Purpose
Following are the purposes of the task as related to aspects of skilled performance.
- Technique: In this task, students learn the basic techniques of passing and catching a basketball without a defender.
- Fair play: Students pass the ball where the partner can receive it.
- Communication: Students hold their hands out to indicate they are ready to receive the pass.
Description
Divide students into pairs and have them stand 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.6 meters) apart. On your signal, the students continuously pass a ball back and forth using the assigned pass (chest and bounce) and catch techniques. If students need motivation, have pairs count how many successful passes they can make in a row or within a designated time. As an extension, have students move back one step until they are 20 feet (6.1 meters) apart.
Equipment
One ball per pair of students
Critical Elements and Cues
Technique: Chest Pass
- Place both hands on the side of the ball and spread the fingers and thumbs. Cue: Fingers spread.
- Start with the ball close to chest. Cue: Ball to chest.
- Look at the receiver’s chest. Cue: Eyes on target.
- Step toward the receiver with one leg. Cue: Step to receiver.
- Move the ball away from the chest by extending the elbows. Cue: Push.
- As the arms extend, pronate the arms and end in a thumb-down position. Cue: Thumbs down.
Technique: Bounce Pass
- Place both hands on the side of the ball and spread the fingers and thumbs. Cue: Fingers spread.
- Start with the ball close to chest. Cue: Ball to chest.
- Step toward the receiver with one leg. Cue: Step to receiver.
- Move the ball away from the chest by extending the elbows. Cue: Push.
- Push the ball toward the floor so it bounces two-thirds of the distance to your partner. Cue: Down and close.
- The target is between the receiver’s knees and waist. Cue: Keep it low.
- Actively push the thumbs through the pass (thumbs back to thumbs down) to create backspin. Cue: Slam the door.
Technique: Receive a Pass
- Look at the ball as it comes into the hands. Cue: Eyes on ball.
- Step toward the ball as it comes toward you. Cue: Step to ball.
- As the ball contacts the hands, pull the ball into the body as you catch it. Cue: Absorb the ball.
- End with the ball close to the body and the elbows flexed. Cue: Bring it in.
Fair Play
- Pass the ball directly to the receiver.
- The pass must have enough force to reach the receiver, but it should not be so hard that the receiver cannot catch it.
Communication
- When you are ready to receive a pass, create a target with both hands by placing the hands in the target area and spreading the fingers and palms. Cue: Big target.
Common Errors, Causes, and Corrections
Catching
- The receiver does not step toward the ball. Cause: The receiver doesn’t understand that a defender can intercept a passed ball. Correction: Place a student slightly behind and to the side of the receiver who tries to disrupt the catch.
- The receiver doesn’t follow the ball into the hands. Cause: The receiver keeps the eyes on the passer. Correction: Remind the student to keep the eyes on the ball.
- On the catch, the ball is away from the body. Cause: The receiver does not absorb the ball into the body. Correction: Ask the student to exaggerate the flexing of the elbows such that the elbows are almost out to the side.
Chest Pass
- The ball does not make it to the receiver. Cause: The passer does not step toward the receiver. Correction: Place a poly spot in front of the passer and have the student step over it when making the pass.
- The ball does not make it to the receiver. Cause: The arms do not extend quickly. Correction: Remind the student to "slam the gate."
- The thumbs do not point down after release. Cause: The wrists are not pronated. Correction: Remind the student that the thumbs should end up pointing toward the wall. (This is an exaggeration, but it will help the student understand the need to pronate.)
- The pass does not arrive at the receiver’s chest. Cause: The passer is not looking at the receiver’s chest. Correction: Have the receiver create a number with one hand and then have the passer tell what the number was after the pass is made.
- The pass does not arrive at the receiver’s chest. Cause: The passer doesn’t have the strength to get the pass to the chest. Correction: Have partners move closer together.
Bounce Pass
- The ball has topspin as it hits the floor. Cause: The thumbs moved over the top of the ball. Correction: Stress the pronation of the wrists by reminding the student to keep the thumbs down.
- The ball does not make it to the receiver. Cause: The passer does not step toward the receiver. Correction: Place a poly spot in front of the passer and have the student step over it when making the pass.
- The ball does not make it to the receiver. Cause: The arms do not extend quickly. Correction: Remind the student to "slam the gate."
- The student catches the ball on the downward arc. Cause: The ball is bounced less than two-thirds of the way to the receiver. Correction: Place a marker two-thirds of the way to the receiver and have the passer aim for that spot.
