Sunday, October 14, 2012

The Debate Season - Youth Sports Style

During September and October each year we always have a couple high school basketball events at the gym.    As a result I have had and have the chance to talk with several high school coaches and college coaches watching the high school players.  In the spirit of the political season here are some discussions and observations we had that may be worth debating:

Issue #1.  God and/or the environment

--When discussing a couple local talented high school players with a division I coach the questions the coach had involved: 1. what kind of family the player was from and 2. what type of coaching the player was getting.  Hm.  So besides the need to have God given talent the environment the player is surrounded by is important huh?

--Two local phenominal athletes that should be enjoying their junior or senior season at the division 1 level are in fact playing pickup games at local gyms.  Why?  I wonder if it has to do with the enviroment they were surrounded by?  Maybe character, attitude, discipline, and work ethic matter. 

Issue #2  Do we have a skill deficit? 

--Watching several games with various high school coaches many of the comments were:  1. boy if we could make our layups 2. boy if we could make our freethrows.  3.  I have noone that can dribble.    But wait, these kids have been playing games since they were in 3rd grade.  What is going on?

--What is a better plan?  Trying to be well rounded playing several sports but potentially being mediocre at all of them or focusing on playing a couple of sports with the potential of being really good?

Issue #3 The welfare of our children.  Should we feed a fish or teach how to fish?

--I asked one college coach about a particular player and how he was doing.  The coach responded;  "If the kid only wanted it as bad as his dad wanted it he could be phenominal"  "Right now I don't think he wants to be in college let alone play basketball".    Hm, so as a parent we could pretty much give our kid a college education but if he/she really doesn't want it it could result in waisted time money and energy?  But why the heck wouldnt this kid want to go to college and play basketball?  For goodness sakes he is 6'8'' !!  He has been handed everything he could want. Okay, maybe we should just give him something else?  Or should we encourage him to decide what he wants for himself and then facilitate the hard work and effort it takes to be good at it?

Issue #4 - What lies ahead for the future?  What will be our legacy?

--When our kids have kids (God forbid with mine)  will our kids be willing to go at the same pace with thier kids that we are going with them?  Say that 5 times really fast then discuss. 

Issue #5 - Foreign Affairs

--When discussing the development process with one coach we pointed out how with most kids even at the high school level it is all or nothing on the offensive end.  Kids either shoot the outside shot or drive all the way to the rim.  Why don't they stop and pop from 8-10'?  Could be they don't have the footwork or leg strength to make sudden stops under pressure and then get the shot off.  Could be they are not quite ready mentally to make quick decisions like that under pressure.  Bottom line, what seems obvious to us is still foreign to them.  Development takes time.

These are some of the important topics of today.  With your vote, I hope to change the world one dribbler at a time.