Basketball Drill - Take The Charge Defensive Drill

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Defensive player under the basket in helpside against the yellow coach. Blue line is offense. Place a floor mat under the basket to cushion the fall for the defender.

The Drill: First player in the blue line dribbles to the hoop for the lay-up. Stress that the offensive player must take it all the way to the hoop and make contact with the defender. The defender steps into the offensive player's lane, plants his/her feet with a wide stance and braces for the contact. Teach the defender that when the contact occurs, avoid injury by just "sitting down" on the mat, with the butt making initial contact with the floor, not the back or shoulders. Immediately after the contact, the defensive player pops back up quickly, the offensive player moves to back of the line, and the next blue player drives for the next contact. Have each player, defend 5 or 6 in a row.

Pointers:

2. Make sure the feet are planted, and that the defender does not move, turn the hips or shoulders, etc. The only movement should be the backward fall when contact is made. Any other movement may result in a blocking foul instead of a charge.

3. The defender should be vocal and yell when the contact occurs ("OH!!!")... and make an academy award "flop" back onto the mat! You've got to sometimes sell it to the ref.

4. Use an extra manager or assistant under the basket to help catch the offensive player after contact is made, to avoid injury.

5. Advise your players that since the officials do not always call the charging foul, it is best not to take the charge if you are in foul-trouble. It's a judgement call and you are at the mercy of the officials.

1. The closer the dribble-penetrator, the lower you get. By getting low, when you fall, it's only a "4-inch fall" to the floor.
   
   
2. Hold your forearm strongly across your body. Use your forearm in front of you to absorb the contact.
   
   
3. Fall on both cheeks. If you land on one cheek in a sideways manner, it will look like a block to the ref and you'll get the blocking foul.
   
   
4. Fall in the direction of the penetration. Again, if you fall sideways, it will look to the ref that you were not there and planted, and you'll get the foul.
   
   
5. When you fall, roll on your back and pull your feet up (feet facing upward) so that if the offensive player falls on you, you can absorb the contact with your feet and protect yourself.
   
   
6. When you fall, keep your hands up and take the contact with the forearm. Don't fall with your hands behind you, as this can result in a wrist or hand injury.
   
   
7. Finally, sell the charge to the ref by exhaling at the point of contact and letting out a groan.
   
   

Helpful DVD-Video

Five-Star Basketball: Defensive Philosophy & Drills for Successful Team Basketball with Lewis Howard, Five-Star Basketball Coach/Instructor; Largo HS (MD) Head Boys Basketball Coach. The high scoring offense at Largo High School is based on defensive pressure and forcing turnovers. Coach Howard opens with the half court shell drill. Elements included are jumping to the ball, help side, strong side, rotation and trapping the corner. Another drill that helps build team defense is the head on the ball drill. As the dribbler works up the floor, the defender stays in front of the ball, making the dribbler change directions. The drill ends with one-on-one play from half court. One of his signature trapping defenses is 25, which is a full court strategy when you let your man catch the ball in front and uses trapping. A straight man-to-man defensive system in the half court, 22, adds trapping in the half court. The two-on-one trap drill is a key drill for this system of play. Other drills address recovery, loose balls, taking the charge, and deflections... (more info) Price: $39.99

