken mean they leave the court and are replaced by another team.

Example of coach’s rules

- must catch ball and face basket- must move once made a pass- must be marking one person

Half Court Games

2 Teams

First to a certain score

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Mini games to 2, point rewarded for every win, play for a given time.

3 teams

One team off, first to a score then new team on court.

4 teams

2 half court games at either end of the court, play for a certain amount of time then rotate teams so each team ends up playing each other.

5 teams

Keep the spare team in the middle, play games to a score. As soon as a team loses they go to the middle and are replaced by a new team.

Overloads

Having an extra attacker or an extra defender can be used to either make it harder or easier for the attacking or defending team. Eg less defenders may increase shooting success.

Full Court Games

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If more than one team- Play games to a certain score then rotate new teams on. Give the remaining team jobs to do. Eg help referee, side line judges, scorers, coaches etc.

Odd Numbers!!

Introduce substitution rule so they understand the concept. Give each person a number, then the coach can instruct which number is substituting at a given time. This ensures players don’t stay out of a game too long.

Jobs For Substitutes

1. Help you to referee the game. Give them the responsibility of letting you know when the ball goes out of play and which team it came off.

2. Encourage the players on the court. Get them to cheer when players score and when they make a successful pass to a team mate.

3. Give them a set of ball handling drills to complete before they come back on. Eg 10 dribble figure of eights, behind your back 10

times, 10 clap and catch, 2 ball dribble between 2 lines etc.

IdeasIn these next few pages write down any ideas you have for new games, or any

adaptation to those already in the manual.

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Lesson Plans

Lesson plans are a hugely useful tool.

Firstly they ensure that we as coaches are prepared for our sessions, this in turn will assist in the sessions running smoothly.

Secondly it allows us as coaches to ensure we are progressing in our practices rather than turning up and delivering the same thing week in week out.

It’s very uncomfortable having a mental block with what to deliver when you have 15 excited kids staring at you. Having a pocket sized plan with you can avoid those scenarios.

Plans are a necessity for organised sessions

On the following page there is a sample lesson plan which you may find useful to photocopy and fill in for your sessions

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Duration………… No. of children………………. School………………………….. Date…...Time Activity Description Learning outcome

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Structure of Session

During your 5-6 weeks in your primary schools it is hugely important that they have a positive and fun experience.

We need to make sure as coaches we are letting them experience as many basketball skills as they can whilst also learning the game by actually playing in conditioned games in which they also start to learn the basic rules.

In each of your sessions you should look to include:Think of a theme or 2 rules you want to cover during your session. This will help you when choosing which games to play, and also help you condition the game later!

1.A warm up with the ball including change of hands/instructions/communicating with each other

2.Ball handling against defenders. Fun games to teach the children how to protect the ball when they are dribbling

3.Passing in pairs or small groups. Cover different passes whilst also including defenders/competition/passing to a moving target.

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4.Shooting in pairs so they can shoot a lot in a small period of time. Introduce small team games so they can aim to get to a score.

5.Lets Play!!!!! Now let the kids play. If you have more than 2 teams rotate the teams on and off quickly. Try to stick to the theme/rules that you put in at the beginning of the session.

6.You may want to end with a fun shooting game to finish

At the end of your session your group should have tried all the fundamental skills of basketball as well as had a go and putting it into a game scenario.

If you stick to your structure of always having a game every week this will eliminate the very common phrase:

“Are we playing games today?!!!!!”

On page 38 is an example session plan for a primary school basketball session

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Duration Practice3.30 – 3.35 Introduction – Cover/reminder

rules of sessionRegister

3.35 – 3.40 Coach Does – encouraging children to look up whilst trying different basketball skills

3.40-3.45 All Player dribble – players high five each person they pass/players tell each other what colour eyes they have

3.45-3.50 King of the court – Encourage looking up to stay away from defenders.

3.50-3.55 2 player passing – pass and move to a different spot. Players aim for their hands and ensure eye contact. Introduce faking before passing

3.55-4.00 2 vs 1 passing. Look for receiver, fake to get ball past defender

4.00 – 4.05 2 player shooting facing back to back at 1/2way line.

4.05-4.10 Small group around the world shooting

4.10-4.15 ½ ct conditioned game (cutthroat) Rules on looking up

4.15-4.25 Full court games encouraging rules used previously.

4.25 – 4.30 Fun shooting competition to finish session

Example Primary School Session Plan

Theme – Looking up with the ball

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I hope the manual is of some use to you during your coaching experience and provides you with not only ideas for games but also giving you the building blocks for you to create your own games and make the sessions “your own”.

Coaching is a huge pool of excitement, inspiration, and fulfilment. As you become more and more familiar with practices and games you can turn up to your sessions prepared, and confident.

The primary school session are the first taste that the children have of basketball and as Rockets coaches we need to ensure that they have a fun and positive experience as they start on their basketball pathway towards their local satellite club.

GOOD LUCK

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