Learn to coach basketball, the right way
In-depth, practical guides on coaching philosophy, strategy, practice design, and the fundamentals every coach eventually has to teach.
Building an Elite Basketball Program
7 counter-intuitive truths about building culture — for coaches who already have the X's and O's figured out and still can't get results to stick.
Basketball tournament & camp directory: data & trends
Pricing, seasonality, and regional coverage pulled directly from our own directory — updated live.
- 01How-To 9 min read
How to Coach Basketball: A Complete Guide for New Coaches
A complete guide to coaching basketball, covering practice planning, player development, game management, and building a winning team culture.
- 02Strategy 9 min read
Basketball Coaching Strategies: Building a System That Fits Your Team
How to choose offensive and defensive strategies that fit your roster's talent, size, and experience instead of copying a system that doesn't fit.
- 03How-To 8 min read
How to Run a Youth Basketball Practice
A practical guide to structuring youth basketball practices, keeping kids engaged, and teaching fundamentals the right way at each age level.
- 04How-To 7 min read
How to Build a Basketball Practice Plan
The core principles behind building an effective basketball practice plan, from setting priorities to sequencing drills and managing practice time.
- 05Explained 6 min read
What Is the Mikan Drill? (And Why Every Player Should Do It)
The Mikan drill is a continuous alternating layup drill that builds touch and footwork near the rim. Learn how to run it, coach it, and progress it.
- 06How-To 7 min read
How to Teach Shooting Form: The BEEF Method Explained
BEEF stands for Balance, Eyes, Elbow, Follow-through — a simple shooting-form checklist coaches use to teach and correct a player's jump shot.
- 07Comparison 8 min read
Zone vs. Man-to-Man Defense: How to Choose the Right System
A practical, balanced comparison of zone and man-to-man defense covering talent level, foul trouble, personnel, and how to teach each system.
- 08How-To 8 min read
How to Run an Effective Basketball Tryout
A practical framework for structuring basketball tryouts: what to evaluate, station and scrimmage design, fair cuts, and communicating results.
- 09How-To 7 min read
Best Basketball Drills for Beginners
A coach's guide to the fundamental drills every beginner needs first: ball handling, shooting form, layup footwork, and stance.
- 10How-To 7 min read
How to Improve Basketball IQ
How coaches can develop basketball IQ in players: reading defenses, anticipation, spacing awareness, and decision-making under pressure.
- 11How-To 8 min read
How to Coach Basketball Defense
A coach's guide to teaching basketball defense: stance, on-ball versus help defense, closeouts, communication, and building team discipline.
- 12How-To 8 min read
Basketball Conditioning: A Complete Guide
How to build a basketball-specific conditioning plan across a season, why basketball fitness differs from generic cardio, and mistakes to avoid.
- 13Explained 7 min read
What Is Motion Offense in Basketball?
Motion offense explained: the read-based principles, spacing rules, and cutting patterns that make it one of basketball's most versatile systems.
- 14Explained 7 min read
What Is a Pick and Roll? A Complete Breakdown
A full breakdown of the pick and roll: how the screen works, the reads for both players, and the defensive coverages it forces teams to use.
- 15Explained 6 min read
What Is the Flex Offense in Basketball?
The Flex offense explained: the baseline screen and down screen pattern, its continuity structure, and where it still fits in today's basketball.
- 16Explained 6 min read
What Is Zone Defense in Basketball?
Zone defense explained: how it works, the common zone shapes like 2-3 and 1-3-1, and exactly when coaches should choose zone over man-to-man defense.
- 17How-To 9 min read
How to Run a Basketball Camp
A practical, step-by-step guide to planning, staffing, pricing, and running a youth basketball camp that parents rebook every year.
- 18How-To 9 min read
How to Host a Basketball Tournament
Learn how to choose a tournament format, seed teams, build a schedule, standardize rules across officials, and run tournament day smoothly.
- 19How-To 8 min read
How to Start a Club Basketball Team in Ontario
A general step-by-step guide to forming a club or travel basketball team in Ontario, covering sanctioning, coach screening, insurance, and budgeting.
- 20How-To 8 min read
How to Start a Basketball House League
A practical guide to launching a recreational basketball house league, covering divisions, volunteer coaches, scheduling, gym time, and officiating.
- 21How-To 8 min read
NCCP Basketball Coaching Certification: What It Is and How to Get It
A plain-language guide to Canada's NCCP basketball coaching certification — the three streams, the difference between Trained and Certified status, cost, timeline, and how to register.
