The County Press

THE PRESSBOX

Why don’t girls want to play basketball?



 

 

Lack of patience? Specialization in other sports such as volleyball and softball? Simple lack of interest? Loss of feeder programs?

All are still being blamed for the unending drop in participation in girls’ schoolbased high school basketball. Since high school girls’ basketball was forced to switch seasons with volleyball in 2007-08, girls’ basketball has seen a steady 12-year decline with far too many schools now unable to field a freshman or junior varsity program. With no feeder programs, kids simply opt to continue on with their fall and spring sports in their AAU programs. Coaches, school administrators and parents all have a different outlook on the problem and many still scoff at the notion that the season switch is to blame.

It’s pretty clear cut when schools consistently cannot field a freshman and junior varsity team and varsity squads, while viable, are getting blown out of the water with small squads of seven to 10 players. Where’s the development and fun in that?

In 2016, studies throughout the country showed that girls’ basketball hit an all-time low since records first were kept in 1991-92. It’s a disturbing trend that many just don’t want to talk about. Some rant that it’s the lazy kids with the me-me attitude, an unfair label to pin on every teenage girl in my opinion. Others continue to say that until the non-school based organizations, yes, AAU and others, are willing to take partial blame, there is no solution.

Pressure from coaches still remains as one of the root causes. We know that to be fact from the athletes themselves, their parents who want us to write sensational articles on the un-do pressure being put on their kids, and the statistics that I just regurgitated. Volleyball and softball coaches who continue to tell their girls that if they play any other sport, they are done, are not only adding to the problem, but are violating all kinds of Coaches Codes of Conduct. Is your daughter one of those told no basketball; period?

Fear of losing star players to injury is a valid concern. However, as state and national sports associations continue to try to sway the one-sport specialization toward a more health multi-sport model, they face resistance too numerous to mention in this column space.

So what’s the solution? Cooperation at a much younger age level. We’re losing players from sixth grade and beyond who will never even try to play basketball. We used to cover numerous basketball camps at various times of the year. Those have gone largely by the wayside. And, as I mentioned above, if there is no basketball offered at the junior high and freshmen level, schools have already lost those girls to other sports. They never get the chance to develop an interest or the skills necessary to play on a high school team, regardless of the level. That’s why they play softball, volleyball, lacrosse, tennis or run track. It’s not that kids don’t want to play basketball, the opportunity to do so is just not an option.

Is your school part of the solution, or the problem? We challenge every district to take a hard look at their sports offerings from the middle school level heading into high school. Be the change rather than turn a blind eye to the problem.