I find that the traditional wisdom on [tag]how to improve basketball skills[/tag] is a bit stale.  Here’s an idea from Paula that works well with players of all ages.How to Improve Basketball Skills

I am [tag]coaching[/tag] [tag]basketball[/tag] to 3rd grade girls.  I have come up with a simple plan to keep the [tag]offense[/tag] spread out and most importantly the girls don’t have to think!“  I have a two guard front against a man to man.  I have two down low at the 3 and 4 position, each placed halfway between the power block and the side line.  Number 5 sets up anywhere around the lane.  Preferably shaking it up each time down the floor.
The premise is that each girl has an area.  The #1 guard is the right side, show them an imaginary rectangle from the mid-court line to the top of the free throw line with the “imaginary line up the center of the court that divides right and left. “  #2 is the left side.  3 and 4 are the lower imaginary rectangle covering the baseline to the top of the free throw line out to the sideline and 5 has the lane as her rectangle.  They stay in their area except to drive to the basket, help, backdoor, or to rebound. 
We practice the v-cut routinely in practice, thus teaching the kids how to move without the ball and to get open.  Their job is to stay in their area and v-cut and pass to the open person. 

It’s not brain surgery but the girls are always spread out and rarely do we not get a wide open shot at the basket.  They spend less time caught up in running some play most can’t remember, and we spend practice time practicing [tag]fundamentals[/tag] instead of drilling plays in their heads.