What is the weakest District?

[Irish]

Any thoughts what district is the weakest? I believe it is District 9. Standing Rock, Shiloh, New Salem, Grant County, Flasher, Center-Stanton, and Solen. Can't see any of these except Standing even competing with and teams from any other district. Anyone know why it is so weak?

[ndsportsfan14]

id say the LaMoure dis.

[bigpoppakdog]

Yes, that district with n.s. shiloh etc..has been weak for years. NS had the top squad for 3 years running, but even still, the region and district has been weak for some time.

[hoopsfan21]

I have to say that girls basketball in the state as a whole is weak. There is a handful of really good quality teams in the state, handful that are pretty decent, and whole ton of very weak teams.

[NDSportsFan]

When comparing them to other states with bigger schools and more population perhaps. Even if they aren't world class talents, I'm glad that even some of those "weak" teams players are getting a chance to represent their towns and enjoy the thrill of competition.

I still don't understand the point of this topic. Does calling some district weak make another district look better? If so, that seems a little petty to me.

[oneshot]

District 10 is very weak...Underwood is probably the favorite, but pretty much wide open...As a whole, districts 9 and 10 (region 5) have no dominant team...I would say Standing Rock has the edge.

[COACHWEST]

We are now seeing the full effect of the change of seasons. Moving volleyball to the fall has taken a big toll on Girls Basketball. Participation in GBB is way down (girls are "worn out"--mentally I think) and the commitment to the game is not there-especially in the summer when it matters most IMO. GBB in North Dakota is down, but it is still competition for those involved, just not the same level.

[Irish]

We are now seeing the full effect of the change of seasons. Moving volleyball to the fall has taken a big toll on Girls Basketball. Participation in GBB is way down (girls are "worn out"--mentally I think) and the commitment to the game is not there-especially in the summer when it matters most IMO. GBB in North Dakota is down, but it is still competition for those involved, just not the same level.

This is what I was waiting for. The switch of seasons in North Dakota has been taking a toll on girls basketball. Girls are not going out anymore. When basketball starts in the fall, girls don't want to put the time in anymore. Districts with alot of smaller schools are effected the most. Alot are weak to begin with and with the numbers getting lower, they just get weaker...

[ndlionsfan]

It is true...I agree. The switch of the seasons has hurt GBB, but the state really had no choice but to switch seasons. If the seasons were what they used to be, do you think VB would be down? I think this is just a trend that will reverse itself as time goes by. GBB numbers will rebound.

[Eminence]

Get a grip. Girls are "worn out mentally"!!!!! If girls are not going out it has nothing to do with the change of seasons or the fact that they are playing Volleyball first. It is more likely that their is a problem with the program. Most Class B schools are rural communities which harvest and people are very busy in the fall. Winter would allow more time for parents and their kids.

[luvmy3gbb1wr]

Get a grip. Girls are "worn out mentally"!!!!! If girls are not going out it has nothing to do with the change of seasons or the fact that they are playing Volleyball first. It is more likely that their is a problem with the program. Most Class B schools are rural communities which harvest and people are very busy in the fall. Winter would allow more time for parents and their kids.

agree, that's the reason at our school..........it's not that anything but that...........girls tend to view things as fair or unfair.......when something is unfair, they just don't go out......boys will often put up with more because the team is winning, etc......but I think our school has reached the point where even the boys have had it......numbers have dropped in both GBB & BBB

[rock83]

The switch of seasons has not helped. Kids dont know how to work anymore. They are more concerned with what basketball video game they want to play instead of actually working on their game. Then they expect the same success. Also they are never told no at home anymore. So when they come to basketball practice and actually have to listen and work it comes as a shock. Basketball teams are bad because it isnt a priority to them. You cant have success without effort.

