Everyone Touches

Fun game

A scrimmage where a basket only counts if every player on the team touched the ball first.

12 min 8-12 Half court
TeamworkPassingU8U10U12U14

Game guide

8-12 · 1 ball, half or full court

Get everyone ready

Two teams of four · everyone counts1–4 attack 5–8. One ball is live. All four attackers must touch it in the same possession before a basket can count; a premature shot is a turnover. 12345678

● Player / attack■ DefenceGold: ball

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

Two teams of four or five, normal scrimmage rules.

A coached example. In live play, players make their own decisions; the outcome can change.

Look for: Get the ball to whoever hasn't touched it yet — check in your head every possession.

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

Two teams of four or five, normal scrimmage rules.

  1. Play live basketball as usual.
  2. A basket only counts if every teammate has touched the ball during that possession.
  3. A shot taken before everyone has touched it is a turnover.
  4. First team to five valid baskets wins.

Suggested reset

Secure the same ball after a basket, turnover or ball out and restart with the agreed possession rules. Reset any per-possession passing requirement. Rotate waiting players or teams between possessions at the agreed score or time, with a fresh check or inbound after the substitution.

Coaching cues

  • Get the ball to whoever hasn't touched it yet — check in your head every possession.
  • Cut and get open rather than waving for it; the pass has to be findable.
  • The last player to touch it is usually the one nobody is guarding, so they are often the best shot.
  • Keep the pace up; slow passing lets the defence set.

Adapt the challenge

Easier: Three players per team, and the coach counts the touches out loud.

Harder: Everyone must touch it and at least one pass must be to a player inside the key.

Switch it: Everyone must touch it below the free-throw line.

Two-touch cap: No player may touch it twice before everyone has touched it once.

What this drill teaches

Offence that involves the whole team. Because a basket only counts after every teammate touches the ball, cutting to get open and finding the unmarked player stop being nice ideas and become the only route to scoring.

In games: Fixes one-player-does-everything offence — and the quiet kids, usually the ones nobody guards, start taking open shots instead of watching.

What good looks like
  • Players tracking who hasn't touched it yet, without prompting
  • Cuts to get open instead of standing and waving
  • The last touch often being the most open player on the floor

U8: possessions will stall while they count touches — coach counting out loud helps. U14: expect quick, purposeful touches at pace with the harder touch rules added.

Equipment

1 ball, half or full court

Setup

Two teams of four or five, normal scrimmage rules.

Steps

  1. 1Play live basketball as usual.
  2. 2A basket only counts if every teammate has touched the ball during that possession.
  3. 3A shot taken before everyone has touched it is a turnover.
  4. 4First team to five valid baskets wins.

Coaching points

  • Get the ball to whoever hasn't touched it yet — check in your head every possession.
  • Cut and get open rather than waving for it; the pass has to be findable.
  • The last player to touch it is usually the one nobody is guarding, so they are often the best shot.
  • Keep the pace up; slow passing lets the defence set.

Why kids love it

Talented youth teams funnel everything through one or two players. This makes the whole team's involvement a rule, and the quiet kids end up with open shots.

Variations

Easier

Three players per team, and the coach counts the touches out loud.

Harder

Everyone must touch it and at least one pass must be to a player inside the key.

Switch it

Everyone must touch it below the free-throw line.

Two-touch cap

No player may touch it twice before everyone has touched it once.

Related drills

Coaching notes that use this drill