Quote:
Originally Posted by Duffman
Yes yes yes, you guys are correct. I had completely forgotten the rule that prohibited defensive players from touching the ball outside the lane. It was always a trip to see a guard on the perimiter holding the ball at chest level arms extended and watching the defensive player have to move back so she didn't come in contact with the ball. 6v6 was a neat thing to be sure, but there can be no question it greatly inhibited the ability of the players who played it from continuing with the game beyond high school.
My sister was a great athlete, she played D1 softball, and I remember that when she made the change from 6v6 to 5v5 in her Junior year she had to learn how to shoot a basketball from scratch. She was labled a "guard" in 7th grade and because of that she never learned any offensive skills to speak of. Conversly "forwards" at our school had no defensive skills to speak of.
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I graduated from a small high school in Iowa in 1992, so I had friends who played, and you're right that the game itself was so different from what was played in college that it was hard for them to advance. Aside from the issues you mention, no one learned how to really handle the ball since they couldn't bounce it more than twice during a dribble.
There were a few other quirks from the IGHSAU that continued long after 6-6 was dead. For a long time, the arrow was switched as soon as the ball was placed at the disposal of the thrower for an AP throw in. The coaching box was only allowed in girls ball, but I believe the girls have dropped it and neither side uses it now.