Princeton Offense: Practice Warm-Up and Breakdown Drills

As a complement to his Winning with the Princeton Style Offense video, Lee DeForest shows you the go-to drills you need teach and install reads within your entire program. If you're a coach that likes to stagger their teaching by grade level, this is the perfect set up for you. From basic warm-up drills that gauge your team's readiness for practice, to teaching Princeton reads through 3-on-0 and 4-on-0, you'll find concepts from these drills to put into your practices right away.

Everything in this video comes from researching Hall of Fame coaches, observing teams that run the Princeton offensive system, and Coach DeForest's own experience in teaching the offense to his teams. You will learn the essential drills needed for developing player fundamentals, improving team execution, limiting turnovers, and teaching the scoring options with the Princeton offense.

Practice Organization

There's more to determining a quality practice than just the drills a coach selects. Learn how to get the most from every session with a detailed breakdown of how to organize your practices. Coach DeForest discusses the considerations you should be thinking about during the pre-season, such as how you want your team to progress each week, developing a drill book, and analyzing your players' skill levels. You'll also get ideas for creating a practice culture that motivates your players to work their hardest and feel valued in your program.

Individual Warm-Up Drills

Developing the fundamentals needed to operate within the Princeton offense must be a daily emphasis. Coach DeForest shows how you can start your practices with a drill series that rotates players through different skills. Through both detailed explanations using whiteboard lectures and on the floor demonstrations, you will see how to improve ball handling, footwork, and finishing at the rim with three different drill stations - all in just 9 minutes at the beginning of practice.

Team Warm-Up Drills

You'll get six drills that can be used to set high expectations at the beginning of your practices. This segment demands your players to be at their highest levels of focus and energy to have perfect execution through each drill. Learn to build team communication and see leaders emerge as your players are challenged each day to successfully complete each drill. Star Passing will require your players to execute flawless passes and footwork. Other drills such as the Five-Man Weave and Laker Drill will have your players passing and finishing layups at high speeds while running the full court.

Ball Toughness Drills

Two "ball toughness" drills teach your players fundamentals such as pivoting and making changes with the ball to face up or score through pressure. The 12 Second drill will help your players improve their passing and dribbling through physical defenders. The 3-on-3 drill is one of the most intense drills in this video, as players compete to get open on the perimeter.

Offensive Breakdown Drills

Your players should practice the shots and moves they'll need to execute in games. Coach DeForest demonstrates four drills to break down sets in the Princeton offense. Learn 15 options for scoring out of the Point series with two drills that teach the Over and Away screens. With 3-on-0 breakdown, Coach DeForest also demonstrates how to score through all the different cuts in the Chin series. Improve your players' execution of the dribble-at and UCLA screen with a breakdown of the Five Out series. These drills will simplify complex scoring actions so they are second nature for your players in games.

Coach DeForest has something for every coach, even if you don't run the Princeton Offense. All drills can be easily applied to any style of offense your program runs. If you're looking for demanding drills that teach your players how to read the defense, this is the video for you.

130 minutes. 2016.