Until the stake holding clubs can agree on a course of action that will make basketball an accessible and competitive sport to play most kids will drift to sports where the incentives to play are greater.
Any number of sports make juniors their priority and make the cost as easy to bear, as possible, for the parents.
The standard of coaching, the cost of entry for players and spectators, the ridiculous cost in fees especialy in silly season,the vast distance between venues and times they play, the bullshit about costs when there is no move to rationalise games played in less arenas and more central ones plus the dominance of a few clubs whih lessens competition. District Clubs with 50 or so teams unable to provide coaches for them all adds to the mess that SA basketball finds itself in.
Football in this state and in all other states in every code zones to prevent the biger , money stron clubs from taking any juniors they fancy. Basketball doesnt because it lacks the appendages to make decisions that long term will enhance competition.
More unpopular would be the sensible move to reduce clubs and rather than say it cant be done, find incentives to make it happen. With thousands more kids playing football than basketball there are less district football teams to choose from than basketball district teams. The SANFL reduced teams to strengthen it at grass roots.
Its ridiculus to have district basketball going to div 5 and immediate action is needed to create a sub district comp where a pro/rel could exist for pathways to div 1.
SASI should field teams in the 16/18 age groups in the district comp if playing against the best makes you better and all the gripes certain clubs have about only having one div 1 with their depth would be tested. The SASI teams could be player rotated and the number from individual clubs capped at 2 or 3.
Summer season should be scraped and the winter season extended.
A hot weather policy written by some on who speaks english and more importantly, understands it, should be in operation yesterday. Over 38 at 6pm, all games cancelled which may prompt BSA to install air cons in all stadiums. Where the hell is the money going now that we don't prop p the 6ers?
The clubs all cry poor yet their revenue has gone up.
Im for pro/rel, Im for zones and I believe teams that face no weekly competition should be able to compete in the next age group up but until we fall competely off the list of popularity of sports nothing will happen.
