I heard that HMS 6th grade coach is no longer. True or False? I know many parents were concerned with not only the selection process for this team but also the way it was being run.

 

That would be news. He coached the game on Tuesday against Sharp and was at his teams practice yesterday afternoon. I would say that this is false, but if true, who is going to coach them the remainder of the way?

I heard that HMS 6th grade coach is no longer. True or False? I know many parents were concerned with not only the selection process for this team but also the way it was being run.

 

False, definately finishing out the year and planning on returning next year.

 

For those interested the 7th grade coach, who is experiencing many of the same problems, is planning on returning.

 

 

I have said this many times before. An expectation of equal playing time on a "tryout" team is unrealistic. My son's middle school coach told the group of parents that he would try to get everyone as much playing time as possible, but that the league is competitive and playing time will be earned, not equal. Both the 6th and 7th grade coaches told their teams the same speech, as it was information handed down by the varsity coach. Parents were told to please not contact the coach about playing time issues. This message must have fallen on deaf ears.

 

The complaining needs to stop. Encourage your son to work hard in practice. Encourage your son to go to the Armory and play on the weekends. Encourage your son to ask the coach specific drills to work on, and then go do it. Find your son a team to play on this spring and summer. These are the things that will increase his playing time, if not this season, maybe next.

I've seen this happen to many middle school teams. It usually revolves around playing time issues.

 

In order to right the ship, players need to just play, coaches be allowed to just coach, and parents support both groups.

 

Agreed. IMO 8th grade year--end of bball season is especially difficult and wrought with tension. IMO you have a couple of forces that are not going in the same direction. First are the coaches, players, and those parents who want the team to keep winning and improve their record and beat those teams that they lost to earlier in the season. Second is the group of players and parents who realize that their time is running out and maybe are not so concerned about the game outcome. Time is running out to improve at basketball and prepare for the high school level, time is running out for them to continue to play with their 8th grade buddies before it is all over, and for so many time is running out for SCHOOL basketball period--because the hard cold truth is that so many of them will not make the team next year.

All of this creates a huge challenge for the 8th grade coaches. My hat goes off to all of them. Good Luck to the coaches as they finish out the season.

Would not surprise me one bit if the MS league evolved into more of an equal playing time "intramural" league within 2-3 years. Squeaky wheels always seem to get the grease. Sad.

False, definately finishing out the year and planning on returning next year.

 

For those interested the 7th grade coach, who is experiencing many of the same problems, is planning on returning.

 

 

I have said this many times before. An expectation of equal playing time on a "tryout" team is unrealistic. My son's middle school coach told the group of parents that he would try to get everyone as much playing time as possible, but that the league is competitive and playing time will be earned, not equal. Both the 6th and 7th grade coaches told their teams the same speech, as it was information handed down by the varsity coach. Parents were told to please not contact the coach about playing time issues. This message must have fallen on deaf ears.

 

The complaining needs to stop. Encourage your son to work hard in practice. Encourage your son to go to the Armory and play on the weekends. Encourage your son to ask the coach specific drills to work on, and then go do it. Find your son a team to play on this spring and summer. These are the things that will increase his playing time, if not this season, maybe next.

Not that this is the case with HMS, but i see alot of miiddle school teams with 14 or 15 players on them. That is just setting the coach up for problems. Parents often hear and see what they want to hear and see. Why not have 2 teams of 7 or 8?

False, definately finishing out the year and planning on returning next year.

 

For those interested the 7th grade coach, who is experiencing many of the same problems, is planning on returning.

 

 

I have said this many times before. An expectation of equal playing time on a "tryout" team is unrealistic. My son's middle school coach told the group of parents that he would try to get everyone as much playing time as possible, but that the league is competitive and playing time will be earned, not equal. Both the 6th and 7th grade coaches told their teams the same speech, as it was information handed down by the varsity coach. Parents were told to please not contact the coach about playing time issues. This message must have fallen on deaf ears.

 

The complaining needs to stop. Encourage your son to work hard in practice. Encourage your son to go to the Armory and play on the weekends. Encourage your son to ask the coach specific drills to work on, and then go do it. Find your son a team to play on this spring and summer. These are the things that will increase his playing time, if not this season, maybe next.

 

Amen Stink!!!

 

And this does not just go for HMS but ALL middle schools!!! Very well said!! :thumb:

It's a scary proposition cutting kids in 6th-8th grade. Some have matured, physically and mentally, and some have not. You jeopardize losing the ones you cut forever. The alternative is to keep a lot of kids. The result, those you may have wanted to cut still get turned away due to lack of PT.

 

Personally, I'd run a MS team, for any sport, like football is run. Take all comers, decide how many teams you need from there. There are simply too many kids that peak early or late to turn any of the kids away from your sport at such a young age.

Not that this is the case with HMS, but i see alot of miiddle school teams with 14 or 15 players on them. That is just setting the coach up for problems. Parents often hear and see what they want to hear and see. Why not have 2 teams of 7 or 8?

 

In my opinion, SCHOOL gym time, SCHOOL qualified coaches and SCHOOL leagues. There are only so many hours in a day the gym is available for practice, qualified coaches available to coach and available leagues available. I guess an alternative to this would be to have the 'B' teams play in a SOAS league which may solve some of the issues for league and gym time. Doesn't SOAS provide an hour per week for practice?

