Basketball practice plan for 8 and 9 year olds (45 minutes)

🏀 Basketball · ages 8–9 · 45 minutes · 10 players · 5 balls

1. 0:007 min

   Warm-up Warm-up

   Jog on the spot, Arm circles, Skipping, Jump and stick. About a minute each, easy first, then a little bigger.

2. 0:078 min

   Drill Shooting spots

   X playerO partner or defender— run- - pass∿ dribble

   Set up. Five cones in an arc a few steps from the hoop. A pair at each cone, one ball. Gear: a ball a pair, five cones a hoop. With your players that is 5 groups of about 2.

   1. The shooter shoots from the cone; the partner rebounds and passes back.
   2. Three shots, then swap.
   3. On the whistle, every pair moves one cone round.

   Say: “Catch ready” · “Square up” · “Follow your shot”

   Easier: Cones closer in; any shot that touches the rim counts as a good one. Harder: Shoot off a pass, a quick jump stop, then the shot.

3. 0:158 min

   Drill Jump stop and pivot

   Set up. Everyone along the baseline, a ball each, spread out so nobody touches. Gear: a ball each.

   1. Dribble forward at a jog.
   2. On the whistle, catch the ball and land on both feet at once, knees bent: a jump stop.
   3. Keep one foot glued to the floor and turn on it: that is a pivot.
   4. Pivot forward, pivot back, then go again.

   Say: “Two feet land” · “Knees soft” · “Glue one foot”

   Easier: No ball: jog, hop to a stop, freeze like a statue. Harder: After the pivot, make a pass to a partner, then sprint to get it back.

4. 0:232 min

   Water Water break

   Everybody drinks, in the shade if there is some.

5. 0:258 min

   Drill One-hand form shooting

   Set up. Pairs at each hoop, one step from the basket on either side. One shoots, one rebounds. Gear: a ball a pair, every hoop you have. With your players that is 5 groups of about 2.

   1. Ball on your shooting hand, elbow under it, the other hand off to the side.
   2. Bend your knees, push up, and finish with your wrist bent down like reaching into a cookie jar.
   3. Five shots, then swap with your rebounder.
   4. Take one step back when you make three in a row.

   Say: “Elbow in” · “Legs first” · “Hold the finish”

   Easier: Shoot at a lower target (a box or a hoop on a door) and use a smaller ball. Harder: Two shots from each of three spots, the same distance away.

6. 0:338 min

   Game 3-on-3 half court

   Set up. Games of three against three to one hoop. With more than six, run a game at every hoop, or two games across a court. Gear: a ball and a hoop a game, pinnies. With your players that is 2 groups of about 6.

   1. Play to one hoop. After a basket or a defensive catch, take the ball back past the cone before you score.
   2. Player-to-player defense only: everyone guards one player.
   3. Every three minutes, a new mix of teams, so everybody plays everybody.
   4. Coaches keep the score on paper or don't keep it at all.

   Say: “Pass and cut” · “Find your player” · “Talk”

   Easier: Two passes before a shot, and defenders keep their hands behind their backs. Harder: Every player must touch the ball before a shot.

7. 0:414 min

   Cool-down Cool-down

   Reach for your toes, Butterfly. About a minute each, easy first, then a little bigger.

Every plan here has a water break, two in practices over an hour (our rule). On hot days the CDC says to drink more water than usual without waiting to be thirsty, to start slowly and build up, and to practice when it is cooler. cdc.gov: Heat and Athletes. Head knocks and concussion: read CDC HEADS UP, the CDC's page for coaches and parents. cdc.gov/heads-up