Quote:
Originally posted by GR Dad
Hi officials:
I'm a dad in Grand Rapids who has never played organized basketball. My son is a seventh grader, and plays forward/center on his grade school team.
He is the tallest kid in his class and growing rapidly. He is a strong defensive player, but offensively he is limited to little jump shots because he is hesitant to put the ball on the floor. He feels like he cannot move at all without dribbling the ball. For instance, when doing a layup, he dribbles to just beneath the basket, stops and shoots.
I would like to work with him in the driveway and help him be more mobile around the basket. However, I've never heard anyone articulate the basketball rules that describe how many steps a player can legally take after completing a dribble. I have no personal experience playing organized basketball, so I'm not much help to my son.
Can a player complete a step in progress and take another? Can a player take two steps? Can one of the officials in the group articulate this so I can help my son work on his post moves in a manner that is consistent with the rules?
|
Here's a simple drill for your budding big man:
Facing the basket stand a about 5 feet or so from the basket, about 5 feet to the left of it. Take a step with the right foot towards the basket & lay the ball up with the left hand. Repeat on the right side stepping with the left foot & laying it up with the right hand. Make sure the layup is made off the back board. If he does this for 15 minutes a day he will be an expert at the layup and will soon be able to incorporate this move into his drive to the basket. You can help him by retrieving the ball after his layup & passing it to him.
Other drills:
Have him stand in the same location as above but with his back to the basket on the left side. Pivotting on his right foot turn & step with his left towards the basket and lay the ball in with the left hand. Do not lift the right foot as you pivot, keep it on the floor. He will be stepping down towards the endline. Repeat on the right side of the basket, pivoting on the left foot & jumping off the right. You can help him by standing between him & the bsaket, arms straight up so he has to go around you playing defense.
As above from the left side of the basket, but pivot on the left foot, step towards the lane with the right foot and lay the ball in with the right hand over the front of the rim. You can develop this into a hook shot over time. Repeat on the right side of the basket.
The above 2 drills can be practiced from further away from the basket to develop his short jumper.
At this age it's probably all he'll need.
Have fun!