The Rules

Basketball is a team sport. Two teams of five players each try to score by shooting a
ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground. The game is played on a
rectangular floor called the court, and there is a hoop at each end. The court is
divided into two main sections by the mid-court line. If the offensive team puts the
ball into play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds to get the ball over the
mid-court line. If it doesn't, then the defense gets the ball. Once the offensive team
gets the ball over the mid-court line, it can no longer have possession of the ball in
the area in back of the line. If it does, the defense is awarded the ball.

Basketball Court 1 court (4K)

The ball is moved down the court toward the basket by passing or dribbling. The
team with the ball is called the offense. The team without the ball is called the
defense. They try to steal the ball, contest shots, steal and deflect passes, and
garner rebounds.

When a team makes a basket, they score two points and the ball goes to the other
team. If a basket, or field goal, is made outside of the three-point arc, then that
basket is worth three points. A free throw is worth one point. Free throws are
awarded to a team according to some formats involving the number of fouls
committed in a half and/or the type of foul committed. Fouling a shooter always
results in two or three free throws being awarded the shooter, depending upon
where he was when he shot. If he was beyond the three-point line, then he gets
three shots. Other types of fouls do not result in free throws being awarded until a
certain number have accumulated during a half. Once that number is reached, then
the player who was fouled is awarded a '1-and-1' opportunity. If he makes his first
free throw, he gets to attempt a second. If he misses the first shot, the ball is live on
the rebound.
Each game is divided into sections. All levels have two halves. In college, each half
is twenty minutes long. In high school and below, the halves are divided into eight
(and sometimes, six) minute quarters. In the pros, quarters are twelve minutes long.
There is a gap of several minutes between halves. Gaps between quarters are
relatively short. If the score is tied at the end of regulation, then overtime periods of
various lengths are played until a winner emerges.
Each team is assigned a basket or goal to defend. This means that the other basket
is their scoring basket. At halftime, the teams switch goals. The game begins with
one player from either team at center court. A referee will toss the ball up between
the two. The player that gets his hands on the ball will tip it to a teammate. This is
called a tip-off. In addition to stealing the ball from an opposing player, there are
other ways for a team to get the ball.
One such way is if the other team commits a foul or violation.

Fouls and Violations

FOULS

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Coaching Youth Basketball Successfully

60+ Youth Basketball Drills
Simple Offense for Youth Basketball

Personal fouls: Personal fouls include any type of illegal physical contact.

Hitting
Pushing
Slapping
Holding
Illegal pick/screen -- when an offensive player is moving. When an offensive player
sticks out a limb and makes physical contact with a defender in an attempt to block
the path of the defender.
Personal foul penalties: If a player is shooting while a being fouled, then he gets two
free throws if his shot doesn't go in, but only one free throw if his shot does go in.

Three free throws are awarded if the player is fouled while shooting for a three-point
goal and they miss their shot. If a player is fouled while shooting a three-point shot
and makes it anyway, he is awarded one free throw. Thus, he could score four points
on the play.

Inbounds. If fouled while not shooting, the ball is given to the team the foul was
committed upon. They get the ball at the nearest side or baseline, out of bounds,
and have 5 seconds to pass the ball onto the court.

One & one. If the team committing the foul has seven or more fouls in the game,
then the player who was fouled is awarded one free throw. If he makes his first shot,
then he is awarded another free throw.

Ten or more fouls. If the team committing the foul has ten or more fouls, then the
fouled player receives two free throws.

Charging. An offensive foul that is committed when a player pushes or runs over a
defensive player. The ball is given to the team that the foul was committed upon.

Blocking. Blocking is illegal personal contact resulting from a defender not

establishing position in time to prevent an opponent's drive to the basket.

Flagrant foul. Violent contact with an opponent. This includes hitting, kicking, and
punching. This type of foul results in free throws plus the offense retaining
possession of the ball after the free throws.

Intentional foul. When a player makes physical contact with another player with no
reasonable effort to steal the ball. It is a judgment call for the officials.

Technical foul. Technical foul. A player or a coach can commit this type of foul. It
does not involve player contact or the ball but is instead about the 'manners' of the
game. Foul language, obscenity, obscene gestures, and even arguing can be
considered a technical foul, as can technical details regarding filling in the
scorebook improperly or dunking during warm-ups.

