Basketball interest

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Basketball interest

Postby B-oldtimer » Mon Dec 02, 2013 3:51 pm

Is it just me but is the interest in class b basketball down from fan watching it to kids participating in the sport. I can still see certain schools still draw a lot of interest in basketball but not overall through a district or even region. I watched Grafton vs. Fourwinds game this Saturday and crowd appeared not that large for game of two quality programs like this. Fourwinds had nice following but gym was far from full. I know its early in the season but I thought it would draw larger crowd than it did.

I see it in a lot of the kids they are not that interested in basketball like they used to be. Back in my day it was all that school thought about who we were playing and how other teams were doing etc. Now just seem interest is there but not passionately and intense rivalries between schools are not there. Also the numbers out for basketball seems to be low at a lot of schools. I'd like to hear some opinions on this and what its going to take to improve interest in basketball again.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby jellybean » Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:09 pm

Well, it seems that the love for it isn't there as much anymore. If kids don't get that spot on the floor when they think they should, they are not willing to play or practice for the love of it. I have seen parents want to run the show, force their kids to try to love it, but yet, give them every excuse as to why they aren't playing. Then, you have parents who air their frustrations on facebook and make more trouble for their kids. I guess I blame a lot of 'less kids playing' due to the mistakes their parents are making in regards to claiming the coach is playing favorites, the name game, or something of that sort. There is a lot of that going around when lesser ability kids don't get the time. When you have all of that going on, there may be less kids going out. Sports are at a higher level now, kids are either working on their game a lot or not much at all. But, when you have kids who come together despite the lack of parent support, it is sure fun to watch them show adults how fun the game can be when they don't let those attitudes get to them.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby Hinsa » Thu Dec 05, 2013 2:41 pm

I blame much of the lack of interest on social media. Basketball games used to be a time to connect with friends. Now they are connected 24/7. And when they have spare time, instead of getting involved in a sport they sit a tweet and text and facebook their time away.

Part of it is also due to the proliferation of girls/womens sports. Before anyone accuses me of being sexist, I think women in sport and opportunities for girls was long overdue. But the fallout from that is there are many more events to attend. The days when the whole town got cranked up for a Friday night basketball game are over because there was already a game on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, wrestling on Tuesday or Thursday and all day Saturday, hockey games Friday and Saturday, etc.

Boys basketball ain't the only game in town anymore so it is just natural that it is not the craze that it once was.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby momofathletes » Thu Jan 09, 2014 3:14 pm

I agree with both of the above responses and would like to add another point. The popularity of video games among the younger population also plays a role in my opinion. It is easy to become good at a virtual sport on a Playstation/Xbox etc on your own schedule with no sweat,pain and little effort involved. Sadly,our society in general is not as active as it once was with the advances in technology. In addition, there are many more opportunites for younger (elementary age and even pre-K) kids to participate in sports than there were years ago, which can make parents busier as well. At one point, I had 3 athletes ages 9,13 and 15 competing in 4 different sports during the same fall season, not to mention winter/spring/and summer. Often their competitions would be on the same day in different towns. It was impossible even with an intact 2 parent family to get to all of their games but we split up to cover as much ground as possible. I am a sports nut, so I wouldn't say my interest in being a spectator or supporter was down, but just time available to be a spectator for anything other than my own kids' activities was more of a factor. Add full time jobs and running a household into the mix..you get the idea. You can only spread yourself so thin. One final note, as participation numbers dwindle, it leads to a growing number of sports co-ops. With that is the realization that no longer are your home games all played "at home". Considerable travel and additional time may now be involved to get to the" home" location which used to be across the street. Might make one think twice if they want to travel X amount of miles to go to a game when there has already been several that same week. Not saying it is right or wrong, it is just a reality and one that will only continue to get worse.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby gotgame43 » Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:37 pm

