This program will be for 4th & 5th Graders. Basketball at this age will focus on implementing all previous concepts and skills into a game setting. The program will consist of games on Saturday with the addition of a weekday skills clinic during the season. The first several weeks leading up to the Holiday Break will not have scorekeeping to help the athletes transition into game situations. The program will be run by a Coordinator but will need volunteer parent coaches for each team. Baskets will be at the 10'-0" height. Games prior to Holiday Break will be played 4v4 to encourage spacing and movement and transition into games with scorekeeping.

Where the previous grade programs were focused on skills in clinic format, the 4th/5th grade program will focus on game play while understanding that the players are still learning and developing skills. Most drills will include a group and some sort of movement on the court. Basketball requires an awareness of all the players on the court. Offensive focus will shift slightly to encourage more passing and aggressive movement without the ball. Defensive focus on positioning and spatial relationships (where the ball is, where the person you are defending is, where the basket is) and help defense with switching.

Activities will include:

• dribbling drills, advanced ball handling, behind the back, thru the legs, etc.

• speed dribbling and movement down court

• passing drills, including defense and pivot foot.

• shooting drills, form shooting, lay ups, catching and shooting in one motion

• offensive concepts including picks, spacing, cutting, and driving to the basket

• defensive concepts including defensive stance and help defense

Each practice will have 4 stations. Generally speaking, there will be an individual offensive drill, a team offensive drill, an individual defense drill, and a team defense drill. The coaching staff from each team will be responsible for running 1 drill. Each station period will be 15 mins, and the teams will rotate around the gym.