Recreational basketball … like baseball, it’s the great American pastime.
Kids get an opportunity to play, have fun, and experience competition. On the surface, you would think your kid would have a great experience (100% of the time).
Often this is true, but there can be drawbacks. Below, I discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of recreational basketball.
Benefits:
- Kid obtains playing time (in competitive setting)
- Kid meets and engages with new team members, which then contributes to their growth and maturity
- Opportunity for families to rally around their kid on game days
Drawbacks:
- Oftentimes, the basketball coaches are volunteers, who have very little coaching experience
- Oftentimes, there’s no real skill development plan due to time limitations during practice, or incompetence
- Oftentimes, talent isn’t evenly distributed across all basketball teams thus making the experience not-so-great for players on lesser-skilled teams
Despite the drawbacks of recreational basketball, I still commend all those who volunteer. They’re on the front line trying to make a difference.
You, as a parent can minimize the drawbacks. This includes your kid participating on a recreational, AAU, middle school, or high school teams.
How?! Be sure your kid has a basketball skill development plan. This will give your kid the greatest probability for success (long term)!
