Not sure what this season is going to hold for my 7th grade boys basketball team. We were the # 2 team in the league in a 12-team league (beat # 3 by one point with 3 free throws with 0.1 second to play in a classic battle). # 1 team--undefeated for 3 years--lost their top 3 players. # 3 team lost their best player. We return everybody.
So we're the team to beat, but we have 12 players, with rumors that we may get up to 2 more.
I'm the school's basketball commissioner, and ultimately, I get to make the decision, but wanted to get thoughts/comments from you on the choice if we end up with 14.
At 13 players, we have to stick with 1 team. At 14, traditionally, our school will split into two teams, both equally divided as to talent. I'd prefer an "A" team and a "B" team, but it's a long-standing principle at our school that they don't do that. So we'll have two mediocre teams.
Here are some of the pluses and minuses to having 14 on one team versus two
One team
Allows the kids not to be "split up." Allows continued coaching stability. This year we move to high school rules, a 32 minute game, so more time means more ability to play everybody.
Two teams
Allows 7 players on a team and all players to get plenty of playing time. Players can develop through games. This is a huge factor, and although most of the factors will relate to one team, playing time is a very important one.
One team
Allows intersquad scrimmages and drills with offense and defense, full-court pressure, and beating full-court pressure
One team
At our school, we have two competent coaches that coach 7th grade basketball. Nobody else knows anything about basketball at this age. The "other" coach travels, and sent me an email two weeks ago "resigning" from coaching, because he travels Mon through Friday. I asked him to stick around and help me as an assistant, and I would run practices by myself during the week, and attempt to get a practice on Friday evening, which he was thrilled with.
Two teams
Major lack of coaching ability on 2nd team. Have spoken to all the parents for three or four years, and have had a couple "help" me during practice, and they are beyond clueless. I don't mean to speak badly of them, and we only have two, 1-hour practices a week, so we're not teaching at a very high level anyway, but these are guys that don't know the rules, don't know a zone defense from a man defense, etc.
One team
Two years ago I played my son, who had missed four days of school and was deathly ill, the entire game one game. I played another boy who arrived on crutches and had a broken ankle. We had 6 kids for the game with those two. I swore I would never be placed in that position again (one player was absent from our 7-team roster). I had two kids horribly out of shape to go more than about 2 minutes at a time, and they played almost the entire game. I had the kid with the broken ankle play "offense-only," and we played 4v5 on defense. Dumb stuff like that.
Two teams
With two teams, we play each other, which sometimes creates some ill will between classmates. On the other hand, sometimes you have to learn to be a good sport and tolerate winning or losing.
Personnel
Of the 12 players we have now, we have one player who is horrible, and does not want to be there. He misses about 50% of the practices. He, and his Dad, appear happy that he's just part of the team. Doesn't matter if he plays 3 minutes in a game, as long as he's part of the team, they are content.
I have two parents who have been pretty vociferous that they want the kids to play together, and win the league. Well, although I want to win, we don't do this so parents can win through their kids. They also don't want to be split up with their friends, and that one I "get."
I have one parent who has been pretty vociferous that he wants to see two teams "even if we have 6" players on a team.
All over the place.
My internal rule is, at 13 players, it is one team. At 15 players, it is two teams. At 14, we have a major decision to make, given the circumstances. At 14 with my assistant coach being available to coach, we probably have 2 teams.
Thoughts?
By the way, we've had 2 practices, and an overall 70.8% team attendance so far. Have had only 5 players make both practices, with 7 players making only 1 of the 2 practices. (I keep attendance, and use that in case a player/parent ever has an issue with playing time.)
I expect about 75-80% for the season at best. That gives you a picture into the level of commitment.
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Originally Posted by Lfbj00
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