Youth Basketball Coaching
The Deep Step Series
In youth basketball coaching, one of the toughest things to teach is the idea that aggressive defensive pressure can work to the Offensive Player's advantage. Most of the kids do not like to be pressured when they have the ball. The kids want to dribble away from the pressure, or pass the ball right away, or maybe sometimes they just don't want to get the ball at all, because that defensive player will get out there all over them.
How many times do you see youth basketball players dribble the ball into the right corner of the floor, face the corner with their back to the floor, and try to protect the ball from the defense?
Why do the kids do this?
First, most kids are right handed and they feel more comfortable going to the right corner.
Next, they go to the corner because they feel SAFE there.
Youth basketball coaching is always easier when you try to THINK like the kids. Think about what a 6th grader feels like when they have all this pressure on them from the defense. They find friends in the baseline and the sideline. The defense cannot surround them from any direction, just the in-bound floor side. So, if you ask the kids WHY they do it, they won't and don't know. But the reason is they have a natural inclination and ability to find a way to get away from defensive pressure.
Key Teaching Point - take advantage of defensive pressure by going to the BASKET not the CORNER
Introducing the Deep Step Series
The DEEP STEP is used when the Offensive Player catches the basketball, and the defense applies so much immediate pressure that the Offensive Player CANNOT square up to the basket and establish Triple Threat Position.
The sequence leading up to the deep step move is:
Threaten the basket - Come to the ball (L-Cut) - Target on outside ear - Catch the ball with feet in line to the basket
And now, the defender moves so close that the offensive player cannot square to triple threat. Some would say the defender is "bellying up" to the offensive player.
This is the time when most kids will dribble right away to get away from the defensive pressure, WE DON'T WANT TO DRIBBLE YET!
We want to use our DEEP STEP MOVE.
We teach 4 Moves in our Deep Step Series
DEEP STEP DRIVE
DEEP STEP SQUARE UP
DEEP STEP ROCKER
DEEP STEP BACKDOOR
Please follow the link to each Deep Step Move for a free detailed Video Clip and description of the move.
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