Q: Coach, we started teaching the offense to our 7 and 8 year old first graders in competitive league play. We’re playing 5-out on the high school three, but it seems too far out to make the players a threat and keep them in the action. We’ve since moved them in a bit to make them more of a catch and shoot threat, but without the circle as a guideline they’re more prone to start freelancing. At this level I also want to use RR as our bible so I don’t want to get in the habit of creating our own alterations.

Since the offense teaches you to play at the NBA 3 and to utilize the HS/college 3-pt line as a Read Line, what is your recommendation for this level and what do you do if the facility only has the HS 3-pt line?

A: Lay down a Read Line INSIDE the 19′ 9″ arc. The players could play on the 19′ 9″ arc while using your newly taped 16′ 9″ line to read the defense and know when to basket cut, etc. That would put them closer to the basket. It’s not necessary that they be able to shoot from the 19′9″ arc, just that they play on it. Example: If someone dribble penetrates and passes to the perimeter, the receiver can leave the 19′9″ arc, stepping toward the goal, and meet the pass at a closer distance to the goal - perhaps their shooting range.

Since you have to tape a dotted line anyway, taping one on the inside is just as easy as taping one where the NBA arc is located.

Thanks for your commitment to the Read & React. I think that the longer you coach, the more glad you’ll be that you’ve used it as a curriculum.