YBCA

my high school coach did a drill that was supposed to encourage aggressiveness, quick response, and fun (i don't think he every had an official name for it, but it was often referred to as the “grab-ass” drill): players pair off – when it's the turn for one of the pairs, they step to center court – the coach can throw the ball anywhere in the gym – the players sprint to get it, whoever gets it first is on offense and the object is to get a lay-up within three seconds. it was fun because he'd throw the ball off the ceiling, then maybe drop-kick one, then maybe hand it to someone else. we normally did it at the end of practice – it's tougher to do as a player when you're already tired. 

but overall it was a great equalizer – it rewarded aggressiveness and skill more than pure talent and it was fun – people bumped, pushed, would kick a ball off the wall to make it come back to them…pretty much anything was fair game and the coach encouraged this.

hope that helps.

–Pat

I found this in my archives of Hard2Guard Player Development Newsletters (Vol. 2, No. 36). To subscribe, email hard2guardinc@yahoo.com.

A coach emailed and asked for advice on a 30-minute workout to replace strength training during his basketball class at school. With 22 players, I divided the workout into 10 stations and used the equipment he has available. This is certainly not the only way, or even the best way to train athletes, but given the time, size and equipment restraints, this is an example of a 30-minute circuit workout for a varsity girls’ program with a focus on agility and single-leg strength development:

1. 3 Hurdle Lateral Run (agility, lateral movement): Use three 18-inch hurdles. Step over the first hurdle with your lead leg and then the trail leg. After the third hurdle, only step down with the lead leg. So, if your first step is with your left foot, you move to the left: left-right, left-right, left; then to the right: right-left, right-left, right. That would be one repetition: there and back. Do three repetitions and switch with your partner.
2. Underhand MB Throw (explosiveness): Stand with your back to a wall. Hold a medicine ball. Bend and lower the ball so it is between your legs. Explosively push through your heels and throw the ball with an underhand grip over your head to hit the wall behind you.
3. Plyo Push-ups (upper body strength): Do a push-up, but push your arms off the floor, clap and then land in push-up position.
4. Overhead Lunge and Balance (lower body strength, balance): Hold a medicine ball straight overhead. Do a lunge, but drive your trail leg forward and hold the position with your thigh parallel to the ground. Step forward to your next lunge.
5. Front Obstacle Jumps w/Reaction (quickness, jumping ability): Use six 18-inch hurdles. Put the hurdles in a line and jump over the hurdles using reactive jumps. At the end of the cones, place a cone ten yards forward and 10 years to either side. As the player clears the final hurdle, a coach or manager points at one of the three cones, and the player lands and sprints to the cone.
6. Ladders (quickness, agility): Place a ladder with a cone ten yards past the ladder. Do the “Icky Shuffle” through the ladder: in-in-out, in-in-out, etc. After stepping out of the last ladder, sprint to the cone and run around the cone. Sprint back to the ladder and 180-jumps to the start. On the first repetition, go to the right of the cone, and the second, go to the left.
7. Burpees (conditioning, core, upper body strength): Start in a standing position. Drop to all fours, push your feet out and do a push-up. Return to all fours, stand and jump as high as possible. Repeat.
8. MB Twist Pyramid (core, upper body strength): Sit facing a wall with a medicine ball. Twist from side to side and throw a chest pass off the wall. Catch the ball and repeat, except this time go side to side twice and throw. Progress in a pyramid to 10: 2-4-6-8-10-8-6-4-2.
9. Boxing Tag (agility, footwork): Two players face each other. Play tag with the objective to tag the other person’s shoulder or stomach. Move to avoid being tagged and counter.
10. Bulgarian Split Squat (lower body strength): Face away from the bleachers and put one foot on the top step of the bleachers. Squat until the top of your thigh is parallel to the ground. Repeat.

Give them  about 3 feet in any direction.