Basketball Practice Plan Template

A free, fill-in-the-blanks structure for 60, 75 and 90-minute youth basketball practices, plus a full sample plan and drills you can run tonight.

If you coach a U8–U14 team, you probably have one gym slot a week and a group of kids who lose focus after five minutes of standing in line. A practice plan template fixes both problems. Every minute gets a job, the court stays busy, and you finish on time instead of cutting the scrimmage.

The 60-minute template

This is the structure most volunteer coaches need. Fill in one drill per block and one short coaching point you'll say out loud.

Time	Min	Block
0:00–0:05	5	Arrival / free shooting
0:05–0:12	7	Warm-up
0:12–0:20	8	Ball handling
0:20–0:30	10	Skill block 1
0:30–0:33	3	Water break
0:33–0:43	10	Skill block 2
0:43–0:57	14	Scrimmage / game
0:57–1:00	3	Wrap-up

Times run from the start of your slot. Short on court time? Take 2 minutes off the scrimmage, not the warm-up or ball handling. The 75 and 90-minute versions add skill stations, a team-concept block and a second water break.

Build your plan here

Pick a length and type your start time. Change any block's minutes and the clock times update. Use Print to get a one-page sheet for your clipboard.

Length Start

Time	Min	Block	Drill

Free sample: Week 1, ready to run

Theme: Meet the team, ball control, layups. Goal: Everyone learns names, the practice routine and a right-hand layup. This is the first of the eight weekly plans in the pack, unchanged.

Time	Min	Block	Drill and focus
0:00–0:05	5	Arrival and welcome	Circle up: names, practice rules (listen, hustle, encourage)
0:05–0:10	5	Warm-up	W4 Red Light, Green Light Dribble — Jump stop lands on two feet at the same time.
0:10–0:18	8	Ball handling	B1 Stationary Ball Series — Fingertips, not the palm.
0:18–0:25	7	Ball handling	B2 Cone Weave — Ball stays on the outside of your body away from the cone.
0:25–0:30	5	Water break	Quick break; ask two players to explain the jump stop
0:30–0:40	10	Finishing	S2 Layup Lines — Right side: right hand, jump off the left foot.
0:40–0:46	6	Shooting	S1 Form Shooting Close — Hold the follow-through until the ball lands.
0:46–0:56	10	Game	B7 Sharks and Minnows — Use your body to shield the ball.
0:56–1:00	4	Wrap-up	One thing we learned; next practice time

The drills used above are on the youth basketball drills page, and Week 2 is written out on the 60-minute practice plan page.

Six free drill cards

These come straight from the 40-card set. Each one tells you the setup, the steps, what to say, and how to make it easier or harder on the spot.

W4 · Red Light, Green Light Dribble

Warm-up · U8-U10 · 5 min · Whole team · 1 ball each

Setup: Everyone on the baseline with a ball. Coach stands at half court.

'Green light' = dribble forward. 'Red light' = jump stop, keep the ball protected.
'Yellow light' = dribble in place.
Anyone who travels or loses the ball takes three steps back.

Coaching points

Jump stop lands on two feet at the same time.
Protect the ball with the off arm.

Easier: Allow two-hand pickup on red light.
Harder: Call 'switch' to make players change hands on the move.

B2 · Cone Weave

Ball handling · U8-U14 · 6 min · Groups of 3-5 · 1 ball each, 5 cones per line

Setup: Set 5 cones in a line about 2 metres apart from the baseline.

Dribble through cones using the hand farther from the cone.
Switch hands as you pass each cone.
Dribble back to the line on the outside.

Coaching points

Ball stays on the outside of your body away from the cone.
Stay low through each change.

Easier: Spread cones farther apart.
Harder: Use a crossover, then between-the-legs, at each cone.

P2 · Monkey in the Middle

Passing · U8-U14 · 5 min · Groups of 3 · 1 ball per group

Setup: Two passers about 4 metres apart, one defender between them.

Passers must pivot and fake before passing past the defender.
No lob passes over the head.
When the defender touches the ball, the passer who threw it moves to the middle.

Coaching points

Fake high, pass low (or the reverse).
Use your pivot foot to create a passing angle.

Easier: Defender keeps one hand behind the back.
Harder: Add a 3-second limit to pass.

S2 · Layup Lines

Shooting · U8-U14 · 6 min · Two lines · 3-4 balls

Setup: Shooting line at the right wing, rebounding line at the right corner.

Shooter dribbles in and takes a right-hand layup.
Rebounder catches and passes to the next shooter.
Players switch lines. After 3 minutes, move to the left side.

Coaching points

Right side: right hand, jump off the left foot.
Use the top corner of the square on the board.

Easier: Start from a two-step position without dribbling.
Harder: Add a 'reverse' layup from the baseline.

D2 · Zig-Zag Slides

Defense · U10-U14 · 6 min · Pairs · 1 ball per pair

Setup: Dribbler and defender start on the baseline at one corner, using half the width of the court.

Dribbler zig-zags slowly up the floor.
Defender slides to stay in front, turning at each change.
Swap roles on the way back.

Coaching points

Push off the back foot, lead with the front.
Head stays level with the ball.

Easier: Defender keeps hands behind the back.
Harder: Dribbler goes at game speed.

T2 · Spacing Freeze

Team play · U8-U14 · 6 min · 5 on offence · 1 ball

Setup: Five offence spread on half court, no defence.

Pass around the perimeter.
Coach yells 'freeze'.
Players check: are we at least 3-4 big steps apart? Fix spacing, then continue.

Coaching points

Fill empty spots.
Do not stand next to the ball unless setting a screen.

Easier: Use floor spots or cones as markers.
Harder: Add defenders who can only deny passes.

Five rules that make any template work

One focus per practice. Pick one skill, like passing, and give the scrimmage a rule that rewards it.
Talk for less than 30 seconds. Show the drill once, then let them play. Teach during water breaks.
No more than four players per line. Use every basket. Split into stations if a parent can help.
Change the drill, don't stop it. If it falls apart, switch to the easier version. If it's too easy, switch to the harder one.
Finish with a game. Kids remember the last ten minutes best. End on a scrimmage or a shooting challenge and one question: "What did we work on today?"

Get the full pack

$9 one-time

Printable PDF (32 pages): 60, 75 and 90-minute templates, a custom template, season planner and skill-progress grid
All 40 drill cards with setup, steps, coaching points and easier/harder versions
Eight complete 60-minute plans for your first eight weeks, with notes on stretching them to 75 or 90 minutes
Editable XLSX workbook: type a start time and every block updates; drill IDs fill in automatically; attendance sheet

Buy the pack for $9

Instant download (ZIP with PDF + XLSX). One payment, no subscription. Secure checkout; taxes calculated at checkout.

Questions

What age groups is this for?

Every drill is tagged U8–U14, U10–U14 or U12–U14. The sample plans are written to work for a mixed U10–U12 group, and each card's "easier" line adapts it for younger players.

Can I edit the templates?

Yes. The XLSX workbook opens in any spreadsheet app that reads .xlsx files. The PDF is set up for printing and writing on by hand.

What if my practice is 45 minutes?

Use the custom template or the workbook. Drop one skill block and shorten the scrimmage. The total row tells you when the plan fits.

Is there a subscription?

No. You pay $9 once and download the files.