Robert Bauer - Individual skills for young players

Individual skills for young players

Learning & decision making
by Robert Bauer
March 2009

Fundamental idea
We try to…
1. teach the kids fundamental skills with the ball (shooting, dribbling & passing)
2. establish rules & habits like reading the defence on the ball & off the ball, moving without the ball, using empty
space
3. teach the kids to be creative for themselves & their team mates

Fundamental methods
- Habits need repetitions! We go 2- 0 / 3 - 0 re-enforcing the way we like them to play & move (shortly but in each
practice).
- We try to use as often as possible the 3-3, because we believe that this creates many decision making situations
(with and without the ball) for young players.
- The better they are with their fundamentals, the more we try to use transition drills with more aspects of game like
situations, especially the transition, the change of rhythm & to react under physical pressure.
- In the initial phase, we do not use screens & inside players, there are only a few passing game & spacing rules.
Secondly, we establish the post-up game, and lastly we start with the on ball screens before we introduce the of ball
screens.
- We count assist as a point from the beginning on.
- After we have practiced the fundamental things sufficiently, we use a high(er) intensity drill to transfer the learnt
skills into game like situations.
- As we reach higher levels, we emphasize the defence more and more, because we believe that the better the
defence is, the better the offence has to become!
- In each practice we have a part for shooting, 1-1 skills (& play 1-1!), for defence, for athletic & coordination.
- We try to have a transition drill as often as we can.
- Before the “team practice” we like do some individual work with some special players (players with technical
problems, more talented players). It is not only the practice, that also shows the players the huge importance of
mastering proper techniques, forcing them to do it right & that the coach cares about them.

With the following drill series we will demonstrate how we develop the kids in the above described way.
 Robert Bauer - Individual skills for young players

Drills

1. 1 - 0 + 1 touch floor dribbling

Coach rolls the basketball to the V-cutting player.

Getting a lower body position, body mobility & stability, learn to

protect the ball.

2. 1 - 0 chair drill

Basketballs on the chairs, take it means to protect it immediately!

With / without fake& than an

aggressive „sweep“ & quick hard long first step to the drive.
The first foot always goes behind the chair!

Coach forces the driver to protect the ball on the side far away from the
coach, using the body with elbows out!

3. 1 - 0 chair drill with crossover

Take the ball, protect it, fake & drive, after a first step make a deep low
cross over and than a hard drive to the basket.

The first foot always goes behind the chair & the crossover is always
lower than the chair!

Coach forces the driver to protect the ball on the side far away from the
coach, using the body with elbows out!
 Robert Bauer - Individual skills for young players
4.
Protect the ball and fake,
Read the defense and react
5.
Entry after v-cut, pin & pop out,
protect & fake, read & react
6.
Dribble on the spot, read the
defense & drive
1 – 1 touch the cone drill
Ballhandler has to protect the ball, fake & read without moving his feet!

Balance & body position!
After touching the cone the def. is live & tries to get the ball without
fouls.
Variations:
a. Crossover dribble – one dribble
b. Onside dribble – two dribbles
- Different angles to the basket
- Count your baskets - five is winning!
1 – 1 touch the cone drill after v-cut
Always facing & fake! (We like to have a backpivot first!)
Same like above, but find the open side & start with a crossover / onside
dribble, but no travel, watch the steps!

Get free, facing skills, drives & protect the ball while you drive to the
basket!
1 – 1 touch the cone drill – start with dribble on the spot
Same like the drills above, but we start with a dribble now.

Drives out oft the dribbles & protect the ball while you drive to the
basket!
 Robert Bauer - Individual skills for young players

7. 1 – 1 decision making drill series

Learn to react on the def. behaviour!

a.) def. comes vs. no / slow close out

b.) attack the front foot / the arm up side
c.) fake the def. (after proper defensive close out) – read & react
d.) various decisions: slow, sprint close out & attack the front foot
e.) all decisions

Now with a dribble:

f.) reach from def. & drive (onside = drive same side; crossover reach =
crossover & drive)

Coach freezes when the decision was wrong
repetition!

8. 2 x 1-1+1 => 2 x get free & 1-1

Get free against several (2-3) denying defenders under intensive
defence pressure!

With the last ball play a hard 1-1!

Important: Get free at the 3-point line!

Variation: Competition you vs. the def. team!

9. 1 – 1 hustle & dive drill

Both fighting for the ball, whoever gets it has to face & fake first!
Maximum Rebound-Rule: Score until the defence got the ball, each
basket counts!

Test your drills under maximum pressure & intensity!

Learn to fight for the ball!

Hustle & dive for the ball, once you
have the ball: always face & fake
first
 Robert Bauer - Individual skills for young players

10. 1 – 1 +1 assist
If you score you get 2 pts., if you cannot have a good shot, pass the ball
back to your passer.
If the passer hits his shot (only one!), each one has a pt!
If no one scores, the def. is on offence now!

Remember: When the passer moves, he has to do his cuts according to

the offence automatics!

Get open & play 1-1, if you can’t get
Prove your skills & decision making: Drive & 1-1 or give a good pass!
a good shot pass back to the passer
Moving without the ball!

Offence automatics means rules for the movement (here without the ball) effective for all sets in basketball. They are
depending on true actions of the ballhandler, the reactions of the defence & go on automatically.
The issue is to solve situations with guidelines & make the movements more systematic than instinctive or relating to the
experience.

11.
Offence automatics for
perimeter players

Practice 2-0 / 3 – 0 first!

Baseline drive = baseline drift Baseline drive = replace if ballside

Guard replace

Middle drive / create spacing, then

if necessary backdoor cut etc.
 Robert Bauer - Individual skills for young players

12.
Offence automatics for 1
perimeter & 1 inside
player

Practice 2-0 / 3 – 0 first!

Curl middle Step out, Step up on ballside

penetration

Curl tot he opposite Backboard

corner

13 1-1+1-1 assist live

1-1 after the entry pass, positions are from point & wing.

Assist count as 1 pt.!

Offensive rebound double the next basket!

Prove your skills & decision making: Drive & 1-1, if the helpside
is with you
give a good pass!

Moving without the ball (offence automatics), read the def.!

 Robert Bauer - Individual skills for young players

14. 1-1+1-1 + Coach assist live

1-1+1-1+ passing coach at the point & 2 wing positions.

Assist count as 1 pt.!

Offensive rebound double the next basket!

Prove your skills & decision making: Drive & 1-1, if the helpside
is with you
give a good pass!

Moving without the ball (offence automatics), read the def.!

15a. 2-2+2 full court transition drill

Learn to play the transition (off. & def.!), especially the initial, to
pass the outlet & pass the ball ahead!

15b. 2-2+2 full court transition drill

Try to find the open man with the give & go / trailer cut, learn to
V-cut to get open & to swing the ball to create close outs &
isolations!

Learn to find the offence automatics in a game-like situation.

Variations: Play 2-2 post-up or pick & roll after the swing, play your
secondary break options.
 Robert Bauer - Individual skills for young players

16. 3 – 3 half court

Learn all fundamentals in a 3-3 situation.

a.) 3 -0 cut & fill (passing game)

b.) 3 – 3 cut & fill (passing game)
c.) 3 – 0 offense automatics (only perimeter players)
d.) 3 – 3 offense automatics (only perimeter players)
e.) 3 – 0 cut & fill + penetrate & pass
f.) 3 – 3 cut & fill + penetrate & pass
… go on like that with 1 inside & 2 perimeter players…

17. 3 – 3 full court transition drill

Learn to play all the fundamentals in a 3-3 more game like

situation.