OT: Youth Basketball Advice

[mikebal9]

Are you offering immediate playing time or guarantee a starting spot as recruiting pitch?

I coach the rec team, but not the travel team. Having watched them, I can all but guarantee that he'd be just fine. It's an 11-man roster. Five kids have at least some ability. Two kids are at least coordinated enough to be on the team. Four kids should never touch a basketball again.

I will echo what was said above. On offense, I focus on being able to drible with both hands. On defense, I focus on shuffling latereally as opposed to crossing over. Boxing out is a constant struggle at this age.
The one thing I cannot teach, which frustrates me to no end, is aggressiveness. For the life of me, I cannot understand how kids don't WANT the ball. It goes up, and they watch it come d own and bounce in front of them while the other team takes it. Earlier this season, we counted 7 offensive rebounds on one possession for an opponent. We teach boxing out at practice, but they get super timid in games against strangers. It's weird.

 

[jtung230]

The girls in this league are super aggressive. Elbows are flying and people are diving on the ground for loose balls. One of the dads said they are much more aggressive than the boys. My daughter’s team is 7-0 and what makes them better is they are all playing ball. They pass the ball and everyone works for touches. I see other teams focusing on their better players and the rest of the team get very disinterested.

 

[toby83]

they need to remove ZONE defense from some of those younger age brackets. was pathetic watching some teams play a 1-3-1 trapping defense.

 

[jtung230]

they need to remove ZONE defense from some of those younger age brackets. was pathetic watching some teams play a 1-3-1 trapping defense.

That was our go to D last year. Only one team is playing a 3-2 and everyone else plays man. Most of the games are won on TO scoring. Half court O is brutal. Almost like watching RU hoops 😀

 

[mikebal9]

they need to remove ZONE defense from some of those younger age brackets. was pathetic watching some teams play a 1-3-1 trapping defense.

Our league dooes not allow zone, double teams, and full court press. At each level, you can press a little more. At our age, it's only the final 2 minutes of the game. I think in 5th grade, it's the final 4 minutes, and so on.

 

[Shelby65]

Is better to have +1 & -1 age players if not enough kids otherwise than not have a a few teams at all. Let 'em play.

 

[RUBubba]

Pretty sure in my sons 7th grade year a couple of kids on another team were driving.

 

[BillyC80]

I coach the rec team, but not the travel team. Having watched them, I can all but guarantee that he'd be just fine. It's an 11-man roster. Five kids have at least some ability. Two kids are at least coordinated enough to be on the team. Four kids should never touch a basketball again.

I will echo what was said above. On offense, I focus on being able to drible with both hands. On defense, I focus on shuffling latereally as opposed to crossing over. Boxing out is a constant struggle at this age.
The one thing I cannot teach, which frustrates me to no end, is aggressiveness. For the life of me, I cannot understand how kids don't WANT the ball. It goes up, and they watch it come d own and bounce in front of them while the other team takes it. Earlier this season, we counted 7 offensive rebounds on one possession for an opponent. We teach boxing out at practice, but they get super timid in games against strangers. It's weird.

I feel you on the lack of aggression. I used to tell my kids it was ok, even necessary, to have an aggressive, competitive mindset in sports.

Kinda like the ‘hit it to me’ attitude you tell little leaguers to have in baseball.

 

[gmay8]

OP - are either mom or dad tall? any height in the family?

 

[Eagleton96]

My 9 year old plays travel out of Bound Brook, and we take kids from other towns. Our team could use some talent....badly.

I coach the rec team, but not the travel team. Having watched them, I can all but guarantee that he'd be just fine. It's an 11-man roster. Five kids have at least some ability. Two kids are at least coordinated enough to be on the team. Four kids should never touch a basketball again.

I will echo what was said above. On offense, I focus on being able to drible with both hands. On defense, I focus on shuffling latereally as opposed to crossing over. Boxing out is a constant struggle at this age.
The one thing I cannot teach, which frustrates me to no end, is aggressiveness. For the life of me, I cannot understand how kids don't WANT the ball. It goes up, and they watch it come d own and bounce in front of them while the other team takes it. Earlier this season, we counted 7 offensive rebounds on one possession for an opponent. We teach boxing out at practice, but they get super timid in games against strangers. It's weird.

I was struggling with the aggressiveness bit for a while also. It was literally overcoming his innate politeness. But I had a good pep talk with him and got him psyched up that every ball belongs to him. Doesn't matter if some other kid might have a claim to it. I was like "There's a ball over there. Who's ball is it?" Answer: "My ball!"

He's 9 year's old and can dribble with eyes up with both hands, penetrating with a crossover with left or right, and has a pull up and a step back jump shot (that actually go in), and can finish at the rim at full speed. None of which anyone taught him.

On D he's great. Average height but gets most of the rebounds and has about 10 steals a game.

Boxing out...that's not yet on his radar.

 

[Eagleton96]

OP - are either mom or dad tall? any height in the family?

Not really. I'm 6'1". Uncle is 6'3". But I think my kid will be very average height.

 

[RU205]

I played pickup basketball at Green Street on the third floor for years. And lifted and drank at the bar there for years.

I haven’t been in that gym or bar in 20 years. Good memories.

 

[RU_DIO]

I haven’t been in that gym or bar in 20 years. Good memories.

Me too, I stopped playing there 18 years ago. St. Pat's would practice there once in a while. Had some real good games there. Saw Eric LeGrand a couple times too. He lived 5 blocks away from me.

 

[kupuna133]

Me too, I stopped playing there 18 years ago. St. Pat's would practice there once in a while. Had some real good games there. Saw Eric LeGrand a couple times too. He lived 5 blocks away from me.

Good memories in that place. Didn’t play there much but had some great runs with Mark and Bobby T back in the day when home for the holidays.