The give-and-go drill is fantastic for teaching passing and moving without the ball.
There’s too much isolation ball (ISO) in today’s game.
Every time I go to the Y, I always see kids ball-hogging and trying to win games themselves.
They don’t pass the basketball or cut.
All they try to do is create shots for themselves by doing a bunch of purposeless dribble moves instead of creating plays for their teammates or giving up the ball, cutting and getting open.
This is fine once in a while.
But it’s not fine if they do it every time they have the ball in their hands because they’re forcing a lot of bad shots by not sharing the ball.
Also, basketball is a team sport, so giving up the ball is (most of the time) critical to winning.
Take for instance the San Antonio Spurs, who won 5 NBA championship titles in 15 years.
Under the guidance of legendary coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs were frequently moving the ball; they often gave up a good shot for a better one.
Kids need to adopt this style of play.
By playing team ball, kids will improve their decision-making and learn how to be a team player. And basketball is just more fun when the ball is shared.
So, here’s how you can teach kids to share the ball: Every time they ISO, take a dodgeball and throw it at them. And then berate them for ball-hogging.
And this doesn’t have to just be your kids. You can do it to any kid.
Just joking. Don’t do that. It’s mean and you’ll probably get banned from the gym.
Anywhoo…
Here’s what you should actually do: Teach them the importance of passing and then have them do the Give and Go Drill (or the Pass and Cut Drill).
How To Do The Give and Go Drill
Here’s how to do the drill:
- Have your kid stand on either wing of the 3-point line (if there’s more than 1 kid, have them line up behind each other).
- You’re going to stand on the free-throw line.
- Have your kid pass the ball to you and then tell them to run (or cut) to the basket.
- As they are cutting, you are going to bounce pass the ball to them, where they will lay it in or shoot a close shot.
- Do 5 sets of this drill on both wings.
- As your kid gets more comfortable with the drill, you can have him/her run different cuts (which you can learn more about here).
Benefits of the Give and Go Drill
This is a drill I like to do with my niece and nephew because it teaches them how to move without the ball and the scoring opportunities it can create.
It also teaches them the coordination and footwork of catching a pass on the move and going up for a layup.
Sometimes, I’ll even reverse the roles of the participants, where they pass the ball to the cutter.
This way, they can learn how to read cutters and practice passing to someone on the move.
Final Thoughts
Playmaking and off-ball movement are fun and make the game easier for everyone playing.
Thus, teach your kids the Give and Go Drill so that they can learn how to share the ball and move without it.
Do you want to teach your kids how to play basketball but don’t know where to start?
Well, I have a book that will solve your problems.
It’s called This Book Will Teach You How to Play Basketball and it was created to help beginner players learn the sport’s basic skills.
In this book, you’ll learn:
- How to shoot a basketball
- How to dribble a basketball
- How to move on defense
- Drills with sets and reps to practice these fundamentals
Click here to buy This Book Will Teach You How to Play Basketball from Amazon.
