Basketball Needs To Be Fixed

[CJP]

Originally Posted by gibbyG

Full disclosure, I coach more than I officiate. I am taken aback that fouling is considered cheating. Having been on all three sides of this issue-- calling the fouls, fouling from behind and being fouled while ahead-- I would never consider this strategy to be cheating. If a guy makes 75% of his free throws and I can't score without the ball-- it seems to make sense. And this has been going on since at least the 1970's and I know my 8U coach didn't invent it so I would guess even longer. And it does not make a travesty of the game. Up in the last minute you have to teach your players to move the ball, and keep it in the right player's hands. Down, you have to measure risk and reward. And as has been said you need to make your FTs. I always have my kids tell the ref we are going to foul. I did this because I see a kid almost hurt another kid trying to get the ref to blow his whistle. Sometimes players tell me but I usually know what is up. I love this part of the game.

I previously coached and I never told my kids to foul at the end of the game. My instructions were to go for that steal and if they get called for the foul then so be it.

I do not understand how a coach can have their players give up an opportunity to get the ball back.

Intentionally fouling is not good coaching.