The other night I had the opportunity to watch fourth and fifth graders in a pick up basketball game during one of Kaden’s practices. As I was watching this intense game of four on four I noted that the majority of the kids were not squaring up to the basket when they shot the ball.
Squaring up to the basket means that the shoulders, arms, and feet must be aligned or squared up to the direction of shooting. In simple terms you want to be facing the basket when you shoot.
During the scrimmage the majority of kids I saw were shying away from the defender and were sideways whey they were shooting. I also noted a lot of dribbling and shooting on the run, or what I like to refer to as chucking it up without a prayer. Squaring up is difficult to teach because in game situations kids tend to freeze up when they are actually being guarded and there is a tendency to throw fundamentals out of the door.
Work with you son and daughter on squaring up by standing in front of them so they get used to a defender and then make them square up for the shot. If you are playing one on one let them know you won’t block it if they square up. If they shoot sideways or on the run then go ahead and block their shot ( you know you want to) as a way of teaching them the correct moves.
Teach you son and daughter to square up and they will be well ahead of their peers and fundamentally sound.
Click on the Link below for another drill on squaring up:
by Stacey Atkinson