You are right in that it is very rare!! Apparently a couple of the teams that played Friday night (1st round of Frosh tourney) had players on team that did not play freshman game all season because they were playing jv/v only! A similar thing happened last year during season when Newport played 2 8th graders in Varsity games then tried to*pull them down to play in 8th grade tourney. It wasn't a big deal for teams they were playing against, but it was a big deal to those kids that had played all season & lost playing time in tourney they worked all season for!!! It's not against the rules, but to me it shows poor sportsmanship!!! To those who drop to that level...just remember what they say about karma!!![

 

The only way to really do it is to only have kids that have logged a certain amount of freshman minutes/qtrs be eligible. I would make it pretty significant too. 50% at the min. If a kid has put their time in doing double duty, then he is considered eligible and part of that team. Even if you are a JV player and you don't log the minute/qtrs, you are not eligible. If you haven't played significant minutes all season and show up at the freshman tournament, you, your coach and your program are considered "trophy hunters" in my book and that accomplishes nothing. If any of you can tell me there are no negatives to it, I'll listen. But there are way less negatives to only having the kids that played there all year finish the year.

 

Yeah right. :lol:

RCC9 You nailed it!!!

 

The only way to really do it is to only have kids that have logged a certain amount of freshman minutes/qtrs be eligible. I would make it pretty significant too. 50% at the min. If a kid has put their time in doing double duty, then he is considered eligible and part of that team. Even if you are a JV player and you don't log the minute/qtrs, you are not eligible. If you haven't played significant minutes all season and show up at the freshman tournament, you, your coach and your program are considered "trophy hunters" in my book and that accomplishes nothing. If any of you can tell me there are no negatives to it, I'll listen. But there are way less negatives to only having the kids that played there all year finish the year.

 

I think 50% is high but this is what I said in post 43 so I agree.

You are right in that it is very rare!! Apparently a couple of the teams that played Friday night (1st round of Frosh tourney) had players on team that did not play freshman game all season because they were playing jv/v only! A similar thing happened last year during season when Newport played 2 8th graders in Varsity games then tried to*pull them down to play in 8th grade tourney. It wasn't a big deal for teams they were playing against, but it was a big deal to those kids that had played all season & lost playing time in tourney they worked all season for!!! It's not against the rules, but to me it shows poor sportsmanship!!! To those who drop to that level...just remember what they say about karma!!!

 

This is starting to get funny now, this is a great topic that could go on forever with great points. But point is there's no truth to the whole thing for Friday night. The team in question Varsity's team was playing at the same time. They have 2 seventh graders and 3 freshman playing alot of varsity minutes. They don't have all these so called freshman studs to be moving all around. There starting freshman team is one 8th grader and 4 freshman that have played all year together. The 6 middle school girls that have been asked to fill the bench have all been playing AAU together since they where 6 yrs old. They have alot of talent moving up ready to step in and play. And your right , just remember the karma thing for the last couple of years.

The expression "mountain out of a mole hill" comes to mind as a good conclusion to this thread.

This is starting to get funny now, this is a great topic that could go on forever with great points. But point is there's no truth to the whole thing for Friday night. The team in question Varsity's team was playing at the same time. They have 2 seventh graders and 3 freshman playing alot of varsity minutes. They don't have all these so called freshman studs to be moving all around. There starting freshman team is one 8th grader and 4 freshman that have played all year together. The 6 middle school girls that have been asked to fill the bench have all been playing AAU together since they where 6 yrs old. They have alot of talent moving up ready to step in and play. And your right , just remember the karma thing for the last couple of years.

 

So now we know who we're talking about! Just curious what AAU team all the girls played on?

That kills small schools. There are schools out there putting middle schoolers on varsity and they're getting minutes. That shouldn't keep them from playing some freshman games too. They need court time and playing a few minutes of varsity shouldn't disqualify you from playing with people your own age.

 

I agree with this and a prime example is a small school that is getting killed night in and night out with 7/8/9 grade starters at the varsity level. It would be nice for those girls to play one tournament against girls there age or at least in the age range.