I agree on all of these...my opinion is kids are pretty spoiled these days and the game of basketball looks a lot like "work". I witness several kids at a game just this evening there with their parents and siblings were playing and the youngsters(elementary students) where playing their ipad..."IPAD". Seriously, they cant put that dumb thing down for an hour to watch a basketball "game" , which is the same thing they were playing a "game". I was dumbfounded. There is too much money in the world today. Its more pleasurable to be just handed things from adults than to fully enjoy the victory of a hard fought battle. People wont like this but I blame MOM and DAD.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby bsoldiergirl » Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:10 pm

gotgame43 wrote:I agree on all of these...my opinion is kids are pretty spoiled these days and the game of basketball looks a lot like "work". I witness several kids at a game just this evening there with their parents and siblings were playing and the youngsters(elementary students) where playing their ipad..."IPAD". Seriously, they cant put that dumb thing down for an hour to watch a basketball "game" , which is the same thing they were playing a "game". I was dumbfounded. There is too much money in the world today. Its more pleasurable to be just handed things from adults than to fully enjoy the victory of a hard fought battle. People wont like this but I blame MOM and DAD.


I totally agree with you gotgame, I too see several kids, even players from the pervious game, playing video games at a "real" basketball game. These children are losing out on the spirit of the game. Children can learn from watching a well played game. They will not only learn the skills needed to play the game, but they will learn more important skills like teamwork, sportsmanship, communication and how hard work pays off in whatever they do. I say, leave the electronics at the gym door and let your children experience the thrill of watching a "real" game!!
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby Sticks11 » Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:36 am

I definitely agree with pretty much everything that's been said. It seems like year after year the following and the interest goes down little by little. Even when I was in high school, which wasn't that long ago (early 2000's), it was much more of a community following. Not just basketball, though. It was for most: girl's bball, hockey, track, baseball, football, and wrestling. People came for a variety of reasons, but mostly just to show their support. Now it seems a lot of times, if someone doesn't have a brother, sister, or child involved directly with the sport, there's no reason to support it. One thing you see a lot of also, is when a team is decent, enjoying a lot of success, you'll get a lot more following and support. I don't like that. I know it's going to go up and down a little bit. However, I think the support should be there regardless. I think it's basically a culmination of everything that's been mentioned. I wish I knew it was going to change for the better. Unfortunately, I think it's probably just going to get worse.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby fandb » Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:38 am

All very good points. The weave of the fabric of our society has changed immensely. Remember the days when we had to call the kids in from outside? Now we have to kick them outside and arrange something for them to do. I wish we had the answer, kind of a slippery slope for the future.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby eagle101 » Fri Jan 10, 2014 1:09 pm

One thing you see a lot of also, is when a team is decent, enjoying a lot of success, you'll get a lot more following and support. I don't like that. I know it's going to go up and down a little bit. However, I think the support should be there regardless.

To be politically incorrect, I disagree with this statement from sticks. Will answer based on the average fan of high school athletics and activities.

Would you go to the school to hear a concert with students with below average singing abilities with a terrible overall concert performance?
Would you go show your support for the track athlete that runs the 100 in 16 seconds?
Would you go show your support for the basketball player that shows up for the first practice and hasn't touched a ball since losing the first round of districts?

The point made is people (fans) follow and want to be a part of successful programs. When students put the time, dedication, and effort in to being successful, you will have more success (wins) and more following (fans). From a person that does not have a student directly involved: How can I go and show support for a group of students who don't want to put anytime in themselves to be successful?

People such as myself will go see other teams play or students from different schools perform, because those students have set their mark of being dedicated and successful. You can even take this up to higher levels of play in the collegiate and pro ranks.

It is hard to have sympathy for the student who says we don't have the fan support, but is not wiling to put time or effort for their team to be successful. Get your buddies and yourself in the weight room. Grab your friend off the couch and go to the gym. Do that, and your level of play and chances of success has just increasesed greatly.

To get fan interest high and student involvement up, you need a dedicated coach who is willing to set up things up for the youth and get them excited for the sport. It all starts at the top!
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby Sticks11 » Fri Jan 10, 2014 2:10 pm

Lots of very good points made, Eagle101. I should have been a little more in depth with that statement. I know it's going to fluctuate some in correlation with the success of the program at that given time. I was meaning more that it shouldn't go up and down so much with a teams rank or success on paper. I whole-heartedly agree with what you're saying about showing support when people have put in the time and effort for the chance to be successful. I, too, have zero sympathy for the ones not willing to get themselves in a position to be successful. I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes the effort and the time will be put in, but that doesn't necessarily guarentee success. I think those kids and coaches should be supported even when maybe the record doesn't show the best of results.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby winner-within » Fri Jan 10, 2014 4:03 pm

