The State of High School Sports

[mlittle]

I want to jump in and make a comment on travel ball. I have watched hundreds of OYB and AAU games . At first I thought this is great . You play high level teams to better your game . About 5 years ago my opinion changed . Do not get me wrong playing better competition will improve your game . There is so many shootouts and and games . Players are loosing the focus of team play . Players ( influence by parents ) are becoming a one on one type player . They get this I'm the star and no one on the team is better than I attitude which is carried back to their High School team . High School Coaches and players have to deal with this and because of this many good High School teams never reach their true potential . I have watched hundreds of High School game and it's evident that certain players play for them selves with that AAU attitude . Coaches get a grip on your programs and make it a team sport again.

There are plenty of AAU programs out there that are still teaching basketball the right way. The Pumas organization is one of them. They have a large percentage of their coaches who are coaching at the high school varsity level which translates into their AAU program. I see what you’re saying but there are still some teaching the right way even in AAU

[mlittle]

All of the things being discussed on here definitely pertain to the problems of HS sports. I think you can add the ESPNization of kids as well. It's all about the highlights, it's all about 'ME' instead of the team. Very few kids are going to be making a living playing sports, but they act like they're the next LeBron James or Bryce Harper. Things I specifically hate to see are the overbearing parent and the abuse of social media by kids/parents, and the ease of transferring from school to school. But I'm an old fart stuck in my ways.

Agreed

[E High]

I think Bobcat QB said it best. “Kids Don’t play outside anymore and don’t work on their own to improve their skills “. AAU May be a part of problem but I believe as long as they’re playing ball of any sorts, shootouts summer league....that’s a positive. The lack of skills, ball handling, jump shots, .... is what’s killing high school basketball. Many very limited players playing today. Not too long ago, they’d be JV players or sitting in the stands.

[mlittle]

I think Bobcat QB said it best. “Kids Don’t play outside anymore and don’t work on their own to improve their skills “. AAU May be a part of problem but I believe as long as they’re playing ball of any sorts, shootouts summer league....that’s a positive. The lack of skills, ball handling, jump shots, .... is what’s killing high school basketball. Many very limited players playing today. Not too long ago, they’d be JV players or sitting in the stands.

Players in the 70’s and 80’s and 90’s were far better players and athletes than today.

Every era of players have people who want to argue how much better their era was and how it was so much better when they played.

I’ll tell you what’s killing high school sports. It’s those darn short shorts coming back into style. Whyyyyyy???

[Chieftain Fan]

I agree with a lot said on both sides on the AAU. Coaches do have to take hold of their program. Good High School Coaches will coach up their kids . Some coaches have their own agenda which sometimes is hard to figure out.Some AAU programs do promote team work because any player that’s going on to the next level better learn it now or they will struggle. So good programs know that .

[BobcatQB]

I think Bobcat QB said it best. “Kids Don’t play outside anymore and don’t work on their own to improve their skills “. AAU May be a part of problem but I believe as long as they’re playing ball of any sorts, shootouts summer league....that’s a positive. The lack of skills, ball handling, jump shots, .... is what’s killing high school basketball. Many very limited players playing today. Not too long ago, they’d be JV players or sitting in the stands.

Players in the 70’s and 80’s and 90’s were far better players and athletes than today.

Every era of players have people who want to argue how much better their era was and how it was so much better when they played.

I’ll tell you what’s killing high school sports. It’s those darn short shorts coming back into style. Whyyyyyy???

my kids still laugh everytime they see those old pics. Thankfully we are away from the shorts that were ankle length but bringing the nuthuggers back isn't a good look!

[Omega]

High School Sports have changed drastically since I played, some good things and some not so good things. The not so good things are causing problems. I made a list of my pet peeves for discussion.

1. Youth Sports - To me this is where some of these problems arise.
It should more like playing each other in the back yard.

2. Specialization: Specializing in the off-season should be for college and professional athlete. Don't get me wrong, I think working on your game when you can is a good idea but coming out of another activity to do so is something I don't agree with.

3. Travel Ball: At this point, it's overkill. Kids are playing all summer. Playing AAU immediately after basketball season while playing a spring sport is dumb. Holden and Loveday should be playing AAU, not the backup guard for the jv team.

4. Parents: Some parents are either too involved with their kid's sports or have unrealistic expectations. This is what causes them to go ballistic in stands at coaches, other players, and officials.

5. Protection of Officials: I like to gripe about officials like the next guy but some fans are relentless. I believe quality of officials are declining because they just don't want the hassle and it's not worth it.

6. Transferring: This is not just a high school thing, you see it a lot in college sports as well. If kids would just fill rolls and compete for positions naturally and respect the wait your turn, I think some of these arguments can be avoided. Kids should transfer if absolutely betters their position, but how often does that actually happen?

Thoughts?

