Contents
The shape of a session
The order of the blocks is published; the split of the minutes is not.
Source: Côté Coach, building a session; the Paak session generator.
The skeleton of a session
Every J+S-Kids Basketball lesson follows the same three-part shape: warm-up, main part, final part, and the final part is a game. A typical session runs 60 minutes for a group of 6 to 20 children, in a hall or outdoors with at least two baskets.
Paak's generator uses the same shape in five blocks: warm-up, two main situations, a game, then a cool-down. The main part is simply split in two, which gives you two working themes instead of one.
| Block | 45 min | 60 min | 75 min | 90 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 |
| Situation 1 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 25 |
| Situation 2 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 25 |
| Game | 10 | 14 | 18 | 20 |
| Cool-down | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
The warm-up is not running laps
In the J+S lessons the warm-up is already basketball: “Hello” (move around dribbling and greet each other without stopping the dribble), “Little bundles”, “Pac-Man” along the court lines. The child touches the ball in the first minute.
Practical consequence: pick a warm-up from the dribble, passing, physical or shooting themes, and never from the most intense drills. A warm-up block made only of high-intensity situations is not a warm-up.
Finish with a real game
The final part of a J+S lesson is a 5v5 match; with side baskets you play 3v3 across the width. The simplified rules J+S publishes are enough: dribble, travelling (one- or two-count stop then pivot), the 5-second rule, contact fouls, throw-in.
What the session must not do
In mini-basket: no zone and no screens (forbidden by rule at U11), and no size-7 ball or 3.05 m basket before age 8. At senior level the federation literature publishes mostly collective concepts, hence a shorter library at that level, not an oversight.
Sources
- J+S / OFSPO: J+S-Kids Basketball, base document and lessons 1–10 (warm-up / main part / final part structure, equipment, simplified rules).
- OFSPO / ASEP: Cahier pratique 18, Basketball.
- FFBB: U9/U11 championship regulation (zone and screens).