dfv87 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 We have this debate in our local youth sports groups each year, in that some want everybody plays, equally split teams and some want a tryout based team structure with stronger players together and weaker players together. Now while I have always been on the side of "all kids should play." But this year the level of improvement for our higher players is not as fast as surrounding teams that play A/B squads. Our top end players tend to develop bad habits and "prima dona" attitudes because they know a coach cannot take them out or at least not keep them out indefinately. That much is painfully obvious even to me (an equal team advocate) I spoke to a coach from a nearby town that runs A/B teams and he said it was a vast improvement in the level of play and the higher level kids were pushed to get better everyday. He also stated that the kids on the B team were able to take more time learning the basics and not being lost for half the practice while they did drills beyond their level of play. Now I understand that 99% of the kids in the program will never play beyond a HS team level but pushing higher level players and allowing novice players to learn at a more realistic speed will in turn make them better and they will enjoy the game more...in theory. Reality is kids will not make an A team and quit. Then there will not be enough kids for 2-3-4 teams and the whole program loses out on kids and kids don't play anything. (that is an argument) The nightmare for any HS coach is to see a 6'9" kids walking the halls between class and knowing he is not on your BBall team because he was a 3' tall pip squeak in elementary school and never got a chance to play. (Sub in prototypical body type of whatever sport you need to understand my point.) Argument made is that if a kid really wants to play and doesn't make an A team he/she needs to play B and get better. If the evaluation process is fair then it should be split that way. I guess I am leaning toward A/B split now, but was looking for any comments/insights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 It's true that you can't predict for certain which kids will be better when they grow up. If you have A/B that will give you more opportunituies for more kids. It will provide for more kids to feel important to their teams whether they're in the A or B Group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefjay Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 What kind of league do you guys play in? Do all of the teams have tryouts or are they equally matched? ie... travel versus house leagues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Agree with MV. A/b split allows both groups to more fully develop. The A squad develops faster as they play/practice against a higher level of competition for which they are ready for. The B squad plays/practices at their level to improve on the more basics and ideally as development for eventually making it to an A squad. Hopefully there is some opportunity for the B squad to get some practice with the A squad so as to have them "play up" to that level. Really the only way to really get better is to play against better competition in practice. I did this in high school by spending my summers and offseason in basketball playing with the local college team in pick up ball at the college campus and with the varsity players in high school when I was a freshman. I certainly wasn't at their caliber when I started out, but I got closer each time and it made me that much better when playing for my JV team as I was used to playing against a higher level of competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfv87 Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 at the younger ages it was almost necessary to have some stronger players on each team or it would look like a train wreck but as the kids are getting older it seems readily apparent we need to separate them by level. I think the kids will adapt quicker than some of the parents though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfv87 Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 It sounds like you need to educate the parents on how to deal with kids who are normal. They need to tell their kids that they should play for the fun of the game and not get so upset. That may be the key to the whole issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziachild007 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I think A/B is the best way to develop the players at that stage. What are the league rules on re-pooling? Maybe if teams re-pooled every 2-3 years the teams that had been improving on the B teams would have an opportunity to move up to the A team. Also if a B type player is stuck behind an A type player on a mixed team they will be losing touches/opportunities to the better player, there for stunting their advancement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perchoutofwater Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 We let the crappy kids pull down more intelligent kids in school, why not let the uncoordinated kids and kids that are their just for their parents pull down the talented ones. We're looking for equal outcomes right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perchoutofwater Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Do we really need to weigh down so many threads with political rhetoric? I felt that it was social commentary rather than political rhetoric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfv87 Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 I think A/B is the best way to develop the players at that stage. What are the league rules on re-pooling? Maybe if teams re-pooled every 2-3 years the teams that had been improving on the B teams would have an opportunity to move up to the A team. Also if a B type player is stuck behind an A type player on a mixed team they will be losing touches/opportunities to the better player, there for stunting their advancement. We are hoping to change to have an evaluation done before each season, I guess as a coach and board member I am most concerned that we still have a place for the kids that don't make an A team a place to play and thus get better. Maybe we cannot do both ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfv87 Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 It all comes back to the pissing and moaning from parents when little johnny or joanie doesn't measure up, and its the evaluations fault and they quit. Last year we were basically told as a board that kids would not play on a B team. I would hate to evaluate the kids and not have enough numbers to have a B team because kids quit. I know that sounds like we are letting the whiners win but in actuality they are winning. We are a small community and have just enough kids to have 2 teams, if a few quit then we are down to 1 and we are back to that wide range of skill levels on one team or some kids cannot play (which I am still against). I am leaning toward voting to call their bluff about quitting becasue we end up with the same scenario each way but having some kids quit playing becasue their parents are in denial about their abilities, which doesn't help the kids either. Small towns where we are all concerned with everybody feeling like they are a part of something... sometimes it stinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 (edited) I felt that it was social commentary rather than political rhetoric. my mistake. quoted the wrong post Edited March 26, 2009 by HowboutthemCowboys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Do we really need to weigh down so many threads with political rhetoric? Only until the Republicans move back in the White House. Then all will be right with the world. Well, Perch's world anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefjay Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 I think it still goes back to the league a bit. Will both teams be in the same league? Will the B team get run over every game they play or are there other B teams in the league? Sure kids get better by playing with better kids and against better competition but if the sacrifice is a B team that gets hammered each week then I'm not sure it makes sense. Sure it's a character builder but who likes to get smoked each time you play a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfv87 Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 The argument is the B team will play in a regular league we have been in for several years with both teams and the A team will play tourneys only. Traveling team would not be in any local stuff, another issue entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefjay Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 The argument is the B team will play in a regular league we have been in for several years with both teams and the A team will play tourneys only. Traveling team would not be in any local stuff, another issue entirely. How about an A/B team for league play only and then an A team for tournaments with a additional practices? Just a thought that I'm sure you've thought of already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 It all comes back to the pissing and moaning from parents when little johnny or joanie doesn't measure up, and its the evaluations fault and they quit. Last year we were basically told as a board that kids would not play on a B team. I would hate to evaluate the kids and not have enough numbers to have a B team because kids quit. I know that sounds like we are letting the whiners win but in actuality they are winning. We are a small community and have just enough kids to have 2 teams, if a few quit then we are down to 1 and we are back to that wide range of skill levels on one team or some kids cannot play (which I am still against). I am leaning toward voting to call their bluff about quitting becasue we end up with the same scenario each way but having some kids quit playing becasue their parents are in denial about their abilities, which doesn't help the kids either. Small towns where we are all concerned with everybody feeling like they are a part of something... sometimes it stinks. Coaching orphans would be the funnest job in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.