This is a highly detailed practice plan for 3rd and 4th grade girls playing basketball. I have developed this plan for 60 to 90 minute of duration, which is considered ideal for most daily practices. Repeat these pratices everyday to standout from most other basketball players of your age group. Just make sue to consistenty follow this plan and you will start seeing reward soon.

🏀 Practice Overview

Duration: 60-90 Minutes

Goals:

The goals of this plan is to acheive the following outcomes.

• Learning fundamental basketball skills: dribbling, passing, shooting, defense, and rebounding.
• Build game awareness and teamwork.
• Develop confidence, coordination, and fitness.
• Create a positive and fun learning environment.

⏳ Practice Breakdown

Time	Activity	Focus
0:00 – 0:05	Team Huddle & Warm-Up Overview	Setting expectations, motivation, and reviewing practice plan
0:05 – 0:15	Dynamic Warm-Up & Footwork Drills	Agility, balance, coordination, & injury prevention
0:15 – 0:30	Fundamental Drills (Ball Handling & Passing)	Dribbling control, passing accuracy, teamwork
0:30 – 0:45	Shooting & Layups	Shooting form, confidence, finishing at the rim
0:45 – 1:00	Defense & Rebounding	Proper stance, movement, and boxing out
1:00 – 1:15	Game Situations (Scrimmage & Controlled Drills)	Applying skills in real-game settings
1:15 – 1:20	Fun Game or Relay Race	Energy boost & team bonding
1:20 – 1:30	Cool-Down & Team Huddle	Stretching, reflections, and encouragement

🏀 Detailed Plan

Here is the detailed breakdown of the basketball practice plan for 3rd and 4th grade girls.

Team Huddle & Warm-Up Overview (0:00 – 0:05)

Purpose: Set the tone for practice, encourage focus and energy.

• Gather players in a circle at half-court.
• Coach talks briefly:
  • “Today, we’re focusing on [key skills]. I want to see great effort and teamwork.”
  • Set a goal for the practice (e.g., improving passing speed, better defensive positioning).
  • Encourage enthusiasm and positivity.
• Quick team chant or clap to get players excited.

Dynamic Warm-Up & Footwork Drills (0:05 – 0:15)

Purpose: Prepare the body, prevent injuries, and develop coordination.

Warm-Up Drills (3-5 minutes)

1. Jogging (2 laps around the court) – Players run at a steady pace.
2. High Knees (Baseline to half-court) – Emphasize quick steps, pumping arms.
3. Butt Kicks (Baseline to half-court) – Keeps hamstrings engaged.
4. Arm Circles & Shoulder Stretch – Helps with passing and shooting flexibility.
5. Lunges (Half-court & Back) – Strengthens legs and improves balance.

Footwork Drills (5-7 minutes)

1. Defensive Slides (Sideline to sideline)
   • Teach players to keep their feet wide, knees bent, and arms out.
   • NO crossing feet!
2. Jump Stops
   • Players run, then stop suddenly in a balanced stance (knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart).
3. Pivot Drills
   • Players practice front and reverse pivots without traveling.
4. Triple Threat Position
   • Every player holds the ball in a ready stance (able to pass, dribble, or shoot).

Fundamental Drills (Ball Handling & Passing) (0:15 – 0:30)

Purpose: Improve dribbling control, hand-eye coordination, and passing precision.

Ball Handling Drills (7-10 minutes)

1. Stationary Dribbling (1 minute each variation)
   • Right-hand dribble
   • Left-hand dribble
   • Crossovers (Front & Side-to-Side)
   • Figure-8 Dribble
2. Full-Court Dribbling Drills
   • Players dribble down the court, focusing on keeping heads up.
   • Cone Zig-Zag Dribbling (Practicing changing direction).
   • Speed Dribble & Controlled Stop (Quick sprint & stop in triple-threat).

Passing Drills (7-10 minutes)

1. Partner Passing (Pairs, 8-10 feet apart)
   • Chest Pass, Bounce Pass, Overhead Pass.
   • Players focus on snapping their wrists and following through.
2. Circle Passing Drill
   • One player in the middle receives and returns passes quickly.
3. Pass & Cut Drill
   • Players pass, then sprint toward the basket for a return pass.

Shooting & Layups (0:30 – 0:45)

Purpose: Teach proper shooting mechanics and finishing at the rim.

Shooting Mechanics (5-7 minutes)

• BEEF (Balance, Eyes, Elbow, Follow-through).
• Close-range form shooting (focus on arc, no rush).
• Add guiding hand once comfortable.

Layup Drills (5-7 minutes)

1. Basic Right & Left-Hand Layups
   • Emphasize stepping with the correct foot (right layup = left foot step).
2. Fast-Break Layups
   • Players run from half-court, receive a pass, and finish quickly.

Spot Shooting (5-7 minutes)

• Players shoot from five spots: Baseline, wing, top, opposite wing, opposite baseline.
• Encourage good form & confidence.

Defense & Rebounding (0:45 – 1:00)

Purpose: Teach players how to defend, move properly, and rebound effectively.

Defensive Drills (7-10 minutes)

1. Defensive Stance & Slide Drill
   • Players hold a low stance and slide laterally.
2. Close-Out Drill
   • Players sprint to a shooter, arms up, contest the shot.
3. 1-on-1 Defense
   • Players guard a partner for 10 seconds.

Rebounding Drills (7-10 minutes)

1. Box-Out Drill
   • Players find a body, pivot, and block out.
2. Rebound & Outlet Pass Drill
   • Secure the ball, pivot, and pass to a teammate.

Game Situations (Scrimmage & Controlled Drills) (1:00 – 1:15)

Purpose: Apply skills in real-game settings.

1. Half-Court 3v3 or 4v4
   • Emphasize spacing, passing, and defense.
2. Fast Break Drill
   • Players push the ball downcourt and make quick decisions.

Fun Game or Relay Race (1:15 – 1:20)

📌 Purpose: End on a high note.

• Knockout (Shooting game)
• Dribble Relay
• Passing Relay

Cool-Down & Team Huddle (1:20 – 1:30)

📌 Purpose: Prevent injury, reflect on practice, and reinforce learning.

Cool-Down Stretches (3-5 minutes)

• Quad, hamstring, and shoulder stretches.

Team Talk (3-5 minutes)

• Coach gives feedback (praises effort, points out strengths).
• Ask players what they learned.
• End with a team breakdown (e.g., “1-2-3 TEAM!”).

Key Coaching Points

✅ Effort over perfection
✅ Encourage communication
✅ Make practice fun & engaging
✅ Reinforce proper technique

Bottom Line

When you keep on following this basketball pratice plan, you will start seeing results in the team performance right away. If the plan seems overwhelming, you can also adjust the timeframe for different activties according to your specific needs to see even better results.