Red Light, Green Light

Warm-up

Teach control and stopping under control while dribbling.

6 min 4–12 Full court

Ball-handlingU8U10

Game guide

4–12 · 1 ball each

Speed

Get everyone ready

● Player / attackGold: ballGreen C: coach

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

Players line up on the baseline, each with a ball. Coach stands at half court facing away.

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

Look for: Jump stop = land on two feet, balanced.

Playback options

Pause between chaptersIllustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Coach’s notes & group organisation

Players line up on the baseline, each with a ball. Coach stands at half court facing away.

'Green light' — players dribble forward toward the coach.
'Red light' — players must stop on a jump stop and freeze their dribble (hold the ball).
Anyone still moving on red goes back a few steps.
First to reach the coach under control wins and becomes the caller.

Suggested reset

Stop everyone at the finish. Bring players back to the start with their own balls; the winner becomes the caller. Begin the next round only after the playing lane is clear.

Coaching cues

Jump stop = land on two feet, balanced.
Stay low, ball protected.
Control beats speed — you can't win by being wild.

Adapt the challenge

Harder: Add 'yellow light' = crossover in place, 'purple light' = spin move.

Weak hand only: Green light means weak-hand dribbling only — red light still means a two-foot jump stop.

What this drill teaches

The jump stop — stopping on balance without travelling. Because moving on 'red' costs you the race, kids learn to control their own speed and land balanced instead of just going flat out.

In games: Fewer travels and stumbles on game day — a player who can stop under control can catch, land and pivot instead of crashing into a defender or walking with the ball.

What good looks like

Two-foot landings with knees bent, not stumbles
Players easing off before the call instead of sprinting blind
Ball held firm and protected on every freeze

U8: travels, wobbles and giggles on every red light — that's the learning happening. U10: demand clean two-foot stops and add the weak-hand and crossover calls.

Equipment

1 ball each

Setup

Players line up on the baseline, each with a ball. Coach stands at half court facing away.

Steps

1'Green light' — players dribble forward toward the coach.
2'Red light' — players must stop on a jump stop and freeze their dribble (hold the ball).
3Anyone still moving on red goes back a few steps.
4First to reach the coach under control wins and becomes the caller.