Basketball Relay Games for Elementary Students

Relay games provide an enjoyable way for students to develop, practice and reinforce the basketball skills of dribbling, shooting, guarding and passing. Initial games should be easy and focus on an individual skill. This promotes an exciting atmosphere and affords success. As the students' abilities increase, you can advance the relay games by combining two skill sets within one game, or have obstacles that students can maneuver around.

Dribbling the Ball

This relay is an exciting way to develop eye and hand coordination, ball control and speed. Divide the students into two teams and line them up at one end of the court on the baseline. The first player in each line receives a basketball. At your signal, the players dribble down the court to the baseline, turn around while dribbling and dribble back down the court. They hand the ball to the next player on the team who repeats the drill. The first team to finish is the winner. To advance the drill, space plastic cones in a straight line to the far baseline and have the students dribble in and out of the cones.

Defending the Basket

Guarding skills are essential to defending a team's basket. This game is an enjoyable way to develop and strengthen these techniques. Implement the basketball rules of engagement for this game. The goal of this game is to have the most points at the end of a specified period of time. Divide the students into groups, allowing two teams per basket. One team at each basket receives a basketball. The team with the ball attempts to score while the other team guards the basket and attempts to steal the ball. The team trying to score continues until the defending team steals the ball. When the ball is stolen without committing a foul, both teams change places and the game continues.

Passing the Ball

This is a traditional relay that sparks fun and helps the players improve their balance and ball control. Divide the class into four groups. Position each group behind the baseline in straight lines and 10 feet apart. The two inside lines turn outward and face the other group. A basketball is given to each team. When the signal is given, the first two players of each team quickly move up the court to the baseline and back while chest passing the ball back and forth to each other. Upon returning to the team, they hand off the ball to the next two players in line. This continues until all players have participated. The team that finishes first is the winner. This relay can be performed doing the bounce pass up and down court.