Basketball Drills for Youth

Basketball is a fun game to play, especially for kids and youngsters. Most kids take to basketball after watching their favorite stars slam dunking it in NBA league games. Kids step on the basketball court with dreams of becoming future Michael Jordans, Kobi Bryants and Shaquille O'Neals. Introducing kids to the right kind of beginner basketball drills is very important in order to ensure that their playing skills develop in a systematic way. On that note, we will have a look at some very basic basketball drills for youth in the following sections of this article.

Beginner Basketball Drills for Youth
Here are some basic basketball drills for beginners which are aimed at introducing kids and youngsters to basic ball handling, dribbling, as well as shooting and jumping fundamentals.

Drill #1
The objective of this drill is to develop ball control and improve ball handling. Stand at a fixed spot on the basketball court. Set a countdown timer of two minutes. Once the countdown starts, continuously keep on bouncing the ball on the ground with your right hand. Control the bounce and the ball position and make sure that you do not miss the ball. Focus on getting a good idea about the bounce height and the rebound action of the ball. Once you're done with two minutes using your right hand, repeat the same drill using your left hand.

Drill #2
The objective of this drill is to develop a balance between player movement, ball control and handling. Stand under one basketball hoop and face the opposite hoop (at the other end of the court). Using your right hand, slowly walk towards the opposite end of the court while bouncing the ball with your right hand. You should be able to co-ordinate your movement and the ball bounce simultaneously and must not let the ball slip out of your hands. Initially, you may feel that you are moving at a snail's pace, but that's normal with all beginners. Perfection of technique is of primary importance, speed will come with further practice. Once you reach the other end of the court, turn back and repeat the same exercise towards the starting point. Perform this drill in three sets with your right hand. Once you are done with the right hand, perform three sets with your left hand.

Drill #3
The objective of this drill is developing the art of shielding the ball from your opponent. Two people are involved in this drill. Your objective is to use your right hand to dribble the ball and keep it with you for a time period of two minutes. Your opponent's objective is to intercept your dribble and get hold of the ball. While dribbling, make sure that you use your fingertips to control the ball and not the palm of your hand. Also, turn a bit to the side while dribbling so that you can use your body as a shield as well.

Drill #4
This drill also needs to be done in pairs. Two people should position themselves on the basketball court such that they are facing the same hoop and there is a good amount of distance between them. Player one shoots at the hoop. If the ball rebounds off the hoop, player two chases it, gets hold of it, dribbles till he gets to a comfortable spot, and shoots at the hoop. If the ball rebounds, player one gets hold of it and continues with the above-mentioned process. Perform this drill for a time period of two minutes while ensuring that you cover different areas of the court.

Drill #5
In this drill, the objective is 'hop-step-jump'. The player should stand a few feet away from the basketball hoop. Hop-step-jump is a three step process in which the player has to hop, then take a further step, before launching into a jump to shoot the hoop. Remember, if you're shooting with your right hand, you must take off on your left foot and vice-versa. This is a drill that requires a good amount of practice until it can be perfected.

These were a few basic basketball drills for youth which can be of help to kids and youngsters who have newly laid foot on a basketball court. At the same time, you can also google on the Internet to learn about a few more interesting youth basketball tips and tricks. Go on then, shoot some hoops!