Question for boys/girls bball parents

[ladiesbballcoach]

I agree with you here. there's absolutely nothing wrong with keeping your kids stats. It shows you have interest in how he/she is doing. People who see no use in it must not have anything to keep. It helps when having a conversation with college recruiters and coaches to be able to present some facts about your kid other than just saying "oh my kid's got a great jump shot". If anyone believes these High Schools go "ALL OUT" to promote the athletes, they are living in wishful thinking. Not to mention the out of state grandma and grandpa that questions you constantly about how their grandbaby is doing. I wish my parents would have kept my stats. It's almost impossible to go back in time and retrieve High School sports statistics after so many years. So be proud of your kid as well as the team they play with and continue keeping your stats. :thumb:

 

The one thing I could see that no one has mentioned is that it would be a great thing to pull out and show my child's kids in 30 years. Hey, look at the player your mom or dad was in HS. Doesn't matter at that point whether they are accurate or not.

[nees1212]

Agreed, there are multiple "very good" reasons for keeping stats. However, telling a college coach "These are my REAL stats, my mom kept them" might not be one of them.

 

Those stats your mom kept, might be the only stats you have. I know when I played ball years ago, the statisticians were fellow female classmates that didn't know the difference between an assist and turnover.

 

 

To some extent i agree with everything you're saying. However, as other BGP'ers have said, some parents keep stats just so they know down to the second how many minutes their son/daughter played compared to someone else.

 

There's no question that some are out there for this reason. However, we can't assume that all parents keeping stats are doing so for selfish reasons.

[doomer]

I haven't kept stats., but I wish I knew them. Some parents may be uncomfortable asking the coach for stats, as they may think they would be under suspicion of only following their child or otherwise interfering. All you can usually find in the newspaper is points, which promotes the scoring mentality, and occasionally some mention of rebounds. But other things are interesting and helpful in understanding how players are contributing...FG%, FT%, rebounds, steals, turnovers.

[24smom]

I haven't tracked stats at a game, but have had my daughter stat film, including tips & touches. Tends to help when she is beating herself up about a game.

 

I do write down scores at the half & qtr for BPG posting sometimes.

 

When talking to parents or overhearing conversations in the stands, I have found that most that do track at games do it in order to confront someone, a coach or administration, about playing time.

 

I know of a case that someone tracked how many times the coach said "good job" when keeping individual stats from the stands.

[ARC]

I haven't kept stats., but I wish I knew them. Some parents may be uncomfortable asking the coach for stats, as they may think they would be under suspicion of only following their child or otherwise interfering. All you can usually find in the newspaper is points, which promotes the scoring mentality, and occasionally some mention of rebounds. But other things are interesting and helpful in understanding how players are contributing...FG%, FT%, rebounds, steals, turnovers.

 

I think that you hit the nail on the head. Lots of parents don't want to ask the coach. And lots of coaches don't want to tell the kids. I believe that stats are sometimes 'devalued' by a coach because it makes it difficult to explain some things.

 

The scientific approach to the game helps to pinpoint the actual strengths and weaknesses of both the team and the individual. Without stats, it is all based on 'perception'. Casual observation and facts are usually far different.

 

Having said all that, I hate to keep stats. Done it officially and unofficially, and can't enjoy the games. And parents aren't always keeping only little Johnny's stats either....they're sometimes keeping track of how many mistakes little Alex is making.

 

Stats are subjective, especially regarding turnovers and assists. Was it a bad pass or a poor 'catch'. (whoever was in full control of the last possession should be credited with the TO).

 

Let a roomful of statisticians watch a game film in real time (no pausing etc) and there will be quite a bit of diversity in the numbers. Let a roomful of parents do it secretly and there will be even more.

 

Points and freethrows are kept in the official scorebook and these are usually accurate. The rest are subject to interpretation.

[Ram]

What is the difference in keeping stats, and videoing the game of your child playing. Some of those parents videoing may go home and accumulate stats from the video. I don't see a problem with it.

 

On a side note: When my mother passed away, I went through her desk and found little memo pads that she kept stats in for every game that I ever played in. By the way, she had kept stats for the entire team in those memo pads, not just me. Where is the harm?

[ladiesbballcoach]

 

I know of a case that someone tracked how many times the coach said "good job" when keeping individual stats from the stands.

 

Where is the harm?

 

If the point is something like 24smom has indicated here, there is a harm.

[Musketeer_alum97]

What if the parent is not only keeping stats, but little notes of helpful hints for the player? Little things such as what shots they are struggling with, problems they are having on defense, etc.? This way, the kid will have an idea on what they need to work on as an individual that will help the TEAM. Sometimes, the coach may miss little things that a player needs to work on, and this is a way for them (the player) to find out.

