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Introduction   Ghost   On The Rack   Pokemon   Four Passes to Score   Try   Dribble Knockout

Stations   Bull In The Ring   Pig In The Middle   Dog and Bone   Line Tiggy

Bin Ball   '21' Shooting Game   Shooting Knockout

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Introduction

In response to a demand for fun basketball skill oriented games for junior players, OzSwoosh is happy to bring you this page for juniors. Most email and questions OzSwoosh receives relates directly to requests for fun games for young players. There are many drills and games for juniors, those on this page are only a few of the vast number Coach Rowe has used in his school visitations and junior camps/clinics over the years. Many new games have been added to this page, be sure to check them out. Ghost, On the Rack and Pokemon are all worth a look, as is Bin Ball and Try.

In your trainings keep things simple and fun for the ages you coach. The following drills and other ideas should assist you. One good way to keep young players occupied and to hold their attention is to use Stations. It is an ideal way for beginner coaches to prepare/plan their sessions for maximum training benefit while keeping the participants interested. Especially when you have large numbers to coach, limited time and limited resources like coaches, baskets and balls.

A variation to running stations is to coach in 5 or 10 minute blocks. Block Coaching is good time management and ensures you plan your training sessions. Coaching in Blocks and Stations helps you achieve this. Remember the saying, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!!" Younger players require change to keep them stimulated, even simply adding a new rule or aspect to a drill may be enough to keep them challenged.

For the youngest age groups (grades 1-7) keep the session as fun as possible. Below is a brief outline of drills many coaches and teachers have asked about. These games reinforce skills while allowing children to have fun. If you have any games you wish to contribute to the site, email ozswoosh@hotmail.com

Ghost

This game is a challenging shooting game played on your own. The player starts on '0' and is trying to score 10 points. Each successful basket is worth 1 point, however if you miss, the ghost gets 2 points (i.e. use lose 2 points off your score). If the score gets to -10 (minus 10) you lose and the ghost wins. If the player reaches 10 points then they beat the ghost. When this game gets easier for the player change the rules to increase difficulty. Increase the score to win (e.g. from 10 - 15) or increase the ghost's points for a miss. You may also dictate the spots where shots may be taken from (e.g. no lay-ups, outside key, above free throw line, from 3-point line etc...)

On The Rack

This is a fun game to work on shooting. For younger players you can have them shoot from spots. For older players (14+) you may have them shoot from around the 3 point line. All players start with 10 points. Players take turns at taking a shot, when a player makes the first shot it is said to be '1 on the rack', if the next player to take the shot makes their shot it is said to be '2 on the rack' and so on... when a player misses a shot the number of points on the rack are deducted from their points, and the 'rack' is clear (i.e. 'none on the rack'). Play continues, players get knocked out of the game when their personal score reaches '0'. Play continues until there is one winner. This game takes considerable time therefore it is recommended for only small groups of 4 or 5 players per basket. It is good as a method of practicing free throws.

Pokemon

This is a fun tiggy game working on the pokemon principle - "you gotta catch'em all". To help explain it you may also call it "Tag Team Tiggy". Players are split in two even/fair teams. One team stands along the baseline from slowest to fastest. The other team set up anywhere inside the 3 point line. The baseline team's players take it in turns of trying to tag a player inside the 3 point line. Once a player inside the 3 point line is tagged they must stand still with their hands on their heads. The player who tagged them then goes and tags the next player in line on the baseline and they must try and tag someone. Play continues until all players inside the 3 point line are tagged. Then teams change roles. The game is timed with a stop watch and the team that 'catches all' their opponents in the fastest time is the winning team. It is great as a warm up. Once players come to understand the game and their ball handling is developed you can add a basketball with the player who is up dribbling a ball and tagging a player with their non-dribble hand. You may also give the players inside the 3 point line a ball to dribble while being chased.

To add to the fun let the kids be their favourite pokemon character and let the teams be named after one of the elements in the pokemon game (i.e. fire, water, wind etc...) This is also good with up to 4 teams of 10 with winners playing winners and losers playing losers to find the 'pokemon champions' for the day. If you choose to call it tag team tiggy, players could be their favourite pro wrestler!

Four Passes to Score

Four Passes to Score helps improve movement, space recognition, spacing, stopping, pivoting, defense and passing. Put players in 2 even teams. Players must match up on an opponent of equal ability (i.e. play man to man defence). The playing area is inside the half court for larger groups or inside the 3 point line for smaller or older groups. The idea is for a team to get four consecutive passes in a row to score 1 point.  Players may move anywhere within the playing area. If the opposing team touches the ball in its flight but does not gain possession the count starts from 0 again. If however the team makes 4 passes without the opposition touching it they receive a point. They must put the ball down and step away and the other team picks it up and attempts to make 4 passes in a row. If an opposing team intercepts a pass they gain possession and their count starts from 0. Defending teams gain possession on travels, dribbles and out of bounds. To assist in fairness add the rule 'you can't pass to the person who passed it to you'. Defenders cannot take or snatch the ball out of the hands of the player with possession. To increase difficulty increase the number of passes required to score a point (i.e. 5 or 6 passes to score etc...). The first team to get a score of 7 wins.

