Newsletter #261

Today's Theme... Pre-Game Warm-up Drills

Coaches are often looking for good pre-game warm-up drills.  You could use any of your favorite drills that get players moving, hustling and sweating a little.  If your team habitually gets off to a slow start, review your pre-game drills and make sure players are not loafing.  Warm-ups are for getting ready to play.

In addition, make sure to get in some free-lance shooting with players shooting the shots they are likely to get in the game (and a few free throws).  Involve your assistants in warm-ups, making sure there is energy and hustle.

This email links to several helpful drills.

Lay-up Drills - choose one of these lay-up drills:

• Classic 2-Line Layup Drill
• 3-Line Layup Drill
• Vanderveer 3-Line Backdoor Layup Drill.

Close-outs, Defense Drills - select a good, quick close-out drill.  See:

• Simple Close-out Drill
• Arico Close-Out Drill.

For m2m defense (on-ball, deny, helpside, etc) we have used the 4-on-4-on-4 live shell drill.  

Shooting Drills - Here are a couple shooting drills.

• Cutter Shooting Drill
• Endline Cutter Shooting Drill

7-Man Half-Court or 3-on-2 Drills - players will be going 3-on-2.  You can either start this with three lines near half-court (straight 3-on-2), or you can start on the baseline with just one player in the middle, and two lines on opposite sides - the diagram shows the later.

Defenders 4 and 5 are in a stacked position.  1 outlet passes to 3 (or 2). All three offensive players sprint or speed dribble to the half-court line, touch the line and then turn around and go 3-on-2 vs the two defensive players.

The player who gets the rebound or steal, runs quickly out-of-bounds in the center under the basket (where 1 started initially) and then passes inbounds to either of the next two players in line (either 6 or 7).

The four who did not get the rebound immediately yell "defense".  The first two to yell it become the next two defenders on that end and the other two go to the ends of the two lines on opposite sides.

Full-Court Weave Drill -  If your opponent leaves the court (e.g. returns to the locker-room), take advantage of the full-court. We have often used the old-fashioned 3-person weave drill. Make sure players are running wide, sprinting and communicating (passer calls out receiver's name).

See Pre-game Warm-up Drills.