I like a progression that goes like this:
-King of the Circle: Coach in middle of circle with a ball. Player A is in the circle in a good defensive position with Player B standing just outside. Coach holds the ball about shoulder height in the very middle of the circle. When Coach drops the ball, Player A boxes out until the ball bounces 3-5 times or Coach blows a whistle. When the ball bounces the fifth time or Coach blows the whistle, either player can try to get the ball. Winner stays in the circle. (Another option on this one is to use a plastic soccer disc and have Player B box out while Player A tries to stomp the cone. We call this one "Cone Crusher.")

-Rebound King: Same deal, but now you're at a basket and coach throws up a brick and calls "shot." Player A boxes out and both go for the rebound. Winner stays.

-Rebound Scrimmage. Regular scrimmage but coach awards a point for an effective box out and two points for a box out/rebound.

These can be modified as desired to fit your needs. For instance, each pair goes for best of three before elimination or moving to another station. If you have enough coaches, set up 2-3 stations for mini tournaments--winner stays and loser moves to a different hoop to minimize standing around and waiting.

Correct defensive positioning goes a long way to good rebounding positioning.

At this level kids learn faster playing man-to-man defense. It's more natural and creates a far better flow to the game. Concepts like setting picks, following your shot, and cutting to the hoop are more effective. That said, zone defenses can be very effective. They restrict open shots near the basket and leave more defenders close to the hoop to rebound. But it's harder to teach boxing out from a zone.

Good luck with your team! Chris Kelley - Framingham

First thing to make sure your kids understand is the actual rules of basketball as they relate to rebounding and position. As a paraphrase, any player that establishes a position around the hoop, and with raised hands and a wide stance creates a "vertical plane" from the floor to the ceiling, claims ownership of that space. Then, in the course of rebounding, if any player (larger or smaller) breakes that vertical plane with CONTACT is guilty of an "over the back" foul.

There are several concepts that must be taught in order to teach a player to establish position under the hoop. Start by teachig proper body positioning, with a wide stance, knees bent almost in a sitting position, hands held up above shoulders with palms facing the basket. You should drill this position hundreds of times over your season - use a whistle with players paired up on the court. When you blow the whistle, the defensive player must turn and establish this position as fast as possible. At first, critique the body positioning alone without adding a ball or shots or any attempt to actually grab a rebound. The players must be able to execute their individual position against an opponent (boxing out) before they should worry about grabbing a rebound. Too often coaches focus on grabbing the ball and not so much on establishing proper positioning. Don't make that mistake with your players.

As you are teaching body positioning, also teach rebounding timing in a different drill. Have players start from their rebounding wide-stance position, toss a ball off the backboard, and teach your players to explode up to the ball and catch it at the peak of their jump.

(to be continued...)

(Continued...)

At this point you have taught proper positioning, and a basic rebounding jump timing. Now it's time to put the two together with a game called KEEP OUT!.

Start with two players in the paint, one on offense, the other on defense. Defender is facing their matchup to start. Then coach shoots ball off back of rim. Defensive player must 1. yell "shot!", 2. step to their matchup and assume proper box out position as described above, and the 3. defender must keep opponent from TOUCHING the ball before it hits the ground.
(SCORING: If defender is successful = 2 points. If offense touches the ball but commits an over the back foul (described above), defender = 1 point. If offense catches the rebound, offense = 2 points.) First player to 10 points wins. Loser must perform one dribbling full-court down and back for every point of difference between the two scores (ie., End score is 10-7, loser owes 3 dribbling down and backs.) We do all of our "consequences" with a dribble drill, and we alternate hands every time there is a change of direction. So in this case, the loser would start with right hand, come back with left hand and repeat three times.

The key to all of this, like any skill in basketball, is to break things down to fundamentals and be patient enough to repeat instruction on these topics until your players have them down to a habit. Don't allow complaining or apparent boredom to make you rush through progressions as a coach. Keep your drills short (3-5 minutes at a time) so your team is constantly changing pace and having to pay attention. If players complain about having to repeat a drill, base your decision to change on whether the players can execute precisely. Your practice performance should always be more intense and focused than in a game, that way you elevate your game performance automatically.

Good luck with your teams and let me know how it's going!

Coach Rob
CoachRob@ExtremeBasketball.org

Check us out at www.ExtremeBasketball.org!

Have each kid bring a dollar to practice. Get two kids at a time, and have them place both of their dollars in the circle formed around the free throw line. Tell kid #1 that he is to face towards the dollars, and that he will keep both if he keeps kid #2 from getting to them. Tell kid #2 that if he gets the dollars that he can have them both. Tell both kids that that neither is allowed to use their hands on the other, only when grabbing the dollars. Ask them to repeat the rules. When they show you that they understand, say "Go."