WEEKLY LESSONS - Ages 7-9
Building Fundamentals & Confidence
Our 7–9-year-old lessons are the cornerstone of our instructional programming. At this age, athletes are ready for a deeper focus on individual skills and a more robust introduction to real game situations. Each session is 1.5 hours long and designed to keep athletes engaged through a high-energy, professional environment.
- 60 Minutes of Individual Skill Development: This includes a dynamic warm-up, skill-based games, and skill stations. We focus on the "Elite" fundamentals, ball-handling, shooting, passing/cutting/catching, and defensive footwork through our carefully curated curriculum that ensures consistent, high-quality instruction.
- 30 Minutes of Scrimmage: Every class ends with a structured game. This scrimmage time allows athletes to reinforce the skills they just learned and develop "Basketball IQ" in a positive, team-based setting.
- Standard Regulation Nets: Athletes at this level move to regulation-height hoops, helping them develop the strength and proper mechanics needed as they transition toward competitive or rep basketball.
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE OF THE 7–9 "DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE"
Ages 7 to 9 represent a critical stage where "fun" meets "form". At Elite Camps, we leverage this window to transition athletes from basic motor skills to basketball-specific movements.
- Mastering the Basics: We believe in mastering the fundamentals now so that bad habits never have a chance to take root.
- Well-Trained Staff: Our lessons are taught by experienced coaches who follow a company-wide teaching standard developed over the 27 years Elite Camps has been running.
- The Bridge to Competition: With Ontario Basketball now offering rep play at the U9 level, our 7–9 program is strategically designed to bridge the gap between recreational fun and competitive play. We focus on mastering the fundamentals early, ensuring our athletes enter the rep circuit with a significant skill advantage over their peers. By 'hard-wiring' correct form now, athletes from our 7-9 program are positioned to have an advantage skill-wise over athletes just entering the sport.
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE: FORGING A LIFELONG ATHLETIC IDENTITY
We don't just teach basketball; we teach life lessons through sport. For the 7–9 age group, this is where they begin to understand the value of persistence, teamwork, and learning through failure.
- Positive Reinforcement: We provide a "safe-to-fail" environment, normalizing the idea that to get better, you must risk failure by trying new things. With the positive encouragement from our coaches, your child will try to practice new skills, giving them the resilience they need for both sports and academics.
- Athletic Identity: With the skills developed at Elite, your child won't just participate in gym class or on the playground at recess; they will have the skills to excel and feel ahead of the curve, giving them the athletic identity that is the foundation for a lifetime of sport participation.
FAQ 7-9 YEAR OLDS
We don't just teach basketball; we teach life lessons through sport. For the 7–9 age group, this is where they begin to understand the value of persistence, teamwork, and learning through failure.
- Positive Reinforcement: We provide a "safe-to-fail" environment, normalizing the idea that to get better, you must risk failure by trying new things. With the positive encouragement from our coaches, your child will try to practice new skills, giving them the resilience they need for both sports and academics.
- Athletic Identity: With the skills developed at Elite, your child won't just participate in gym class or on the playground at recess; they will have the skills to excel and feel ahead of the curve, giving them the athletic identity that is the foundation for a lifetime of sport participation.
While we offer more focused training for older athletes, we intentionally do not provide semi-private or private sessions for the 7–9 age group because we believe a group environment is vital for long-term success. At this developmental stage, training with peers allows children to learn through observation—benefiting from being around those both ahead of and behind them in skill level—while fostering the social connection that makes sport meaningful. Private training at this age can be too physically demanding and creates a high-pressure environment that often leads to stress. Our goal is to ignite a lifelong passion for basketball, and we find that a social, high-energy group setting provides the perfect "safe-to-fail" zone where kids can build confidence, have fun, and fall in love with the game without feeling the weight of constant, singular focus.
5ON5 HOUSE LEAGUE AGES 8–9
Where Kids Learn How To Play The Game
The Elite Camps House League is designed for athletes who are ready to learn team play strategies through more game-time experience and coaching.
The League offers an inclusive team curriculum to help athletes with decision-making, confidence, teamwork, and basketball IQ. We provide athletes with skills to work together as a team and play the game the right way.
Unlike standard house leagues led by volunteers, the Elite House League is run by our well-trained coaching staff and follows a curated curriculum to ensure players learn what they need to succeed on the court.
- 1.5-Hour Sessions: Each week includes 30 minutes of team-based instruction in offense and defense, followed by a 60-minute game.
