February 2019 - 41

Developing
young post
players
By Marty Gaughan, contributing writer
Even though post play has
been somewhat diminished with
the dribble-drive offense and the
high screen-and-roll offensive
sets, it's still a skill that must be
emphasized. There will never be a
lack of importance for a player who is
effective around the rim.
Footwork
The one thing that automatically
improves a post player's ability to
score is their footwork. Footwork
is that tangible that can create
opportunities for a player and it can
provide more options for the post
player, especially against a sound
defense.
Footwork doesn't apply to those
situations after the player catches the
ball, but it is as important to teach
footwork in catching the ball. How
well a post player utilizes their feet
in the catch automatically creates a
better scoring opportunity, or in some
cases it creates protection of the pass
being delivered.
This footwork includes catches
in post ups, but it also includes a
post player creating seals with their
footwork when the defender is taking
away initial post-up opportunities.
Coaches need to teach players
to catch the ball with their feet.
Footwork will be broken into three
categories:
in the lane, along the lane and off
the lane.
In the lane, the major theme to
teach players about is how to score.
This is an area of the floor that
players need to understand that they
do not have the luxury or the ability
to make moves, but it is significant
that they develop a quick release type
of shot, such as jump hook.
Bodywork
When catching the ball along
the lane, a player must develop a
dominant move to each shoulder. Off
of that dominant move, players must
be able to have a secondary move that
is effective once the dominant move
is made.
One big mistake coaches make with
post players is that they try to have
them develop too many moves. A lot
of average moves around the rim are
productive. Developing a dominant
move provides players with the amount
of reps necessary to become effective.
These moves include jump hooks,
power drop steps and turn-around
jumpers. The secondary moves
include pivot drop steps and up-andunder
moves. Post players who catch
the ball off of the lane must learn
to use proper footwork to face up
to the rim and become a perimeter
player. The footwork necessary to
teach a post player to face up is to
use an inside pivot. I believe that
a permanent pivot foot is the best
approach to use.
Having a permanent pivot foot
allows players to establish a series
of moves on both sides of the floor
that appear different due to where the
move finishes. I think a right-handed
player should have their left foot as
the permanent pivot foot. This allows
the player to use their shooting foot in
all of their moves.
The series of moves when facing up
can include the following:
* Face up and shoot.
* Face up and rocker step.
* Face up and jab step into a sweep
move.
* Face up and jab step into sweep
step back shot.
* Face up and jab step into sweep
and spin move.
Coaching post players
Once you have established where
and how you want players to finish
in all of these categories, it's then up
to each coach to develop a practice
routine that creates a good number of
repetitions, done in both a fashion of
perfection and in game-like situations.
Players must be taught to keep the
ball up high, use the body to protect
the ball, use both hands and use the
backboard. When post players are put
into drills, it's very important that they
COACHAD.COM 41
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February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2019
