Dribbling A Basketball
Since I was a point guard in my playing career, basketball dribbling was an essential skill to learn. Even at the most basic level, here is what dribbling does for a player. Dribbling allows a player to change position on the court without giving up possession of the ball. Cool huh?
Here are some of the popular types of dribbles.
Control Dribble
Knees are bent. One foot ahead of the other to protect the ball. Hand is wide spread on the ball - contact is made with the pads of the fingers only. Push the ball with the wrist and fingers only, not the whole arm.
Speed Dribble
Push the ball out in front of you. Used of movement in the open court. Head is always up. The position of the body is similar to when you run at a high speed. The greater the running speed the further out you push the ball.
Crossover Dribble
Plant foot opposite to the direction the player wants to go. The player then steps in the exact direction he wants to go and thrusts off the initially planted foot. This hand quickly pushes the ball down to the floor close to and in front of the body. The ball should come into new hand before the step is complete.
Through the Legs Dribble
Plant the foot closest to the ball Push the ball between the legs as you complete the change of direction step. All moves must be done quickly and low to the ground.
Behind the Back Dribble
Plant the right foot and bring the ball backwards with the right hand. As the left foot moves in a new direction, push the ball past the left foot to the left hand.
Reverse Dribble
Plant the inside foot (left) and pivot backwards around the opponent with one dribble. Doing this with the left hand in the new direction. Dribbling is one of those skills that takes lots of practice. Once the basics are mastered it is only natural to move onto tougher skills.
For more on coaching youth sports, visit RTP Sports Camps.
Kent Janz is the founder of RTP Sports Camps. Having coached basketball for 15 years, it was time to teach others to do the same. RTP Sports Camps is all about helping youth develop a love for sports. By the way, we are looking for coaches in your area!
Tags: ball control, basketball, dribbling, sports, youth