Jr. ROAR Basketball: Session 1

Word of the day: Triple threat

Warm-up: 1-2

  1. Loosen Up: have kids start on the white line. When you say "go," they must run to the sideline or end-line you point to without going out of bounds. Kids love it when you almost go out of bounds or barely stay in. Do this for each of the boundaries to let them see the outline of the whole court. Also do some simple stretches with the kids: Touch your toes, reach for the sky, I'm a star jumps, etc.
  2. Skill Review: Ask them what they think is important in basketball… what parts of the body do they use? Tell them in basketball there are 3 important things that are the core of basketball… we are gonna call it the Triple Threat!

What is triple threat? Dribble, Pass & Shoot

New Skill:Teach the kids to say when you call out "Triple threat" to stop whatever they are doing and say JUMP, STOP…. TRIPLE THREAT!!!

First without the ball go over…

Correct Stance:

  • "JUMP" - Keep our body low with shoulders forward (good balance… show them what that looks like)
  • "STOP" - Opposite hand out "Strong arm Position" (if defense comes we are ready to turn)
  • "TRIPLE THREAT" - Eyes up at all times (see the court, see defense and don’t want to turn your back)

Strong-Arm position:

Ask everyone to "show me your muscles!"Then, have fun by walking up and down the row tapping on young children's muscles. Say to them, "Man, those are big muscles!" Young children love this. This has nothing to do with basketball. It's relaxing the children, getting down on their level, breaking down the fears of some, and getting them to buy into the coach and the type of fun basketball can provide. As a coach, what you are also doing is priming them for the next bit of instruction that will be necessary to teach them.

The children are posed and showing you their muscles, it is now time to create their Strong-Arm©. Since most children will show you their muscles by bending at the elbow and pointing their fists either towards their ears or towards the sky, you already have them half way to the Strong-Arm© position. As a visual reference for you, imagine being in their same muscle posed position. If you took one fist that is pointed up and pounding it on an imaginary table in front of you, you will have created the Strong-Arm© position. Essentially, after you demonstrate to kids how it should look what you should see is all their forearms. Their arms are flat at a 90 degree angle in front of them.

Script

  1. After asking, "Show me your muscles" demonstrate the Strong-Arm© position.
  2. Ask them, "Can you create a Strong-Arm© straight out in front of you?" Next you will tell them, "I am going to come around and check your strong arm." This requires tapping on the top of the arm of each child to make sure it doesn't drop. As you do say, "Yep, that is a Strong-Arm©! Good Job!" After you've done this have some fun and humor them by having one child push down on your arm. Let it fall, then flop it up and down and tell them, "No, noodle arms."
  3. Now before leaping into getting them to demonstrate how to dribble with their Strong-Arm, get them walking up and down the court with their Strong-Arm up.

Activities: 3-5

  1. Add the basketball

Hand out a basketball to all the kids and ask them to hold the ball under their chicken wing! (hold it on their pocket.) No dribbling, on your cue children will just walk. Young children's arms have a tendency to get tired so you must gently encourage them as they walk to keep their Strong-Arm© up.

Script

  1. To start, simply ask the question, "What is dribbling?" Ask this question and you're sure to be surprised at how inspired young children are to help show you what dribbling is. Play dumb. Allow them to dribble where they are standing. Even children that don't dribble well are eager to help show me what dribbling is. And, I will just watch them standing (static) trying to master the dribble without interruption. For fun, I follow with another question, "Are you sure that is dribbling?"
  2. After several minutes, I like to get young children to begin moving up and down the court. This is where a child will be hesitant and say, "I can't dribble." I will encourage him to walk with the group. As he does I gently encourage him to simply bounce the ball once and catch it. I repeat this a few more times and miraculously it seems to unlock their confidence. You'll notice I didn't focus on dribbling as it is traditionally thought about. Some children require taking baby steps at first, but after a little nudge they are on their way
  3. Add structured dribble. Tell them toes on the white line and now, "Put the basketball on your pocket and hold up your strong arm." Once they are all in position, tell them, "Keeping two feet on the (base)line, dribble keeping your strong arm UP."
  4. Do not be afraid to stay with static dribbling until children exhibit confidence in what they are doing.
  • Two whistle: Have them dribble right hand, then left hand
  • Hold up fingers with numbers so they have their eyes up
  • Long whistle: Triple Threat
  1. Once they are ready, get them moving up and down the court. Encourage and praise the strong arm. Your assessments should be less focused on the dribbling and more on the Strong-Arm© component of the drill.
  1. Fun Game: Goose hunt

Play a game where the kids DO NOT dribble but instead focus on creating their Strong-Arms©. Progress to dribbling and having Strong-Arm up.

