Thread: "B" Games
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Old Thu Dec 05, 2002, 12:22pm
Hawks Coach Hawks Coach is offline
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In our area, lower levels of rec ball do not allow pressing at all, and no double teams. Even with those kind of rules, scoring can be pretty sparse with the worst teams.

By 5th grade rec ball, you can press in the 4th quarter, unless up by >15 points. Eliminates the problem firedoc mentioned. In 7th grade rec, you can press the entire game, unless up by >15. Competitive leagues generally start at the 5th-6th grade level, and involve the better players. Pressing is allowed the whole game, regardless of score. I really don't have a problem with that either, because if you can't handle it, maybe you belong in rec or a lower level competitive league. Competitive leagues need to have a way to keep the quality at a sufficient level for that particular league.

This general progression through the age levels ensures that they can play and have a reasonable opportunity to score when they are young. It also introduces the concept of pressure gradually, so that by the time they get to HS they are used to it. And it allows the best players to get introduced to heavy poressure at a younger age because they have (or will be able to develop) the skills to handle it. In reality, the ones that are still in rec in 8th grade have little chance of contributing positively in HS unless they are awesome athletes that somehow never knew that better opportunities were out there.
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