I’m in the process of evaluating youth basketball programs for the purpose of placing a few 3rd grade teams for the 2014-2015 season. Candidly, I don’t like what I’m seeing.
Quite simply, to participate in any of the three leagues I’ve evaluated would be a wasted season. Each of our current league options requires 3rd grade teams (competitive and rec) to play 10 ft baskets with standard basketball rules enforced. The leagues vary in how they let teams apply full court defensive pressure, but I like the fact they restrict it and acknowledge the negative impact it can have on skill development with players of this level.
I’m all for enforcing the rules of the game at this age. These players have likely participated in development leagues up to this point with the rules introduced but inconsistently applied. Boys of this age need to be accountable for playing defense with their feet (no reaching) and handling the basketball (no traveling, etc.).
My issue is with the height of the basket at 10 ft. Coaches of teams in 1st grade and 2nd grade are hopefully teaching the kids the essential skills of how to move (running, cutting, sliding, etc.) along with introducing the basic fundamentals of ball handling, passing, rebounding and shooting. As any coach of a 1st or 2nd grade team will attest, one of the hardest things for kids to learn is spacial awareness, or how to achieve proper spacing on the court.
Getting the chance to shoot the ball is why most of the boys look forward to playing basketball. They simply want to score. Given our primary focus is to make the game fun, we do everything we can to teach the kids how to shoot the basketball so they will enjoy more success when they get the opportunity to score. So why then, do league organizers require boys of this age to play on a basket that is so high they can’t realistically perform the art of shooting correctly? The kids are just too small and lack the gross motor skills and strength to shoot the basketball with any range using the proper form.
After coaching my 2nd grade teams I wandered over to a neighboring association’s 3rd grade games. I just left a game where our teams scored 28 and 8 points (we have two different teams). The 2nd team was over matched by more intense, aggressive players and when they did get an open look they didn’t convert. It happens.
So when I arrived at the gym to watch these 3rd grade games I was anxious to see how much further along they were developmentally. I was a little surprised at the pace of the game. It was actually slower as a result of defenses playing 2-3 zones instead of man to man. Offenses would get the ball across half court and literally pass the ball around the perimeter while the defense packed in their 2-3 zone. But why not, there wasn’t a kid on the court that could shoot the ball from 15 feet away from the basket to force the defense to extend their zone. So what transpired was a less than skillful game of pass to the high post, pass back out, pass to the high post, back out to the wing and then the ball gets stolen when they try to enter the high post again.
In playing by the rules, kids were inevitably fouled in the act of shooting so they would proceed to the free throw line. Unfortunately, of the free throws I saw attempted, only 1 was made out of the 12 shot. But more alarming, only 5 shots actually hit the rim. The others were attempted by players who just weren’t strong enough to shoot the ball to a 10 ft goal from 15 feet away.
The final score of the first game I watched – 6 to 4. I left at halftime of the 2nd game and the score was 6-2. Now how is that fun for anyone?
So my question to coaches, parents and league organizers is this. Why are we forcing these 3rd grade players to play a game that doesn’t resemble basketball? Why are we cannibalizing all of the good work we’ve done over the past several years just because someone decided 3rd graders can play on 10 ft goals? Why are we in such a hurry when all we’re doing to these kids is wasting a year of skill development.
If you share our concern over the format being used in 3rd grade basketball, let us know. Maybe if we get enough coaches and parents on board we can get the attention of the league organizers save our kids from a wasted and very frustrating year of 3rd grade hoops.
Email us HERE if you are interested in your 3rd grade team playing on 9 ft goals instead of 10 ft.
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