INTRAMURAL: 1ST AND 2ND GRADE GIRLS

Information about HHoops Intramural 1st and 2nd Grade Girls basketball can be found here, including resources related to: Objectives, Practice Sessions, Game Format and Rules, and Game Guidelines for Coaches. Expand each section below to learn more.

Objectives

The objectives of 2nd grade basketball are to build a solid foundation of fundamental skills and team concepts while encouraging teamwork, competitiveness and sportsmanship. In addition, 2nd grade basketball is focused on:

Progressing and having fun in short, fast-moving sessions.
Emphasizing and nurturing basic skills in fun, fast, game-like ways.
Teach man-to-man, 3v3 format (then move to 4v4).
Maximize contact with the basketball in active games or game-like drills.
Prepare children for 3rd grade basketball.
Having fun!

Practice Sessions

All practice sessions will be one hour in length. They should be divided into 3 parts after a 5 minute team warm up: Stations, Team Time, and Games. The Jr. NBA Instructional Curriculum is a helpful resource for practice planning.

More details about each part can be found below.

Warm Up (5 minutes):

Should involve dribbling and running.
Maximize contacts with the ball.
Make it fun, fast and varied from week to week.
If you do stretching, do it at the very end of the warm up NOT the beginning. Make sure they are warm before they stretch.

Station Work (20 minutes):

There should be a station at each basket.
Each station should be coaching a different skill and drill.
5 minutes per station switching on a whistle.
These need quick demonstration and right into motion.
These are groups of 3-5 players per basket.
There should be very little standing.
Instruct through the drill, and don’t freeze the activity if at all possible.
Stations remain the same for 3 week intervals then change.

Team Time and Games (30 minutes):

Weeks 1-3 (“Pre-season”) - Team Time is 30 minutes, and includes 20 minutes for instruction and drills, and 10 minutes for freeze scrimmaging and inter-squad play. Games against other teams start in week 4.

Guidelines:

Plan your practice time out in advance.
Make it fun. Keep it moving.
Pick 2-3 basic skills and drills a week and work on them.
Use your Team Time and Game Time to evaluate what you should work on in your next practice session.
Make the last 10-15 minutes games. Freeze the play when you need to teach or change something but do it quickly. For example, “TEAM! FREEZE! Johnny look where you are. Where is your man? Where should you be? Everyone adjust your position. PLAY!” 15-20 seconds and you’re moving again.
ASK QUESTIONS - if you have a problem, need ideas, ask us. HHOOPS is here to help.

Skills sets to emphasize:

Footwork (stance, pivot foot, triple threat position, squaring to the basket)
Dribbling (both hands, head up)
Passing (chest, bounce, overhead)
Shooting form
Short to mid range Shooting
Lay Ups from both sides of basket
Rebounding (positioning of hand and feet, boxing out, protecting ball)
Teamwork (offense and defense)
Defensive body positioning (staying between opponent and basket)
2 Defensive Fundamentals - “eyes on the ball, hand on your man” - “deny your man the ball. If he can’t get it, he can’t score”

Weeks 4-7 - Team time becomes 15 minutes and the last 15 is for 3V3 “man to man” games against the other team in the gym on the 8’ baskets.

Weeks 8-12 - 4v4 “man-to-man” on full court, 9’ baskets, 20 minute games

Week 13 - 4v4 Tournament - full court, 9’ baskets

Teams will split into 2 groups and play a game on both courts.
- In weeks 4-7, teams will split into 2 groups and play a game on both courts.
- In weeks 8-12, there is only one game on the full court.
Coaches should use their discretion when splitting up groups based on skill level to provide a better experience for all players.
This is INSTRUCTIONAL play. You may stop the action briefly to instruct/correct.
Coaches ref the games and can sub at any stoppage of play.

Game Format and Rules

Game Setup:

Games should be 3v3 (or 4v4) with a man-to-man defensive format.
Coaches need to create reasonable match ups for the players to have some success.
- The most skilled child shouldn’t be matched with the least skilled child.

Positions:

3 position will be designated in second grade - point, post and wing. 4v4 just adds another wing player.
- The “point” brings the ball up the court, primarily stays around foul line and extended, passes and creates opportunities (they can shoot and lay up if it’s open).
- The "post" works the lane going from foul line to basket, works to the basket to take short shots and lay ups (no 3 second violation - keep them moving though).
- The “wing” moves freely through the width of the court working to get open for shots or lay ups.
All players should be passing and moving. No one should play one particular position all the time.
These players along with a sub should be rotated every few minutes into all 3 positions every game. Rotate both teams at the same time if you need to keep match ups the same.

