— TRAINING SESSION

Passing and Cutting (U12)

Block and Bank · 57 minutes · 7 drills · Generated 13 May 2026

Age group: U12
Focus: Passing
Duration: 57 minutes
Drills: 7

Pass and move, never pass and stand. This session ingrains the cutting habit that separates teams that move the ball from teams that pass-and-watch.

7DRILLS

57MINUTES

8AVG / DRILL

1 Passing Lines Warm-Up

5 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 Star Passing

8 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u10 Court: Half

Five players form a star (one at each point). Ball moves across the star — every pass skips the player next to you and goes to the player two positions over. Pass and follow your pass.

Teaches passing under pressure, communication, and spacing.

Coaching points

Pass with both hands — chest or bounce, sharp.
Follow your pass — move to where you passed to.
No lazy passes — every one is on target, on time.
Communicate — call your teammate's name before you pass.
Start slow, build speed.

3 3-Man Weave

8 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u12 Court: Full

Three players pass and follow up the floor in a weaving pattern. Pass, then run behind the receiver, ending with a layup at the far basket.

A classic warmup that combines passing in motion, communication, and conditioning.

Coaching points

• Pass and follow your pass — run behind the receiver
• Keep the spacing wide; weave should be the full lane width
• Catch on the move, no stopping
• Lead passes — pass to where the player is going
• Layup off the correct foot at the rim

4 Give and Go

10 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u10 Court: Half

Ball-handler passes to a teammate, immediately cuts hard to the rim. Receiver returns the ball with a bounce pass for an open layup.

The oldest play in basketball. Still works because defenders constantly forget about the passer.

Coaching points

Pass with intent, sharp, two-handed.
First step HARD toward the rim.
Receiver sees the cut, bounce pass low.
Finisher: catch on the move, finish strong.
If cut isn't open, return and reset.

5 Backdoor Cut

10 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u14 Court: Half

Wing player is overplayed by an aggressive defender. Instead of fighting for the pass, sharp backdoor cut to the rim. Passer reads, delivers a bounce pass for the layup.

The punishment for over-aggressive denial. Every team needs to know this.

Coaching points

Wing reads the defender's hand in the passing lane.
First step HARD toward the ball, then SHARP cut behind.
Passer sees the cut, bounce pass low and away.
Finisher: catch on the move, finish strong.
If defence adjusts, RETURN to the wing.

6 Pass Cut Replace

12 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u14 Court: Half

Five-out motion. Pass to a teammate, immediately cut to the basket. Teammate fills your spot. Continuous. No dribbles, no screens, pure motion.

Foundation of every motion offence. Reads, spacing, the habit of cutting hard.

Coaching points

Cut HARD off every pass.
Replace, when someone cuts, someone fills.
4 metres minimum between players.
Look for the cutter, first read on every catch.
If nothing's there, pass and cut again.

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?