Younger kids: Have the coaches be the ones to knock the "egg"/ball from them, they may be too young and accidentally hit someone's face if they were the taggers.

Older Kids:Each child will try to knock the ball out of another child's hand but protect his own ball using his Strong-Arms©.

Skills Used: Awareness of def. pressure, Shielding, Dribbling

  1. Scrimmage:

Divide children into four teams and have them play a basketball game. Put uniforms on each team and emphasize which goal each team is shooting at. This will be a little easier to accomplish later on in the season, once the kids have become more familiar with the program.

Wrap Up: 6

  1. Word Review, Devotion story and Pray: Ask what they learned; quiz them on the word of the day, see what they remember from the session, etc. Read the Rory Devotional book. Make sure to follow up with the questions at the bottom of each page. Pray with them to close up the day!

Jr. ROAR Basketball: Session 2

Word of the day: Stationary Dribbling

Warm-up: 1-2

  1. Loosen Up: have kids start on the white line. Follow the leader – Have kids follow you around the field and copy whatever you do. You can run slowly (like a turtle), fast (like a cheetah), or backwards. Other ideas are to hop up and down on either foot, practice skipping, etc. Also do some simple stretches with the kids: Touch your toes, reach for the sky, I'm a star jumps, etc.

Older kids: You can assign a child the role of leader and have other kids follow them.

  1. Skill Review: Review about Triple Threat.. JUMP, STOP.. Triple Threat. When you hear a long whistle you do Triple Threat. What are the 3 important skills to basketball: Dribble, Pass & Shoot. Review Dribbling and Strong Arm Position.

New Skill: Key fundamental Coaching/teaching points on stationary dribbling:

  • Hand is loose on top of the ball (nice and comfortable) "No noodle wrist"
  • Use your Finger Pads - Fingers are pointing forward (not out to the side)
  • Bouncing the ball close… not too far in front because it causes the ball to be closer to the defense.
  • Keep body low, ball right by our side and almost in front of us (practice by standing with toes on the white line). Do not dribble above the waste.
  • Eyes up at all times (see the court, see the defense & don’t want to turn our backs)
  • Opposite hand out (if defense comes we are ready to turn and protect)

Activities: 3-5

3. Stationary Ball Handling

Hand out a basketball to all the kids standing on a dot and ask them to hold the ball under their chicken wing! Remind them about their Strong-Arm© positioning. Have the kids stand on dots.

  1. Around the World: Circling the basketball first around your head, than your waist, Finally, put your legs together and take the ball around both legs at the knees. Then spread your legs, bend at the waist, and take the ball around one leg. Then the other.
  2. Around feet figure 8
  3. Eyes on Coach: toss catch, claps, drop and catch
  4. On your knees: use finger pads, one hand (switch hands), circles opposite direction
  5. Dribble sitting down
  6. Lift legs and switch
  7. Lay down then sit up dribbling
  8. Relay of over under, trunk twists, etc.

4.Fun Game: Red Light-Green light w/ballSimone Says

Set-Up: Have children at one end of the court standing with the ball under their chicken wing.

Objective: You are the traffic light at one end of the court and the kids are cars driving their basketballs. When you call out "green light," kids dribble towards you. When you call out "red light," kids must go to control position. If the kids don’t go into control position quickly enough, they must go back to the beginning and start over. As an addition to this game you can yell out "black light" and they have stop and dance, or you can yell out "traffic cop" and have the kids perform a turn and dribble back to end line before they get a ticket.

*Coaching Point: Show how they can protect and shield the ball with their strong Arm Position.

Younger kids: Point out that you are a friendly traffic cop and that we are just having fun.

Older Kids: Choose one child to be the traffic cop for each round.

Skills Used: Shielding with Strong Arm Position, Dribbling and turning

**Play a game of Simone Says if their attention span is become short

5. Scrimmage:

Divide children into four teams and have them play a basketball game. Put uniforms on each team and emphasize which goal each team is shooting at. This will be a little easier to accomplish later on in the season, once the kids have become more familiar with the program.

