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Topic:  Dribble Speed

Question from Dean:
How can I improve dribbling speed and quickness?



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nathan hayslip says:
1/1/2009 at 12:53:42 PM

I think you should just practice

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Joe Haefner says:
12/22/2008 at 5:34:37 PM

If you would like to learn more about the fundamentals, I would advise for you to visit this page: http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/fundamentals/basketballfundamentals.html

The fundamentals are the basics such as shooting, dribbling, passing, reading screens, etc. that you need to learn in order to become a good player. without the fundamentals, it will be hard to be successful with more advanced tactics as a player gets older. For example, you shouldn't teach a player a step-back jumper before he can make form shots consistently very close to the basket. In math, you wouldn't teach a child calculus before you taught them addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In a way, it's the same thing.

I agree with you wholeheartedly that the players need to learn to think for themselves and learn how to react rather than be instructed on what to do. Try to teach her concepts outside of the game, so she understands how to react when those same situations occur again. There should be relatively little coaching/instructing during the games. The teaching should occur during the practices.

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Siegfried says:
12/21/2008 at 1:35:02 PM

I have a question. You(meaning one) talk a lot about the fundamentals, so do all the coaches at our school; but can you tell me what are the fundamentals?
My daughter's coach MS tells the player with the ball what to do. Is there any justification for that? I assume that a basketball player(same as soccer player) knows(or should learn to know) what she/he is going to do before she/he receives the ball?
Our coaches also control most everything that happens on the court. I can not see how that helps to develope creativity and the guts to make decisions on the court and therfore produces confidence(which is very important!)
My daughter thinks more about what the coach wants her to do when she gets the ball than reading the game.
What should I tell her?
Siegfried

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Paul Giacomelli says:
7/16/2007 at 3:06:20 PM

Dribbling speed and quickness is maximized when players can use both hands well. Therefore, the first step is to practice basic dribbling techniques with both hands.

I would suggest the following drills for this stage:

Line up your players along a sideline at least arms-extended length from one another. Each player should have a ball and assume a basic protect-the-dribble stance for right hand dribbling: knees bent, butt down, back straight, head up, right foot back, and the left arm in front of the body parallel to the sideline and floor. Direct players to dribble the ball low and hard just outside and slightly in front of the right foot. As they do this, encourage them to look around the court instead of at the ball. Do the same practice with the left hand, reversing and mirroring all relevant foot and arm positions. Encourage players to spend twice as much time practicing with the off hand.

Once players get this basic dribbling with both hands, direct them to line up and crouch with both feet parallel to the sideline shoulder width apart. Have them begin dribbling low and hard with the right hand outside and slightly in front of the right foot. On the whistle, they should use a cross-over dribble to get the ball to a position outside and slightly to the front of the left foot and dribble low and hard with the left hand. The feet do not move during this drill. On the whistles, players use the cross-over dribble to switch hands. This should be a low, hard dribble that covers the distance from outside one foot to outside the other foot. Players should keep the eyes up and be looking around the court rather than at the ball. Keep the whistling and hand switching going through at least ten repetitions. Take care to correct any carrying during the cross-overs.

Once players can perform these basic dribbling techniques, speed and quickness drills per say are appropriate.

Here’s one that incorporates several sound dribbling principles.

Have players spread out along the baseline. On the first whistle, have them speed dribble toward the opposite baseline. One the second whistle, they are to come to full stop while maintaining the dribble. They should be in a protect-the-dribble stance. On the next whistle, they should resume the speed dribble with the same hand for one dribble only and then do a cross-over dribble to the other hand and continue the speed dribble with that hand until the next whistle. On that next whistle, they come to a full stop while maintaining the dribble, again assuming a protect-the-dribble stance. On the next whistle, they resume the speed dribble with the same hand for one dribble before crossing-over to the other hand. Repeat this whistle sequence using an unpredictable pattern of whistling so that players develop responsive reflexes at each whistle change. The drill continues up and down the court until all players have returned to the original baseline.

Hope this helps!

Paul Giacomelli
Editor, BreakthroughBasketball.com

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karmendrasingh says:
7/13/2007 at 7:59:20 AM

how can fast dribble and fast movement

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