It's a scary proposition cutting kids in 6th-8th grade. Some have matured, physically and mentally, and some have not. You jeopardize losing the ones you cut forever. The alternative is, keep a lot of kids. The result, those you may have wanted to cut still get turned away due to lack of PT.

 

Personally, I'd run a MS team, for any sport, like football is run. Take all comers, decide how many teams you need from there. There are simply too many kids that peak early or late to turn them away from your sport at such a young age.

 

10 is the most that I would want on 1 BB team. You are right, have more than one team if needed.

In my opinion, SCHOOL gym time, SCHOOL qualified coaches and SCHOOL leagues. There are only so many hours in a day the gym is available for practice, qualified coaches available to coach and available leagues available. I guess an alternative to this would be to have the 'B' teams play in a SOAS league which may solve some of the issues for league and gym time. Doesn't SOAS provide an hour per week for practice?

 

Gym time is an issue. But alot of the teams that I see with 15 are from Middle Schools that have a total of six BB teams to share the gym(3 boys and 3 girls). The school that my kids go to have 20 plus teams to share one gym( 3rd thru 8th grade boys and girls rec and select). Once the NKYMSL starts we are lucky to get 1 practice a week. Your 3 points are valid, but when there is a will there is a way.

Gym time is an issue. But alot of the teams that I see with 15 are from Middle Schools that have a total of six BB teams to share the gym(3 boys and 3 girls). The school that my kids go to have 20 plus teams to share one gym( 3rd thru 8th grade boys and girls rec and select). Once the NKYMSL starts we are lucky to get 1 practice a week. Your 3 points are valid, but when there is a will there is a way.

 

Agreed. Just need to figure it.:idunno:

Remember that what you offer the boys, you offer the girls.........so a "B" team for grades 6-8 is actually six more teams, six more coaches, six more practice times, six more game times, twice the costs for uniforms, coaches, transportation........you get the picture. Some schools can do the "B" team but having enough girls by the time they are 8th grade in a smaller school can be a challenge(particularly when they are so willing to move them up).

There are a lot of possible solutions: longer games, extra quarter, "B" league, strong intramural league(my choice), etc.......... but they all pose possible problems as well. In the absence of these, I agree w/StinkII that you encourage the kids to work hard and if they want to continue and have some talent, they will be fine. Playing time on a Middle School team is not the end of the world. Work hard in the off-season.....players are made in the Spring/Summer, teams are made in the Fall. Parents, go to the game and root for the team.

False, definately finishing out the year and planning on returning next year.

 

For those interested the 7th grade coach, who is experiencing many of the same problems, is planning on returning.

 

 

I have said this many times before. An expectation of equal playing time on a "tryout" team is unrealistic. My son's middle school coach told the group of parents that he would try to get everyone as much playing time as possible, but that the league is competitive and playing time will be earned, not equal. Both the 6th and 7th grade coaches told their teams the same speech, as it was information handed down by the varsity coach. Parents were told to please not contact the coach about playing time issues. This message must have fallen on deaf ears.

 

The complaining needs to stop. Encourage your son to work hard in practice. Encourage your son to go to the Armory and play on the weekends. Encourage your son to ask the coach specific drills to work on, and then go do it. Find your son a team to play on this spring and summer. These are the things that will increase his playing time, if not this season, maybe next.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. Gym time is tough but you make do and I have personally been taking my 4th graders up to the ARmory on Sundays and Monday's to practice which works out great. We normally see another 4th grade team up there from our area and we scrimmage after we work on drills, etc. I have kids on that team that are begging me to take them up there on other days. I continually stress to the kids on my team and my son that players are made in the offseason and teams are made during the season. I have a good friend of mine who's son was cut from the 6th grade team and is 5'8 inches tall, a little raw but a great teammate who could have used the practice time. He didnt complain and moan about it, he got his kid on a team out at SOAS and brings him to our 4th grade practices sometimes to work with thim on drop step moves, etc. Playing for your middle school team is fun but if you dont make the team you have plenty of other options. I encourage parents who want their kids to get better and be a part of an AAU team in the offseason to be forward and reach out to the coaches of those teams and find out what it would take for their son to play with them.

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I agree wholeheartedly. Gym time is tough but you make do and I have personally been taking my 4th graders up to the ARmory on Sundays and Monday's to practice which works out great. We normally see another 4th grade team up there from our area and we scrimmage after we work on drills, etc. I have kids on that team that are begging me to take them up there on other days. I continually stress to the kids on my team and my son that players are made in the offseason and teams are made during the season. I have a good friend of mine who's son was cut from the 6th grade team and is 5'8 inches tall, a little raw but a great teammate who could have used the practice time. He didnt complain and moan about it, he got his kid on a team out at SOAS and brings him to our 4th grade practices sometimes to work with thim on drop step moves, etc. Playing for your middle school team is fun but if you dont make the team you have plenty of other options. I encourage parents who want their kids to get better and be a part of an AAU team in the offseason to be forward and reach out to the coaches of those teams and find out what it would take for their son to play with them.[/QUOTE]

I know of an 8th grade team looking to add a couple players this spring and summer if anyone is interested.