Wrap Up: 6

6. Word Review, Devotion story and Pray: Ask what they learned; quiz them on the word of the day, see what they remember from the session, etc. Read the Rory Devotional book. Make sure to follow up with the questions at the bottom of each page. Pray with them to close up the day!

Jr. ROAR Basketball: Session 3

Word of the day: Dribbling on the Move

Warm-up: 1-2

1. Loosen Up:Far and Near- have kids stand inside of the center circle with you. Tell them when you yell, "Far" they have to run as far away from you as possible within the court. When you yell, "Near" they have to run as close as they can to you. Make sure to move throughout the court and don’t stay in one spot. Also do some simple stretches.

  1. Skill Review: Review about Triple Threat.. JUMP, STOP.. Triple Threat. When you hear a long whistle you do Triple Threat. What are the 3 important skills to basketball: Dribble, Pass & Shoot; Stationary Dribbling: around the world, finger pads, etc.

New Skill: Key fundamental Coaching/teaching points on Dribbling on the move:

  • Hand is loose on top of the ball (nice and comfortable) "No noodle wrist"
  • Use your Finger Pads - Fingers are pointing forward (not out to the side)
  • Bouncing the ball close… not too far in front because it causes the ball to be closer to the defense.
  • Keep ball right by our side and almost in front of us (practice by standing with toes on the white line). Do not dribble above the waste.

Correct Stance and Dribbling Fundamentals

Stand shoulder width apart. Nice and comfortable with our weight a little bit forward on the balls of our feet. Knees are bent and balanced with shoulders straight… don’t lean to the side.

3 Main Components of dribbling fundamentals

  1. Keep our body low with shoulders forward and ball next to our waste
  2. Eyes up at all times (see the court, see the defense & don’t want to turn our backs)
  3. Opposite hand out (if defense comes we are ready to turn and protect)

Activities: 3-5

3. Dribble on the move

Hand out a basketball to all the kids and ask them to hold the ball under their chicken wing! Remind them about their Strong-Arm© positioning.

  1. Eyes up at all times

4.Fun Game: Cooking Monster

Set-Up: This game is played within the normal court size, so no set-up is needed other than putting discs around the perimeter of the court. Reminding the kids that they need to stay inside the boundaries of the court, if they go out of bounds they need to bring their ball back into the square if it goes past the discs.

Objective: Sit in a close circle and set this game up by asking the children what their favorite kinds of cookies are. Develop the game by encouraging them to use their imagination, pretending their basketball is a cookie. Tell them that you are a pretend cookie monster. They do not want their "cookies" to be eaten by the cookie monster. They must bounce their ball and not run with it to escape from the cookie monster. If the cookie monster takes their "cookie" the child must ask politely to have the ball back. After playing for a few minutes, show the children how they can escape the cookie monster by going a different direction.

*Coaching Point: Show how they can protect and shield the ball with their strong Arm Position.

Younger kids: Point out that you are a friendly cookie monster and that we are just having fun.

Older Kids: Choose one child to be the cookie monster for each round.

Skills Used: Shielding with Strong Arm Position, Dribbling and turning

5. Scrimmage:

Divide children into four teams and have them play a basketball game. Put uniforms on each team and emphasize which goal each team is shooting at. This will be a little easier to accomplish later on in the season, once the kids have become more familiar with the program.

Wrap Up: 6

6. Word Review, Devotion story and Pray: Ask what they learned; quiz them on the word of the day, see what they remember from the session, etc. Read the Rory Devotional book. Make sure to follow up with the questions at the bottom of each page. Pray with them to close up the day!

Jr. ROAR Basketball: Session 4

Word of the day: Passing

Warm-up: 1-2

1. Loosen Up:Simon Says- Play a couple rounds of Simon Says. The kids are to follow your instructions only when you preface your directions with "Simon says." Have children hop, jump, jog, and run. Play a second round with a basketball and have children dribble, stop, sit, and catch the ball. Also do some simple stretching.

*Younger kids: with younger kids you will most likely just say "Simon Says" every time.

2.Skill Review: Review Triple Threat andKey points to Dribbling

New Skill: Key fundamental Coaching/teaching points for passing: