Little League Approach - Old School vs. New School

[warningtrackpower]

This has been a big topic over the past six years on SVC Sports Talk. This past week I tried my best to be objective about LL basketball and talk compromise. Here is a link - let me know your thoughts. http://www.dbkmediaservices.com/wordpre ... talk012317

[Bastogne]

Do away with most of the biddy ball programs. Most are being started way too early. When the ball is bigger than the kid and you have to lower the rim, then you are not doing anyone any service. Why do we have leagues for 5, 6, and 7 year olds? Actual skill development on selected Saturdays/nights would be fine. Unfortunately, most biddy ball programs are not working on skills.

The mentality is play games, play games, and play more games. WIN! WIN! WIN! Play intramurally. If you have to do some traveling (if really necessary) then make it short. Why are we promoting the concept of traveling all over the state and area to play in tournaments? Why are we even really keeping score? Why do we have "coaches" who have never coached, never played the game, don't know how to teach the game? Many have run off the high school and junior high coaches. And they are playing and "practicing" on junior high and high school nights in the next gym. Why? They should be in the high school gym watching the older kids play. In most respects, they would get more out of it. Of course, the parent would actually have to go to the game and watch their kid.

Biddy ball, for most parents, is a time to get the kid out of the house and for the parent to have a mental break. Then, of course, you have all the arguments, yelling, fights, needing to hire deputies/security, officiating is usually by those who don't know the rules. Then they hit junior high and can't believe they have to practice, run, show up to games and practices, can't just miss whenever they want, etc. Then they all want a trophy?

After listening to the podcast, I liked many of Shane's ideas. LL or biddy ball or whatever it is called is unfortunately in a sad situation for the most part around the area. A few have good set ups, but most do not. Check into what the MAC (Coldwater, St. Henry, Versailles, Marion Local, etc.) communities do. http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/m ... D9Vm28yiJ/

[Ironman92]

Do away with most of the biddy ball programs. Most are being started way too early. When the ball is bigger than the kid and you have to lower the rim, then you are not doing anyone any service. Why do we have leagues for 5, 6, and 7 year olds? Actual skill development on selected Saturdays/nights would be fine. Unfortunately, most biddy ball programs are not working on skills.

The mentality is play games, play games, and play more games. WIN! WIN! WIN! Play intramurally. If you have to do some traveling (if really necessary) then make it short. Why are we promoting the concept of traveling all over the state and area to play in tournaments? Why are we even really keeping score? Why do we have "coaches" who have never coached, never played the game, don't know how to teach the game? Many have run off the high school and junior high coaches. And they are playing and "practicing" on junior high and high school nights in the next gym. Why? They should be in the high school gym watching the older kids play. In most respects, they would get more out of it. Of course, the parent would actually have to go to the game and watch their kid.

Biddy ball, for most parents, is a time to get the kid out of the house and for the parent to have a mental break. Then, of course, you have all the arguments, yelling, fights, needing to hire deputies/security, officiating is usually by those who don't know the rules. Then they hit junior high and can't believe they have to practice, run, show up to games and practices, can't just miss whenever they want, etc. Then they all want a trophy?

After listening to the podcast, I liked many of Shane's ideas. LL or biddy ball or whatever it is called is unfortunately in a sad situation for the most part around the area. A few have good set ups, but most do not. Check into what the MAC (Coldwater, St. Henry, Versailles, Marion Local, etc.) communities do. http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/m ... D9Vm28yiJ/

Yep to a lot of this.

[Bastogne]

Another good article. The problems with AAU: http://proskillsbasketball.com/problems-aau-basketball/

[Orange and Brown]

My son played all through elementary school and had a lot of fun.
When they are 5, 6, 7 years old it's about having fun. That's the way I looked at it and didn't see many parents that got bent out of shape at a 6 year old basketball game.