VIOLATIONS

Walking/Traveling. Taking more than 'a step and a half' without dribbling the ball is
traveling. Moving your pivot foot once you've stopped dribbling is traveling.

Carrying/palming. When a player dribbles the ball with his hand too far to the side of
or, sometimes, even under the ball.

Double Dribble. Dribbling the ball with both hands on the ball at the same time or
picking up the dribble and then dribbling again is a double dribble.

Held ball. Occasionally, two or more opposing players will gain possession of the ball
at the same time. In order to avoid a prolonged and/or violent tussle, the referee
stops the action and awards the ball to one team or the other on a rotating basis.

Goaltending. If a defensive player interferes with a shot while it's on the way down
toward the basket, while it's on the way up toward the basket after having touched
the backboard, or while it's in the cylinder above the rim, it's goaltending and the
shot counts. If committed by an offensive player, it's a violation and the ball is
awarded to the opposing team for a throw-in.

Backcourt violation. Once the offense has brought the ball across the mid-court line,
they cannot go back across the line during possession. If they do, the ball is
awarded to the other team to pass inbounds.

Time restrictions. A player passing the ball inbounds has five seconds to pass the
ball. If he does not, then the ball is awarded to the other team. Other time
restrictions include the rule that a player cannot have the ball for more than five
seconds when being closely guarded and, in some states and levels, shot-clock
restrictions requiring a team to attempt a shot within a given time frame.

Player Positions
Center. Centers are generally your tallest players. They generally are positioned
near the basket.

Offensive -- The center's goal is to get open for a pass and to shoot. They are also
responsible for blocking defenders, known as picking or screening, to open other
players up for driving to the basket for a goal. Centers are expected to get some
offensive rebounds and put-backs.

Defensive -- On defense, the center's main responsibility is to keep opponents from

shooting by blocking shots and passes in the key area. They also are expected to
get a lot of rebounds because they're taller.

Forward. Your next tallest players will most likely be your forwards. While a forward
may be called upon to play under the hoop, they may also be required to operate in
the wings and corner areas.

Offensive -- Forwards are responsible to get free for a pass, take outside shots, drive
for goals, and rebound.

Defensive -- Responsibilities include preventing drives to the goal and rebounding.

Guard. These are potentially your shortest players and they should be really good at
dribbling fast, seeing the court, and passing. It is their job to bring the ball down the
court and set up offensive plays.

Offensive -- Dribbling, passing, and setting up offensive plays are a guard's main
responsibilities. They also need to be able to drive to the basket and to shoot from
the perimeter.

Defensive -- On defense, a guard is responsible for stealing passes, contesting

shots, preventing drives to the hoop, and for boxing out.

Where Should New Players and Coaches Start?

First, we suggest that you focus on learning the basic fundamentals of basketball.

To teach fundamental skills, start with these 72 free basketball drills that include full
diagrams and step by step instructions. They will help you develop strong
fundamentals and basketball skills.

Like any sport, no matter what your age -- whether you're a professional athlete or a
youth player just getting started -- you need strong fundamentals to be successful!

Unfortunately, most people don't really understand what that means.

The fundamentals include working on the little things that make you better -- no
matter what team or coach you play for -- or what offense or defense you are
running.

For example, by working on the fundamentals of shooting, you will get better no
matter what team you play for. The fundamentals of shooting include proper foot
alignment, leg bend, hand position, arm angle, follow through, and so on. These are
some of the little things that make a difference. Learn them!

The same goes for lays ups, foot work, post play, passing, jab steps, jump stops,
pivoting, blocking out, and so on.

We suggest that you start by learning the proper technique and fundamentals for:

Shooting
Passing
Dribbling
Lay ups
Jump stops
Pivoting and footwork
Jab steps
Screening
Cutting
Defense
Rebounding

Stationary Basketball Shooting Form and

Technique
In this section, we give you the raw form and mechanics of stationary shooting. In other
words, this section does NOT address the fundamentals of shooting on the move and more
advanced footwork you'll need for game situations.

Here's a quick roadmap of the stationary shooting fundamentals that we'll be covering:

1.

Eyes on Target

2.

Stance and Balance

3.

Shot Pocket

4.

Grip

5.

