" " Why you should Teach your Youth Basketball Team Spacing! - Hoops Europe

Why you should Teach your Youth Basketball Team Spacing!


Teaching spacing is an essential component of youth basketball as it can have a significant impact on a player’s ability to score, pass, and ultimately, win games. At Club Estudiantes where I spent two season I saw that the coaches taught spacing almost daily one way or another. I will explain the importance of teaching spacing at youth level and the benefits it can have on players’ development.

 

Spacing refers to the placement of players on the court in relation to each other and the ball. It’s crucial because it creates open areas and opportunities for players to move and make plays. Proper spacing helps players create passing lanes, find open shots, and move the ball more efficiently. Without spacing, the offence can become cluttered and easy to defend, making it difficult to score points.

 

One of the key benefits that the coaches at Club Estudiantes saw in developing players knowledge of spacing was that it helps players understand their roles and responsibilities on the court. By learning how to space themselves effectively, players can take ownership of their position and their role in the offence. They can learn how to move without the ball and create opportunities for themselves and their teammates.

 

Teaching spacing also encourages players to develop good court vision and awareness. When players understand the importance of spacing, they learn to look for open areas on the court where they can receive the ball and make plays. They also learn to anticipate the movements of their teammates, which helps them make better decisions with the ball. I saw a coach teach players to look at who was around them and think “I can see my team mate but can they see me?”, this led to, for example, players deciding to watch their teammate cut and back out of a cut themselves to enable the continuity of good spacing.

 

Moreover, proper spacing allows for more effective ball movement. When players are spaced correctly, it creates passing lanes and allows for quick ball movement from one side of the court to the other. This kind of ball movement, using touch passes and no-look passes (common at U10 level and up), that can create confusion for the defence and create opportunities for easy baskets.

 

In addition, teaching spacing can help players become better shooters. When players are spaced correctly, it creates longer close outs, more open shots for players to take. This allows players to get comfortable shooting from different areas on the court, which can help them develop better shooting reads overall. 

 

Another benefit of teaching spacing in youth basketball is that it encourages teamwork and communication. When players understand the importance of spacing, they learn to communicate with each other more effectively. They learn to call out screens and cuts, and they learn to move the ball quickly to find open players. This kind of teamwork and communication can create a more cohesive team and lead to more wins.

 

Furthermore, teaching spacing can help players become more versatile and adaptable on the court. When players understand how to space themselves correctly, they can adjust to different defensive set plays as spacing is important in most set plays in modern basketball. As players moves through the age brackets at club Estu, if a play broke down, the players offensive fundamentals kicked in and spacing the floor/creating space for each other would mean the five were still a threat.

 

Finally, teaching spacing in youth basketball can help players develop good basketball IQ. When players understand the importance of spacing, they learn to think strategically about the game. They learn to analyse the defense and make decisions based on the movements of their teammates and the ball. This kind of strategic thinking can help players develop a better overall understanding of the game and lead to better decision-making on the court.

 

In conclusion, teaching spacing is an essential component of youth basketball and fundamental at Club Estudiantes. It helps players understand their roles and responsibilities on the court, encourages good court vision and awareness, allows for more effective ball movement, and promotes teamwork and communication. Additionally, it can help players become better shooters, more adaptable on the court, and develop good basketball IQ. If you would like more ideas for spacing, and off ball movement at youth level, check out the Hoops Europe YouTube channel by clicking here.

 

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