Toss & Catch

Warm-up

Warm up hands and the idea of giving a target.

5 min pairs Half court

PassingU8U10

Step-by-step walkthrough

pairs · 1 ball per pair

Speed

Get everyone ready

● Player / attackGold: ball

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

Partners face each other about 8 feet apart.

Look for: Show two hands as a target.

Playback options

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

Coach’s notes & group organisation

Partners face each other about 8 feet apart.

Toss two-hand chest passes back and forth.
Add a clap before each catch.
Step to the side so your partner must lead you with the pass.
Finish with quick 'as many as you can' catches in 20 seconds.

Suggested reset

Keep one ball per pair. Retrieve a dropped ball before restarting; change who leads the sidestep after each timed set. Spread pairs into separate lanes so everyone works at once.

Coaching cues

Show two hands as a target.
Watch the ball into your hands.
Soft catch, ready to pass back.

Adapt the challenge

Harder: One-hand catches, or add a bounce pass.

Easier: Move closer and use a two-hand bounce pass.

Moving Partners: Both partners jog sideways while passing so every catch is on the move.

What this drill teaches

Safe hands and the habit of showing a target. Lots of gentle, face-to-face reps teach little players to watch the ball all the way in and present two hands — the foundations every pass in their basketball life will sit on.

In games: Fixes the fumbled or face-height catch that ends so many U8–U10 possessions — a kid who shows hands and watches the ball in turns teammates' passes into possessions, not turnovers.

What good looks like

Two hands shown as a target before every pass
Eyes following the ball right into the hands
Soft catches, ball absorbed rather than bouncing off palms

U8: drops and wild tosses are normal — move partners closer. U10: expect clean moving catches, the clap version, and passes leading a sidestepping partner.