Try

Depending on numbers play can be full-court or across a half court. A Jump ball is used to start play. Like football, 2 teams are competing to score over their opponents end/try line. Players may not dribble or run with the ball. They can only pass it. Teams play man to man defence and try to stop their opponents from scoring over the end line. To score, the ball must be placed over the end line with one or both feet inside the field of play. One hand or both hands must remain on the ball when it is placed. If a player places the ball over the end line with both feet outside the end or sideline or if they drop the ball over the end line it shall be the other teams possession from the closest sideline in line with the free throw line. Also if an out of bounds or violation occurs play is taken on the closest sideline in line with the free-throw line, or at the half way line which ever is closest the infringement. To encourage movement and teamwork players cannot pass the ball to the person who passed it to them. A jump ball is held centre court after each score. Teams can play to a set score or against the clock with the highest score winning. 

Dribble Knockout

This game is played in a half court area, with the sidelines, baseline and half way lines as out of bounds. Every players has a ball and dribbles the ball within this area. Their objective is to try to hit the other players balls out of bound with their non dribble hand, players cannot run with the ball, bounce it with two hands, pick the ball up with two hands if someone swipes at it, kick a ball or throw a ball at another person's ball or they are out. They may however recover a ball that has been hit and save it before it goes out of bounds. Depending on numbers you may play it as knockout situation where their is one winner (i.e. the last person in wins) or you can play it as an ins and outs game where some players sit on the baseline while others are in when a player gets out a new player comes in and takes their spot, the person who got knocked out goes to the end of the out line. To make this drill interesting I (1) give players 2 or 3 lives, (2) Make out of bounds area of the court smaller i.e. 3 point line, key way, jump ball circle etc... (3) Tell them you are are dribble knockout monster and you can knock their ball out if you want to, then move around the court, kids soon start moving away, this gets them moving and keeps it fun.

 With large numbers or limited balls you may play 'ins and outs' where a player who is knocked out gives their ball to a player waiting to enter from the sideline. Ins and outs can also be played within the jump ball circle between 2 players, when 1 gets knocked out a new challenger comes in. For beginners you may allocate a number of lives to them before they can be knocked out (e.g. three times and your out).

Stations

If you don't already do so, try stations. Have players go through each station. Stations should cover all skills, some can be coach supervised others self supervised, (SS) is next to the stations which once taught could be self supervised.

Example:

Ball Handling and Control (SS)
Shooting (Rebounding can be taught as part of shooting)
Lay-ups
Dribbling
Passing (SS)
Skipping/Line Jumps (SS)
Body Movement Fundamentals (SS - once taught)

As you can see you can cover a lot of skills and even add more stations to the list. Obviously it would be ideal to have coaches at all stations if possible. But I believe if you number cards and lay them out in areas on the court, players can read what to do. This allows you to coach at different areas and focus on the kids who most need it. Run your stations for 4-5 minutes each. In most situations coaches are limited by time, I would suggest 5 (4 min) individual skill station drills (20 minutes) and 10 minutes for game situation drills (i.e. offence, defence etc.) The other 10 minutes is for stretch-up and stretch down. Do some fun skill oriented games for warm-up and warm-down.

Stations are suited more to large numbers of 10 or more players. With a minimum of 2 players per station, helps teach team/group work. For less than 10 players reduce the number of stations, or coach in timed blocks.

Bull In The Ring
(Teaches Defence and Passing)

Players form a circle about 5-8 foot in diameter (use the jump ball circle and have players take a step back). One player stands in the middle. The player in the middle's job is to try to touch the ball as it is passed around the circle, the player in the middle may touch the ball if it is in someone's hands or may touch it as it is passed. If they touch the ball they replace the person who passed the ball. Initially let players pass to the person next to them, but then start adding rules like: (1) you can't pass directly over the person in the middle's head; (2) you can't pass to the person next to you; (3) you can't pass to the person who just passed it to you. I recommend 7 to 10 players for this drill. You can add a second defender in the middle as players become better passers. Still stress good passing technique and fake a pass to make a pass, also teach the defence to keep their hands up at all times.

Pig In The Middle
(Like Bull In The Ring teaches passing and defence {See Above})

Same as above but with two passers and one or two defenders between them instead of a circle.  As defenders and passers improve you can allow the passers one or two dribbles to increase difficulty for the defence.

Dog and Bone
(This is a fun 1on1 drill teaching defence, rebounding and individual offence)

Get players in pairs and give each pair a number 1,2,3,4,5 etc... (i.e. Each partner has the same number) Sit each partner opposite each other on each sideline in one half of the court. You stand in the centre jump ball circle facing the basket with a ball. Roll the ball towards the basket and call out two numbers, the first number is that given to a player on your left and the second called is that given the player on your right e.g. 2 - 1. On calling these numbers the requested players stand up and run to get the ball, the first player to get the ball looks to score the other plays defence, play continues as in normal one on one until there is a score. Each sideline keeps their own score. At the end of each score the players sit in their spot again and you roll the ball again and call out another two numbers. Sometimes, to keep players working, call the same number/s as the previous go, their teammates tend to love this for some reason? Also, if it is taking ages for the two players to score, call it a 'draw', have the players sit and call two new opponents.

