Dynamic Stretch & Ball Circles
Loosen up the body and wake up the hands before harder work.
What this drill teaches
A calm, organised routine that warms the body and the hands together. Pairing simple stretches with ball circles means every player gets moving and gets ball touches in the same five minutes, with no queues and no chaos.
In games: Teams that start flat give up easy baskets in the first minutes — a settled, active warm-up means your players move properly from the opening whistle without pulled muscles.
- Slow, controlled stretches with no bouncing
- Ball circles staying close to the body, few drops
- The group settled and following the routine without chasing
U8–U10: dropped balls and wobbly circles are fine — touches are the point. U14–U16: expect crisp circles, full range, and added lunges and skips.
Equipment
1 ball each
Setup
Players spread out, each with a ball.
Steps
- 1Leg swings and arm circles to loosen up.
- 2Circle the ball around the waist, then head, then knees.
- 3Ankle rolls and a few bodyweight squats.
- 4Finish with 10 quick fingertip taps.
Coaching points
- Slow and controlled — no bouncing into stretches.
- Full range of motion.
- Get the heart rate up gently.
Why kids love it
A calm, organised start that prevents tweaks and settles a busy group.
Variations
Add walking lunges and high-knee skips.
Drop the ball circles and just do the stretches on the spot.