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Decathlon

Decathlon is another way to make shooting competitive and exciting for the individual and the team. It involves taking shots from ten different spots on the floor with five repetitions at each spot. The experienced and novice shooter will find challenges in this drill. It can also be modified by coaches to suit their team’s offensive focus.

Instructions

Note: This drill works best with two partners of approximately the same skill level. Each player is responsible for keeping track of his own score and the score of his partner. This enhances the competetive aspect between the individual players on your team. The ten shooting areas are as follows:

• right handed lay-up — (done at full speed with a dribble to the top of the circle and back between shots)
• left-handed lay-up
• bank shot from either wing
• baseline shot
• Mikan lay-up
• elbow shot (either side)
• one dribble to the right from FT line area followed by a shot
• one dribble left from FT line area followed by a shot
• Three point shot
• Free throw

These are the ten areas that require five repetitions at each area which will have the shooter end up with a total of 50 attempts.

Variations

• Coach shoots decathlon along with the players. Whatever score the coach gets, let’s say he scores a 39, that score becomes the ‘score to beat’. Any players that are able to beat the 39 shot by the coach would then be rewarded in some way. Maybe they get to skip conditioning or the coach buys them a soda.
• It’s a good way to liven up practice and teach the ‘competitive edge’.

Tips

• Coaches may want to make up a score sheet for daily or weekly decathlon scores for individuals on the team.
• Coaches may also want to supply their players with individual score sheets that can be taken right out on the court with pencils that will help remind younger players where the ten areas to shoot from are located. This would be necessary for example if the coach were going to make variations in the shooting areas for the daily or weekly decathlon drill. Coaches should take time over the course of the season to break down different shooting areas used in the decathlon and demonstrate and explain proper form and technique. This way the decathlon drill is used as reinforcement for what is being coached in practice. A good example of this are shots number 7 and 8 listed in the decathlon above. The one dribble right and left should not just be an idle dribble to either side, but a powerful, break down dribble that helps the shooter find separation from the defender and also allows him to ‘load the legs’.

Skills

Shooting/Competition

Players

Individual, Groups, or Teams

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