The Drill: Med Ball Passing

As assistant with Lakeside High School and previously with the Seattle Storm, Chris Bown has made his mark with individual player development. His eighth column on drills is about developing coordination and balance.

Medicine Ball Passing
Requirements: Two players, two basketballs (basketballs and progress to medicine balls), two balance discs, one coach.

The players stand facing each other on one foot. They pass the ball back and forth to each other. The first stage is to balance with a good chest pass. The next stage is to try making the other reach for the pass (low, high, left, right). Once they have mastered this they should do the same drill with the medicine balls. The next progression is to use the balance discs and the basketballs and then the balance discs and the medicine balls.

The players should make sure they are switching feet.

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Note: I first saw Daniel Shapiro (Strength and Conditioning Coach Seattle Storm) use this drill with the Storm last season. This helps players work on balance and coordination, proprioception and stabilizer muscles in the ankle, knee and hip.

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Chris Bown is an assistant coach with the Lakeside girls varsity basketball team and a coach of the Northwest HoopGurlz select girls team. He recently was an assistant coach in charge of player development for the WNBA Seattle Storm. Chris also does individual training and can be reached at 206-794-9046 or . A graduate of the University of Washington, he has been the head coach for girls varsity basketball teams at Holy Names Academy, Seattle Academy and American Indian Heritage School. This is his second stint at Lakeside as an assistant to Sandy Schneider. Chris also has been a math and physical education instructor at St. Paul School and Seattle Academy.

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More Chris Bown Columns:

Oiler Three-Point
Running the W
Oiler Shooting
Basic Four
Mikan Plus
Defensive Combo
Half-Circle