Top Rebounding Drills for Youth Basketball
Contrary to popular belief, nearly every basketball drill contains some essence of a rebounding drill within it. That is, whether it is a shooting drill, a passing drill, or a defensive one, grabbing and containing the rebound after a missed shot is nearly as important as the actual drill itself.
However, there may be times where you are looking to provide specific, isolated rebounding drills for your team. Below, we’re going to provide you with the top rebounding drills for youth basketball.
These drills have been specifically curated for the youth game. That is, we have taken into consideration the relative size and inexperience of many youth players when developing these rebounding drills.
Teaching Rebound Drills in Three Easy Steps
Rebounding doesn’t need to be difficult, nor should it be overcomplicated. That’s why we like to break it down to three easy steps.
The first step is to find an opposing player to box out. This should be done immediately after the ball is released from the shooters hand. In order to prevent the offensive team from securing an offensive rebound, each player must box out their respective opponent.
The second step is to contain. That is, once a player has identified whom they should be boxing out for the rebound, they should contain them and ensure they are unable to secure the offensive rebound.
This can be done by boxing out a player near the rim and by placing an arm on a player closer to the perimeter of the key and three-point line who may try and run to grab the offensive rebound.
The last step is to secure. That is, once offensive players have been found and contained, a defensive player will now need to secure the basketball. Teach your athletes, particularly your youth ones, that they should never expect the basketball to come to them. In order to secure a rebound, you must chase and grab it.
Backboard Lob and Pass
A great, and relatively simple, rebounding drill for youth and younger basketball athletes is the backboard lob and pass. Dependent on the age and size of your squad, some players may have difficult with this drill, but by practicing the drill they should be able to master it relatively quickly.
To begin, line up your team single-filed on the free-throw line. With one ball, have the first player lob the basketball off the backboard. They should grab their own rebound, ideally while the ball is still in the air and before it touches the ground.
Once they have grabbed and secured the rebound, have them dribble out to the right or left-hand three-point line and pass to the next player at the free-throw line.
4×4 Three-Point Rebounding Drill
This is a great youth rebounding drill as it teaches the defensive team on how to communicate on whom to box out as well as teaching all athletes on the court how to anticipate where the ball will land once shot from the three-point line.
To begin, have four offensive players spread out on the three-point lune. Have the players remain at the three-point line, passing and dribbling the ball. At their discretion, let one player shoot the ball. The defensive team should not only box out all four offensive players, but they should also be communicating with one-another on whom they should be boxing out.
This drill not only helps the offensive team develop better passing and three-point shot efficiency, but also helps the defensive players to learn box out methods from further away from the basket as well as ensuring that they communicate with one another to ensure the defensive rebound is secured.
Battle of the Boards
A fun exercise, this rebounding drill works perfectly for the youth game.
Have four players, two on each team, stand at the key, either you or an assistant coach should shoot the ball from the free-throw line. Whichever team gets the rebound, the other team is assessed a strike. Three strikes and the losing team is replaced by a new set of players.
Keep Away
Another great game and drill that younger players find especially fun.
The goal of this drill is to keep the offense away from the basketball. This is done by having all players line up near the three-point line. A coach or assistant coach will shoot the ball. The goal of the defense is to properly box out the offensive players for 7-seconds and not allow them to get the ball.
This drill works best with three players on either team. It also helps to teach core boxing out skills and techniques.
Pass and Shoot
A variation of the shooting and rebounding drills, this drill helps players develop their shooting skills while simultaneously teaching rebounding skills.
To play, have a team of five players on each side. One on offense and one on defense. Quickly, a coach or assistant coach must pass to an offensive player, who is not allowed to pass the ball and must shoot as quickly as possible.
The goal is for the team on offense to score 3-points in ten attempts. If they fail to score three points, they are replaced on offense by the defensive team.
This drill also helps players to understand where the ball lands from different areas on the court. It is crucial to teach players that differing shots lead to differing rebound opportunities and this drill does so well.