Top 6 Basketball Team Building Ideas

Basketball Team Building Activities

Written By Lamar Hull @ Google+

Also, good team chemistry is important to success in all sports, but is very important to the game of basketball. Basketball is a game that requires quick passes, screens, movement, spacing, and more. If players are not on the same page, the team will struggle to score, defend, and close games.

Basketball teams and players should be able to communicate well with each other to avoid breakdowns on the court. Most coaches don’t teach this, but good team chemistry can easily be improved in the off-season.

Not only through team workouts, but events where the team can get to know each other off the court, builds long-lasting relationships, and trust amongst the players. Coach Mckillop calls this TCC, which stands for “Trust, Commitment, and Care”.

We embraced this as a team and this made our support for each other much better because we cared for the next player, whether he was a starter or a bench player. If you’re a basketball coach, this article will help you with building a team through team building activities.

Here are my Top 6 Basketball Team Building Ideas:

If you’re a basketball coach or if you intend to become one in the future, here are the tips you should put into consideration if you wish to build team chemistry and win some games.

Tip#1: 24 Second Drill:

Have your entire basketball team line up on the baseline and then hold hands. The aim of this drill is to move together to the other baseline and back. This drill should be timed and the players should try and complete the drill within 24 seconds.

In order to successfully do this, the team should communicate effectively. Let them figure out that they need to walk at the same pace. You just provide the instructions and let the team respond. You will see who are the leaders, who can get the team on the same page, and how the team responds to this drill. You can give them a hint and say “communication is key!“

Tip#2: Ball Sharing Passing Drill:

Ball sharing will require you to split your players into several groups preferably groups of four or five. Begin off by handing one player in each group a basketball and make sure that every player touches the ball during the drill.

Have each group form a circle. Have one player stand in the middle of each group. Make sure that the player passing the ball shouts the name of the player that he or she is passing it to.

Have each player play the middle. The team should work on their bounce passes, chest passes, over-the-head passes, and etc. You wouldn’t believe how many passes in games don’t hit the targeted player in the hands.

Generally, the aim of this drill is to encourage the habit of passing the ball and involving every player in the play through communication.

Tip#3: Blindfold Drill:

The blindfold drill is essential in teaching players how to communicate clearly as well as efficiently. Divide your players into teams of two, giving each group a blindfold. Line up the groups along the sidelines and then have one player on each group wear the blindfold.

Have a non-blindfolded player from each group set a cone somewhere on the court, far enough so that it can provide their teammate with a challenge. The non-blindfolded players should verbally direct his or her teammate to the specific location where the cone was placed.

In order to take the drill to the next level, place a few obstacles in the way of the blindfolded player. The non-blindfolded players will really have to communicate to their blindfolded teammate! As I always say, communicate loud!

Tip#4: Tangled Knot:

Divide the players into teams of 5 and have each team form a small circle. Each player in each team should reach across and try to grab another player’s forearm or hand.

Once each person in every team is holding onto another person, each person should again reach across the circle and grab onto a different player’s forearm or hand so that each and every person is holding onto two different players.

The teams at this juncture should appeared as if they’re tangled in knots. Generally, through teamwork and proper communication, the group will try untangling itself without breaking the hand holds.

Tip#5: Team Outing:

Schedule a dinner or movie with your team! Last year, I took my AAU team to Dave and Busters in Concord, NC. The first hour and so we rode go-carts. The players were able to compete with each other in a friendly way and have fun while doing it.

After that, we ate food and watched a NBA game. The cool thing about that night was, the kids really enjoyed each other’s company.

If I saw small groups forming amongst the players, I tried to mix it up to get different kids interacting with other players. I enjoyed this team outing just as much as the players. After the event, I received several emails from parents praising their child’s experience.

Tip#6: Motivating Players:

It is also very important that each time your player does something extra ordinary you make sure that you reward him or her. This will make him or her motivated and the other players will follow. This will help improve the performance and team chemistry of the team.

People are motivated by rewards. The action that you gauge could be communication on the court. As a coach, advise your team on the impact that the basketball team building ideas that you have them participate in can have in the long run.

Lastly, don’t ever underestimate the power of team building especially in the off-season. If you are the type of coach that disappears in the summer leaving your kids to figure out how they can contribute to the team next year, you should change that behavior ASAP.

We all want to win and it starts with teaching your young team to play as a team. These basketball team building activities are a good start! If you are a basketball coach or player, I would love to hear about the team building activities that worked well with your team.