hoopgirl40

Didn't Boyd beat Ashland's JV? They beat Ashland's freshman team twice by at least 15 points both times.

Does anyone oversee referees?

It also depends on how colorful the player is, and how much he or she fills the stands. A kid who works hard, plays the game, and has good stats, is not as recognizable as one who gets pumped up and excites the crowd. Colleges want to fill arenas, so they want the most exciting players they can get. It is like the old saying, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease".

So theoretically, if the girl decided to attend a different high school, the school would have been lead by a player that never attended the high school. Is that fair to those schools defeated by a team with a player that never attended the school they represent? Is it fair to those communities that support teams that use only players that are actual students?

If a player, any player, is mature enough in 7th or 8th grade to play varsity, shouldn't she be mature enough to play by varsity rules? Could this be one of the kid's unforseen consequences of playing up? Emotional maturity and physical maturity do not go hand in hand. It's not so cut and dried that little Susie is a good player at age 12, and can hold her own at the varsity level. Kids don't see what can happen down the road, perhaps how their own immaturity can cause differences with a coach and suddenly they find themselves with no place to play. Or how a twisted knee can end her basketball career before she reaches high school. Or how missing 8th grade dances for varsity practice is something she can never get back. Or what will it do to her ego if she makes varsity as a 7th grader, but not as a freshman. If a kid is allowed to play varsity, she probably will. It is the responsibilty of the parent to look beyond the ego boost from having a young kid on a high school team, and make an informed decision, in the best interest of the kid. This is a general statement, not about the girl mentioned earlier, I do not know her or her circumstances.

What about public schools, where no tuition is involved? Kids seem to transfer among districts without relocating.

So a 7th grade kid can go to a middle school and make the varsity team. She plays for 2 years, takes playing time away from high school kids, then attends a different high school. She played for a high school 2 years that she never attended, and kids that did attend the school, who wanted to play, sat the bench. Given that the basketball team is an extracurricular activity of the high school, haven't the high school kids been cheated? Agreeing that the best players should play, shouldn't those players actually attend the school?

A common point in several of the posts is how playing up benefits the school, the coach, the program and the community. What is the priority? Shouldn't it be the kid? Winning trophys and added experience does not outweigh the risk of injury, hearing conversations from older girls they aren't ready to hear, and the pressure to prove they can compete nightly at the JV or varsity level. If they want to play up, playing freshman ball lets them get experience and keeps them with kids closer to their age.

That's the key issue...they may be physically mature enough to play JV or varsity, but a 12 or 13 yr old isn't as mature in other ways. If the middle schooler is really that good, she will have four years of high school to prove it. If she needs to be challenged, play up a year or two in AAU. Those are the kids she'll be competeing with when she is in high school. It builds a stronger program from the bottom up, and keeps the older girls playing.

It is all about the kids... Each parent has a unique relationship with their child; while some kids may be mortified if a parent shows up for practice, others appreciate the time you've taken from your day. As far as distractions, if a kid can't focus with a few quiet people in the stands, how can she focus on a free throw with hundreds screaming at her? But the decision does come down to the coach, and if he wants a closed practice, we should respect his wishes.

How many coaches have kids that play for teams other than their own, stay for practice? Do they stay to cause problems? To critique the coach? Because their kid isn't playing? Because they can't cut the umbillical cord? Because they have a psychologically unhealthy relationship with their kid? Or maybe something simple like other parents, it's enjoyable to watch.

I understand why a coach wants a closed practice, and respect the decision. Suppose your child sits the bench. The only time to see her play is at practice. I have attended practices, and enjoyed it very much. There were other parents there, and no one disrupted the practice. The parents and fans at games are much more rowdy, disruptive, and disrespectful. If your daughter ever took ballet, piano, gymnastics, or any other lessons, I'm sure you didn't skip all the practices, and merely wait to view the recitals. This is their basketball class, and some people want to know what goes on in the lesson.

Boyd 58-54.

Exactally!

I think everything mentioned are factors in the turnover. Boys sports have been around longer, and there are more male athletes. People naturally migrate to things they are more comfortable with. Girls basketball is quite remarkable, especially at the middle school level, where you have these little five foot tall girls that can score 15 or 20 points a game, and knock down threes like they are nothing. But the only ones in the stands are the parents. A coach can't build a reputation there. While he or she may be doing a wonderful job with the kids, it's up to the individual coach to decide if he/she is content, or needs to move on.