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Zone Tag
Find open space — only one player per zone
Setup
Divide the court into 6 zones using cones or lines (5 offensive players + 1 open zone at all times).
How You Play
Use 6 zones for 5 players, so there's always one open zone. After passing, move to the open zone. Everyone else shifts to fill the next open zone as it appears — sometimes that means staying put, but usually it means relocating. The ball keeps moving zone to zone as players keep resetting the open space.
The Rule
If two players end up in the same zone, the coach blows the whistle. Players must spread out before play resumes.
Coaching Cues
Success Looks Like
Players naturally fill open zones without being told. No bunching.
Pass, Cut & Fill
Pass it, cut to the basket, fill the open spot.
Setup
Half court · 5 offensive players · no defense. Cones: 4 perimeter spots + 1 middle zone. Coach starts with the ball.
How You Play
After every pass: cut straight to the basket, hand up. Then fill the open perimeter spot — the teammate next to it slides over; the cutter fills the spot they left. Middle player steps to the other side of the lane on every cut, then returns. If the cutter is open, pass it back — layup counts (give-and-go). Add one defender once the pattern is automatic. Builds the pass-and-cut habit used in Week 2 and Week 7 (4-Out / 1-In Pass & Cut). The only Foundations game that teaches cutting to the basket.
The Rule
Coach stops play only when a passer doesn't cut all the way to the basket.
Coaching Cues
Success Looks Like
Every pass is followed by a basket cut. Open spots get filled without the coach pointing. Middle player clears space on every cut.
Freeze Check
Freeze — are you too close to someone?
Setup
5 offensive players. No defense. Players move freely — passing, dribbling, relocating.
How You Play
Players move freely, passing and relocating, until the coach yells 'Freeze.' Everyone stops exactly where they are. If any two players are within arm's length, the team takes 3 jumping jacks and resets. Players learn to space themselves proactively so they're never caught bunched up when the whistle hits.
The Rule
Coach yells 'FREEZE' at random. Players stop. If anyone is too close to a teammate, they reset.
Coaching Cues
Success Looks Like
When frozen, players are evenly spaced. No clustering around the ball.
Keep Away from the Ghost
The ball cannot stop moving
Setup
4-on-0 or 5-on-0. No defense. The 'ghost' is imaginary pressure.
How You Play
Players pass the ball around as a team, trying to string together 5 consecutive passes without the ball stopping for 2+ seconds. If it stops, the 'ghost' steals it and the count resets to zero. The team counts each pass out loud together to build rhythm and urgency.
The Rule
The ball cannot stay in anyone's hands for more than 2 seconds. The team counts the streak out loud together — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Coaching Cues
Success Looks Like
Ball moves rapidly. Players anticipate the next pass. No panic, just flow.
3-Zone Scoring
Ball must travel through all three zones before a shot
Setup
Divide court into 3 horizontal zones. Ball starts in Zone 1 (backcourt).
How You Play
The court is split into 3 horizontal zones. The ball must be passed through all 3 zones before a shot counts — no dribbling zone to zone. This forces the offense to spread vertically instead of collapsing around the ball.
The Rule
Before anyone can shoot, the ball must touch a player in each zone. No skipping zones.
Coaching Cues
Success Looks Like
Teams move the ball through all zones. Shot attempts come from good ball movement.