I will stay on the topic but I will change it up a bit
1.so we think and agree that the interest in BBall has dwindled, along with the true numbers of boys in each school.
2. I believe the interest is the same but some kids (back in the day, and some today were/are forced, coursed and bribed to play for several different reasons.
3. I also believe its not going to change and that if a kid doesn't feel like playing, he wont....(I'm using he and boy because this is a boys Basketball thread)
4. I truly believe...if you dont like the sport...dont play it...and its been 75 years of boys playing Basketball that did not like basketball....and that kid may even be a starter on Varsity.....Its really easy to determine who likes the sport and who doesn't....unfortunately its after they are done with high school and they never pick up a ball again...true story
5. I also believe that this is the time in the States history to truly consolidate the school and dissolve the sports co-ops and get them all into one school....and offer them alternative sports.....The true consolidation is to improve Education opportunities and the sports will follow.....there should truly be tryouts in the sport of Basketball....then you would see them hustle....my 2 cents... :)
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby The Schwab » Fri Jan 10, 2014 4:14 pm

I agree with all of your points except the last one, Consolidation of schools is not the answer.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby winner-within » Fri Jan 10, 2014 5:59 pm

The Schwab wrote:I agree with all of your points except the last one, Consolidation of schools is not the answer.


Well we know for sure neither are sports co-ops....They are a Band-aid
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby B-oldtimer » Sat Jan 11, 2014 11:47 am

That's been you're solution to fix problem just consolidate schools and what that's accomplish but reduce the number schools and kids participating in sports. I look at large class A schools where they enrollments are from 500 to 3000 kids and have maybe at best 50 kids participating in basketball. yes you have better quality of basketball but intentions of school activities was to get high percentage of students involved in sports. What you have only very elite and kids with resources by parents to develop these kids playing there sport participating. Look back at Class b when it had its most interest was when you had all these small schools where it took nearly 100% participation by student body to compete people were interested in the sport state wide. There's two philosophies I see out here one is that people like winner=within want just elite group of kids participating that provide colleges with some recruits, The second one like me is that we want system that maximizes number kids participating and lets kids start at same point when season begins. I am a lot older than you back in my day there was no traveling teams, open gyms with coaching, or much of summer camps. There was only the kids playing and having fun on their own. The beauty of it was we had large number of teams and teams improved through season and nobody new how tournament would turn out because some teams really got better as season went along. Kids felt they had a chance and fans stayed interested because they also had a chance. Yes maybe not best basketball but it was fun and people were interested in it. The way were heading now we may have better basketball but we don't have participation, fan interest, and just fun of watching basketball where these unknown teams came upset some favorites along the way. I can remember how larger schools hated this they thought it was so unfair that some small school came upset the apple cart. Through time these larger schools have made changes to enhance resources they had and eliminate some of this upset potential. Response by smaller schools was coops to compete until we have nearly killed golden goose of what people liked. Were like class A was 30 years ago being pretty predicable of who gets to State. We didn't realize that system we had then was what made it popular and what help keep participation up.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby winner-within » Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:00 pm

I think we've compared age before and I was older than you are...cant remember for sure but I know your not that much older than me.....your philosophy of winner-within (me) is that I compare to the ones who want elite is way off....
Its like this....we cant bring back the Nostalgicness of Class B that your referring to WHY? because of 2 really simple points....

1. everybody from rural ND moved to FARGO and BISMARCK and GRAND FORKS and MINOT to find jobs not to mention Minneapolis and other big city's....
2. a big family is 3 kids

the teams and towns and players you are talking about might have had 3 starters that were all brothers or first cousins (I know ares did) ....I dont see wrong with travel and open gyms (even though you'd have to be Obama to get into our local gyms)....Northwood ND got a new school because of a Tornado.....you talk to anyone down there, now that it is built and they will tell you, If they would have to vote today for a new school without what happen now that they know what they know about a new facility they would vote yes.............

