SKILLS CONTEST RULES
The concept behind the Skills Contest is to instill the proper fundamentals and skills in first through third graders. The skills contest should take place before each game and should take about 10 minutes. The skills contest is only for the first through third grades and is mandatory for the entire season.
The Skills Contest will not only instill the proper fundamentals but it will also give each child an equal number of touches on the ball so that they can prepare for game conditions. As we all know, in the early age levels one or two players may try to control the flow of a game, but if all players have practiced and touched the ball equally, it is more likely that each player will get more touches in a game situation.
The Skills Contest consists of the following (or other similar) drills which are competitive in nature:
1. Dribbling
A. Control - have five kids from each team at each end of the court with one team on one side of the foul line and the other team on the other side. On the whistle, they dribble with their right hand without losing control of the ball, traveling or double dribbling. If a turnover occurs the player should be coached and started again from where the turnover occurred. When the first player reaches the other end the next player in line starts. The team earns one point for each player who crosses the end line without committing a turnover. Continue with the left hand. This will be much slower, but it is most critical to do this for the players development. Two points are awarded to each player who completes this successfully within a reasonable amount of time.
B. Speed - start players in same position as in A. Now have them dribble as fast as they can with their right hand to the other end of the court. A point is earned for each player who does this without fumbling the ball or dribbling with both hands simultaneously. When the right hand is complete the players use their left hand.
C. Crossover - start players in the same position as in A. but have them dribble the ball at least twice but no more than three times with one hand, and then cross over dribble to the other hand. Continue down court in a zig zag fashion and the player at the other end starts when the player with the ball crosses the end line. One point is awarded for each successful completion by a player without a turnover.
II. Passing
A. Have players spread out the length of the court equally apart with two lines for a team.
B. The first player in line executes a chest pass to the next player using the proper technique. That person catches the ball and turns and executes a chest pass properly to the next player down the court and so on. When the ball reaches the end of the court, the player passes to the player to the side and then the ball returns to the other end of the court with each player doing correct chest passes. Five points are awarded to the team that finishes first.
C. The first player in line executes a bounce pass to the next player using the proper technique. That person catches the ball and turns and executes a bounce pass properly to the next player down the court and so on. When the ball reaches the end of the court, the player bounce passes to the player to the side and then the ball returns to the other end of the court with each player doing correct bounce passes. Five points are awarded to the team that finishes first.
D. The first player in line executes a one handed pass to the next player using the proper technique. That person catches the ball and turns and executes a one handed pass properly to the next player down the court and so on. When the ball reaches the end of the court, the player one handed passes to the player to the side and then the ball returns to the other end of the court with each player doing correct one handed passes. Five points are awarded to the team that finishes first.
NOTE: Any team that drops the ball twice in any rotation must run a full length of the court down and back before the next passing cycle begins. A third or more dropped ball results in running down and back for each dropped ball.
III. Shooting
A. Arrange the team as in 2. above, but have one line near the sideline and the other near the paint with the last palyer in the "low block" area. On the whistle the ball is passed from one end of the court to the other down the outside line as quickly as possible. The last player in the outside line passes to the player near the "low block" and the last player near the "low block" must shoot, make the shot, get the rebound and pass it to the next person up court on his team. That person passes to the other end where the player on the low block must, shoot, score, get the rebound and pass to the first player in the outside line who starts the circle again. After each cycle each player moves up one position so that new players will shoot the next time the ball comes down the court. One point is scored for each made basket and each player has a maximum of three chances to make a basket.
X <------ X <------- X <-------- X <-------- X
|O ^ O|
X -------> X -----> X ----------> X --------------> X
B. Have each player shoot five free throws with their strong hand with one point scored for each made free throw.
C. Have each player dribble to the basket from the top of the key and try to make a layup with either one or two hands. A one handed layup scores two points and a two handed layup scores one point. You may also allow the players to jump stop and shoot either one or two handed but the same points are scored for a one versus two handed shot. No points are scored if the player walks by taking too many steps.
D. If time remains have each team play a game of knock out on each end of the court. Shoot from the free throw line and if the player misses he must get the ball and score under the basket before the next player in line scores from the free throw line. The winners from each team play each other with the winning team receiving five points.