Balance Hand

6.

Delivery

7.

Upforce and Landing

8.

Follow Through

9.

Correct Shot

EYES ON TARGET

To improve accuracy, locate the target (rim)

as early as possible.
Keep your eyes on the target and do not
follow the flight of the ball.
Keeping your target focus is very important!

STANCE AND BALANCE

Feet are shoulder width apart for good balance.

Feet should be in a slightly staggered stance that is
consistent and comfortable for you. Your shooting foot is
slightly ahead of the non-shooting foot in a comfortable
position.
Point your feet in the general direction of the basket,
but not necessarily directly at it. We prefer an open stance,
but you can also use the closed (squared) stance if that's
more comfortable for you. With an open stance, your feet
point towards one side of the basket. For example, a right
handed shooter will point his or her feet just to the left of
the rim for a more natural position and shooting motion.
Once you develop a comfortable stance, line up your
feet the exact same way on every shot. Whatever stance you use, consistency is critical.
Flex/bend your knees on every shot.

SHOT POCKET

As you catch the ball, move it quickly into the shot

pocket.
Line everything up so the ball and your shooting eye
form a straight line to the basket. This is VERY important.
Position the ball several inches above your waist.
Grip the ball properly and be ready to shoot.
Position the ball in your shot pocket the SAME way
every time you catch it.

GRIP
Place the air hole between the middle and index
fingers.
Line up your fingertip pads parallel to the long seams
of the ball, so you can monitor the back spin.
Leave space between the ball and the middle of your
palm. You should be able to insert a pencil between the ball
and your palm area.

Spread your fingers far enough apart to comfortably

balance the ball in one hand.
The ball should sit on your finger pads.

BALANCE HAND
Your non-shooting hand should be on the side of the
ball.
Your balance hand should not add force or spin to
the shot.

Your non-shooting hand should not move on delivery

and should ALWAYS come off the ball FIRST.

DELIVERY
The ball should start motion directly upwards from
the shot pocket (no dipping of the ball).
Your elbow should be positioned comfortably under
the ball.
The ball stays in front of you and should not go
behind your head.

Uncoil your body with your legs, core, and arm

power all coordinated.
Your elbow and wrist should extend in a straight line
to the basket.

Your shooting hand should extend in a straight line

to the rim.
Hand position on delivery is very important. The ball
should come off the hand with perfect symmetrical
backspin.
As shown in the picture to the right, your guide hand
stays to the side and does not influence the flight of the
ball.

UPFORCE AND LANDING

Release the ball on the way up, just before the top of
your jump.
Use your legs to generate upforce.
You should land in the same spot that you jumped,
which shows that you have good balance on your shot.

FOLLOW-THROUGH

Your wrists should be floppy (relaxed).

Fingers should be pointed at the target (rim).
Finish high. You should see your fingers at the top
square of the back board.
Hold your follow through position until the ball hits the
rim.

TYPES OF PASSES
There are essentially two types of passes:

Air Pass - The pass travels between players without hitting the floor.
Bounce Passes - The pass is thrown to the floor so that it bounces to the intended
receiver
Each type of pass comes with its own variations.
Basic Variations:
-

Chest Pass
Bounce Pass
Overhead Pass
Wrap Around Pass

Advanced Variations:
-

Baseball Pass
Dribble Pass
Behind-the-Back Pass
Pick and Roll Pass

TEACHING POINTS
When teaching passing, points of emphasis should be:
A good pass is a pass a teammate can catch
When passing, step toward your receiver.
When catching, step toward the pass
Like shooting, the ball should have a backspin to it. This
is accomplished by following through on every pass.

Basic Passes
CHEST PASS
The chest pass is named so because the pass originates from
the chest. It is thrown by gripping the ball on the sides with the
thumbs directly behind the ball. When the pass is thrown, the
fingers are rotated behind the ball and the thumbs are turned
down. The resulting follow through has the back of the hands
facing one another with the thumbs straight down. The ball
should have a nice backspin.
When throwing a chest pass, the players should strive to throw
it to the receiver's chest level. Passes that go low to high or
high to low are difficult to catch.