Its simply time old rundown schools get closed and a central new one gets built and sports co-ops dissolve.....period...has nothing to do with Basketball or Football or being like Class A (700 kids in one grade, not 400 in the whole school) it has everything to do with revolution..and whats best for Education in ND

and remember...."back when" the cell phone in the hand was a Pack of Cigarettes and the Gatorade and water bottles were a can of beer....Young minds need something to do....Dont call down the kids of today....we created them....and we weren't anything special compared to them...
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby Shawn » Sun Jan 12, 2014 10:50 pm

Great topic. A couple of other viewpoints.

1. Academic rigor for kids now is at an all-time high. It will only get harder as the common core is getting ready to be implemented. The classes we took in high school back in the day compared to now are not even close. There is an increased stress level for kids today.

2. NBA is a joke, full of corrupt officials that have dictated the outcome of games, full of big, muscular athletes that can't make 50% of their free throws. A few decades ago we grew up watching Jordan, Bird, Magic etc.... We couldn't wait to get out a bb and get a game of hoops going. Not sure the kids get that same type of exposure. Heck, Lebron is the top BB player in the game and majority of the time if you turn on ESPN all you hear are people bashing him. Crazy, here is your top money maker/face of the NBA and you hear him bashed all the time. You didn't hear that back in the day. It seemed like everyone spent their time positively marketing the sport. Not the same today IMHO.

3. No cheerleaders anymore. Yes, I said it. Those once referred to as "annoying" parts of the game are missed. No longer do you hear the organized cheers, but instead the only thing you hear all negative complaints towards officials to even fans yelling at their own players. The officials part has always been part of the game, you just didn't hear it as much because of cheerleaders. I would be interested to see the results of a poll on how many athletes really don't like some of their own fans due to how they are treated by them.

4. Co-ops. A needed thing today to keep the sport alive, but has killed the rivalries and has increased stress level for kids (traveling umpteen extra hours a season on a bus just for practice instead of spending time actually practicing. Now you want me to come in during my limited free time and practice some more??).

5. GBB and BBB seasons at the same time. No longer do kids have weekends off. A Saturday game years ago was very rare. Maybe in a tournament you would play on a Saturday. Also, with the seasons being at the same time, you have a dwindled fan base. Admit it, we sure enjoyed it when the girls came to watch our games. I'm sure they enjoyed it when we came to watch their games. Hard for kids to do that now days.

6. GBB and BBB seasons are at the same time. This has resulted in schools having to find another coach, which has led to non-educator/parent coaches. Some work out great, but would be safe to say majority do not. Not always due to poor coaching ability, but due to if you didn't play my kid as much as I though he should be playing, then I will no longer do business with you. Now it becomes a personnel livelihood issue. Teachers were protected from that aspect.

So, I have to defend kids just a bit. It is a different world than the days when we went to school. Does it appear we have more kids not doing anything when it comes to sports today than compared to before. I think all schools run into that. Sure seems like the common thing you hear when this happens is the playstation/xbox reason. I have to believe that is indeed partially true. I also believe that the are many more factors involved than what we had to deal with though. Many factors that we can't change. Great previous discussions by everyone.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby ndlionsfan » Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:46 am

All very good points and all very true as well. I'd add one more thing in addition to co-ops killing rivalries. It used to be your biggest rival was 30 miles away so everyone from both sides travelled to those games. now most of these are on the same team. New rivalries have been born, but now they are 100 miles away and the average fan does not always make that trip, especially with the two seasons together and they have already travelled to other "home" games that same week. Then add in social media and kids are "friends" with almost everyone within a 100 mile radius so you don't have that hatred for the other team. Not that that is a bad thing, but for a rivalry and intensity it hurts. Travelling teams and summer leagues have also hurt this. Now a lot of the top players in a region play as teammates in some way or another throughout the year. It's hard to go from working together as teammates to being bitter rivals in the flip of a switch.

now while a lot of things have changed back from our days of high school (whenever that might have been) and we think it's all bad and there is no hope, just remember things change and evolve all the time. Just because it's not the same doesn't mean that its any worse. I think Winner brought up a good point. Every generation is going to have something that the previous generation thinks is bringing them down (beer/cigs, video games, cell phones, etc.) That's just how it goes. Ten years from now we'll be talking about something completely different that's keeping kids from the game.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby winner-within » Mon Jan 13, 2014 12:46 pm

Shawn wrote:Great topic. A couple of other viewpoints.