Scoring:

No score is kept until end-of-season tournament.

Screening/Picks:

Picks should be carefully explained in the first few weeks and closely monitored in games.
The players need to know how to set the pick and how to use it.
Remember - this is their first introduction to picks/screens.

Defense:

No full-court or half-court pressing.
- Defense should be picked up behind the three-point line.
No double teaming.
- Players must stay with their man.
No 3 second violations.
- Keep them moving. No one should camp in the lane.
- Constant motion off the ball should be emphasized.
Stealing
- No steals between the foul lines.
- Once a team brings the ball into the other teams zone the ball can be stolen. If this occurs too often, stop the game briefly, and reinforce how to protect the ball.
- This is a big part of the game and kids needs to learn to pass and/or protect the ball.
- Be strict on stealing cleanly.
Blocking
- There is no blocking but there is “straight up” defense.
- If an offensive player picks up his dribble, the defender can (and should) be on him with his hands straight up.
- We want to discourage the kids from leaving the floor but not discourage defense.
- No offensive player should be shooting into his defender. He should (and probably will) lose the ball at that point. That is where the ball will get blocked.
- The defender CANNOT leave the ground.

Fouls/Ball Out of Bounds/Game Stoppages:

At coaches' discretion, shooting fouls will result in a foul shot.
- That is a foul committed in the act of shooting.
All other fouls will be brought in from the sideline with defensive pressure.
Balls out of bounds are passed in from the point they left the court.
Remember - on the pass in, there is NO defense between the foul lines. They can pass above the foul line with NO pressure. Anything passed towards the basket should be defended.

Fast Breaks:

With a 3v3 format, there are going to be fast breaks. If it becomes a detriment to the game use your judgement to slow the game down.
Coaches - don’t be spectators - you are there to instruct. Don’t let bad, overly aggressive or rough play continue. Stop the game - briefly and correct it or sub.

Passing:

There are 2 different schools of thought on passing: 1) 3 passes before a shot. The more they pass, the better they’ll be as a team, and 2) "First shot mentality" - in other words, the player with the first open shot within his/her shooting range, should take the shot.
- This has several advantages. If they do too much passing at this age, they will eventually throw the ball away or commit a turnover, and you don't get a shot. So shoot early, and crash the offensive boards for second and third chances. It's a little like ice hockey at this age... the team with the most "shots on goal" usually wins.
- "First shot mentality" also takes the pressure off the kids (some kids are afraid to shoot, afraid to miss). If you teach the kids that you expect them to shoot when they are open, and that you don't expect them to make all their shots (even Michael Jordan only makes half of them) they will play more relaxed and better.
- Let them know that you don't expect them to make every shot, but that you do expect them to shoot when they are open, and everybody rebounds (maybe one guard back).
- Teach them that part of being a good "team" player is taking good shots. So nothing fancy on offense... just a simple set, spacing, cutting, an early shot and crash the boards for more shots. If they are quick, fast break for easy lay-ups too.
- The kids should understand the value in both and that “good” shots should always be emphasized. You’re the coach, you decide.

Game Guidelines for Coaches

Control the games - work together with the other coaches. We are trying to give them the basic tools to move to the next level.
Movement of the ball is critical to their development.
MOTION - use the entire court.
MAKE IT FUN - ALWAYS - for the kids and the coaches.
Keep skill level match ups in mind when in the game.
Use the games to see what you need to work on in practice.
It’s only 1 hour. Maximize your time. It goes fast.
DO NOT keep the kids standing around doing nothing. Take 15-20 seconds, instruct, and move on. Sub if you have to and instruct off the court. Keep the games moving. Use your Team Time to correct the skill or conceptual mistakes. Be brief.
Coaches need to create reasonable match ups for the players to have some success. The most skilled child shouldn’t be matched with the least skilled child. If this is happening, make adjustments.
Coaches - don’t be spectators - you are there to instruct. Don’t let bad, overly aggressive or rough play continue. Stop the game - briefly and correct it or sub.
Finally, enjoy it!! You will make mistakes. We all do. You will have great practices and awful ones. Keep your energy high. The kids will feed off of you. PLAN AHEAD!! The only sure way to have a fantastic, fun filled practice is to walk in prepared. You’re children will never forget when you coached their team! It lasts a lifetime.