BOUNCE PASS
The bounce pass is thrown with the same motion however it is aimed at the floor. It should
be thrown far enough out that the ball bounces waist high to the receiver. Some say try to
throw it 3/4 of the way to the receiver, and that may be a good reference point to start, but
each player has to experiment how far to throw it so it bounces to the receiver properly.
Putting a proper and consistent backspin on the pass will make the distance easier to judge.
OVERHEAD PASS
The overhead pass is often used as an outlet pass. Bring the ball directly above your
forehead with both hands on the side of the ball and follow through. Aim for the teammate's
chin. Some coaches advise not bring the ball behind your head, because it can get stolen
and it takes a split-second longer to throw the pass.
WRAP AROUND PASS

Step around the defense with your non-pivot foot. Pass the ball with one hand (outside
hand). It can be used as an air or a bounce pass. You will often see the wrap-around, air
pass on the perimeter and the wrap-around, bounce pass to make an entry into the post.

Advanced Passes
BASEBALL PASS
A baseball pass is a one-handed pass that uses the same motion as a baseball throw. This is
often used to make long passes.<br

Be careful with young kids. You don't want them throw their arms out.
DRIBBLE PASS
The dribble pass is used to quickly pass the ball with one hand off of the dribble. This can be an
air or bounce pass. You'll see Steve Nash do this all of the time.
BEHIND-THE-BACK PASS
A behind-the-back pass is when you wrap the ball around your back to throw the ball. It is used
to avoid the defender when making a pass across the front of you would be risky. It can also be
used to throw the ball to a player trailing on the fast break.
I would not recommend to use this pass during a game until heavily practiced.
PICK AND ROLL PASS
This is a pass that is used when the defenders double-team or switch on the pick and roll. If
dribbling to the right, your left side is facing the target and you bring the ball up from your right
side to throw the ball overhead to the screener who has either rolled to the basket or popped to
the perimeter. The pass is used to shield the ball from the defender, and many times is thrown in
"hook shot" fashion. Advanced players can do this while slightly fading away from the
defender. </br
Dribbling Practice
"Maravich Drills" are very good at getting players comfortable with the ball. Below
are some examples.

Dribble Figure 8's - Spread legs about shoulder width. Dribble the ball through and
around legs in a figure 8. Can be done multiple ways - front to back, back to front,
low dribbles (as many dribbles as possible with dribble about shoe height), as few

dribbles as possible (high dribble about waist high), can even be done walking. For
even more of a challenge, try the drill with one hand instead of two.

Spider Dribble - Feet spread about shoulder width. Dribble the ball between your
legs in the following manner - left hand, right hand in front of your legs; left hand,
right hand behind your legs. Work to as fast a possible.

Drop and Catch - Hold ball between your legs with right hand in front of your body,
left hand behind. Drop the ball and exchange you hand position and re-catch the
ball before it hits the ground.

These are just examples. There are too many of these drills to list here. Pete
Maravich devised these drills out of his imagination, his need for challenge and his
drive to improve. You do not need to be bound by other people's drills; challenge
yourself to come up with your own drills.

Dribbling Warm Ups

I prefer to practice skills in combinations that are relevant to multiple aspects of the
game. It saves time and instills a great sense of urgency.. It saves time and has a
great sense of urgency. One of the ways I do this is to add dribbling into my
stretching exercises.

Hamstring Stretch - While dribbling with your right hand, cross right leg over left.
Bend at the waist, touch the floor with your left hand and bring your dribble down to
shoe top level. Hold for an 8 count. Reverse position and switch hands.

Lower Body and Achilles Stretch - Dribble waist high while standing up. Step as far
forward with your right leg as you can, keeping your back straight and your left heel
on the ground. At the same time bring your dribble forward of your right foot,
keeping the ball at shoe-top height. Hold for an 8 count and then stand up. Switch
legs and dribble hand.

Crossover - Same as above except, step forward with left leg. As foot goes to the
floor, switch hands, right to left, keeping dribble shoe top height. Cross back when
standing up.

Through Legs - Same as above except instead of crossing over, put ball through legs
at shoe top height.

Multiple Through Legs - Same as above except put ball through legs 3 times (left,
right, left) on quick, successive dribbles shoe top height.

Torso Twist - Spread legs outside of shoulder width, dribble with right hand. Keeping
legs straight, bring ball across body to left side, outside left foot and dribble at shoe
top height behind left foot.