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.

[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.

[grunewar]

Tee Ball. Unassisted triple plays?

I know kids twice that age that wouldn't know what to do! Good for him!

[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?

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by 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 third, and no outs, the batter teed up the ball and hit a little pop-up right to this kid, who caught it, a one in a million catch in a tee ball game, 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.

They keep track of outs? When my son played, everyone had one at bat each inning. Didn't matter how many were on each team. I gotta give this one a thumbs down.

[stratref]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

They keep track of outs? When my son played, everyone had one at bat each inning. Didn't matter how many were on each team. I gotta give this one a thumbs down.

Even if they didn't keep track of outs there could still be an unassisted triple play, it just wouldn't end the inning, I have to give the play by the kid a big thumb up, however having all the gear sounds like a little much.

Jasper

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

With runners on first and third, 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.

That sounds like only two outs, to me. The touch of second means nothing.

The kid, though, sounds like he will be a handful when he gets older. Cleats and own bat for tee ball. Lah me.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Isn't he a dookie? He can write?

He's the father of a Dookie, and was (is?) the coach at St. Anthony's.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

That sounds like only two outs, to me. The touch of second means nothing.

The kid, though, sounds like he will be a handful when he gets older. Cleats and own bat for tee ball. Lah me.

There were runners on 1st AND 2nd who had both left for the next base on the hit and had not yet returned since the ball was caught.