My son is currently probably the best point guard in his class in the region. He will be a freshman next year and has a good chance to play JV ball.

 

He is also a very good football player.

 

There is pressure to specialize in one sport.

 

Basketball is his favorite sport.

 

My question is does missing the first 6 weeks of basketball practice to play football hurt a point guard's handle significantly?

 

Thanks.

I think it helps with their agressiveness which can be a good trait for a young PG. But then again, football is my favorite sport!

I think any missing time on the court regardless of what he is doing will hurt him especially if there is some tight competition. It shouldnt mean he has to choose, it just means he should expect it to take some time to get into basketball playing shape. Its much more coordination and much different than the physical sport of football. If he is a true All Star than it may not matter....he may jump right in and be that much better that the coach has to play him right away.

Encourage him to play both. IMO, the weightlifting more than compensates for lack of court time. My experience tells me that most football weightlifting programs are much more effective than most baketball weight lifting. My son gave up football for basketball, and now kicks himself for doing it.

 

Curious as to where the pressure is coming from to specialize?

To much pressure is being put on these kids to play one sport. Your ONLY a kid once so let them have fun doing what they want.

The best basketball player in the grade below me was pressured to quit football and instead quit basketball. I HATE when coaches do this and I think any coach that encourages kids to play only one sport should be fired.

Encourage him to play both. IMO, the weightlifting more than compensates for lack of court time. My experience tells me that most football weightlifting programs are much more effective than most baketball weight lifting. My son gave up football for basketball, and now kicks himself for doing it.

 

Curious as to where the pressure is coming from to specialize?

 

The pressure comes from the competition of other one-sport point guards who may not currently be quite as good but aren't far behind. This is a large school.

 

Another related question: Does football weightlifting hurt or help a point guard more?

 

Also, how many past and present top point guards in KY are/were also good football players in high school?

 

Then there's always the risk of injury from football. My son plays tailback, and I know from past experience that they can take a pounding on the knees.

The pressure comes from the competition of other one-sport point guards who may not currently be quite as good but aren't far behind. This is a large school.

 

Another related question: Does football weightlifting hurt or help a point guard more?

 

Also, how many past and present top point guards in KY are/were also good football players in high school?

 

Then there's always the risk of injury from football. My son plays tailback, and I know from past experience that they can take a pounding on the knees.

 

Sounds like dad is feeling more pressure than the kid. My advice is to let the kid decides what he wants to do. The weight lifting of football would be a major plus.

 

Another question: How do you know that he is the best 8th grade PG in the Region?

A HS coach would NEVER try to get a HS kid to specialize, ... would they?

Playing tailback might hurt him a little but not that much. I know at Holmes the past couple point guards we've had were also outstanding football players as well. (Brandent Englemon, Tony Ramsay, and Duran Jefferson). All three had great court vision because of the focus it took on the football field. Englemon and Jefferson were/are Quarterbacks and Ramsay was a wide receiver. IMO being a tailback should help him on the court being a point guard because he can take the attributes from football and contribute them to basketball.

Playing tailback might hurt him a little but not that much. I know at Holmes the past couple point guards we've had were also outstanding football players as well. (Brandent Englemon, Tony Ramsay, and Duran Jefferson). All three had great court vision because of the focus it took on the football field. Englemon and Jefferson were/are Quarterbacks and Ramsay was a wide receiver. IMO being a tailback should help him on the court being a point guard because he can take the attributes from football and contribute them to basketball.

 

 

Field Vision and Court Vision are basically the same thing........ Good Post.

I agree with most of the replies here, the only thing I would say is what kinda of injury may affect the way he plays, like any kind of leg injury occured in football might make him not as mobile, if there was a arm or shoulder injury might make him alter his shooting, but if he's lucky he can play football hopefully with out getting hurt, but you can get hurt in any type of sport.

Injuries are just as likely in basketball as in football. Broken ankles and torn ACL's happen a lot when people leave the ground.

A HS coach would NEVER try to get a HS kid to specialize, ... would they?

 

I HATE coaches who do this. Pretty selfish, IMO.

Sounds like dad is feeling more pressure than the kid. My advice is to let the kid decides what he wants to do. The weight lifting of football would be a major plus.

 

Another question: How do you know that he is the best 8th grade PG in the Region?

 

I know his AAU coach has expressed to him that he should go with basketball. I want him to hear several viewpoints and make up his mind for himself. I don't want him to have all of his eggs in one basket and then regret it later. He is very good in football too--among the top few backs in the area. I was an allstate football player, but I don't want any one person to make the decision for him, including his Dad.

 

Of course I'm biased, but he came out on top in every PG matchup in head to head competition in our region during the three years of middle school ball (points, assists, defense) and made the all conference team and all tournament teams at the BCI and KBA state middle school tournaments. He has been ranked among the top few point guards at a couple AAU statewide camps. Several high school coaches and ex-college players have come up to me this year and said that they think he is one of the best point guards they have seen in his class and that his court awareness and decision making is very good and that if he continues to grow and improve, he could end up playing college somewhere.