Seniors verses Underclassmen

[Pcladycatdad]

Do you as a Coach play a Senior who has been a good player and a hard worker for 4 years but might not be your best player or do you you go with the Freshman or Soph. who is a better player but lacks basketball game experience? I have heard a coach say remember she/he just a Freshman. Do you think young skill or experience is the best way to good?

[STRIKE3]

Depends on match-ups and who affords the best opportunity, to win the game. It's about winning and if a Senior can play defense, they'll get some time and if an Fresh/Soph can score, they will play.

 

Size, tempo and need in the game, dictates who plays and when.

[*Jeanie*]

Depends on match-ups and who affords the best opportunity, to win the game. It's about winning and if a Senior can play defense, they'll get some time and if an Fresh/Soph can score, they will play.

 

Size, tempo and need in the game, dictates who plays and when.

 

Well said. I'd have to agree with you!

[Weakside]

Their grade shouldn't matter. Play the players that are going to give your team the best opportunity to win. Sure it's nice to have a mix of upper and lower classmen however playing time shouldn't be dictated by what class a particuliar player is in.

[OneCat]

Grade should not matter. You play to win. Put your best 5 on the floor. This could change from night to night depending on the matchup of players. But remember what people believe might be the best 5 just might not be in the coaches eyes. They see practices and review tapes, they see more than who is scoring.

[*Jeanie*]

Their grade shouldn't matter. Play the players that are going to give your team the best opportunity to win. Sure it's nice to have a mix of upper and lower classmen however playing time shouldn't be dictated by class a particuliar player is in.

 

Just a question Weakside. If you had a senior (daughter/son) would you still say it doesn't matter, would you care if she/he never played? If she/he was a solid all around player (Just a decent player/not bad or an All-Star) and was playing in their last "All A" and the Coach put in an Freshman in over your son/daughter you wouldn't be upset? I think there is a time an place for a youngerclassmen to play. In a senior's last "All A", I think they should get good time, and try to win it, or lose it. I think the coach should sub correctly to make it fair and still put their team in a position to win. I understand if the younger classmen was like a flat out super star, sure play her/him a lot, but if their just as good as a senior or what not, play the older player.

 

Just a different point of view to look at this question from! Food for thought!

[OneCat]

Just a question Weakside. If you had a senior (daughter/son) would you still say it doesn't matter, would you care if she/he never played? If she/he was a solid all around player (Just a decent player/not bad or an All-Star) and was playing in their last "All A" and the Coach put in an Freshman in over your son/daughter you wouldn't be upset? I think there is a time an place for a youngerclassmen to play. In a senior's last "All A", I think they should get good time, and try to win it, or lose it. I think the coach should sub correctly to make it fair and still put their team in a position to win. I understand if the younger classmen was like a flat out super star, sure play her/him a lot, but if their just as good as a senior or what not, play the older player.

 

Just a different point of view to look at this question from! Food for thought!

 

I agree if they are just average then, no the younger girls should wait their turn.

[Pcladycatdad]

I also think it is who gives you the best chance to win, remember this is a team sport and it is not allways easy to keep everyone happy, but if you get the kids to believe in what the goal is and work together to reach it that everything else will fall into place. The problems start when outside influences start to question the reasons some get more playing time than others. Works the same in life, if we feel or are told we are not being done right by someone on the outside it starts to mess with our head and the program.

[85lived]

Just a question Weakside. If you had a senior (daughter/son) would you still say it doesn't matter, would you care if she/he never played? If she/he was a solid all around player (Just a decent player/not bad or an All-Star) and was playing in their last "All A" and the Coach put in an Freshman in over your son/daughter you wouldn't be upset? I think there is a time an place for a youngerclassmen to play. In a senior's last "All A", I think they should get good time, and try to win it, or lose it. I think the coach should sub correctly to make it fair and still put their team in a position to win. I understand if the younger classmen was like a flat out super star, sure play her/him a lot, but if their just as good as a senior or what not, play the older player.

 

Just a different point of view to look at this question from! Food for thought!

 

If the coach feels that the freshman is better in that situation and gives the team a better chance to win, they play whether it is the "senior's last All A" or not. Remember, a parent may think they are equal but they are sometimes blinded by love. The coach is objective and it is their job to put the best players on the floor at any given time. Basketball is a team sport where the idea is to win at the varsity level, not make the seniors feel good. If you can use the senior then do so but if you want equal or guaranteed playing time, you play rec league ball.

[Mr. Athletics]

If you have a senior and a freshman of equal ability, I think most coaches play the freshman to build for the future.

[Weakside]

Just a question Weakside. If you had a senior (daughter/son) would you still say it doesn't matter, would you care if she/he never played? If she/he was a solid all around player (Just a decent player/not bad or an All-Star) and was playing in their last "All A" and the Coach put in an Freshman in over your son/daughter you wouldn't be upset? I think there is a time an place for a youngerclassmen to play. In a senior's last "All A", I think they should get good time, and try to win it, or lose it. I think the coach should sub correctly to make it fair and still put their team in a position to win. I understand if the younger classmen was like a flat out super star, sure play her/him a lot, but if their just as good as a senior or what not, play the older player.

 

Just a different point of view to look at this question from! Food for thought!

If the senior is as good as the freshman then you play the senior. If he or she isn't, then you don't. Plain and simple -- play who is going to give you the best chance to win. I'm sure as a parent i would be upset but that doesn't mean that a senior plays ahead of someone more talented.

[OneCat]

I also think it is who gives you the best chance to win, remember this is a team sport and it is not allways easy to keep everyone happy, but if you get the kids to believe in what the goal is and work together to reach it that everything else will fall into place. The problems start when outside influences start to question the reasons some get more playing time than others. Works the same in life, if we feel or are told we are not being done right by someone on the outside it starts to mess with our head and the program.

 

Great post.

[GatorFan]

If you have a senior and a freshman of equal ability, I think most coaches play the freshman to build for the future.

 

Well said!:thumb:

[85lived]

If you have a senior and a freshman of equal ability, I think most coaches play the freshman to build for the future.

 

I can tell you as a coach that if the players were exactly even in ability the senior will probably start, the freshman will play as much as the senior and whoever is playing the best or is the better matchup in that game will be playing at crunch time.

 

I have seen seniors who are 6 foot post players complain because a 5'5" freshman guard is starting and they are not. They didn't care that they were playing different positions. It is no guarantee that you will start or even play just because you are a senior and come to practice everyday.

[Time and Score]

It should be about matchups and who gives you the best chance to win. Some games that might be different, but that is why it is a team sport.