My first lesson would be to teach basic ball handling, I start with the fundamentals of dribbling, focusing on control, proper form, and using both hands. Once theyāre comfortable, I move on to dribbling while moving, and then teach passing techniques like chest, bounce, and overhead passes with accuracy. I also emphasize ball security and introduce drills to improve agility. As they get better, I gradually make the drills more challenging and encourage daily practice to develop their skills. Most importantly, I keep the sessions fun to help build their confidence.
Overall, kids should receive a balanced practice focusing on warm-ups, ball handling, shooting, defense, passing, and teamwork. Practice should include scrimmages to apply skills in real-game scenarios, followed by a cool down. Throughout, I emphasize fun, repetition, and building confidence while improving individual skills and team play.
The third major lesson I teach is defensive fundamentals. I start by showing the proper defensive stanceāknees bent, back straight, and staying low. We focus on good footwork, practicing how to shuffle and move laterally without crossing our feet. I emphasize staying in front of the offensive player and using our positioning to force them into tough shots. We also work on keeping our hands active to challenge passes and shots, and I teach them how to play both on and off the ball for solid defense.
The second major lesson I teach is shooting fundamentals. I start by showing the proper shooting form, focusing on things like foot placement, balance, hand positioning, and the follow-through. We begin with close-range shots to build confidence and consistency before moving on to mid-range shots. I emphasize repetition, as the more they practice, the better their shooting becomes. Itās all about creating muscle memory and ensuring they develop good habits from the start.