Spot on comments along with those of trojandave. I see the same issues in South Carolina. Shoot, they even have travel ball for 6U coach pitch baseball down here. Yet there is no going back to the 1960's. Parents always have, and always will,try to relive the glory (real or imagined) of their lost youth through the exploits of their offspring.

[bullfrog93]

High School Sports have changed drastically since I played, some good things and some not so good things. The not so good things are causing problems. I made a list of my pet peeves for discussion.

1. Youth Sports - To me this is where some of these problems arise.
It should more like playing each other in the back yard.

2. Specialization: Specializing in the off-season should be for college and professional athlete. Don't get me wrong, I think working on your game when you can is a good idea but coming out of another activity to do so is something I don't agree with.

3. Travel Ball: At this point, it's overkill. Kids are playing all summer. Playing AAU immediately after basketball season while playing a spring sport is dumb. Holden and Loveday should be playing AAU, not the backup guard for the jv team.

4. Parents: Some parents are either too involved with their kid's sports or have unrealistic expectations. This is what causes them to go ballistic in stands at coaches, other players, and officials.

5. Protection of Officials: I like to gripe about officials like the next guy but some fans are relentless. I believe quality of officials are declining because they just don't want the hassle and it's not worth it.

6. Transferring: This is not just a high school thing, you see it a lot in college sports as well. If kids would just fill rolls and compete for positions naturally and respect the wait your turn, I think some of these arguments can be avoided. Kids should transfer if absolutely betters their position, but how often does that actually happen?

Thoughts?

I really see the invention of daddyball as a vast improvement
Who knows better what a kid can do than his daddy
Plus like that one old ball coach in Gallia used to say if the daddy was good the boy problem will be too
I think all schools need to embrace daddy ball

[alabama mike]

Good post with some excellent points to consider.

[wobycat]

https://www.10tv.com/article/cool-it-oh ... kids-games

#5

[123xxx]

No one plays outside! Everything nowadays has to be organized. Go play kids...see you in 4-5 hours!

[E High]

Exactly. When mommy and daddy give them a cell phone at 5 years old ,the kid can entertain themselves for hours and the parents don’t have to deal with them. Problem is , most kids are doing the same things when they’re 16 and not working on their sports. Yet mommy/daddy are screaming at the coach, not knowing the kid has little skills.

[itsme]

1. Youth sports are fine. Only thing I have issue with is there is too much emphasis on winning. Should be for development and learning the game. They’ll learn to “win” later.

2. Specialization isn’t new. Athletes have been eliminating other sports to get better and play the sport they actually enjoy instead of one their parents or peers pressure them to play.

3. Travel ball shouldn’t only be reserved for the better players who you think it will benefit. What if the backup you speak of actually has aspirations to be a starter? Should he not be afforded that opportunity? Or what if that kid just LOVES the game and since he is a backup he’s not getting enough minutes and this is his opportunity to play and enjoy the game.

4. Is rather parents be too involved than for them to not be involved at all.

5. Referees aren’t being thinned out due to people yelling at them from the stands. That’s been happening since the beginning of time and will never stop regardless of how good officials are. It’s part of the game and officials uunderstand that and actually expect it.

6. The reason transferring has been an issue is due to open enrollment. If open enrollment would have been this easy 50 years ago. Them 50 years ago people would’ve been complaining about transferring then. If a kid is good enough to not have to wait his turn or fill a role at another school and their home school doesn’t see it that way then they move. Nothing wrong with that at all

OHSSA release a letter couple days ago about parents yelling at referees . Made national news

[mlittle]

1. Youth sports are fine. Only thing I have issue with is there is too much emphasis on winning. Should be for development and learning the game. They’ll learn to “win” later.

2. Specialization isn’t new. Athletes have been eliminating other sports to get better and play the sport they actually enjoy instead of one their parents or peers pressure them to play.

3. Travel ball shouldn’t only be reserved for the better players who you think it will benefit. What if the backup you speak of actually has aspirations to be a starter? Should he not be afforded that opportunity? Or what if that kid just LOVES the game and since he is a backup he’s not getting enough minutes and this is his opportunity to play and enjoy the game.

4. Is rather parents be too involved than for them to not be involved at all.

5. Referees aren’t being thinned out due to people yelling at them from the stands. That’s been happening since the beginning of time and will never stop regardless of how good officials are. It’s part of the game and officials uunderstand that and actually expect it.

6. The reason transferring has been an issue is due to open enrollment. If open enrollment would have been this easy 50 years ago. Them 50 years ago people would’ve been complaining about transferring then. If a kid is good enough to not have to wait his turn or fill a role at another school and their home school doesn’t see it that way then they move. Nothing wrong with that at all

OHSSA release a letter couple days ago about parents yelling at referees . Made national news

Doesn’t mean it’s any different than it was 50 years ago. It just means people are more sensitive to those types of things now. Referees were just as bad 40 years ago as they are now. I guess they just had thicker skin then