- Team Concepts over Individual Drills: Whereas our weekly lessons focus on individual skills, the House League emphasizes team strategies, including floor spacing, transition principles, and man-to-man defense.
- A True League Experience: Athletes are placed on permanent teams for the season, given jerseys, and have tracked statistics, a playoff series, and a championship game.
- Equal Play Commitment: We use a numbered shift system to ensure every athlete receives fair and equal playing time to build their confidence in game situations.
*Equal play games mean players are numbered. For example, if a team has 8 players, the first shift will consist of players numbered 1-5. The next shift would be 6,7,8,1,2. This would continue the whole game until the last shift. Note: This can mean that, in some weeks, some kids get more shifts than others based on the numbers. The last shift is not equal play; coaches are allowed to select the players based on need and performance.
Program Layout
- 1.5 hour sessions
- 30 minute team practice
- Game-time = 8 – 4 minute shifts *(equal play game)
- Last 4 minutes earned game play
- Game-time is 5 on 5
- Max of 10 athletes per team
- Awards for league champions
- Awards for League All Stars
Team Practice Curriculum
- Floor balance and spacing
- Use of individual moves in team concepts
- Team rebounding and outlet principles
- Team transition principles
- Primary and secondary fast break
- How to move without the ball
- Establishing strong man-to-man team defense
- Unified team offense
- Game scenario strategies
- Floor balance and spacing
- Use of individual moves in team concepts
- Team rebounding and outlet principles
- Team transition principles
- Primary and secondary fast break
- How to move without the ball
- Establishing strong man-to-man team defense
- Unified team offense
- Game scenario strategies
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE OF LEARNING HOW TO PLAY IN A STRUCTURED, CURATED CURRICULUM BEFORE PLAYING REP
The 8–9-year-old D-League helps athletes develop an understanding of how to play basketball as part of a team.
- Offensive Movement & Spacing: Athletes move from simply standing and watching the ball to learning how to "get open". We teach them how to cut to the basket and create space, ensuring they understand that moving without the ball is just as important as dribbling it.
- Team Defense: To build on their defensive footwork from weekly lessons, athletes in our house league work on the team defensive skills of ball, gap, and help.
- Basketball IQ and Decision Making: Game-time experience is the only way to develop "Basketball IQ". In the D-League, athletes learn how to make quick decisions under pressure.
- Resilience: Athletes learn that they aren't just playing for themselves; they are part of something bigger. They develop the resilience to stay positive even when they are not playing well, learning to lift their teammates up after a missed shot, a turnover, or a loss.
HOUSE LEAGUE READINESS: IS MY CHILD READY?
The D-League is an intermediate step between our Weekly Lessons and competitive "Rep" basketball. To ensure your athlete has a successful and positive experience, we recommend the following "Readiness Checklist":
Readiness Checklist
- Fundamental Base: They should comfortably be able to dribble with their head up, pass and catch without travelling, and take and make lay-ups.
- Attention Span: They must be ready for 30 minutes of team-focused practice before the game begins.
- Physical Readiness: They are comfortable playing on regulation-height nets and competing in a 5-on-5 environment.
- Prior Experience: We typically recommend at least one season of Elite Weekly Lessons or a week of Elite Youth Camp before joining the House League
At Elite Camps, we believe in boosting self-esteem. Please put your child in a situation where they can be successful. If your athlete does not meet the criteria of the program or does not understand the checklist, they are not ready for the D-League and will be most successful continuing in our weekly lessons.
FAQ FOR 8-9 YEAR OLD HOUSE LEAGUE
Weekly Lessons focus almost entirely on the individual athlete's skills (6:1 ratio). The D-League is about teamwork. While we still teach, the practice is focused on team offenses, defenses, and game strategy.
No, the D-League is an "Open Registration" house league. However, it is a competitive environment. If your child is still learning how to bounce the ball or lacks basic confidence, we highly recommend our 7–9 Weekly Lessons first.
Most club houseleague rely on volunteers to run their houseleague program. We respect all of those programs. You have decided to give your child an advantage. Our program has trained and paid coaches and a carefully curated curriculum. We take the time to make sure that our coaches understand the age of our athletes and how to break down the offensive and defensive principles so that they understand them. The curriculum that we have developed over 27 years of running Elite Camps has allowed us to understand what is needed for kids to learn at this age so they are well prepared for the rep environment or simply have an amazing experience at this level.