I agree with this and a prime example is a small school that is getting killed night in and night out with 7/8/9 grade starters at the varsity level. It would be nice for those girls to play one tournament against girls there age or at least in the age range.

 

If a school is that small or their program is that depleted, who is playing their freshman games now while middle schoolers fill the upper levels? Or do they not field a freshman team?

NO freshman team at all.

It is a freshman tournament. I don't really care what level they have been playing. If the coaches want to bring the player(s) down, that's their choice. Who am I to say this is right or wrong?

NO freshman team at all.

 

Then I would say it's completely fair in that situation to allow those kids to participate. If they are the freshman team too (even though they may not play a freshman schedule) they should be able to participate. In this case, you're not moving kids down to take the place of others. They are it!

 

Again...my problem is when you are clearly moving kids down, that haven't played at that level all year, just to try and win. That's my only issue. If there are injuries, illness, number issues because of a small school, I have no problem.

 

And if you would make any rule, then all should be able to move down, regardless of varsity play or not. Because any rule that you would put out there or any reason you would apply, would apply to all.

 

Benchmarking against their abilities against kids of their own grade - then benchmark against all of them.

You play to win - then move them all down and beat all of them. Don't segment the best players!

A chance of success against kids their age without pressure - all kids would love to compete against kids their age.

Kids need a chance to develop - all freshman can say the same, regardless of their varsity minutes. Some play varsity out of necessity!

 

Look at Newport girls for example. Newport varsity's 5 of their top 7 are freshman. They are not a very good varsity team, but they would appreciate a chance to develop as much as anyone. They would be competitive if you let them all play at their age group. I don't have a problem with it if it applies to all and coaches don't care what it does to their program OR if the head coach has set the expectation witht the kids playing freshman that kids will be moved down for the freshman tournament. If you know that going in, it's up to you to play or not.

 

My point is any reason or rule you put out there (other than truly logged minutes or a lack of a freshman team due to numbers) could and should apply to all freshman. Not just the ones you wouldn't care get moved down. If you want to play the best, move them all down. But you will be hurting the other kids in your program.

It is a freshman tournament. I don't really care what level they have been playing. If the coaches want to bring the player(s) down, that's their choice. Who am I to say this is right or wrong?

 

If you're that coach, what do you tell the players that have been playing freshman all year? "Move aside, you're not good enough for this tournament. We want to win!"

 

Man, we have lost perspective for what high school sports and the different levels of teams are for. It's kinda sad actually.

Freshman basketball is about player development..................I believe if you do not have a freshman team because your school is so small then you should be allowed to play them "down" so to speak as chances are their skill level is not the reason they are playing up but rather necessity dictates it. BUT if you have a freshman team and the girls have played up most if not all of the season then they have by passed freshman basketball. It is sad that a school would even do this thus necessitating the thread.

BUT if you have a freshman team and the girls have played up most if not all of the season then they have by passed freshman basketball. It is sad that a school would even do this thus necessitating the thread.

 

 

Is it the Freshman TEAM Tourney or the Freshman Tourney?

If it's the Freshman Team tourney, then it is for the kids who have played on the freshman team.

If it's a Freshman tourney, then call in all frosh from JV and Varsity too. And while we are at it, let's have a senior tourney, and a junior tourney, and a sophomore tourney. :lol:

If you're that coach, what do you tell the players that have been playing freshman all year? "Move aside, you're not good enough for this tournament. We want to win!"

 

Man, we have lost perspective for what high school sports and the different levels of teams are for. It's kinda sad actually.

 

RCC9, when I started this I mentioned that I have seen this in other sports for years. I know your softball team at HHS sometimes has low numbers. How will you handle this? IMO as a coach, girls that have been on freshman team all year and never moved up should play, period. If you need to fill in so be it but never take time away from a girl that has earned time all year by playing and practicing for the freshman coach. I think anyone "trophy hunting" is way off base with what a freshman team is about. I have also seen teams with small numbers that would never do this and my hat goes off to those program that do it Right. They take their lose with the girls they played with all year and thats what they should do.