- 22Comparison 7 min read
Youth Basketball Coaching Certification: Your Options in the US and Canada
An overview of the main youth basketball coaching certifications in the US and Canada — NCCP, USA Basketball's Coach License, and league-specific options — and how to pick the right one.
- 23How-To 8 min read
How to Become a Basketball Referee: Step-by-Step
A step-by-step guide to becoming a certified basketball referee — requirements, training, exams, typical startup costs, and how to advance from youth games to varsity and beyond.
- 24Comparison 7 min read
How Much Do Basketball Referees Get Paid? Pay by Level
A breakdown of typical basketball referee pay at every level — youth and AAU, middle and high school, college/NCAA, and the NBA — and what actually moves your rate.
- 25How-To 8 min read
Basketball Tournament Setup Checklist: A Week-by-Week Timeline
A scannable, timeline-based checklist for coaches, schools, and clubs setting up a basketball tournament, organized by exactly how many weeks out each task needs to get done.
- 26How-To 8 min read
How to Prepare Your Team for a Tournament
A practical guide for coaches taking a team into tournament play, covering scouting, the final week of practice, in-game rotation and rest management, and travel logistics.
- 27How-To 8 min read
How to Evaluate Your Basketball Program: A Self-Audit Framework for Directors and Club Owners
A practical framework for program directors, club owners, and head coaches to honestly assess the health of their entire basketball program, from player retention and coaching consistency to finances, culture, and competitive results.
- 28How-To 8 min read
How to Evaluate Your Own Coaching Skills Honestly
A self-assessment framework for basketball coaches to evaluate their own practice planning, in-game management, player development, and leadership without relying on the scoreboard.
- 29How-To 8 min read
How to Evaluate a Coach in Your Program
A practical framework for athletic directors, club managers, and program owners to evaluate a coach on staff using observable evidence instead of win-loss record or gut feel.
- 30How-To 8 min read
Building a High School Basketball Practice Plan That Fits Your Actual Schedule
How to plan in-season high school practices around 90-120 minute gym windows, an already-set game schedule, scouting needs, and shared-gym constraints with JV.
- 31How-To 8 min read
Sample Youth Basketball Practice Plans by Age Group
Ready-to-use practice plan templates broken down by age band, with exact time blocks for warm-up, skill stations, team concepts, and scrimmage.
- 32How-To 8 min read
The Basketball Season Prep Checklist: A Timeline for Coaches and Programs
A month-by-month breakdown of everything a basketball coach or program director needs to lock down before the season starts, from roster decisions to game-day officiating.
- 33How-To 7 min read
The Rebounding Holes Drill: Fast-Paced Reps for Securing the Ball
A breakdown of the rebounding holes drill, a fast-rotation station drill that trains players to attack marked spots around the key, secure the ball with two hands, and finish with a strong pivot or outlet.
- 34Comparison 7 min read
3-Man Weave vs. 5-Man Weave: Which Version Should You Run?
A practical breakdown of the classic weave drill in its 3-player and 5-player forms, including setup, spacing, common mistakes, and which version fits your team.
- 35How-To 7 min read
How to Throw a Bounce Pass
A coaching breakdown of bounce pass mechanics, floor targeting, and situational decision-making, with a teaching progression and drills to install the skill.
- 36Explained 6 min read
The Weave Drill in Basketball: What It Is and Why Coaches Use It
A primer on the basketball weave drill: the shared pass-and-cut mechanic behind every version, why it shows up in warm-ups at nearly every level, and who it's actually useful for.
- 37Comparison 8 min read
The Top Basketball Influencers of 2026: Streetball, Skills, and NBA Analysis
A guide to the biggest basketball content creators of 2026 — 1v1 streetball stars, skill-tutorial channels, and NBA film-study analysts worth following.
- 38Strategy 8 min read
Pace and Space: The Offensive Principles That Actually Win Games
Why floor spacing determines whether your offense works at all, and how to teach the 15-foot spacing rule, driving lanes, and pace as decision speed rather than sprinting.
- 39Strategy 8 min read
Building a Transition Offense Philosophy: When to Push and When to Set Up
How to install a transition offense with clear numbers rules, lane assignments, and a genuine decision point for when to attack early versus pull the ball out into your half-court set.
- 40Strategy 7 min read
How to Build a Scouting Report on Your Next Opponent
A practical process for building a usable basketball scouting report, from watching film with purpose to turning notes into a one-page card your team can actually use in a game.
