Handball Rebounding Drill

The Handball Rebounding Drill looks to build up a player’s stamina and control of the basketball when around the basket. The focus of the drill is on catching and pushing back the basketball while in a rebounding position. This requires the players to develop some additional coordination around their control of the basketball and familiarity with their own abilities in regards to jumping and maintaining balance. The Handball Rebounding Drill is not an easy drill and is best utilised with players fourteen and older.

The Handball Rebounding Drill starts with two players on either side of the basket (One and Two).

One (1) starts with the ball and throws this initially off the backboard for two to then jump, catch and push the ball back. The Handball Rebounding Drill continues until one player is unable to catch or push the ball back.

The area of operation for the rebounding is below the double block and within the keyway. This is important as some players will simply focus on trying to force the ball off the backboard so nobody can rebound the ball. One of the key points of emphasis within the Handball Rebounding Drill is on control of the basketball and landing the ball in this specific area described above is part of this.

Variation

There are a few very simple variations which can used to make the Handball Rebounding Drill significantly more challenging and some of these include:

• Have players only use one hand to catch and push the basket back
• Have players alternate which hand they use to catch and throw
• Players hop on one foot when jumping to catch and throw the basketball back
• Players once catching the ball must bounce the ball off the backboard on their side, jump and catch again before pushing back to the opposite side of the basket

The Handball Rebounding Drill can also be utilised as a team activity.

Players simply line up on each side of the backboard and compete against one another trying to force a mistake in the other team’s catching and passing.

The variations described earlier can still be applied in this format.

Another variation that maybe also of use is to build in some other activity between a player rebounding to when they can join the end of their sides line. For example, a player may have to run to halfway prior to joining the line and repeating the action of rebounding. This again provides further opportunity for fitness and stamina work to be integrated into the drill.

Finally, to add some pressure to the Handball Rebounding Drill defenders can be added to make the activity more realistic. This again can be completed in either an individual or team scenario.

All the points of emphasis remain the same, although now the offensive players must position and out-rebound their opponents.

The Handball Rebounding Drill is a solid activity for building the stamina of a team around the technique and physical demands of rebounding in a game of basketball specifically close to the basket. When defence is added, the ability for players to create space and accurately while managing their timing becomes very important and challenging. This scenario of focusing on a wide range of different skills while progressing through the variations of the Handball Rebounding Drill make it an activity which is highly valuable for every coaches drill bank.

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