Effective & Efficient Practice Drills - Maximizing Every Moment

with Jeff Boals,
Ohio University Head Coach;
2021 MAC Tournament Champions;
former Stony Brook University Head Coach;
former Ohio State University Assistant Coach under Thad Matta;
recruited D'Angelo Russell and Jared Sullinger while at Ohio State

The best coaches are always looking to improve their craft and generate new ideas and drills to help their teams achieve. One way to do that is to keep things fresh and competitive with new drills during practice, which will keep players focused and motivated!

Coach Jeff Boals brings years of experience as an assistant at storied programs like Ohio State to share with you some of his favorite drills which will help address any need your team may face. This video includes:

• Drills to improve shooting with multiple reps.
• Transition defense drills that are competitive and game-like.
• Drills that teach the importance of each possession.

Pre-Practice Drills

Coach Boals' philosophy is that the pre-practice drills you choose to use every day should reflect the emphasis you want for the day, whether it's shooting, passing, or rebounding. With that process in mind, Boals shows many fundamental pre-practice drills he's taught his players.

The 3-on-3 Shooting drill will force players to concentrate as they focus on getting a certain number of swishes from designated spots. Next, a box out drill is shown that emphasizes being physical and making first contact as a rebounder. Another good pre-practice drill that emphasizes defense and closing out gets players into groups of three to work on footwork, using active hands, and talking. Lastly, Coach Boals talks about how often players try to dribble a loose ball instead of picking it up to secure the possession. This is addressed in a simple loose ball drill.

Practice Drills

You probably want your players to talk more on defense, but do your players know how or what to say? The 3-on-3 Talking to the Basketball drill is a 3-on-3 Shell look that teaches players how to talk to their teammates and instills communication as a habit while improving defensive principles. 3-on-3 Baseline Closeouts is another great drill that starts players on the baseline with the offensive players on the perimeter. After the ball is passed along the baseline, players sprint to closeout and enter a Shell defense type of drill. In the same setup, you'll get another passing drill called 3-on-3 Baseline Passing, which is a great continuous passing drill to work on rip-throughs, pivots, and passing fundamentals.

Coach Boals covers many other drills too, including:

• Tip, Rebound, and Run
• Nets Transition D
• 4-on-4 Shell
• 3 on the Ball
• 5 Possession Game

Lastly, Boals wants his players to understand the value of each possession and discusses the impact that a single possession can have on the outcome of the game. The 5 Possession Game drill is an awesome way to get players invested in playing hard each possession and is the perfect setting to practice special situations.

Keep things fresh and competitive in your practices with this great compilation of basketball drills from Coach Jeff Boals!

51 minutes. 2020.