- 41Strategy 8 min read
In-Game and Halftime Adjustments: What to Change and What to Leave Alone
A framework for making smart in-game and halftime adjustments — diagnosing whether a problem is talent or scheme, choosing small effective tweaks, and knowing what not to touch even while losing.
- 42Strategy 9 min read
Building a Full-Court and Half-Court Press Defense
How to install a press defense with a clear purpose, structured trap timing, safe retreat rules, and the substitution patterns that let a team actually sustain full-game pressure.
- 43Strategy 7 min read
How to Attack a Full-Court Press as the Offense
A practical guide for beating full-court and zone press defenses, covering inbound control, spacing rules against pressure, and the specific reads that turn a trap into an easy basket.
- 44Strategy 8 min read
Building a Team's Defensive Identity: Picking a Scheme That Fits Your Personnel
How to choose between man-to-man, zone, and hybrid defensive schemes based on your actual roster, and how to build a consistent defensive identity that holds up across a full season.
- 45How-To 8 min read
How to Communicate with Parents About Playing Time and Roles All Season
A season-long system for talking to parents about playing time and roles, from the preseason meeting through mid-season changes and difficult conversations.
- 46How-To 9 min read
How to Build Real Team Culture and Buy-In, Not Just Talk About It
A practical system for building basketball team culture that shows up in daily habits and player behavior, not just a poster on the wall.
- 47How-To 8 min read
Sports Psychology Basics for Youth Basketball Coaches: Practical Mental Toughness Techniques
Practical, non-clinical mental toughness techniques youth basketball coaches can actually use at practice, covering routines, confidence, and handling mistakes.
- 48How-To 8 min read
How to Balance Off-Season and In-Season Training Loads to Prevent Overuse Injury
A practical framework for managing youth basketball training volume across the calendar year to reduce overuse injuries like Osgood-Schlatter and stress fractures.
- 49How-To 7 min read
How to Develop Team Captains and Player Leadership on Your Basketball Team
A practical system for selecting, training, and supporting team captains so leadership becomes a real function on your roster instead of a ceremonial title.
- 50How-To 7 min read
How to Handle a Difficult Playing-Time Conversation With a Player Directly
A step-by-step approach for talking to a player one-on-one about reduced playing time, covering preparation, delivery, and the follow-up that makes it stick.
- 51How-To 9 min read
How to Build a Multi-Year Player Development Plan Across Your Program
A framework for building a player development system that spans multiple seasons and age groups instead of resetting every year with a new coach and no continuity.
- 52Explained 5 min read
What Is a Full-Court Press in Basketball?
An explanation of the full-court press, the pressure defense that guards the ball as soon as it's inbounded to force turnovers before the offense reaches half-court.
- 53Explained 5 min read
What Is Help Defense in Basketball?
An explanation of help defense, the team defensive principle where off-ball defenders leave their own matchup to stop dribble penetration or protect the rim.
- 54Explained 5 min read
What Is a Box-and-One Defense?
An explanation of the box-and-one defense, the hybrid scheme that uses a four-player zone box plus one defender chasing a single opposing scorer.
- 55Explained 6 min read
What Is a Triangle Offense in Basketball?
An explanation of the triangle offense, the read-based system built on a sideline triangle and a two-man game, made famous by Tex Winter and Phil Jackson's Bulls and Lakers.
- 56Explained 4 min read
What Is a Backdoor Cut in Basketball?
An explanation of the backdoor cut, the counter move where an offensive player cuts to the rim behind an overplaying defender for an easy basket.
- 57Comparison 7 min read
Man-to-Man Press vs. Zone Press Defense
A comparison of man-to-man and zone full-court press defenses, covering how each is structured, their tradeoffs, and how to decide which fits your team.
- 58Comparison 7 min read
AAU vs. Travel vs. House League Basketball: What's the Difference?
A comparison of AAU, travel/club, and house league basketball, covering cost, time commitment, competitive level, and how to decide which fits a player.
- 59Explained 7 min read
What Is "Exposure" in Basketball? A Parent's Guide to Exposure Camps & Tournaments
What 'exposure' actually means in AAU and travel basketball, who's really watching at exposure camps and tournaments, and how to tell a real opportunity from a paid mailing list.
- 60Comparison 7 min read
Triangle Offense vs. Motion Offense: What's the Difference?
A comparison of the triangle offense and motion offense, two read-based basketball systems, covering their spacing rules, learning curves, and which fits which roster.