[mcpapa]

What if the parent is not only keeping stats, but little notes of helpful hints for the player? Little things such as what shots they are struggling with, problems they are having on defense, etc.? This way, the kid will have an idea on what they need to work on as an individual that will help the TEAM. Sometimes, the coach may miss little things that a player needs to work on, and this is a way for them (the player) to find out.

 

 

Sounds harmless enough, but has the potential to create problems with the coaching staff.

[Musketeer_alum97]

You are right, it does have the potential to cause problems. But I still say that if the stats are used in a contructive way, then there is no harm in it. Not just in basketball, but in baseball, foot ball, or any sport. I remember when my little brother was on the mound warming up, the coaches rarely watched what he was doing. I would stand behind homeplate (outside the fence) and watch his delivery. Was I overstepping my bounds then? I wasn't telling him what pitches to throw, I was just seeing if he needed to move right or left, if he was releasing too quick, etc. By the time he was ready to go against batters, I was back in my seat, letting the coaches do their job.

[Lunatic1]

When my child was in the Middle School, she was not a great scorer and after every game she felt like she did not contribute anything to the team. Her Grandfather started keeping her stats to show her that there were other contributions to the team.

 

Even today he keeps them and she loves to get feedback on her rebounds and assists ( and turnovers)

 

I think it is great, too much emphasis on scoring so it is nice that other stats matter

[Qryche11]

I think its a good idea to keep notes and pts/assists/rebounds, etc. Why not as long as you do it for personal reasons and as a learning tool. If your keeping stats at a 4th grade game then I would think there might be some issues but nothing wrong once they get to Jr. High Ball.

 

I am a stat junkie so the more the better. I have kept some stats for BGP purposes so you all get a look at what certain kids are doing. However, I dont do this personally but may start doing it so I can give my son some feedback after games and also let him know about the intangibles like steals/assists/etc....My son has never been a major scorer on any of his teams, his successes are through hustle and he makes his team better by distributing the ball, getting steals and leading transition so points have never been high on my list. Sure we all would like to see our sons or daughters drop 25 pts a night so we can show em later on but basketball is a team game and everyone contributes differently.

 

I kept my own scrapbook from Frosh-Sr. year in high school and will probably get my son into keeping one as well. It is something I still look back on and talk about.

 

But nothing irks me more than when parents keep Rushing /TD stats in football at Pee Wee games. I remember I was at a FTJRFL game wiht a friend and he ran into a guy and said Hello. The first words out of his mouth after my friend asked how his son played was that he ran for 184 yrds and scored 4 touchdowns. I about spit my drink out I was like, who cares? ARe you going to go call the Enquirer? LOL

[imo]

I know more parents that have confronted a coach about their childs playing time that didn't keep stats than parents who confronted the coach that have kept stats. If that is why a parent is keeping stats, then what are you gonna do??? I'm sure the coach can handle it. I'm pretty sure the most coaches get more complaints from non-stat-keeping parents.

 

I wouldn't assume that if a parent is keeping stats, it is for the purpose of hassling the coach. I'd say most are just doing it for personal reference and I know some schools don't even keep stats on some aspects of the game, and if your child excels on defense but isn't a big scorer, it may be helpful to be able to point out to a child how many steals they had when they are bummed out because they didn't score. (after all, scoring gets all the glory.)

 

If you are a coach, answer this honestly.....how many times when parents complain to you are they quoting their "little paper of stats" as opposed not???

[BigCountryBoy]

Not casting any judgement on it but wondered what is the point of having a notebook and keeping your own stats in the stands? I see a bunch of notebooks, scraps of paper and the like this season.

 

I have started to keep my son's stats when I can remember to bring something in to write them down with. I don't share them with anyone, don't bring them up to the coaches and really don't care what people think about me doing it. Just something I like to do and it is fun to look back from time to time to see what he has done.

 

Just wondering.... have you ever been to a professional baseball game and taken notice of all the folks there keeping the books on the game? I think it is cool, especially when folks get into something and care enough to follow it with that passion.:thumb:

[Musketeer_alum97]

I have started to keep my son's stats when I can remember to bring something in to write them down with. I don't share them with anyone, don't bring them up to the coaches and really don't care what people think about me doing it. Just something I like to do and it is fun to look back from time to time to see what he has done.

 

Just wondering.... have you ever been to a professional baseball game and taken notice of all the folks there keeping the books on the game? I think it is cool, especially when folks get into something and care enough to follow it with that passion.:thumb:

 

"For those of you scoring at home...."