Is this what's wrong with kids basketball?

[Mark Padgett]

Great article on corporate sponsor involvement in competitive kids basketball programs. Notice - it's a little long.

Ethical lines blurred at Rose City Showcase basketball event – OregonLive.com

[Juulie Downs]

such a good article.

[mutantducky]

yeah, I don't like the whole all year long basketball thing and coaches/businesses trying to get into teams and players.
Kids need coaching but just as important is getting to the park or the gym and playing without the coaches and distractions. otherwise it takes out the fun and just becomes too competitive which leads to kids getting worn out and tired of playing.

[SAK]

I just find it very sad that this is what the "sport" has become. At least outside the lines.

[SCalScoreKeeper]

Mark,
This is a very sad but true article! Bob Hurley in his book "The Miracle of St.Anthony" refers to AAU basketball as "Garbage Ball" and this article proves it.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by SCalScoreKeeper

Mark,
This is a very sad but true article! Bob Hurley in his book "The Miracle of St.Anthony" refers to AAU basketball as "Garbage Ball" and this article proves it.

Isn't he a dookie? He can write?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by mutantducky

yeah, I don't like the whole all year long basketball thing and coaches/businesses trying to get into teams and players. Kids need coaching but just as important is getting to the park or the gym and playing without the coaches and distractions. Otherwise it takes out the fun and just becomes too competitive which leads to kids getting worn out and tired of playing.

Amen.

[grunewar]

Where will it all end?

Nevada prep aims to forgo final two high school seasons, enter 2010 draft - USATODAY.com

[BillyMac]

My lab supervisor is an assistant coach for his son's tee ball team. Last weekend he told my about a player on his team, not his son, who made an unassisted triple play. They only had four kids show up for a game, and this five year old was playing a combination first/second base, in the hole between the two bases. With runners on first and second, the batter teed up the ball and hit a little pop-up right to this kid, who caught it, kids seldom catch batted balls in tee ball, according to my supervisor. The runners are taught to start running on contact, so this kid just stepped on second base, and then ran over and stepped on first base. He had an unassisted double play the next inning. Today my supervisor told me that this kid made another unassisted triple play this past weekend. This kid in the only one on the team that wears cleats instead of sneakers, and he is the only one on the team that has his own bat, that he carries in his own bat bag, again, the only one on the team with a bat bag. Give him a contract.

[CoachCER]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Great article on corporate sponsor involvement in competitive kids basketball programs. Notice - it's a little long.

Ethical lines blurred at Rose City Showcase basketball event – OregonLive.com

In a word, yes.

Next season will be last year of AAU basketball. If I can land my core players on a team with a decent coach, I may not even make it that far. It's a dirty world racket.

[dave30]

The things that are wrong with kid's basketball are parents and coaches trying to live life through the kids. Parents and coaches who take basketball way too seriously cause all the problems.