- 61Explained 7 min read
Basketball Positions Explained: What Each Position Actually Does
A clear breakdown of the five basketball positions — point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center — what each one is responsible for, and how positionless basketball has changed the way teams actually use them.
- 62Explained 6 min read
Basketball Court Dimensions: Full Size, Youth, and Key Measurements
A complete breakdown of basketball court dimensions — full-size NBA, FIBA, NCAA, and high school courts, youth and playground courts, plus the key, three-point line, and free-throw line measurements for each.
- 63Comparison 6 min read
Molten vs. Spalding vs. Wilson: Which Basketball Should You Buy?
A practical comparison of the three biggest basketball brands — Molten, Spalding, and Wilson — covering which one is used at which level of play, indoor vs. outdoor construction, and which ball actually fits your team or driveway.
- 64Comparison 6 min read
Best Basketball Hoops: In-Ground, Portable, and Mini Options Compared
A practical buying guide to basketball hoops — in-ground systems, portable/transportable hoops, mini and toddler hoops, and pool hoops — covering backboard material, rim type, and what actually matters for your driveway, yard, or playroom.
- 65Comparison 6 min read
Best Basketball Shoes: A Buying Guide by Age, Position, and Court
How to actually choose basketball shoes — high-top vs. low-top, indoor vs. outdoor traction, kids' and youth sizing, and what changes by position — plus what to buy at a few different budgets.
- 66Explained 6 min read
NCCP Basketball Certification: What It Is and How to Get It
A plain-language explainer of Canada's National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) for basketball — what it actually is, who runs it, the Locker learning platform, and how it's different from a self-paced credential like SixSevenBall's own coach certification course.
- 67Comparison 5 min read
Best Basketball Coaching Clipboards & Whiteboards
A comparison of basketball coaching clipboards and whiteboards — dry-erase clipboards, magnetic court boards, and double-sided options — and which one actually fits sideline use versus practice planning.
- 68Explained 5 min read
What Is the Picket Fence Play in Basketball?
The picket fence explained: a line of screens used to spring a cutter free on inbounds plays and late-clock situations, including how to run it, defend it, and common mistakes teams make setting it up.
- 69How-To 7 min read
How to Find a Basketball Coaching Job
A practical guide to finding a basketball coaching job — where positions actually get posted, what hiring committees look for, how to build a coaching resume, and how certification strengthens an application.
- 70Comparison 6 min read
Single Elimination vs. Round Robin vs. Double Elimination: Choosing a Bracket Format
A clear comparison of the three main basketball tournament bracket formats — single elimination, double elimination, and round robin — covering when each makes sense, how many games each requires, and how to pick the right one for your field size and schedule.
- 71How-To 6 min read
How to Run a 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament
A guide to running a 3x3 basketball tournament — the rule differences from 5v5 (court size, shot clock, scoring, roster size), format and scheduling considerations, and how pool play fits 3x3 especially well.
- 72Comparison 6 min read
Best Basketball Training Equipment: A Buying Guide
A practical buying guide to basketball training equipment — cones, agility ladders, resistance bands, scrimmage pinnies, and rebounders — covering what each tool actually trains and which ones are worth buying first.
- 73How-To 6 min read
How to Coach Girls Basketball
Practical guidance for coaching girls basketball for the first time — communication style, team culture, and development differences a first-time girls' coach actually needs, without repeating generic coaching advice.
- 74How-To 5 min read
How to Find Basketball Courts and Open Gyms Near You
A practical guide to finding indoor basketball courts, open gym sessions, and adult basketball leagues in your area — where to actually look, what to check before you show up, and how to find structured coaching once you outgrow pickup ball.
- 75Explained 7 min read
Youth Basketball Statistics: Participation, Injuries, and Cost (2026 Data)
Verified youth and high school basketball statistics — participation numbers, injury rates, dropout data, health benefits, and the real cost of playing — every figure traced to its original source, including a debunked stat you'll see repeated everywhere else.
- 76Comparison 8 min read
AAU vs. Travel vs. Rec League Basketball: What's Actually Different
What separates AAU, travel/club, and recreational basketball — the real differences in cost, tryouts, time commitment, and how the terms get used (and misused) in practice.
- 77How-To 8 min read
How to Start a Youth Basketball Program in Your Community
A practical guide to starting a community basketball program — after-school sessions, private training, and camps — without needing to run a travel or rep team.