double teaming

[Mregor]

Originally posted by teamball
I'm the coach of a 5th and 6th grade girls team. Our league has a "no double team" rule. Defense must play man to man within six feet. I ran an isolation play that put all my team in the two bottom corners and ran the dribbler up the middle to the basket. When the dribbler beat her defender near the top of the key, another defender left her man in the corner to guard the dribbler on the low side with the original defender trailing to guard on the high side.

I called this a double team, they (including the only ref) called it a "switching defense".

Who's right?

Not only is it not a double team, but your "Isolation" play is just "not right". The reason for the league rules of person-to-person is to teach the kids skills. You running your "isolation" play isn't teaching teamwork. It's telling them that one player is good and the others should just take up space. Focus on teaching them solid skills and not on winning the game. They'll appreciate it more.

Mregor