Red Rover
(Also known as Bull Rush)

This game depends upon numbers if you have a team of ten players, use half to 3/4 of the court. Players line up on one side of the court with one person in the middle of the court with a ball. This person calls a player over "Red Rover, Red Rover I call 'name' over!" Whoever they call over has to run and try to get to the other side with out getting tagged by the person in the middle, if they make it to the other side without getting tagged all the other people on the sideline run and try to get to the other side without getting tagged also. The person in the middle must tag the players with their non-dribble hand (while dribbling). They can change their dribble hand using a crossover but they cannot pick the ball up with two hands to change hands. Players ARE NOT to throw the balls at the people to tag them. When a player gets tagged they must get a ball and join the person in the middle (This is called "gang up"). You keep going until one player is left on the sideline they are the winner. After about 5 people are up in the middle, you allow the selected player to call "Bull Rush". When they call bull rush everyone on the sideline can run across. A player in the middle or a player who has been called may call "Bull Rush". Encourage players with a ball to avoid looking at the ball when they bounce it. Those avoiding being tagged should work on change of pace and change of direction running.

To change the game, everyone can have a ball, or just those trying to cross the court can use the balls while the players in the middle give chase without a ball.

Stuck In The Mud
(Like tiggy/tag with a ball)

Is like normal tiggy only with a ball. Use the whole or half court as out of bounds depending on numbers. If you have ten players 2 players are up, for over ten players make three people up. This can also be used as a warm up. The players who are up have a basketball and try to tag the free players with their non-dribble hand. If a player gets tagged or runs out of bounds they must stand on the spot in the playing area with their hands up and feet spread (hence stuck in the mud), the only way they can be freed is for someone to crawl under their legs. To keep it fun and interesting tell your players if they put their arm under one knee and hold their nose with the same hand, while standing on one foot they are on bar and can't be tagged.

Line Tiggy/Tag
(Similar to Stuck In Mud, also known as Pacman)

Use this as a warm up also. Players who are up have a ball and must dribble around the court trying to tag those who are free. Only use one court don't allow players to go on other courts. The rules are all players run along any painted lines on the court. They cannot jump from one line to another they can only change lines when and where another line intersects. People who are up may only tag players on the same line as them. They cannot jump lines and cannot tag a person who is on a different line to them. There are two ways you may consider using this game. (1) As a warm-up tell players who are tagged to step off the line and do 10 star jumps or high jumps in the air, they then go back on the line and continue the game. (2) As a dribbling drill I play the game as a "gang up" situation also, so if a player gets tagged they go get a ball and become up as well. If you play it as a warm up, give everyone a go dribbling. Stuck In The Mud can be modified similarly.

Bin Ball

This is a perfect introduction to the real game of basketball without the hassle of shooting at a high ring. Perfect for 4 to 7 year olds. 2 teams play within the full court area and are trying to score against each other. Bins are placed inside the jump ball circles at each end. Rules should be modified for age and ability (e.g. no backcourt rule etc...). Players can only take the shot at their bin from outside the jump ball circle. Players can go anywhere inside the full court area but may not enter the jump ball circles where the bins are kept, including the defence. Play starts with a jump ball with all players behind their tipper facing the bin they are trying to score in. After every score a jump ball is held to restart play. As an instructor/coach make sure all participants get a turn to jump and teammates take it in turns to try and shoot in the bin.

'21' Shooting Game

Players line up on the key way blocks or Free Throw elbows in two even teams opposite each other. They shoot the ball from the chosen spot. If the first shot goes in it is worth 2 points. If they catch it before it hits the ground as it comes through the net, they can shoot it again, if they get this second shot in it is worth 1 point. They only get a maximum of 2 shots per go. If they catch the ball on the full on the rebound of the first missed shot they may shoot it again, but it will be worth 1 point. If the ball hits the floor after the first shot because they couldn't rebound it on the full, they don't get the second shot. The first team to reach 21 points wins. For younger age groups go first to 11, give them '1' point if it hits the ring '2' points if they get it in, but the rule of catching it on the full to get the second shot still applies. With younger age groups don't have them shoot from too far away.

Shooting Knockout

Players line up in front of the basket. Using one ball the first person takes a shot. If it is successful they go to the end of the line. If they miss, they stand to the side. The person who was behind them then shoots. If they make the basket the person at the side is knocked out of the game. If they miss, they now step to the side and the person who was at the side is safe and goes to the end of the line. Play continues until only 1 person is left. A player who missed (i.e. on the side) can only be knocked out if the person behind them makes their shot.

Note:- Most of these games are adapted from games children already played in the school yard. Look at some of the games the children play in your school and see if you can modify them to suit the game of basketball. Basketball is very adaptable and many of these drills were adapted from games played without a ball in Australian School Yards.