1. Academic rigor for kids now is at an all-time high. It will only get harder as the common core is getting ready to be implemented. The classes we took in high school back in the day compared to now are not even close. There is an increased stress level for kids today.

2. NBA is a joke, full of corrupt officials that have dictated the outcome of games, full of big, muscular athletes that can't make 50% of their free throws. A few decades ago we grew up watching Jordan, Bird, Magic etc.... We couldn't wait to get out a bb and get a game of hoops going. Not sure the kids get that same type of exposure. Heck, Lebron is the top BB player in the game and majority of the time if you turn on ESPN all you hear are people bashing him. Crazy, here is your top money maker/face of the NBA and you hear him bashed all the time. You didn't hear that back in the day. It seemed like everyone spent their time positively marketing the sport. Not the same today IMHO.

3. No cheerleaders anymore. Yes, I said it. Those once referred to as "annoying" parts of the game are missed. No longer do you hear the organized cheers, but instead the only thing you hear all negative complaints towards officials to even fans yelling at their own players. The officials part has always been part of the game, you just didn't hear it as much because of cheerleaders. I would be interested to see the results of a poll on how many athletes really don't like some of their own fans due to how they are treated by them.

4. Co-ops. A needed thing today to keep the sport alive, but has killed the rivalries and has increased stress level for kids (traveling umpteen extra hours a season on a bus just for practice instead of spending time actually practicing. Now you want me to come in during my limited free time and practice some more??).

5. GBB and BBB seasons at the same time. No longer do kids have weekends off. A Saturday game years ago was very rare. Maybe in a tournament you would play on a Saturday. Also, with the seasons being at the same time, you have a dwindled fan base. Admit it, we sure enjoyed it when the girls came to watch our games. I'm sure they enjoyed it when we came to watch their games. Hard for kids to do that now days.

6. GBB and BBB seasons are at the same time. This has resulted in schools having to find another coach, which has led to non-educator/parent coaches. Some work out great, but would be safe to say majority do not. Not always due to poor coaching ability, but due to if you didn't play my kid as much as I though he should be playing, then I will no longer do business with you. Now it becomes a personnel livelihood issue. Teachers were protected from that aspect.


So, I have to defend kids just a bit. It is a different world than the days when we went to school. Does it appear we have more kids not doing anything when it comes to sports today than compared to before. I think all schools run into that. Sure seems like the common thing you hear when this happens is the playstation/xbox reason. I have to believe that is indeed partially true. I also believe that the are many more factors involved than what we had to deal with though. Many factors that we can't change. Great previous discussions by everyone.



Totally disagree with #2 post red.....The NBA is a better brand of ball now....if you watch it close it resemble College way more than it ever did with the new rules and stipulations....dont listen to espn for anything....watch the sports you like and learn the rules and the new rules and follow what the commissioners are doing if its Pro
I agree for the most part with 5 and 6 although I like VB in the fall and putting Girls before Boys in the BB season (which we are going back to along with the super region will hammer out alot of what your pointing out IMO....good post.. :)
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby ndlionsfan » Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:13 pm

I agree with #2 on his list. While the NBA is growing globally which is great, I think the basketball is down from 20 years ago. Players are way more athletic and stronger, but are used to dominating every level of play by getting to the rim that the shooting is just atrocious. I do like watching Golden State play along with some other teams such as the Heat, Pacers, Spurs, and Nuggets seem to play pretty decent "small" ball or have a good inside out game like the Pacers. I will say that the one on one mentality from about 10 years ago has evolved to more of a team play the last few years and that has me watching more. But I hate to watch Dwight Howard on offense or shoot free throws, its just ugly if he's any more than 5 feet from the basket. My favorite quote of all time came from Charles Barkley a couple years ago...."You put De'Andre Jordan in a gym overnight and tell him he can't dunk, when you come back in the morning he'll have 6 points"
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby The Schwab » Mon Jan 13, 2014 3:08 pm

I don't want to turn this into an NBA discussion, but the NBA could be cleaned up really quickly and basketball would be a lot better if they gave quicker "T's" for whining and crying and gave at least 2 game suspensions for flopping. That would also trickle down and clean up how kids view athletes and try to mimic their actions.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby winner-within » Mon Jan 13, 2014 4:02 pm

Pro sports is a Monster in itself stemming down to the Business side of things....understanding any Pro sport, I feel you have to understand the Money side of it....then go from there.

