Catch & Shoot

Skill drill

Shoot quickly and on balance off a pass.

8 min pairs or with a passer Half court
ShootingU10U12U14U16

Step-by-step walkthrough

pairs or with a passer · 1 ball, 1 hoop

Get everyone ready

Get to your spotSprint to the wing and get your feet set behind the line. C1

● Player / attackGold: ballGreen C: coach

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

Shooter starts at the wing, a passer (coach or teammate) under the basket with the ball.

Look for: Hands ready before the catch.

Playback options
Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×
Coach’s notes & group organisation

Shooter starts at the wing, a passer (coach or teammate) under the basket with the ball.

  1. Shooter shows hands and calls for the ball.
  2. Passer hits them; shooter catches ready to shoot.
  3. Catch on the hop, feet set, shoot in rhythm.
  4. Rebound, pass to the next shooter, rotate.

Suggested reset

For a three-player station: shooter rebounds, rebounder becomes the passer, and passer moves to the shooting spot. The old shooter passes the ball to the new passer before taking the rebound position. Start after all three are ready. Extra players join behind the shooting spot, outside the passing lane.

Coaching cues

  • Hands ready before the catch.
  • Feet set on the catch — 'catch ready to shoot'.
  • Same follow-through every time.

Adapt the challenge

Harder: Shooter runs off a cut before catching.

Easier: Start at the elbow and step out a metre once you make three in a row.

Shot Clock: Two shooters and one passer, 60 seconds, count the team's makes.

What this drill teaches

Being ready to shoot before the ball arrives. Preparing hands and feet during the flight of the pass is what separates a shot from a hesitation, and repping the catch-ready-shoot rhythm makes that preparation automatic.

In games: Cures the frozen catch — the open player who receives, pauses, and lets the defender close out — turning your team's good passes into actual shots on game day.

What good looks like
  • Hands up and calling for the ball before the pass is thrown
  • Feet set on the catch with no extra stutter steps
  • One smooth rhythm from catch to release

U10: start at the elbow and accept a slow gather — rhythm first. U14–U16: expect catches off a cut and a quick, balanced release under a shot clock.

Equipment

1 ball, 1 hoop

Setup

Shooter starts at the wing, a passer (coach or teammate) under the basket with the ball.

Steps

  1. 1Shooter shows hands and calls for the ball.
  2. 2Passer hits them; shooter catches ready to shoot.
  3. 3Catch on the hop, feet set, shoot in rhythm.
  4. 4Rebound, pass to the next shooter, rotate.

Coaching points

  • Hands ready before the catch.
  • Feet set on the catch — 'catch ready to shoot'.
  • Same follow-through every time.

Why kids love it

This is how most shots happen in games, so it feels real and game-important.

Variations

Harder

Shooter runs off a cut before catching.

Easier

Start at the elbow and step out a metre once you make three in a row.

Shot Clock

Two shooters and one passer, 60 seconds, count the team's makes.

Related drills

Coaching notes that use this drill