Aspiring basketball players need to refuse to accept the perception of limitations. We have all seen and heard stories, like the Vince Papale inspired movie Invincible, that depict real life instances of athletes defying the odds and achieving things that they were told were not possible. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school team as a sophomore, and he used that as motivation to practice on his own for hour upon hour. He said that when he got tired he would conjure a mental image of that list on the locker room door that didn’t have his name on it, and that would help him dig down a little deeper and keep practicing.

It is important to instill this kind of desire in your players and give them every opportunity to reach their true potential as an athlete and youth basketball player. Improved jumping ability can help athletes in nearly every facet of the game.

Below are some tips for proper basketball jumping techniques as well as some fun drills for your youth basketball team’s practice. You can also find more free basketball skills & drills videos and tutorials online at websites like Weplay.com.

Benefits Of Improved Jumping Ability

* You become a better rebounder.
* The release point of your jump shot is higher.
* Your shot blocking ability is increased.
* You can shoot closer to the basket when you are near it.

Youth Basketball Drills

* Jumping Rope
Jumping rope is one of the best things that a player can do to improve his or her ability to jump quickly and to jump higher. Youth basketball is a game that requires a great deal of overall coordination, and jumping form relies on it as well. Jumping rope will significantly improve a player’s coordination, give them some aerobic exercise, and add inches to their vertical leap as they condition themselves to leave the ground quicker.

* Running The Stairs
The stronger your legs are, the better they are going to be able to propel you. When you have players run up and down stairs in the gym or up and down the steps of the bleachers at the football field, they are strengthening their legs and conditioning themselves to feel as though merely jumping on a flat surface is very easy. Plus, strenuous aerobic exercise is going to keep their weight down, and the less weight you are trying to lift off the ground the higher you are going to be able to jump on the basketball court.

If you are not sure how to do a particular drill, then the best way to learn how to do it is to ask for help from your coach or a fellow youth basketball player on your team. Once you have learned the basic set up of the drill, then you need to practice the drills as much as possible in order to make sure that you have the drills down well.

Here are some drills that you can practice at home:

* The fingertip drill – This is where you pass the ball back and forth in your hands. However, you only use your fingertips.

* Wall dribbling – This is where you dribble the ball against the wall. Make sure your arm is at a 90 degree angle and alternate hands.

* Jump rope – Jumping rope helps you improve hand eye coordination and also helps you speed up your footwork. Basketball is all about speed on the court.

* It is also important to practice other dribbling drills such as the cross over, hesitation, behind the back, and between your legs.

Practicing is the key. If you are practicing basketball drills alone, you can also work on your ball handling drills. These drills can be practiced alone and will help you tremendously during a basketball game.

Part of the problem that people do not work on defense is because they do not know any good defensive drills that they can do to practice good defensive skills. Here are some drills that you can do to help you and your team perform better.

The Slide Drill is a useful exercise that builds stamina. In this drill, the player (or players) begin in a defensive stance – in a good defensive stance, the player stands with his weight on the balls of his feet, knees slightly bent, and arms raised to block any passes or shots – and the coach points either left or right. The player then follows the coach by sliding in the given direction, without crossing his legs and remaining on the balls of his/her feet.

The Suicide Drill also increases stamina. In this drill the player (or players) sprint back and forth from the baseline to the lines on the court, starting and the closet one and working your way to the opposite baseline.

The Hop Drill will increase a player’s jumping ability which will help them block shots and rebound. In this drill, the player stands on one leg and hops from the baseline to the free-throw line, then switches legs and hops back. Repeat as needed.

The Rebound Drill helps a player to get rebounds. In this drill, two defensive players stand in the key with two offensive players on the outside. The coach shoots the ball and all four players try for the rebound. The defensive players have to box out and prevent the offensive players from getting the ball.

The Fast Break Prevent Drill helps defensive players to be in position to prevent an easy layup when the offensive team has more players and is moving towards the basket. This drill is either 3 offensive versus 2 defensive players, or 2 offensive versus 1 defensive. The defending team has to keep at least one player lower then any of the offensive players and force the offensive team to make outside shots.

