Floater / Runner

Skill drill

Score over a taller defender with a soft one-foot floater.

6 min any Half court
ShootingU12U14U16

Technique guide

Any group size · 1 ball, 1 hoop, chair/cone

Get everyone ready

Attack into the laneDrive toward the middle, into the gap the bigs leave. 1

● Player / attackGold: ball

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

A chair or cone in the lane as the help defender. Player starts near the elbow with a ball.

Look for: Shoot it early — go up before you get to the chair, not after.

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

A chair or cone in the lane as the help defender. Player starts near the elbow with a ball.

  1. Take one or two dribbles at the chair in the lane.
  2. Gather and go up off one foot, early — before you reach it.
  3. Flick a soft, high floater up over the chair and in.
  4. Land balanced and rebound.

Suggested reset

At a two-player basket station, the shooter retrieves their attempt and returns the same ball to the next shooter, then waits clear of the finishing lane. For a prescribed shooting set, finish the set before swapping. With more players, split across baskets or rotate short sets; keep spare balls off the active shooting line.

Coaching cues

  • Shoot it early — go up before you get to the chair, not after.
  • High and soft — let it drop in.
  • Off one foot, on the run.

Adapt the challenge

Easier: Closer to the rim, no defender.

Harder: Put a tall player or coach with a raised pool noodle in the lane to float it over.

Off Two: Take the same shot off a two-foot hop so players feel which gather suits them.

What this drill teaches

A soft, high shot released early — before reaching the help defender — so it goes up where long arms can't get it. The chair in the lane trains the key habit: go up early, not into the body.

In games: Gives smaller guards an answer in the paint — instead of charging into the big help defender or getting blocked, they score over the top.

What good looks like
  • Going up a step before the chair, not on top of it
  • High, soft arc that drops in rather than being driven at the rim
  • Balanced one-foot take-off and a controlled landing

U12: shoot close to the rim with no defender — flat, hard floaters are normal at first. U14–U16: expect it over a raised pool noodle and off both one- and two-foot gathers.

Equipment

1 ball, 1 hoop, chair/cone

Setup

A chair or cone in the lane as the help defender. Player starts near the elbow with a ball.

Steps

  1. 1Take one or two dribbles at the chair in the lane.
  2. 2Gather and go up off one foot, early — before you reach it.
  3. 3Flick a soft, high floater up over the chair and in.
  4. 4Land balanced and rebound.

Coaching points

  • Shoot it early — go up before you get to the chair, not after.
  • High and soft — let it drop in.
  • Off one foot, on the run.

Why kids love it

Small guards love a shot that beats bigger defenders in the paint.

Variations

Easier

Closer to the rim, no defender.

Harder

Put a tall player or coach with a raised pool noodle in the lane to float it over.

Off Two

Take the same shot off a two-foot hop so players feel which gather suits them.

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