[COACHWEST]

I guess there are a lot of highly successful programs that need to make a change then because numbers are down across the board, even at schools that are still powerhouses. If its just a problem with the program, why are most all of the programs in the same shape. Seems to me to be more of an issue of the active lifestyles of kids. There are so many "things to do", that playing basketball in the summer as a fun thing to do is pretty much gone. C squads are pretty much gone. Many schools (not eastern ND probably) even struggle to field a Bsquad. When I say mentally tired, I mean kids just don't want to play another sport (BB) right after finishing up with VB. I know people will say that VB used to follow BB but the physical demands are not the same, not said disrespecting vb just going with what I have heard girls say.

My point is -- the quality of GBB has dropped since the change of seasons due to many factors. The biggest to me is the short and disconnected JH season and a lack of fundamentals at an early age for athletes.
People are so busy, they are getting tired!

[Baller]

Even the numbers in the Class A programs are down. Shanley doesn't have a C squad. South only has 8 on their c squad. I do think that it deals with the physical demands. Also Volleyball participation is #1 in the nation for girls so I don't think that the number fall would be quite as extreme.

[mplsfan]

I think part of the reason that participation numbers are down is that it's not good enough anymore to just participate for the fun of it during the season. Kids are expected to COMMIT year long to developing and often specializing to a single sport. Those that are unwilling or unable to do this don't have a place in the program anymore. Doesn't mean they are bad kids, doesn't mean they are lazy or unwilling to work hard. It may just mean that their lives and interests consist of more than just basketball or volleyball or whatever. It use to be that in a small town the only thing there was was basketball and everyone played. As we have become a more mobil society kids aren't as constrained to limited small town offerings. Trip to larger cities for dance or music lessons or whatever they choose are very assessable now. Things change, and that's not all bad. I enjoy sports but not for a minute to I think that all kids are cut out to be athletes. There are lot of other worthy interests to pursue as well.

[rock83]

Kids dont need to commit. Just get off the couch once in awhile. At some point in their life they are going to have to work and commit to something. Its going to be called a job. Or will they have just better things to do and so many other choices.

[mplsfan]

Kids dont need to commit. Just get off the couch once in awhile. At some point in their life they are going to have to work and commit to something. Its going to be called a job. Or will they have just better things to do and so many other choices.

Wow, what a negitive tone. Seems as if the kids you are in contact with are a bunch of really lazy ones. I am a teacher and the kids that I work with run themselves ragged trying to do everything. To much at times. Look a little harder, there are a lot of empty couches out there.

[vballfan06]

I disagree with excuse about it taking up too much summer time. Almost every competitive volleyball program in the state has a JO program and goes to summer team camps as well.
I think the real issue here is that to girls, volleyball is more fun. I think this is for a couple reasons 1) it seems more like a true team sport. Almost everyone speicalizes and has a role they must play out. The best hitter needs a great setter and a great passer to really shine. In basketball, if I have a 6ft great athlete, she can handle the ball and go one-on-one several times a night. 2) Parents don't really understand the game of volleyball. This allows the girls (for the most part) to enjoy the game, play it, and listen to their coach without hearing X's and O's at home every night. Additionally, not as many parents gripe about the kid who winds up with 20 kills a night, the way they gripe about the kid who scores 20 points in a basketball game (she's automatically tagged as a ballhog). This again, allows it to feel more like a team sport. and 3) Volleyball is unique because the game allows for alot of downtime between points, and is really based alot on momentum and celebration. What game can you play, that if you score--your whole team huddles and gets excited? That makes for a lot of fun for the kids. You see alot of smiles on the floor in volleyball compared to basketball.

[Deuce]

I think they like it more because there's not as much physical strain on the body. I mean you don't need to do the conditioning in volleyball that you do in basketball because the most you move is probably 10 ft.

[rock83]

The reason some kids like volleyball more than basketball is that it is easier. Physically it is not as demanding as basketball. There are hard working kids out there, I am not saying that. But the reason basketball play has went down is because they are not working on their skills like they should. I talk to alot of basketball coaches and i would like to see if we could find many varsity basketball coach to say basketball play is better and the girls are harder workers. You wont find many.