Skilled players on highly effective teams understand that optimal performance relies on multiple skill sets. Certainly, interpersonal skills are required to assure open, honest and constructive communication between team members. These skills are needed by both leaders and followers. Like job performance, playing the game of basketball requires the participant to execute some basic, foundational, technical skills, like dribbling, shooting, passing and defending. It’s hard to be successful at just about anything without foundational skills. Foundational technical skills in basketball are the fundamental skills that support initial and advanced learning and, ultimately performance. We believe that there are developmental steps to technical skill learning and performance. In teaching skills we discuss the specific skill topic, demonstrate how to execute the skill, ask the player to show what they have learned, and then provide feedback to modify and enhance the performance of the skill. Once players have shown competency in the performance of the skill, we practice the skill in situations that simulate, as much as possible, real game situations. Skill practice should be done at game speed whenever practical. To be exceptional, and master a skill, players have to employ purposeful, and later, deliberate practice.

The technical skill drills are organized by developmental level - Foundational, Intermediate and Advanced - and also by Individual (drills that can be performed by one person alone), Partner (drills that require a partner to perform) and Team (drills to be performed by a team). Most Individual and Partner drills can also be used as Team Drills. Some drills reference a link to a video demonstration of the skill covered or the drill itself. There are more than 120 links available. Whenever we know the source of the drill we acknowledge it in the Tag section, for example, "Drew Hanlen".

To check out the technical skill drills click on "Drills" above.