Helpful DVDs

	Five-Star Basketball: Defensive Philosophy & Drills for Successful Team Basketball with Lewis Howard, Five-Star Basketball Coach/Instructor; Largo HS (MD) Head Boys Basketball Coach. The high scoring offense at Largo High School is based on defensive pressure and forcing turnovers. Coach Howard opens with the half court shell drill. Elements included are jumping to the ball, help side, strong side, rotation and trapping the corner. Another drill that helps build team defense is the head on the ball drill. As the dribbler works up the floor, the defender stays in front of the ball, making the dribbler change directions. The drill ends with one-on-one play from half court. One of his signature trapping defenses is 25, which is a full court strategy when you let your man catch the ball in front and uses trapping. A straight man-to-man defensive system in the half court, 22, adds trapping in the half court. The two-on-one trap drill is a key drill for this system of play. Other drills address recovery, loose balls, taking the charge, and deflections... (more info) Price: $39.99
	Mike Anderson: '40 Minutes of Hell' (Vol. 2) with Mike Anderson, University of Missouri Head Coach. Hard play and pressure defense are the backbone of Coach Anderson's teams. Stance, hands, balance and closeness to the offensive player are very important principles to Anderson. Using an overhead, Anderson diagrams his defensive system. Ball pressure, anticipation, rotation and trapping are key terms in this system. On ball pressure, trapping corners on the baseline, making the sideline an extra man, using the half court line, trap with opportunity, and rotation round out the keys to this defensive. The progression of this defense starts with 1-on-1 defense by using the zig-zag drill. The run-and-jump can be added to the 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 drill. Other practice drills shared by Anderson show transition situations, sliding drills, 2-on-2, run and jump and 4-on-4... (more info) Price: $39.99
	Tom Izzo: Dominating Rebounding & Man-to-Man Defensive Drills By Tom Izzo, 2000 NCAA Champions, 3X National Coach of the Year. Coach Izzo shares one of the most dominating man-to-man defensive and rebounding systems in college basketball today. Izzo's teams have been among the nation's leaders in rebounding margin (+11.7) and scoring defense (58.9) since he took over in the '95-'96 season. The seven defensive drills that Izzo covers include... (more info) Price: $39.99
	Bob Huggins' Drills for Man-to-Man Defense with Bob Huggins, West Virginia University Head Coach; over 600 career wins; former University of Cincinnati Head Coach, '00-'01 National Coach of the Year, Conference USA "Coach of the Decade" (Cincinnati). In Coach Huggins' defense, the middle of the floor - the shoot - is an area where the ball is not allowed. Pushing the ball to the sideline is the goal of this defense... Every day Huggins runs a simple 2-on-2 drill to emphasize getting to the ball, or "sprint to help." The shell drill incorporates all of these principles and does not allow direct line passes. Another key drill is 1-one-1 closeout drill from basket to the top of the key. The help and recover/penetrate and pitch drill forces players to cover area and stresses closing out with hands up and denying penetration. The 3-on-1 close out drill forces the defender to react to the direction of the pass... (more info) Price: $39.99
	Roy Williams: The Carolina Defensive Numbering System & Drills with Roy Williams, University of North Carolina Head Coach, 2009 and 2005 National Champions, 4X Time National "Coach of the Year," Winningest Active Coach in College Basketball. In this incredibly comprehensive video, Coach Williams presents the five points of emphasis of his man-to-man defense. In breaking down the most critical areas of strong-side and weak-side man defense, Williams teaches how to deny penetration on the baseline, close traps on help-side, techniques for ball denial, close outs, fronting the post and denial of screens and back screens. Williams teaches the 20, 30 and 40 defensive numbering system that will create fits for teams at any level! He places special focus on pressuring the ball, proper on-ball and help-side stances, forcing the ball to the sideline, weakside defense, preventing ball reversals and stopping transition offense on every possession. His drills, ranging from one-on-one drills to five-on-five drills, will reinforce proper responsibilities and rotations within the defense. A must for all coaches who play tough man defense... (more info) Price: $39.99
	Jay Wright: Defensive Progression Drills & Techniques with Jay Wright, Villanova University Head Men's Basketball Coach, NCAA "Sweet 16" (2005), Philadelphia Big Five Eastern College Coach of the Year. Aggressive, no-nonsense defense is a trademark of Jay Wright's teams. Because of the great talent Villanova faces every game, Wright focuses on drills that will help contain quick, skilled ball handlers. This excellent teaching tool progresses from individual defensive stance, to one-on-one, two-on-two, and three-on-three in the half- and full-court. Wright stresses pressure on the ball, stance and vision away from the ball. The 2-on-2 "Whack Out" drill will show how to close out on shooters and still contain the ball handler. The term "line of the ball and level of the ball" are illustrated. The versatile 2-on-2 in the Post drill focuses on perimeter defense as well as defending the post. Helping on the post is a concept introduced once the offensive post has the ball inside. The cornerstones of the DVD are defending on the ball, jumping to the ball, playing cutters, playing off the ball and reading help. This has great application to high school and junior high basketball... (more info) Price: $39.99