Mr Obrserver, the more I see... I like from you Sir.

What about emnpowering the relevant BASA committee?

My mail is that after too much longer the President Group will supersceed the other two groups...constitutional reform

You stated,

"I think people are overlooking the incompetence of the majority of the clubs in this state to fully equipe their players with the tools neccessary to be able to play at a higher level."

I don't understand the above comment.

The NBL has a very high number of SA born and raised players. Some of the best ever Australian born players have been from SA.

Most of the time the difference between playing at the elite level is god-given (ie being a 6'7" guard instead of a 6'0" one, etc) that cannot be coached.

If you look at our history, arguments could be made that we are up there in the top 2 with Victoria in terms of the best state at developing players both male and female.

Poor results in one particular year in one particular age group is not really overwhelming evidence of state failure.

Over the past 20 years SA has produced some decent international level players such as Smyth, Bradtke, McKay, Ninnis, Maher, Rogers, Wheeler, Holmes, Schenscher, Newley, etc.

If the NBL had instituted a State of Origin that was played annually, SA would always have been competitive year in and year out from the time the NBL was introduced.

Just like I refuse to give Lebron James high school coach all the credit for James' development, I don't believe each and every one of our top junior coaches can be criticised because every player they coach cannot play elite level bball.

Stephon,

Yes and no. The concept we are trying to discuss here, might be are we maximising our players abilities compared to other states. What level of compeititon and club understanding will maximise lpayer development.

Do we as a state give the opportunity (both comeptition and coaching) to all potential players from all clubs. Is the cost of the sport ihibitive to all the NBL potential players. Some would say yes. Do coaches have a grasp of what is necessary for each individual at U/14 Div 1 level for them to be a NBL player. Some could argue no.

And finally, what is actually right and wrong. Melbourne Tigers play only zone defence in junior grades and they produced Andrew Gaze. So is zone a good thing. Some think that the use of m-2-m defence at younger ages is vital to the development if international players. This is the argument that can't be won by either side.

But what we can do, is to make sure that the people who ,ake the decisions about how to go about moving forward are those that have had the relative international/national/state/club expertise to make those decisions and then to trust their better judgment.

Yeah but how do we compare the average U/14 team here to the average U/14 in Victoria.

It is a damn hard task and we end up talking about results at National competitions where we are again talking about individuals.

Similarly the ability of a junior to step up to National level also comes down to not only the individual but the level of competition. Some years the level of competition is amazing and others is weak. Look at the McDonalds High School game or the NBA draft as examples.

Lauren Jackson's school team won the National Year 12 School's Comp when she was in year 8 but this says nothing about the level of play in her state. All the result shows is that the girl was a freak.

Once again, if you think your child or your team is getting bad coaching, and you would prefer your kid playing point instead of being stuck in the post at centre then maybe it is time to switch clubs or switch coaches.

I am not disagreeing with any of the principles you have mentioned but it is an over generalisation to condemn the state of South Australian basketball.

I couldn't agree with you more about children not being given the chance to play multiple positions, etc but this is a reality of the fact that not every team is going to have Phil Jackson or Larry Brown coaching them.

While I agree with you 100% that the tall kid shouldn't be stuck in the post the whole game I bet there are many others who would cringe and want the coach sacked if they saw their child's team's centre playing PG. I agree about the lack of foresight but that is a practical reality.

If you want my opinion as to a big problem with junior bball in SA at the moment it is that a large number of the best players in juniors either burn out or give up bball for good. Apart from guys like Brett Maher and potentially Luke Schensher which Adelaide raised junior can you point at and say they have made some serious cash from bball?

It is not like in some European countries where their juniors train as hard as our swimmers getting up to shoot from 5:30am until school starts but odds are if they are good they will find cash by playing somewhere in Europe if not the NBA.

The tallest kid in juniors (say U16 down), no matter how good he is, is generally gonna play in the centre or at the 4 spot, unless he's been specifically earmarked by coaches for that future role as a starting PG of the ABL side.

The REAL problem we have in SA is that we don't have big enough kids to share around in the lower levels - so you get the 'shooters' who grow to 6' in U14s playing centre and being the third biggest player in the league then dont grow another inch and play out the rest of their career trying to learn how to play new positions....self-biography and bitter memories all wrapped in one. Ain't basketball grand?

Observer.... Were you at the wrath of the Cap Mummies last year????

Libertine,

If that is the thinking at your club I feel sorry for the players. I know that my involvment in my club, as far back as U/12 level we take into consideration a players parents height, the level of their phyisical maturity, make sure that an even number of bottom age players are in the 1-2 squad and even make allowances for junior world championship age players.

If clubs are uninformed about these issues, it can hardly be the State program which is too blame for the level of performance. But more importantly they can hardly expect players not to move clubs for better coaching.

Big Airstotle!!!

Who is your Club??? Cause that would be a first that the Coaching Staff can see the big picture of where a player needs to play and can implement this without just worrying about their own (the Coaches) results for that year.

Jo

Our results speak for themselves over the past couple of years.

Have a guess.

Big A, my club does that kind of thing, it's just that some of the coaches that are volunteers don't have much idea bout thse kinds of things!

That is the job of the JCD not the individual coaches. The JCD needs to make sure that the coaches understand these issues, or they are not doing their job.

Der.

Why the fascination with Greek mythology?

No still can't guess!!! Hints

Jo - two guesses :P