Its really doing the kids a disservice to come into practice and say "ok kids, we play a really good zone defense this week, so we're going to spend today's practice learning how to beat the zone (or press)." That isnt what elementary school or even middle school basketball practices are for.
OT: Youth basketball
- Thread starter Sean Miller Fan
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Its really doing the kids a disservice to come into practice and say "ok kids, we play a really good zone defense this week, so we're going to spend today's practice learning how to beat the zone (or press)." That isnt what elementary school or even middle school basketball practices are for.
I grew up playing travel ball and in the Pittsburgh Catholic league. Most of the teams in the Catholic league played zone. I’ll never forget every time we played St. Sebastian, they would run a 1-2-2 press and a 1-3-1. We never beat them from 5th-8th grade. Our non ball handlers couldn’t handle the trap. It’s definitely a huge advantage at the younger levels.
To beat a press, you need the threat of longer passes to break the press over the top. Little kids cannot throw or catch longer pass consistently which is why it shouldn't be allowed.
Late 60s, early 70s when we played elementary school league, everyone played zone and the scores were generally in the 20s and 30s, I don't remember many games like 4-0, in fact none.
One poster wrote it is all about the availability of practice time.
Coached all grade levels, preferred man to man however when it is taught that everyone but the one defending the ball has one foot in the paint for help defense, this will teach-ensure weakside defense will stop the drives. It is easy to teach with basic drills along with boxing out and rebounding. Yes, even at a 4-5 grade levels.
We practiced alot at playgrounds and driveways.
Also taught zone effectively as well but again, practice makes the system go.
Pressing was all about zones (diamond in particular). If the offense decides to dribble against the press then they usually were in trouble.
You pass to beat a press with lots on upcourt movement.
Coached all grade levels, preferred man to man however when it is taught that everyone but the one defending the ball has one foot in the paint for help defense, this will teach-ensure weakside defense will stop the drives. It is easy to teach with basic drills along with boxing out and rebounding. Yes, even at a 4-5 grade levels.
We practiced alot at playgrounds and driveways.
Also taught zone effectively as well but again, practice makes the system go.
Pressing was all about zones (diamond in particular). If the offense decides to dribble against the press then they usually were in trouble.
You pass to beat a press with lots on upcourt movement.
The least Christian thing in the world could be Parochial Grade School Basketball.
When I coached in a local grade school rec league, man to man was mandated and 3-4-5th grade defense could only pick up at half court, which allows the beginners to at least take four or five dribbles.
My sister in law played against Susie McConnell from 4th to 12th grade, Susie in both skill and aggressiveness exceeded her opponents by a measure I have rarely seen.
When I coached in a local grade school rec league, man to man was mandated and 3-4-5th grade defense could only pick up at half court, which allows the beginners to at least take four or five dribbles.
My sister in law played against Susie McConnell from 4th to 12th grade, Susie in both skill and aggressiveness exceeded her opponents by a measure I have rarely seen.
If you want to maximize your players development, man to man defense (if taught correctly) is the way to go. Ball-me-man principles, deny post, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 help defense. Any man off the ball is playing one and a half man.
Force to weak hand. Block out. Their coaches in the next level will appreciate this.
There was always some kid like that, I was 2nd leading scorer on my elementary school team, I averaged like 4ppg, we had a kid that just brought the ball up and scored it, he averaged like 20ppg, I got my baskets when he missed, and I got a put back
Try to narrow down what the hell you are talking about...."at the elementary and middle school levels?" was your initial post supposition which was too broad. Kids at the 5th and 6th grade and up (Middle school?) should definitely be able to deal with a zone. Press also... If not, move on to soccer and orange slices...I played in the parochial league state championships in the late 70s. At Central Catholic in '79 of all places..first time I saw an 8th grader dunk.....we would have laughed at such stillness
Wow. So many comments! I coached tons of youth, middle school and junior high. I think zone is ok, though we mostly played man. Our leagues were pretty good. Travel teams. I loved coaching man to man and zone principles. Teaching the kids how to move the ball on offense against a zone and how to defend in a zone is important in development. How to play against a zone or man to man press is important, that is if the kids want to play at higher levels. At younger levels and if it’s not travel, the coaches have to be ethical. If you are winning 30-0, do something that makes it easier and more found for the other team.
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