Welcome To the
the yards
LEARN BASKETBALL FROM A TEAM FIRST & DEFENSIVE MINDSET
VALUE THE IMPORTANCE OF A PROPER WARM-UP ROUTINE, DESIGNED JUST FOR YOU
BREAKAWAY FROM ONE-DIMENSIONAL BASKETBALL & EVOLVE YOUR GAME
Upcoming
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Upcoming *
winter program 2026
The objective
To teach basketball fundamentals to all players in a positive environment that promotes: routine, awareness, discipline, goal setting, team play, fairness & fun!
Each Session Begins With:
Light Run, Stretch, Dribbling Drills, Shooting Warm-Up
Week 1: Learning the Court, Dribbling Rules, Do’s & Dont’s, Awareness, Game Time
Week 2: Court & Dribbling Review, Passing with Teammates & The Lay-Up: An Introduction, Game Time
Week 3: Dribbling Extended, 7 Step Jump Shot, Shooting Technique & Drills, Game Time
Week 4: 7 Step Jump Shot Review, More Cardio, Lead Passes, Lay-Ups & Finishes, Game Time
Week 5: Court/Dribbling/LayUp Review, The 7 Step Jump Shot, Cardio, Passing Techniques
Week 6: Protect Dribble, Shooting Warm Up, Full Court Dribbling & Finishing, Screens & Spacing, Game Time
Week 7: 7 Step Jump Shot Review, Foot Working & Setting Your Feet & Rebounding
Week 8: Extended Warm Up, Game Time & Prizes!
By the end of the 8 week program, players will be familiar with key basketball terminologies and they'll be able to do the following:
Locate the key parts of a basketball court: sideline, elbow, wing, center court, restricted area, bassline, top of the key, foul line, etc
Understand the major rules of the game and be able to identify a rule violation (i.e. travel, double dribble, out of bounds, foul, etc)
Dribble with both hands, ‘fingers’ & pound dribble
Know how to warm-up for basketball properly (i.e. light run, stretch, dribbling/shooting warm ups)
Know how to lay-up on strong side and be able to score on opposite side of the hoop & working on opposite hand
Learn a variety of ways to pass the ball: bounce, lob, spin, chest, long-bomb,hand-off, etc
Develop their own 7 Steps Jump Shot and be able to identify why a shot was off (i.e. step 3)
Learn how to identify a ‘miss’ and know how to position themselves for a box-out and rebound
holiday sale
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holiday sale ⋆
for only $300
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Basketball Winter Skills Academy 2026 (Ages 7–12 & 13-18) offers weekly games, 12 hours of training, jerseys, fundamentals, structured skill development and FUN!!
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The Objective
To teach basketball fundamentals to all players in a positive environment that promotes:
routine, awareness, discipline, goal setting, team play, fairness & fun!
Each Session Begins With:
Light Run, Stretch, Dribbling Drills, Shooting Warm-Up
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Train where real ballers are made. Ballmatics Academy provides a high-energy court environment that motivates players to push harder and play smarter. Ballmatics Academy offers a premium basketball facility designed for training, development, and competition.
past event & programs:
charity basketball tournament
March 14, 2025 (6:00-9:00pm)
Ballmatics Academy - 950 Dupont Street, North Court
With a portion of the proceeds going to the QSLA Foundation at Ballmatics Academy, Break the Madness brings hoopers together in a fun and up beat environment. Teams of 6-8 go head to head to win the top prize. Register below and join the madness!
past event & programs:
March skills program
March 10 and 12 (3:00-6:00pm)
Ballmatics Academy - 950 Dupont Street, North Court
This 2 day program is designed for players, ages 12 - 17, who are looking to sharpen their skills and approach to the game. In these up beat three hour sessions, Coach Drew focuses on: Routine, Rebounding, Defense & the Jump Shot, Game Situations & Conditioning. Full court games everyday!
Photo by William Topa
Mentally prepare & warm-up for basketball
Dribble effectively w/ both hands and add: In & out dribbles, crossovers, behind the back & dribble protection to their repertoire
Know when to use: chest, bounce, entry & spin passes
Gain confidence w/ right & left lay-ups, reverse lay-ups, fingers rolls & going high of the board
Understand the concept of the 7 Step Jump Shot & what to correct after a miss
Aware of the correlation between 7 Step Jump Shot & How to Rebound effectively
Be working on their: triple threat, jab steps, pass fakes, euro steps, floaters, side steps, step backs & getting to their ‘spots’
by the end, players should be able to:
Photo by Markus Spiske
program includes:
6 hours court time at Ballmatics Academy w/ trained coaches
Skills Competition, Tournament & Prizes!!!
Signing your kids up for sports can be expensive. Especially, if you have multiple kids. Please email us to find out about reduced rates for families who need an assist.
About the yards
mission
To design programs that strengthen each athlete's core fundamentals while stressing the importance of: mindset, conditioning, and hard work.
Based in Toronto’s west end, The Yards offers basketball programs for players of all ages and skill sets. We use proven warm-up routines, game situation drills, shooting exercises and conditioning to make every player better.
Beyond basketball, we teach: discipline, awareness, respect and teamwork.
Photo by Jacob Owens
coach drew
A multi-sport athlete, I found basketball later in life. While assisting in girl’s rep basketball (2009 London, ON), I was drawn to the fundamentals of the game and how important and powerful communication was on the court.
After five years of coaching the Women’s Gold Medal Team, I joined several drop-in leagues and recreational teams. I was a lead coach for International Basketball & Sports Academy (2020 Guelph, Waterloo, Kitchener) where I honed my coaching skills working under former international players, NBA players and elite coaches.
Shoot your shot
Unleashing your potential and discovering greatness has never been more convenient. Sign up today and let our winning team guide you on your basketball journey.
Ready to team up? Jot down your details and we’ll chat soon. Can’t wait to catch up!
Email: drewjskitt@gmail.com
Contact Number: (416) 262-7047
IMPORTANT MESSAGE:
We apologize if you’ve attempted to contact Coach Drew and were unable to connect. We’re currently addressing a web hosting issue that may be affecting message delivery. In the meantime, you can reach Coach directly at drewjskitt@gmail.com.
We appreciate your patience and understanding while we get this sorted out! :)
Photo by MontyLov
destined to conquer.
Sharpening skills, building legacies—one champion at a time.