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!

 

A lot people want to think that at the Varsity Level if their child is on the bench that they deserve "fair" playing time. I have seen parents who believe that everyone should play even if it means the team might lose. Remember, Junior Varsity and Freshmen basketball is about learning, Varsity is about WINNING. The COACH and the PLAYERS decide who plays and for how long. It is rare that you will see players on the floor for a Varsity team that is not the best chance for the team to win. If a Senior wants to play, remember, you are only as good as your last practice, game, etc.. the coach has no loyalty for someone who believes that just because you are Senior you deserve to play.

In the words of Herman Edwards, "You play to win the game.". You do that with the players who give you the best chance. REGARDLESS of their grade.

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!

 

Play the best player. Doesn't matter if she is a senior or a 4th grader. You play to win, no matter if it is the All A or a regular season game.

Here is another situation. You have a senior that has started the prior year (maybe even the last 2yrs) and now a freshman comes into the program with more talent at her position. Maybe the senior started in prior years because the program was down (talent wise) and now a good group of underclassman came in.

 

I understand its not who starts the game, but who is playing in crunch time, however does the coach continue to start the senior or not and risk losing her all together?

 

Situation #1 - Start the senior, however play the freshman at the end of the game? Sit the freshman down and explain the situation.

 

Situation #2 - Start the freshman because she is the better basketball player and risk losing the senior (if she does not buy into the coaches style)?

 

As a high school coach, his/her role is not only about what happens on a basketball court. It's about teaching the kids life leasons. Something I think a lot of people forget is a responsibility of a coach.

 

I am excited to hear everyone's opinion (#1 or #2)?

If the freshman has earned the starting role, start the freshman. As a coach you have to play your best players. This is part of life's leasons.

I say if you give your upperclassmen the chance each game and if they aren't getting the job done, you put in your younger players. I would be upset if my senior had more experience than the freshman player but never got the chance to play.

 

There are nights when a player is "cold". You can't keep that "cold" player out there just because they are a senior and you don't want the player or their parents to get upset if you put a younger player in the game and take the senior out, especially when the senior can't buy a basket and the freshmen can't miss one. I have seen parents of players complain after a game even when their senior played over half the game and had only two points after at least 8 attempts (and some of those shots were un-contested lay-ups), and the freshman played less than half and scored over 20 points. To me that parent is being selfish and isn't thinking about the team, only their child.

 

When a team loses a game they lose confidence in themselves as a team and when a player or parent can't accept the fact that the team did better with the freshman playing, then they are not thinking about the other players on the team. That is wrong. They play as a team, win as a team, lose as a team! There is no I in team, but there is a ME, and players and parents need to get away from that.

 

I am the first one at a game when my child is playing badly, i.e. missing easy shots, taking stupid shots, and turning the ball over, to ask "why doesn't the coach take my child out?" Because if my child isn't playing well, then my child is hurting the team.

"If the freshman has earned the starting role, start the freshman. As a coach you have to play your best players. This is part of life's leasons". I agree 100 percent with the above statement. You have to play your best players no matter if they are 9th graders or a senior. Just because you are a senior, does not entitle you more playing time than a freshman. I see this all of the time right now for the team that I support.

I agree to disagree, to disagree to agree! Bottom line, at the Varsity level, no matter how many feelings get hurt, a coach plays his best players in the given situation in order to WIN the game. It does not matter what grade the player is in. The coach plays for the win not to make everyone happy, at least most of them do.

I agree to disagree, to disagree to agree! Bottom line, at the Varsity level, no matter how many feelings get hurt, a coach plays his best players in the given situation in order to WIN the game. It does not matter what grade the player is in. The coach plays for the win not to make everyone happy, at least most of them do.

I agree and most Coaches will tell you, that going into any practice or beginning of season, that upper classmen/Seniors, will have the nod and it's their position to lose.

 

During the course of practice and early games, scenarios often do change and main focus, is on winning, like you stated.

Play your best team, regardless of what grade a player is in. We once won a district championship with a 6th grade girl starting point guard.

Back in the day when I played football, my Senior year we started with a Senior at QB but we had a Soph that really was the better player, the first 5 games the senior started but game after game of poor play cost him his starting spot, players and parents can not think that just because you are a Senior that your position is secure, hard work and consistant play keeps you in the game not age.

One more thing to think about on who starts, there seems to be an unwritten rule among coaches that if you have a player (fresh, soph ) that starts Varsity then they do not play JV. However, it might really benefit that person to be able to have a year of JV ball.

 

If the Senior and the Fresh are equal then start the senior and let the Fresh have another year of JV. If they are equal now then they may be a lot better for the JV experience. The Fresh will still get a lot of playing time in the Varsity game but will get the added benefit of JV.

 

I see some girls on teams look down at playing JV, but it should be the place where they improve and try things without worrying about mistakes. Sometimes in the Varsity games they get too nervous to play this way.

It's also not fair to have freshman or sophomore players sitting on the bench when they not only have equal or more ability but have also worked their butts off playing AAU ball for years in order to gain experience while the coach plays seniors who don't touch a BB from March 1 until October 15.

It's also not fair to have freshman or sophomore players sitting on the bench when they not only have equal or more ability but have also worked their butts off playing AAU ball for years in order to gain experience while the coach plays seniors who don't touch a BB from March 1 until October 15.

 

Agreed but they need to be better. If they are equal then they should both get playing time. Some kids can not afford AAU ball, or play another sport, so if they haven't had that benefit and work hard in practice and are still as good then they both deserve playing time.

You should play your best players regardless of age- all things being equal, both players can be used throughout a game and can play an important role. The big key is how effective they are when they are in there- are they productive in a positive way. This pertains to defense too. Some players may be a better offiensive player and they would get the nod in a game where they need to score. Other times, you may need a good defender to get in there and stop the other team.

 

Every game could produce a different result. It depends on what you need for that game and who can give it to you. You can have a senior that is a great scorer but cannot buy a basket but their presence on the floor is still important becuase they do more than just score.- they are your anchor on defense, they are the one who can break the press, they find the open person and make the pass to get the basket. If there is not an aspect of their game that is valuable, put in the player that can.

 

Parents and players put too much emphasis on who starts the game....not relative- it's who finishes the game, especially a close one, that is what really matters. Most important is to make the most out of the playing time that you do have- be effective and productive when you get the opportunity.