USA Basketball Recommendations.

[RefsNCoaches]

As a guy that's been coaching and officiating for a number of years, I feel it all needs to be done in steps.

For pee-wees, K-2nd - use 8' and 27.5" balls
3rd-4th on 9' rims with 27.5" balls up to 4th grade
At 5th grade move them to the 28.5 and 10' rims
Then keep them on the 28.5 through 6th grade and then move them to the standard size ball.

The biggest problem I see in the younger levels is lack of ball handling ability with BOTH hands and shooting mechanics. A smaller basketball will help this but not by itself obviously. Smaller hands can control a smaller ball better.

Same with shooting mechanics...they aren't strong enough to get it up so they over compensate with horrible shooting mechanics and jacked up form.

If they start with a lower rim and a ball that doesn't seem like a medicine ball, they will be better off in the long run. But with that, it also takes coaches who hammer fundamentals like ball handling and shooting form in practices.

As for shot clock - I've read some pretty good arguements (and I've been against it in the past) but I think I'm coming around to it. I think it needs to be something more than NCAA though (keeping with my theme of taking it in steps)...so I'd say 40 seconds. And move the 3 line in the NCAA out a bit. Keep the HS line at 19'9". An no 3s for anything under 5th grade....and some 5th graders need to NOT be shooting 3's either unless they can demonstrate proper mechanics.

[Kansas Ref]

Originally Posted by RefsNCoaches

As a guy that's been coaching and officiating for a number of years, I feel it all needs to be done in steps.

For pee-wees, K-2nd - use 8' and 27.5" balls
3rd-4th on 9' rims with 27.5" balls up to 4th grade
At 5th grade move them to the 28.5 and 10' rims
Then keep them on the 28.5 through 6th grade and then move them to the standard size ball.

The biggest problem I see in the younger levels is lack of ball handling ability with BOTH hands and shooting mechanics. A smaller basketball will help this but not by itself obviously. Smaller hands can control a smaller ball better.

Same with shooting mechanics...they aren't strong enough to get it up so they over compensate with horrible shooting mechanics and jacked up form.

If they start with a lower rim and a ball that doesn't seem like a medicine ball, they will be better off in the long run. But with that, it also takes coaches who hammer fundamentals like ball handling and shooting form in practices.

*I agree: When you see 2nd grade boys [and more extremely, 2nd grade girls] trying to hoist a ball up to a 10 foot goal with all manner of effort, extra gathering steps to build up enough power to 'overcome the force of gravity', and arm flailings---it's really a bad look and a wasted learning/developmental opportunity. This is made even worse when a 2nd grade kid actually manages to swish a shot after hauling the ball up from his waist sideways and launching it---which only serves to reinforce bad shooting mechanics.

[TopicalTropical]

I wish they would lower the rims for girls/women's basketball. I know that topic has been around for a while and it was be difficult from a structure point of view, but it could change over time. Girls basketball and the WNBA would be way more watchable if the rims were at 9 feet. I love reffing great varsity girls teams because things can run so smoothly but so often girls basketball is awful. The parents and fellow students know this too. It's why they draw half the crowd size

[Altor]

Originally Posted by TopicalTropical

I know that topic has been around for a while and it was be difficult from a structure point of view

If my local Y can lower the rims to 8 feet in about two minutes at each end with a hand crank, it can't be that difficult.

[SNIPERBBB]

Originally Posted by Altor

If my local Y can lower the rims to 8 feet in about two minutes at each end with a hand crank, it can't be that difficult.

If they have adjustable backboards. Not all do.

[TopicalTropical]

re on the No Zone. I totally agree, let the kids play whatever D. CYO there is some no zone rules but I've never seen anyone pay attention to it and it's all good.

Shot clock. Come on. Of course there should be a shot clock. I'm miffed on why this isn't standard practice everywhere especially for high school games. Also, I did my county middle school championships game last week. For the girls and boys there was a 10 second backcourt count. One of the girl's team, 7th graders, ended up pressing a lot and they got a couple of 10 second counts. It was a fun game and I would like to see that for high school girls basketball. The girls will easily adjust.

On lowering the rims for girls basketball. I rarely see girls playing pickup ball. Boys can do it at a younger age and have more success reaching the rim. It probably is frustrating for girls. Lower the rims where possible and I think you will have better game and more girls playing and getting better. Keeping it at 10 feet is just stupid and women's basketball will always be a second tier sport unless people are brave enough to ask for change. The nets are lower for volleyball btw

[scrounge]

I do not agree that it's axiomatic that a shot clock needs to be adopted. If it were a costless decision, then it would be a much closer call, though I can see where some may still not want it at the MS/Fresh/JV level, to put more emphasis on development rather than timing.

But as we all know, it's not a costless decision. With real implications on budgets, I do not think forcing this upon schools is proper - the benefit may not be worth the cost for many. At best, this should be by state association adoption - let individual states decide what works for them. And I certainly don't understand why someone in one state would be miffed if some other state decides not to adopt this.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by TopicalTropical

No Zone.

The first year my daughter played organized elementary school age recreation basketball, there was a no zone rule, everybody had to play man to man. When one of her teammates would get beat she would slide over to offer help defense. The officials kept telling her to stop because she was playing a zone. That, and the no free throw rule (no lane lines on the floor for the small side courts) led me to sign her up for the more competitive travel team the next year. She had a good recreation team coach, and she make a lot of new friends, but I had no choice but to move her up.