The D-League is the ultimate "Rep Prep" environment. It allows athletes to experience the pressure of a real league with standings and playoffs without the intense travel commitment of a rep team.
YOUTH BASKETBALL CAMPS – Ages 7-9
Winter, March & Summer Break 5-Day Camps
The Ultimate Mix of Skills, Competition, and Fun
Our Youth Camp is specifically designed to accommodate athletes of all levels, from those picking up a ball for the first time to players preparing for rep tryouts. Athletes are taught basketball skills and play games suited to their age and skill level by trained coaches to help them improve their basketball skills in a FUN learning environment.
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. Ability to handle a full day of FUN basketball programming.
- High-Energy Schedule: A typical day includes a dynamic warmup, fun skill-based games, skill stations, snack times, lunch, and daily scrimmages.
- Well-Trained Staff: Unlike other camps that rely on volunteers, our Youth Camp is led by dedicated coaches who follow a company-wide curriculum.
- OCA Accredited: As an Ontario Camps Association-accredited camp, we meet over four hundred standards annually to ensure your child’s experience is as safe as it is fun.
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE OF THE 7–9 BASKETBALL CAMP
At Elite Camps, our one-week Youth Basketball Camp is designed to elevate every young athlete’s game while fostering a love for basketball in a positive, high-energy environment. Players will develop essential skills, including ball handling, dribbling, shooting, and passing while building their basketball IQ through rebounding, defense, and offensive strategies. With a focus on footwork, cutting, pivoting, and screens, athletes will refine their movement on and off the ball.
Our experienced coaches teach the triple-threat position, man-to-man offense, and defensive techniques to ensure athletes gain a well-rounded understanding of the game. Beyond technical growth, players will learn life lessons such as teamwork, persistence, and leadership, all while having fun and building confidence on the court. This camp promises a week of high-quality instruction to inspire athletes to continue their development and love for the game.
BASKETBALL CAMP SHOULD BE FUN
At Elite Camps, the fun doesn’t stop with skill development. Our one-week Youth Basketball Camp is packed with exciting activities to keep athletes engaged and energized!
- Each day features 5-on-5 scrimmages where players can apply their skills in a team setting, as well as competitive 1-on-1 and 3-on-3 tournaments to sharpen their focus and strategy.
- Campers will love the fast-paced shooting competitions and hustle challenges designed to build effort, determination, and sportsmanship.
- Our special day programs add a unique twist to the week, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
- Athletes will also enjoy high-energy 2-ball competitions, combining teamwork and precision for an unforgettable experience.
This perfect balance of fun and competition ensures every camper leaves with a smile, new friendships, and a deeper passion for basketball!
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE: BUILDING BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE AT CAMP
At Elite, we believe that basketball is the ultimate vehicle for character development. For the 7–9 age group, this is the pivotal stage where a child’s self-image begins to take shape. We use this window to instill a mindset that serves them in the classroom, in the gym, and throughout their lives.
- A "Safe-to-Fail" Environment: We intentionally create a space where children feel safe to make mistakes, as we believe learning through failure is the fastest way to progress.
- Encouraged Failure for Growth: Our curriculum is designed so that failure isn't just accepted, it’s encouraged; by pushioaches teaching our carefully curated curriculum.
- Confidence Boost: The confidence gained from a week of intensive skill-building and daily scrimmages allows 7–9-year-olds to return to school or rep more confidently on the court.
- Life Lessons in Action: We intentionally teach core values like kindness, teamwork, and persistence during daily competitions and group activities.
FAQ FOR YOUTH CAMPS
Our 7–9-year-olds follow a highly structured, high-energy schedule. Each day includes drills for individual skill development, 3on3, 5-on-5 games and fun competitions sprinkled throughout the day.
Playing basketball takes considerable energy. We have a morning snack, lunch time, and an afternoon snack to keep the athletes fueled for a successful day.
Not at all! Our Youth Camp attracts athletes of all skill levels. Because we use a curated curriculum, and the fact that we teach our coaches how to progress and regress athletes, we can challenge advanced players while providing the "building blocks" of the sport to beginners.
Yes, our Youth Camp is a co-ed environment. However, we also offer specific Girls-Only Camps for several weeks throughout the summer for those who prefer a female-centered environment led primarily by female coaches.
Athletes will be split by age and ability.
Athletes should bring a water bottle and be ready to play basketball, dressed in shorts, a t-shirt, and basketball shoes.
All basketball camp programs take place inside the gym.