Here are two [tag]basketball youth drills[/tag] that I use constantly. One is called“  “Shark in the Water” and the other is “Full Court Knockout”. I have kids that ask to do these drills continually.

For Shark in the Water, I put all the players inside the 3-point line with a [tag]basketball[/tag], then I take the ball away from two players. It is their job to go play defense on another player until they are able to steal the ball away. Then whoever the ball was taken away from becomes the new ‘shark.’ I do this drill for about 5 minutes at a time. This has taught my players defense – from moving their feet to stealing the ball, protecting the ball, double teaming, moving with the ball, and many other things.

Here is how we play “full court knockout.” It’s played the regular way of playing knockout, but when you get out at one basket, you go to the other one and so on until there is only one player left at one of the baskets.

It works for conditioning as well as shooting and rebounding. The players are almost always moving continually. They get so much running in during a game!

Would you like to contribute coaching tip of your own and share it with our community? Leave a comment in the box below now! And for more practice suggestions, check out this youth basketball drills article I just completed.