4 Fun Conditioning Drills for Youth Basketball Players

Technique and skill development often get all the attention in youth sports, while conditioning is ignored.

Conditioning might not be as fun as practicing layups, but it's just as important. In fact, conditioning is the foundation on which basketball performance is built. Poor fitness is often the cause of turnovers and other errors toward the end of a game. When a young athlete starts to fatigue, he or she can't play their best.

Basketball conditioning drills help build endurance, with the added benefit of mixing up training and keeping kids engaged in the game (instead of getting burned out). Games and scrimmages remain important exercises for building an accomplished basketball player, but fitness drills are often the key to avoiding getting outplayed by another team.

To combine fun and fitness, here are some of the best conditioning drills for young players. These games and drills can all be tweaked depending on the age of the athletes and how many kids are playing. Try them in a gym, at a park or in your own backyard or driveway.

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