Most rebounds at this age go to the kid who jumps highest. That stops working at 11. Boxing out beats jumping when both kids know what they’re doing. Teach it now and they’ll have the habit.
What you need: A hoop, a basketball, two players.
Setup: Coach stands at the free throw line with the ball. One player is the shooter (the coach’s stand-in for now). One player is the defender, one is the offensive rebounder.
How to run it:
- Coach shoots a missed shot off the rim.
- Defender turns toward the offensive player, gets low, butt back, arms wide. Body between the offensive player and the rim.
- Defender holds the box-out for two seconds before going for the ball.
- Reset. Switch roles.
- Do 6 reps each side.
What to watch: Are the arms wide and the butt low? A standing-up box-out gives the offensive player a path around. Low and wide is the seal.
If they’re struggling: Skip the rebound. Just practice the seal position and hold for 3 seconds.
If they’ve got it: Add a second offensive player. The defender has to choose which side to seal.