I wont dwell on the what era was a better thing and what one wasn't......The Ball needs to be shared, even in the NBA, and I think the true superstars of today (mainly LeBron, Durant, Paul) do that better than yesterday, playing more like the days of Bird, Magic, West, Havlacheck ...vs Kobe, Jordan, Barkley...
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby classB4ever » Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:54 am

Many good points brought up and am sure it's a combination of all of them which makes it feel like interest is lacking.
Addressing game attendance and crowd interaction: For many districts/regions across the state, there can be a large discrepancy from the top 3-4 teams to the bottom 3-4. Many games are being decided in the first and second quarter. It generally drains the energy from the crowd early. I have to give props to all players that I have watched, as they continue to play hard, whether they are ahead or behind in these situations. Would be easy to give less then 100% Have noticed during numerous games, you can literally "hear a pin drop" during non-play. Fans have a pretty good idea of which games will be lopsided. This splits the fan base who follow both boys and girls. Have heard many times, "Girl's game is going to be a blow out, so will go watch the boy's tomorrow night instead," or vice-versa.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby bsoldiergirl » Wed Jan 15, 2014 5:12 pm

It would be nice if games could be played like they were when my mom was in school. (57 years ago) Back then, the boys (A squad) and the girls (A squad) basketball teams played on the same night. Granted, they didn't have an A, B, or C squad back then, they just had one team for boys and one for girls. This would be an excellent way to get fans of girls and boys basketball together so they wouldn't have to choose which game to go to and be able to cheer for both teams. This might help boost attendance and spark more interest. There would have to be a separate game day for B & C squad games.

Just some food for thought........ :idea:
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby Run4Fun2009 » Wed Jan 15, 2014 5:33 pm

bsoldiergirl wrote:It would be nice if games could be played like they were when my mom was in school. (57 years ago) Back then, the boys (A squad) and the girls (A squad) basketball teams played on the same night. Granted, they didn't have an A, B, or C squad back then, they just had one team for boys and one for girls. This would be an excellent way to get fans of girls and boys basketball together so they wouldn't have to choose which game to go to and be able to cheer for both teams. This might help boost attendance and spark more interest. There would have to be a separate game day for B & C squad games.

Just some food for thought........ :idea:


A LOT of schools do doubleheaders now..during the week and/or on Saturdays. In a perfect world, your idea of B & C games on different days would work...but there isn't enough gym space in Class B to do that successfully.
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Re: Basketball interest

Postby B-oldtimer » Thu Jan 16, 2014 4:05 am

I wish they would start boys and girls seasons together earlier and they also should extend season another week or two this would give additional two to four weeks for games I think this would mean less games per week for schools. then if schools could do some double games of boys and girls on Saturday or even early Friday beginning it would cut down on number of road trips and mileage for both kids and parents. Minnesota has longer season and what I can see is they have less games per week for each of the schools. The way it is now kids leave school a lot of time where they nearly miss half a day of school not only they miss school but in smaller schools it has effect on the other kids where when teams are traveling there's not enough kids carry on normal class schedule. I think this would help kids , the schools, parents and even fans by relieving pressure to get so many games in such a short season. Its not like the spring sports seasons would be effected that much especially in North Dakota its usually middle of April to end of April before these sports crank up because of North Dakota weather. The basketball season for games with tournaments included all way to state is about 14 weeks but you also have Christmas break where loose about 10 days in the season. This year for most schools they have about 9 weeks to schedule 16 regular season games and 3 tournament games for total of 19 games in about 9 weeks of play. Which figures out to be little over 2 games a week for either girls or boys or if you combine this its 4 games a week for both boys and girls basketball. Add few reschedules like this year and we may have 5 or 6 games for both boys and girls. By starting and ending season earlier and later it would give month extra to schedule games where we have instead of over 2 games a week for boys and 2 for girls we would have little less than 3 games combined for boy and girls basketball a week. Then if schools would add some Friday or Saturday double headers there could be some weeks with only a game week for each for girls and boys. This would lessen travel and time spent each week allowing for more time at home and in school maybe making more fun for kids not such a grind to get a season in.
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