Six weeks to get your Under-10s ready for tip-off

• Twelve sessions of 60 minutes, built around fundamentals and fun
• Keep it moving: Under-10s lose focus faster than they lose the ball
• Embrace the chaos, because this is the age they decide to stay

Under-10s are deciding whether basketball is their sport, and a pre-season is where that gets settled.

Most of them have never had a full pre-season before, and at this age the point of one is not conditioning or scheme, it is giving twelve sessions of structure to children who are still working out whether they want to come back next year. The program below runs two 60-minute sessions a week for six weeks, and every one of them is built the same way: a warm-up that gets them moving, a skill block, a scrimmage, and a cool-down where somebody asks them what they learned.

Keep it moving. Under-10s lose focus long before they lose interest, so a drill that runs three minutes too long costs you the rest of the session. Expect players to run in the wrong direction and to forget what you told them ninety seconds ago, and coach through it rather than against it.

It should be enjoyable for you and your assistants as well, and if it is not, the players will know before you do.

The full series: Under-12s · Under-14s · Under-16s · Under-18s

Under-10 Pre-Season Basketball Training Program

Duration: Six weeks
Sessions per week: Two
Session length: 60 minutes

Week 1: Introduction to Basketball & Basic Fundamentals

Focus: Dribbling, Passing, Basic Shooting, Fun Games

Warm-up (10 min)

• Dynamic stretches: High knees, butt kicks, arm circles, lunges
• Ball-handling relay: Dribble through cones, change hands, finish with a layup

Skill Development (30 min)

• Dribbling: Stationary dribbles (pound, crossover, behind-the-back)
• Passing: Chest pass, bounce pass (partner drills)
• Shooting: Proper form shooting from close range
• Fun drill: "Dribble Freeze Tag"

Scrimmage & Games (15 min)

• 3v3 half-court scrimmage (focus on spacing & passing)

Cool-down (5 min)

• Static stretching
• Team huddle: Positive reinforcement. Ask questions such as "What did you learn today?"

Week 2: Ball Handling & Passing Focus

Focus: Stronger ball-handling and decision-making

Warm-up (10 min)

• Fun dribbling obstacle course
• Partner passing on the move

Skill Development (30 min)

• Dribbling: Change of speed, direction, reaction drills
• Passing: Moving target passes (pass to a moving partner)
• Shooting: Bank shots from different angles

Scrimmage & Games (15 min)

• 2v2 passing-only mini-games
• Coach-led 3v3 games

Cool-down (5 min)

• Stretching & reflection

Week 3: Layups & Basic Defense

Focus: Finishing at the rim and defensive stance

Warm-up (10 min)

• Fun agility ladder drills
• Dribble & sprint relay race

Skill Development (30 min)

• Layups: Right-hand and left-hand layups
• Defense: Proper stance, lateral movement, 1-on-1 defense drill
• Rebounding: Box-out technique drill

Scrimmage & Games (15 min)

• 3-on-3, emphasis on defense and rebounding

Cool-down (5 min)

• Light jogging & stretching

Week 4: Shooting & Team Concepts

Focus: Shot mechanics and basic offensive movement

Warm-up (10 min)

• "Hot Spots" shooting warm-up (shoot from different spots, such as the baseline, elbow and free throw line).

Skill Development (30 min)

• Shooting: Layup, mid-range, free throws
• Offensive movement: Give-and-go drill, cutting to the basket
• Defense: Closeout technique

Scrimmage & Games (15 min)

• Small-sided 3v3 games, emphasis on movement without the ball

Cool-down (5 min)

• Stretching & debrief

Week 5: Game Situations & Decision Making

Focus: Applying skills in real-game scenarios

Warm-up (10 min)

• Fast-break drill (outlet pass into a layup)

Skill Development (30 min)

• Dribbling under pressure (1-on-1 ball protection drill)
• Passing out of a trap drill
• Shooting under pressure (contested shots)

Scrimmage & Games (15 min)

• 4v4 controlled scrimmage

Cool-down (5 min)

• Team discussion & stretching

Week 6: Competition & Fun Week

Focus: Putting it all together with fun challenges

Warm-up (10 min)

• "King of the Court" dribbling game

Skill Development (30 min)

• Fun shooting competitions (Around the World, Knockout)
• Mini 3v3 tournament

Scrimmage & Games (15 min)

• Full-court fun scrimmage

Cool-down (5 min)

• Team awards & celebration

Coaching Tips for U10 Basketball

• Embrace the chaos
• Keep instructions simple & clear
• Focus on effort over results
• Use positive reinforcement
• Make drills fun and competitive
• Rotate players in scrimmages to ensure equal playing time

How to Play Dribble Freeze Tag

📍 Setup:

• Each player has a basketball.
• Define a playing area (half-court or smaller, depending on the number of players).
• Choose 1-2 players to be the "taggers" (they also dribble a ball).

🏀 Rules:

1. All players must dribble continuously while moving.
2. The taggers try to tag other players while maintaining their own dribble.
3. If a player gets tagged, they freeze in place while still holding their ball.
4. To get unfrozen, another player must dribble up and perform a specific move (e.g., a crossover or between-the-legs dribble) near the frozen player.
5. The game continues for a set time (e.g., 2-3 minutes) or until all players are frozen.

🎯 Coaching Focus:
✔ Keep heads up while dribbling (court awareness).
✔ Use change of speed and direction to avoid taggers.
✔ Encourage teamwork and communication.

🔄 Variations:

• Weak-hand only (dribble only with the non-dominant hand).
• Add a time limit before a frozen player is out.
• Use different escape moves (spin move, behind-the-back dribble, etc.).

This drill makes ball-handling practice exciting while reinforcing game-like movement and decision-making.

The full series: Under-12s · Under-14s · Under-16s · Under-18s