The Full- court Press Drill is a drill where the defenders try to pressure the offensive team and force them to commit a turnover. One defender plays on the ball while other defenders try to force the offensive player into a danger zone – a prime danger zone are the corners right past the half-court line, where the offense cannot go backward nor towards the sideline. Another good spot are the opposite sideline corner, where the player has to worry about the 10 second rule. The third and final prime zones for applying pressure are the corners under the offensive player’s basket.

Quickness is a key to playing basketball. Drills that make a player change direction quickly at the sound of the whistle can improve their quickness. Shuffle from side to side and running forward and back without crossing your legs will improve your defense. The changing direction in a hurry will also help your offense.

Dribbling drills using both hands are important. A player that can dribble with either hand and go in either direction is twice the player as a one dimensional or direction player. Practice going the other direction and dribbling with your off hand. Put a defender on the court to keep the dribbler honest.

Practice moving without the ball. Make quick breaks to the basket and continue through. Fake out and break always opening yourself up for the ball. You have to be quick to lose your defender.

Practice shooting off of a pass. Catch and shoot. Spring up with a good jump shot after catching the ball. Practice squaring up and shooting while somebody passes you the ball. Basketball is a game of split seconds. You have to be able to shoot before the defender gets there.

Let’s start with a fun combined basketball drill; it is practicing a lay-up while working on your dribbling skills. First throw the ball in the air to yourself, catch the ball as if you were in a game, dribble in zigzags up and down a court or driveway, stand in that one spot the do a crossover and run in for the lay-up. If an individual practices this drill in different forms (switching directions) this will be a very fun and effective drill, before you know it, you will be an expert at these kinds of moves and be a threat on the court.

Another fun drill would be to stand under the basket on one side and throw the ball off the backboard to the other side and run and catch the ball, pivot off of your foot and shoot the ball in, repeat this process for 20 times each side. This works out your footwork and softens up your hands so the ball is easier to catch. When you feel that this is working well for you add the zigzag dribbling, run to the 3 point line and shoot it in. This is also a very fun drill that is highly effective.

There are many other fun drills that you can practice to step up your game, the more fun the better it is. Basketball is a workout sport, so take the proper precautions while you are practicing drills.

But shooting in a practice or by yourself at a neighborhood court is very different to shooting in a game. In a game, a player’s shooting form needs to be automatic – they can’t be thinking about how to shoot, trying to get their elbows under the ball, gauging the arc needed. The shooting technique needs to come naturally, which is why coaches stress perfect practice, over and over.

It’s called muscle memory – if you make your muscles perform in the same way, same set of movements, repetitively, they will naturally perform those movements whenever the player starts the shooting motion. Basic shooting drills need to emphasize this – good mechanics, good form, every time.

But there are a few other aspects to shooting – other than decent shooting form – that are necessary for shooting success in a game, and this is what your more advanced shooting drills need to accomplish. More advanced shooting drills need to include focus on:

1.  A quick release. When an offensive play is run well, and a player is able to ditch his defensive man by running him off a pick or giving him a good fake, the offensive player will pop into position alone, ready for the pass. But he’ll only have a second or two alone, and so when that pass comes, the offensive player needs to be ready to turn and fire immediately – not rushed, but calm and smooth. To be calm and sure when shooting under fire, the player needs to practice like this – he needs to practice receiving the pass, squaring to the hoop, bringing the ball up and shooting – all in one clean, quick motion. Because if he waits any longer, the defense will be on him.

2.  Good court vision. Sometimes it’s a good time to shoot; sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes it’s better to fake and drive. And sometimes someone else is in a better position to shoot and they should get the pass.  Good court vision means seeing what is happening all around you, and adjusting accordingly. Have players run drills in which they have to choose – e.g., in one-on-one situations, if the defensive man charges, the offensive player fakes a shot and drives on him; but if the defensive man lays back, the offensive player takes the shot. Practice reading the defense.

