— TRAINING SESSION

Pure Shooting Day (U12)

Block and Bank · 56 minutes · 7 drills · Generated 13 May 2026

Age group: U12
Focus: Shooting
Duration: 56 minutes
Drills: 7

Reps, reps, reps. Form-focused but volume-heavy. Players will get up over 200 shots between them.

7DRILLS

56MINUTES

8AVG / DRILL

1 Passing Lines Warm-Up

4 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u8 Court: Half

Pairs, 5 metres apart. 20 chest passes, 20 bounce passes, 20 overhead passes, 20 one-handed push passes (10 each hand).

Fundamentals warm-up every coach should run every practice. Countless turnovers prevented.

Coaching points

Step into every pass.
Fingertips on follow-through.
Receive with both hands, fingers spread.
Bounce passes: 2/3 of the way to your partner.
Overhead passes: snap wrists, from the forehead.

2 Block to Block Form Shooting

8 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u10 Court: Half

Shooter stands at the block (right side), shoots one-handed using only their shooting hand. After 5 makes, switch to the left block.

Removes the off-hand from the equation entirely. The cleanest way to teach perfect shooting form.

Coaching points

• Shooting hand under the ball, off-hand on hip (or behind the back)
• Elbow under the ball, not flared
• Follow through — wave goodbye to the rim
• Soft arc, not flat — aim for the ball to drop in
• Hold the follow-through until the ball hits the rim

3 Five Spot Shooting

10 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u14 Court: Half

Five marked spots: both corners, both wings, top of the key. Player must make 5 shots from each spot before moving to the next. Coach times the whole thing. Track personal bests on the wall.

Relentless shooting drill that builds touch from every spot on the floor.

Coaching points

• Quality over speed — but speed comes from quality reps
• Same form every shot — fatigue is the test
• Use a partner rebounder — keep the pace high
• Track times publicly — pressure makes shots
• Reset feet completely before each shot

4 Catch & Shoot — 5 Spots

10 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u14 Court: Half

Coach or partner rebounder passes from under the basket to the shooter on the perimeter. Shooter catches in shooting position, sets feet, rises and shoots — no dribble, no hesitation.

The most common shot in modern basketball: the catch-and-shoot three off a kick-out.

Coaching points

• Hands ready BEFORE the catch — fingertips up
• Catch with feet ready to shoot — 'shooting pocket'
• Square shoulders to the rim on the way up
• Same release every time — no thinking
• Hold follow-through until the ball hits

5 Around the World

12 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u12 Court: Half

Player must make a shot from 7 spots around the arc: corner, wing, top, opposite wing, opposite corner, free throw line, layup. Miss = stay at the spot. First to complete wins.

Classic shooting game that mixes skill with pressure.

Coaching points

Set feet on every shot, don't rush.
Same routine at every spot.
No cheating the line.
Celebrate yourself, refocus for the next.
Sudden-death from half-court if tied.

Note: Add competition

6 Knockout

8 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u10 Court: Half

Players line up at the free throw line, two basketballs at the front. First player shoots; if they miss they rebound and try again. Second player shoots immediately after the first releases — if they make it before the first player makes theirs, the first is OUT.

Fan favourite. Builds shooting under pressure and rebound urgency.

Coaching points

• Quick rebound off your miss — speed matters more than form
• If you're behind, you can shoot from anywhere — just make it before the player ahead
• Stay alert — the line moves fast
• Last player standing wins
• Coach calls 'no granny shots' for older groups

7 Cool Down Routine

4 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u8 Court: Half

End-of-practice: 30 seconds each, toe touches, quad stretch, hamstring stretch, calf stretch, lunge stretch, cobra back stretch, shoulder rolls. Total 4 minutes.

Most coaches skip it. Don't. Recovery starts here. Players who stretch consistently miss less practice from soreness.

Coaching points

Slow movements, no bouncing.
Breathe, exhale on stretch.
Don't push through pain, just to the edge.
Hold each stretch.
Debrief while stretching: what worked today?