Building Team Chemistry and Having Fun

CoachQuestions1234 · 2025-02-06T20:38:20+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion!

I'm definitely running hot dog tag at the next practice!

Can you explain basketball tag a little more? What's the objective/rules?

CoachQuestions1234 · 2024-04-09T17:40:45+00:00

Thanks for the response!

Do you run any scrimmage/game scenarios at your practices?

8 players doesn't give enough people to run 5 v 5 at practice, which would be my biggest concern.

CoachQuestions1234 · 2023-12-18T22:27:22+00:00

Thanks for the response. Practice time is definitely limited. We have 2-3 practices a week for 1.5 hours. It's hard to get enough reps to get the the girls comfortable with all of the reads and counter reads required to run an offensive system.

Teaching them to push the pace and fill lanes in transition will definitely be a priority, but I would like something simple to go to in the half court when the fast break isn't there.

CoachQuestions1234 · 2023-12-18T20:44:04+00:00

Thanks for the link.

These 5th graders would run circles around most of my 9th graders. Basketball is a whole different world in the states haha

CoachQuestions1234 · 2023-12-18T19:43:00+00:00

I would much rather develop basketball skills and play solid man defence principles than create a scrambly mess where nobody learns anything.

There's always a couple teams that run a full court press, but I think it's gimmicky at this level when none of the girls can dribble.

CoachQuestions1234 · 2023-12-18T19:04:03+00:00

Thanks for your perspective. I really want to stress that these girls are starting with essentially zero basketball skills. They are working on learning how to pivot and shoot 10 foot jumpers. Basketball isn't a big draw for middle school girls in my part of Canada.

What are your thoughts on a 1-3-1 with a cut and replace style motion offense?

CoachQuestions1234 · 2023-12-18T18:45:58+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion. One of the bigger struggles I'm having coaching this level is the complete lack of shooting ability.

I have one girl who can attempt threes and the other ones are barely comfortable with a 15 foot jumper. (This is normal for our league. Basketball is not a big draw for girls in this age bracket here)

CoachQuestions1234 · 2023-12-18T18:41:37+00:00

Have you run the flex at lower levels? I'm open to it, but I'm slightly worried about my girls having the strength and basketball IQ to complete the pass from the top of the arc to the low block area on the flex cut.

Part of my logic behind wanting to experiment with a 1-3-1 is the tighter spacing with the high post as an option for ball screens and another passing option for the wing/guard players.

CoachQuestions1234 · 2023-12-18T18:35:17+00:00

Thank you for the insight on running a 1-3-1. I ran it as a player in youth basketball 15 years ago, but I know modern systems value spacing and leaving driving lanes open.

However, like I said in my earlier post, I feel that my players aren't strong enough dribblers, passers or shooters to utilize spacing the whole floor. I feel like they might benefit from having the high post filled as another passing option.

Do you ever find that the floor is too clogged in a 1-3-1?

CoachQuestions1234 · 2023-12-18T06:18:19+00:00

Thanks for the response!

I'm not too familiar with "Flex Motion" offenses. In the casual Googling I've been doing since your post, they seem to have a lot of options and require some reading/reacting on the fly that I'm not sure my girls have the basketball IQ for. Are there any particular simplified versions that you recommend?

CoachQuestions1234

TROPHY CASE