As young athletes prepare for basketball season, they can use a variety of drills to help improve their skills on the court. Look over these 25 effective drills that will help with basic fundamentals, dribbling skills, and many other types of practices. Whether you need a drill for beginners or an advanced ballhandling drill, you can find some beneficial information to use to help your middle school team improve.
1. Pro-Lane Agility Drill
Middle school coaches can use this drill to strengthen agility. This drill setup is easy and only needs cones to set a path for basketball players to practice. This beginner drill is good for those needing to boost their speed.
Learn more: National Academy of Sports Medicine
2. Demantha Drill
Coaching Tips recommend this be used as a warm-up before a basketball game. It is a good drill to use with a defensive player and an offensive player. This basketball passing drill is fast-paced and a good conditioning drill for focusing on defending the hoop.
Learn more: Teach Hoops
3. Dribble Relays
This simple drill is perfect for improving dribbling and ball handling. It is one of the basic drills to help basketball players develop effective dribble moves. Also an excellent drill for improving non-dominant hand control while dribbling, students can focus on improving their control of handling the ball. This is good for team building as well.
Learn more: Jr. NBA
4. Shooting Line Drill
Crank up the competition and work on team building as you make this basketball shooting drill a fun game! Improve the essential skill of shooting while the coach sets the stop point where students will practice form at each turn. Move students around to get practice with quick shooting skills.
Learn more: Jr. NBA
5. Around the World
This childhood favorite is a fun basketball shooting game. This is a good time to work on proper shooting form and quick shooting skills. Students can become more comfortable with all areas around the hoop, as they rotate around the court.
Learn more: The Inspired Treehouse
6. Ball Slap Drill
This ball slap exercise is good for helping middle school basketball players improve their skills with ball handling. This fundamental skill is a great way to warm up before practice each day. This is a good way to give students a warm-up with purpose.
Learn more: Team Snap
7. Shoot Until You Make It
This drill has many purposes. It can encourage teamwork and build encouragement throughout your team. It also helps to improve the skill of shooting and improves the conditioning of young athletes. It also includes dribbling and rebounding when the shots are missed. Students will keep shooting until they make it.
Learn more: Breakthrough Basjetballs
8. Basketball Drag Race
Basketball is an intense game and students must learn to think and act under pressure. This game can also encourage some friendly competition among students on the team. When the coach calls a number, that person from each side runs out to get a ball and score, and make it back to their spot before the other team.
Learn more: Breakthrough Basketball
9. Follow the Leader
Students will gain practice in shooting and proper form with this drill. Every player is doing something dependent on the player ahead of him/her. It is a fun way to practice slowing down enough to see proper form but also by staying with your team.
Learn more: Breakthrough Basketball
10. The "Hero" Drill
This passing drill is a great way to improve reaction time and chest passes. It is a fast-paced and continuous drill that will help students speed up their basketball skills. As players rotate positions in this drill, they will work on ball control and passing and receiving.
Learn more: Sports Rec
11. Scoring Duos Drill
This drill is ideal for practicing offense. This shooting drill helps students focus on two-player offensive moves, all while scoring. This is an easy two-for-one to help improve offense and shooting skills.
Learn more: You Got Mojo
12. Ladder Agility Drill
Parallel lines form the outside of this ladder format. Use the ladder template to use as a guide for agility drills. You can buy agility ladders or make your own with tape. Practice agility with the left foot and right foot alternating as agility increases. Increase the difficulty level by implementing time limits.
Learn more: Youth Hoops 101
13. Lane Slides
This is a fun drill that can also be a fun game. While players race against the clock and each other, they are building speed and agility. Players are racing between two lines and sliding to touch each side. As they better their skills, take it up a notch by placing a time limit or challenging them to improve their current times.
Learn more: Youth Hoops 101
14. Wrap Battle
This ball-handling drill is fun and competitive. Players face off in this challenge as they improve ball-handling skills and go up against each other over and over. This will help increase stamina and endurance as well.
Learn more: You Got Mojo
15. Quick Draw Shooting Drill
This drill focus on shooting skills, all while working on how to think on your feet. Players work on shooting clutch shots and fast-acting responses. This is a fun way to end the practice.
Learn more: You Got Mojo
16. Defensive Drift Drill
This defensive drill is great for focusing on passing, defense, and shooting. This is a sneaky move that could trick the other team. With practice, this drill could be a great execution in your next game!
Learn more: Coaching Toolbox
17. Baby Jump Shots
As the coach or other players rebound, students can take turns practicing jump shots as they work on footwork and perfect form when shooting jump shots. Other players will also be able to practice rebounding and passing.
Learn more: Basketball Coach
18. Blocking Out of the Circle
This basketball rebounding drill is perfect for allowing players to practice defensive skills. This is a good time to provide coaching points and feedback to students as they work on improving defensive form and techniques.
Learn more: Basketball Coach
19. Dawg Passing Drill
This drill is more complex but can be easily accomplished with practice. It incorporates layups, shooting, rebounding, and passing. Coaches can make it more competitive by splitting the team into two groups.
Learn more: The Coaching Toolbox
20. Close Quarters Rebounding Drill
This rebounding drill is great for teams who need to practice rebounds and passing. It doesn't allow for dribbling in the actual drill. It can be made competitive if you split into two groups.
Learn more: Coaching Tool Box
21. Six Shot Shooting Drill
This drill allows players to experience many roles within the drill. Rebounding, shooting, dribbling, and passing are all focuses of this drill. It also encourages friendly competition among the team.
Learn more: Coaching Toolbox
22. Four Corner Run
Using four corners, baselines and sidelines, have students alternate shuffling and sprinting. As they practice baseline to halfcourt, they will improve agility and build stamina. You could add a ball and dribbling to this drill to practice correct fundamentals as well.
Learn more: Sports Rec
23. Free Throw Rebounds Drill
While one player shoots many shots from the free-throw line, the other players rebound the ball and work on defensive stance positions. Coach critiques would be helpful in this drill as it happens so that students can apply the feedback immediately. This is also a great chance for practicing proper shooting form.
Learn more: Sports Rec
24. Cone Dribbling
Dribbling is one of the most important basketball skills. Cone dribbling is a great way to promote ball handling skills. As students weave in and out of the cones, they must maintain control over the ball. Use this basketball weave drill to help beginners or to improve more advanced players.
Learn more Jr, NBA
25. T-Drill Sprint
Effective basketball drills focus on many aspects of strengthening players' skill sets. Speed and agility are essential skills for basketball players. This simple drill will help with both of these skills and can be beneficial for the entire team.
Learn more: National Academy of Sports Medicine
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