Youth league coaches should focus on developing fundamental basketball skills in their players before attempting to teach complex offensive strategies.
Coaching Offense in Youth League Basketball
Youth league offense is typically disorganized and usually leads to only a few points each game. Offensive plays can often be very hard to master, making them near impossible to teach to players of vary skill levels. The best practice for coaching youth league offensive basketball is therefore to focus on developing fundamental skills.
Dribbling is a fundamental aspect of basketball. Youth league coaches should require their players to practice dribbling skills. Dribbling drills can be as simple as jogging from one end of the court to the other end dribbling the basketball. The youth league coach might also set up cone and have the players take turns dribbling the basketball while weaving through the cones. Coaches might also have their players dribble while being guarded by a defensive player to prepare the players for dribbling in a game situation.
Passing is another fundamental skill which youth league coaches should teach. Younger players with relatively few skills should learn to chest pass and bounce pass to a teammate. Coaches might make two lines with players facing each other and simply have the players pass a basketball back and forth. Coaches might also have two players pass the basketball back and forth while running the court (without dribbling) to sharpen passing skills. If the players are more advanced, the coach might have two players perform the same drill while being guarded by one defensive man.
Youth league coaches should also teach shooting. Youth league players might not be advanced enough to understand and apply proper shooting mechanics, but coaches can attempt to correct major problems with shooting form. Lay up drills and free throws are essential youth league practice activities. Lay up lines allows the players to practice making shots underneath the basket. Coaches can teach players the proper place to shoot the basketball (off of the backboard square) to increase the chances of making the basket. Free throw drills are also important because they allow youth league players to practice making open shots in front of the basket. This develops an essential skill which can be expanded with time and practice. Players who are adept at making open shots in front of the basket can later learn to make open shots from other areas of the floor, and can then learn to make shots while covered.
Coaches of older youth might choose to implement some form of offensive system. The most basic offensive system is the rotating triangle. The rotating triangle is a basic method to bring movement into the offense. To implement this system, have the point guard dribble the ball down the court. Place one player at the top of the lane on the free throw line. Place one player on each side of the basket near the baseline. The remaining player is on the baseline near the three point corner. Teach the lane players to count three and then rotate. The player on the free throw line rotates to a baseline position. The player who he replaces shifts across the lane to the other baseline position. The player he replaces shifts to the free throw line. The remaining wing player should run the baseline with each rotation. Instruct the point guard to first look to the player on the free throw line and then look to the player running the baseline. Once a pass is made to either of these players, instruct them to look for an open player underneath the basket, or drive toward the basket if they have a clear path. This basic offensive system can be effectively implemented by older youth league players. The offense will likely confuse many youth league defenses because organized offensive movement is not typically taught in youth basketball. It is essential; however, that players have a solid grasp on fundamental basketball skills before any offensive scheme will be implemented effectively.
