Pirate Basketball Shooting Drill Series (Videos Included)
In June, we released the 3 main parts of our Pirate Basketball Shooting Drills series, in which Pro Skills Basketball Denver Director Ross Schraeder teaches and demonstrates layups in part 1, “runners” in part 2, and reverse layups in part 3.
The drill is called the “Pirate” Basketball Shooting Series because it teaches all one-handed basketball shooting.
Get it?
One-handed … like a pirate!
Still no?!?
Haha well, regardless, we wanted to give it a unique name that the kids will remember while working on an important aspect of the game.
Ideally, it is meant to work on weak-handed development, but, in fact, the work is fantastic for both strong-hand and weak-hand development.
In performing this basketball shooting drill, we are looking for players to shoot with proper form, right or left-handed, without using the off-hand in the shot.
Especially on weak-handed layups, kids will begin to push with their off hand, and never really fully develop with their weak hand.
Check out layups in part 1 of the Pirate Basketball Shooting Drills Series video below:
By eliminating one hand with these Pirate Series drills, we force young basketball players to use their weak hand only. With a young team, at the beginning, they are a mess in trying to control the ball with one hand.
However, in just a few minutes, you can see them begin to improve and start to come close to getting the proper form.
Also important in performing this shooting drill is the fact that a vital aspect of being a good basketball player is having good hands and controlling the ball effectively.
See “runners” in part 2 of the Pirate Basketball Shooting Drills Series video below:
We start our Pirate Basketball Shooting Drills Series by having the kids cradle the ball, but then turn it so that they are in a sense shooting a shot (even though it is a layup) rather than shooting an underhand layup.
The cradle plus turn of the ball with one hand is quite challenging at first for players of any age who have not performed a one-hand basketball shooting drill before, but young players begin to see their ball control and coordination develop rapidly in continuing the session.
Check out part 3 and reverse layups in the Pirate Basketball Shooting Drills Series video below:
The Pirate Series doesn’t have to just be for shooting a basketball though! It can also be used for a basic two-man passing drill with making one-hand passes off the dribble.
Again, this helps weak-hand development, helps coordination, and speeds up their overall development.
One thing to stress in the pirate session is that we do not want them making one-handed plays in actual gameplay.
We are simply speeding up their weak-hand development in practice and training sessions, and thus making them more coordinated youth basketball players.
Make sure to check out the rest of our youth basketball drills videos and subscribe to your YouTube Channel!
Do you want to see more drills?
Let us know what skills you would like us to cover in our basketball drill videos! Simply drop us a note on our contact page here.
