Not much you can do on a fast break (which is fine), but for a dead ball situation, rotate which players bring the ball down each possession and make the others wait near the offensive key. Limit this to the boy passing in and 1 other (or 2 at the most). They can pass to each other if they run into trouble.

At that age, the refs are generally leanient on travel calls so they should be able to bring down ok. If the other team have all 5 guarding your 2 or 3 players, you should have plenty of free players up the court for them to pass to.

This will get them all involved & hopefully build confidence, enjoyment & team work.

In the half court, the good players generally arent pass first (or at all) players. Most of the time they dont realise they are doing this and will change if asked.

You need to tell the good kids to pass (challenge them to build up assists and get personal satisfaction when their team mates score) and teach the shy ones to call for the ball (they are usually doing this anyway) and where to stand to receive passes.

should be playing half court , not full court.


full court at that age group is couple of kids dribbling up and down the court. Much more value in half court.

Do you play 5v5 scrimmages? Kids of this age have a difficult enough time interpreting time and space with 9 other players running about and possession changing constantly, let alone consciously utilizing basketball and motor skills.

A simple solution is to play 2v2 or 3v3. Fewer players = more touches and doesn't allow the timid kids to shy away from receiving the ball or their teammates from purposely not passing to them. Having fewer people on the court also makes it easier for kids to interpret time and space, making decision-making easier.

You can also further this concept by grouping the kids of similar skill levels so the better players aren't dominating the ball.

Otherwise, just keep encouraging the timid kids to 'have a go', and applaud them when they do. A little bit of positive reinforcement will go a long way.

http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/blog/index.php/could-3-on-3-basketball-be-the-best-for-youth-players/
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/drills/nodribblekeepaway.html

Have fun, and good luck!

Also, look up "Brian McCormick" and "small-sided games". There is some good stuff out there for teaching fun, competitive basketball skills.

"Getting beginners involved in getting the ball"

First things first what kind of ball?

If it's a basketball, tell them to put it down.

Pick up a rugby ball. Play a mans sport ;)

Satire mate.

But i am a Kiwi so its probably my true opinion ;)

Hey coach,
Most important advice I could give is get them to practice their catching and passing skills. No point in asking the better players to pass it if....
A. Hits them in the face
B. Goes through their hands
C. They're not confident in catching
Lots of passing and catching drills that lead to a shot.
Dribble around chairs, pass to a coach, receive it back, continue on to something else, then finish with a lay up.
All facets covered, lots of movements, skills improved, can be done in half court.
Hope this helps
Coach B

If you're playing games then put a limit on how many goals anyone can score. That way you force them to pass it around. But make sure the defenders still man up or else they'll all gang up on the last players who can still score.