3.  Choosing your shot. Players need to shoot from where they would in the game. Big men will rarely be taking three point shots; similarly, guards will rarely be trying a drop step inside the key. Why waste valuable practice time teaching skills to players who will almost certainly not be given the opportunity to use them in a game.

A player on the court who can’t be trusted to shoot is a black hole for the team – nobody wants to give him the ball. And while good form is important to a consistent shot and needs to be taught and reinforced, if a player doesn’t have a quick release, an eye for the court, and a knowledge of his shooting strengths, even the best form will fall flat more times than not.

Remember, a free throw is the only shot during the game when it is guaranteed that you will not be guarded. You are limited, therefore, only by your own ability to make the shot. Visualize success at the free throw line, and be confident.

All of the keys to good shooting obviously apply to shooting free throws. You should be balanced in a good athletic stance with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Shoot with the ball in the pads of your hands and fingers, not your palm. Follow through by envisioning your hand slapping the front of the rim. Unlike regular game shooting, free throw shooting success will be improved by establishing and following a routine. When you are handed the basketball, do the same thing on every attempt. Dribble the same number of times. Spin the ball backward in your hands. Whatever you choose to do, do it on every shot.

If you play enough games, it is a given that one will come down to late game free throw shooting. When you are trailing, free throws give you the chance to make up ground with the clock stopped. If you are ahead, your opponent may foul your team’s least capable free throw shooter, hoping they will miss. It is critical that players at every position become capable free throw shooters. Nothing feels quite as good as knocking down late game pressure free throws to put your team ahead or seal a victory.

Below are some tips for improved free throw shooting as well as some fun drills for your youth basketball team’s practice. You can also find more free basketball skills & drills videos and tutorials online at websites like Weplay.com.

Basketball Free Throw Shooting Tips

* Be balanced in a good, athletic stance with your knees slightly bent, and your feet slightly more than shoulder width apart.
* Develop a routine and use it every time you shoot a free throw.
* Keep your eyes on the back of the rim during your shot. Do not watch the flight of the ball.
* Shoot only with your dominant hand and use your off hand for support only.
* The power of your shot should come from your legs, not your arms.
* Shoot with the ball in the pads of your hands and fingers, not in the palm.
* Extend your shooting arm and follow through as if you hand is slapping the front of the rim. This will provide the proper backspin.

Free Throw Shooting Basketball Drills

* Seven Up
Line 6 to 12 players up at the free throw line. The goal of this game is to NOT get to seven points. The first player shoots a free throw. If the shot is made, one point becomes available. The next player shoots. If that shot is made, two points are available. When a player misses, they collect all the points available, and the points go back to zero. When a player reaches seven points, they are out, and the others continue. The last one in is the winner.

* Free Throws On the Jog
This is a free throw shooting drill that includes some conditioning to mimic game play by having players shoot when they are fatigued. Players partner up with a ball. One player shoots free throws while his/her partner jogs around the court. When the shooter had made five free throws, they call for their partner and trade. You can go through as many times as you like. Have jogging players help rebound as they jog past each basket. Also, you can have your joggers dribble a ball for some extra ball handling practice.

The first drill has proven to work in the past, what you do is to get a friend or teammate and one player starts with the ball under the basket, the other player spots up from any spot on the floor then the ball is passed to the shooter who catches the ball low with his knees bent and shoots a jump shot, then they grab your own rebound while the passer now spots up to shoot.

Another drill is very simple, stand at the free throw line and keep taking the free throw shots, run to get your rebound then go back to the line and do it again. This is also another great shooting drill, it helps you practice your free throw shots and rebounds at the same time, if you have a friend or teammate with you, have them throw you the ball the initial time for your shot and if you miss try to beat them out for the rebound and run back to the free throw line and shoot the ball.

Range shooting is very important, the easiest way to practice this is just play the game of around the world from the 3 point line or pretty close to it and this will steadily increase you range shooting skills, if you have someone around, have them try to block your shots when you are ready for that point in your long shot training.

Basketball is a very competitive sport, without being able to shoot, makes it that much harder. If an individual follows these shooting drills with hard work they will become a great shooter on the court.