How I Would Structure an AAU/Youth Basketball Practice

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I cover the topics of this post in video form (above). You can also find it on Spotify and YouTube if that’s your cup of tea.

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Skill workouts, drills, goal-setting sheets, progress check-ins, weekly and monthly planners for the summer, accountability in an online group, cheat sheets on important topics, and more. I don’t think anything else like this exists on the internet.

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I get asked about coaching youth/AAU basketball (elementary-middle) a lot, what I’d run, how practice would be structured, and so on.

So, that’s what I’m going to send your way today.

The first draft of this post was intended to be concise and short, but I just kept rolling with ideas so you’re getting a bunch of stuff here.

I’m not saying this is THE way - I’m saying this is the way that I’ve used that has worked and what I’d offer as guidance. Pick and choose what works best for you.

I broke this down into two sections:

• rules, procedures, protocols of practice

• what a typical 90-minute practice would look like for me/what drills I’d include

Rules, Procedures, Protocols, and General Practice Thoughts

To begin with, your rules/procedures/protocols must be explicitly, clearly, and directly communicated to your players. Leave no gray areas. This is what is expected and this is what happens (consequences) if you don’t meet the expectations.

Don’t whine, don’t beg, don’t complain if they don’t do it - set the practice expectation and then hold them accountable. Take the emotion out of it.

And be consistent. Not just when you feel like it.

Yes, it might take some time for them to figure it out and start doing things habitually…but I have no doubt in my mind that the extra time your players may need to spend on learning what you expect is well worth it in the long run.

Also, please note you might not be able to do all of these things in a practice and that’s fine.

Like everything I send you guys…read it, decide what makes sense, make it work for your situation.

Okay, some thoughts in no particular order:

• absolutely no dribbling, talking, messing around, wandering, getting water, or anything even remotely of that sort if a coach is speaking or instructing

• if you have a ball in a huddle and a coach is talking, put it on the ground between your feet

• eye contact during huddles and “coaching moments”

• on time is late - you should be dressed, shoes on, shoes tied, mentally ready to go by at least 5 minutes before practice officially starts

• we only use the necessary amount of basketballs - all other balls are put away and not being used or messed with (on a rack, in the corner, on the bench)

• one whistle = everything stops

• two whistles = everyone runs to coach

• we keep score in everything and if you lose, you face consequences that make losing not very fun (pushups, running, conditioning, etc.)

• we waste ZERO time between drills - RUN to where you’re supposed to go, no extra shots after the whistle

• maximize whatever space you have - get your groups as small as possible depending on how many rims you have so players get as many reps as they can

• chaos is okay (and welcomed) - we will move quickly from one drill to another, we will throw intentional curveballs, players will have to figure out rotations of a drill, they’ll have to communicate with each other to reach common goals almost every drill/rotation.

  • The coaching staff can’t save players during games - this is a good muscle to develop in practice.

• quick, simple, easy, consistent, and expected punishments and way of discipline will train your players to do the things you want them to do - pushups has always seemed to work best for me

  • maybe your players will just automatically do things exactly the way you want them the first time you ask…but I’ve found, even with the most well-intentioned and most coachable kids…you have to do some initial “breaking in” to how you want to do things - and that’s okay

  • you can start with one warning and then consequences in the beginning…but eventually, no warnings should be allowed because “this is how we do things here”

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Typical Practice Plan and Schedule

1. Free Warm-Up/Play (5-10 min before practice starts)

   1. Let the kids play, shoot on their own, get warmed up (their responsibility)

   2. Go around and try to talk to every kid quickly before practice starts - try to have conversation or make contact (high five, fist bump) with every kid and coach

   3. If practice starts at 6pm and you roll in at 6pm, you’re late and you do pushups.

   4. If you can play music during this time, even better

   5. If you can jump in and play or shoot with them, even even better

2. Thought/Emphasis of the Day (5 min)

   1. What we’re going to focus on, a quote that seems fitting, setting the tone for the day, announcements, reviewing last practice or game, etc.

   2. If you can get them talking and listening to each other with open-ended questions during this time, even better

3. Quick Ball Handling/Finishing Work (15 min)

   1. I’d follow a basic ball handling routine every day for 5 minutes (skip dribbles, basic stationary stuff, two ball drills, things that make sense for whatever age/skill you’re coaching)

   2. 1v0 Finishing - either work on one particular finish type per practice or have a few finishes you rep out each day; if there are multiple baskets, spread the kids out as much as possible to rep this out

   3. 1v1 Finishing - I like the Cleveland Series drills (below), but anything that has them playing 1v1 and making decisions

4. Top Gun Shooting (15 min)

   • I debated whether or not I wanted to include shooting in my daily practice, but I think it’s important to emphasize it and get as much shots up as possible because…if your team can’t shoot, you aren’t winning.

   • Choose 2-3 drills that you can CHART, have the kids complete them every day, work in partners, and post their results

     • This does a lot of things - it heightens focus because you’re counting and competing, it justifies whether or not certain kids are allowed to take certain shots in a game, and it’s just more fun

     • I’d do simple mass shooting drills like 3 Minute 3s, FT Streaks, and Louisville Shooting

     • Put the scores all together and then chart/post the scores

     • More on that here and here

5. Conceptual Team Offense/Defense (15 min)

   1. This would be anything from Shell Drill (or a variation of it) to 4v4v4 (or 3v3v3) to FIBA 3x3

   2. Anything that allows you to work on your offensive AND defensive principles (whatever this may be) - don’t just let them play freely…pick a certain action to focus on and rep it out

   3. Advantage drills and short-sided games like 4v3 Shooting work for this as well

6. Transition Offense/Transition Defense (15 min)

   • This will be based on how you coach, but anything that gives your players reps getting to the right spots in transition, running, throwing ahead, and doing what you emphasize

   • 5v0 Transition Cycles

   • 4v4 Transition

• FC Change

• Shot Clock Game

You can find all of these drills (and like 600 more) in the Hoops Companion Master Playbook/Drill Book

7. 5v0 into 5v5/Situations

   1. Run your stuff offensively (man, zone, press break) against air

   2. Then, go live

      1. 5v5 HC Possessions

         1. Team A vs. Team B for 5 possessions (either alternate or go 5 in a row)

         2. Run your man offense or zone offense or man sets

         3. Whoever scores the most, wins

      2. 5v5 FC Possessions

         1. Same thing as above but in the full court

      3. 95-95

8. Wrap up Practice

   1. Huddle back up together, ask the kids about some things that went well or that could have been better, come back to your thought of the day, leave everyone feeling good

   2. “Give everyone some love” - I like making sure every coach and player gives each other a pound before they hit the road

9. Open Shooting/Play

   1. If you have time, leave the gym open, play with the kids, let them work on some things on their own

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Here they are in a more condensed fashion:

1. Free Warm-up/Play (5-10 min before practice)

2. Thought/Emphasis of the Day (5 min)

3. Ball Handling + Finishing (15 min)

4. Shooting (15 min)

5. Conceptual Team Offense/Defense (20 min)

6. Transition Offense/Transition Defense (15 min)

7. 5v0 into 5v5 Situations (20 min)

8. Wrap up Practice (5 min)

9. Open Shooting/Play (…..)

There you have it - what I’d do (most of the time) if I was running practice 1-2 times a week for 90 minutes for an AAU or Youth team.

What did I miss? What makes sense? What questions do you have?

See you next time!

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