The right level of challenge

Having games that provide the perfect amount of challenge is important. If it’s too hard, players get frustrated. If it’s too easy, they get bored.

For ball-handling games, we can think of challenge as a spectrum. As a coach, your job is to observe the players and the game, and adjust the rules based on the level of challenge needed. Here’s a simple example for a dribbling game based on the offensive player's level of challenge:

• EASY: The round ends when the defender gains full possession of the ball
• MEDIUM: The round ends when the defender touches the ball
• HARD: The round ends when the defender touches the ball or the offensive player bobbles it while dribbling

For closeout drills, one easy variable to adjust is distance. Lengthening or shortening the starting point of the defender can significantly affect difficulty.

Yes, we always practice with defenders—but the variables of the game and the defenders should be used to manage the challenge.

I like to ask players how they perceive the difficulty of a game. I also watch the score of the drill, their success rate, and ask for their input on how to make it easier or harder. A lot of the time, they come up with great adjustments themselves.

Lately, I’ve been working with players of different skill levels within the same session recently. One way to help find the right challenge for each player if you're coaching a 1v1 game with players of different skill levels is to assign different rules to each player (for example, a more advanced player may have a rule that they can only finish with their weak hand).

Adjustments like these can help each player feel the session is more personalized to their needs—which leads to more engagement, more effort, and more of the growth you want to see.