Tara VanDerveer: Individual & Team Skill Development Drills

with Tara VanDerveer,
Stanford University Head Women's Coach from 1985 to 2024;
1,216 wins (when retiring, was #1 all-time men's/women's coach in wins, #1 All-time in wins);
2021 NCAA National Champions;
3x NCAA Championship Coach (1990, 1992, 2021);
5x National Coach of the Year;
11x Pac-10/12 Coach of the Year;
13x Final Four;
2x NCAA National Championship Runner-up;
1996 US Women's Olympic Team Head Coach (Gold Medal);
distinguished member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2011);
John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award (2014);
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame (2002);
Women's Sports Foundation International Women's Sports Hall of Fame (1998);
WBCA's Carol Eckman Award (2018);
Ohio State Head Coach from 1980 to 1985;
4x Big Ten Regular Season Champions;
played college basketball at Albany and Indiana

Tara VanDerveer is an exceptional coach who has learned the most efficient ways to develop players over the course of a forty-year career. She has worked extensively with USA Basketball to help mold and shape today's players into hard working athletes. In this video, you will learn how Coach VanDerveer has developed championship athletes by working on fundamental skills in fun and competitive practice drills.

Philosophy

First, you'll get a few tips that have helped VanDerveer during her own coaching journey. She states that focusing on ball handling is a must for every player and the ability to use either hand is crucial. Additionally, passing is an underrated art in today's game, and players must able to pass and catch without missing a beat.

Shooting, according to Coach VanDerveer, starts with layups. She teaches her own players using the acronym BEEF - Balance, Eyes, Elbows, Feet. Finally, teaching defense is done from the stance up. When you put all of these elements together, it creates fundamentally sound players that serve as the backbone for your program.

Ball Handling and Dribbling

Any good player must be able to handle the ball to some degree. Ball slaps, taps, circles, and figure-8s will help your players develop a feel for the ball and work well as warm-up drills. As players progress to moving with the ball, they can develop solid go-to moves. One of VanDerveer's favorite drills comes from skill development coach Ganon Baker, in which athletes make one-hand passes, make a move, and pass back with one hand. This helps players develop balance using both hands.

Passing Series

Coach VanDerveer shows her USA Passing Drill, which combines her motion offense within a passing drill to help players catch on the move and finish around the rim. In 3 Ball Passing, players learn to communicate by passing, catching and calling out names as they move around the paint.

Once athletes have built their foundation of passing and catching in the half court, VanDerveer expands and demonstrates her drills to develop full court passing. In 3 Lane Passing, players work on passing, catching, and dribbling in the open court.

Shooting Drills

Beginning with layups, VanDerveer shows how to shoot different types of layups - underhand, overhand, hook shot, and reverse. Players will develop their finishing skills and improve footwork, especially when you add a defender to create a game-like situation.

Moving away from the rim, VanDerveer explains how to teach players to make more bank shots and create angles on the floor to get open jump shots. In her Partner Transition Drill, athletes incorporate full court passing and finish with either a layup around the rim or a jumper in the paint.

Defensive Drills

A player isn't complete without a solid foundation on defense. Beginning with a solid stance, players use the Mirror Drill to work on guarding 1v1. Offensive players can also continue to build their finishing moves as they play 1v1 live. In Ricochet Rebounding, your post players will learn to develop their "hit and get" technique as well as finishing with an outlet pass. Every big on your roster must be able to go pursue a rebound and execute a put-back.

Coach VanDerveer has been developing players at Stanford for the past 30+ years and knows how to improve their skills as soon as they step on campus. This video will give you a variety of drills that can be used during practice or individually during the off-season.

75 minutes. 2019.