— TRAINING SESSION

Layups Both Ways (U10)

Block and Bank · 43 minutes · 6 drills · Generated 13 May 2026

Age group: U10
Focus: Finishing
Duration: 43 minutes
Drills: 6

Most U10 players can only finish with their dominant hand. This is the session that fixes that. By the end, both hands are working.

6DRILLS

43MINUTES

7AVG / 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 Mikan Drill

8 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u12 Court: Half

Classic finishing drill named after George Mikan. Player alternates left-hand and right-hand layups under the rim continuously, no dribble.

Builds touch around the basket and trains the off-hand for live finishes.

Coaching points

• Use the backboard
• Knee up on every finish (right knee for right hand)
• Soft fingertip release, no slamming
• Quick rebound, don't let the ball touch the floor
• Power leg drives off the floor

Note: Both hands, no exceptions

3 Lay-In Lines

10 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u8 Court: Half

Two lines: half-court with balls, wing without. Ball line dribbles in for a layup. Wing follows for rebound, outlets to next shooter.

Classic continuous warm-up. Done right, it's daily reps. Done lazy, it's wasted time.

Coaching points

Layup off the correct foot.
Use the backboard.
Rebounder grabs BEFORE the ball hits the floor.
Outlet pass sharp, on target.
Switch lines immediately, keep flow.

Note: Right hand first half, left hand second

4 Drop-Step to Power Layup

8 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u14 Court: Half

Post player on the block, ball entered from the wing. Catch with two hands, sense the defender's position, drop-step middle, finish with a power layup off two feet.

Fundamental post move that works at every level — the bigger the player, the harder it is to stop.

Coaching points

• Show a target hand high before the catch
• Two hands, ball chinned, elbows out
• Sense the defender — don't look
• Drop your back foot toward the middle
• Power off two feet, finish with a strong dunk or off-glass layup

5 Hot Potato Layups

8 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u12 Court: Half

Three players in a triangle near the rim. Continuous passes; every catch followed by an immediate layup attempt, no dribble, no holding.

Fast-paced finishing under chaos. Touch and quick decision-making.

Coaching points

Catch and finish in one motion.
Pass leads receiver to rim.
Use the backboard.
Trust the next pass, keep moving.
If fumbled, regroup quick.

6 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?