How important is basketball?

[GaryTaylor]

I will say that pick up games or play ground games are absolutely a blast socially. Way more fun that a competitive team game. And what father worth his spit has not played a good ole game of horse with his children?

“From in the tree, over the house, off dads car, top of the backboard nothing but net.” Was a common sentence in my neighborhood.

Thats how its all starts. After work during the summer we would shoot around or throw the football at the park. It never ended after that, no turning back.

You know back in the day we had the Church CYO and it really was a blessing. Lots of extra time at the Church. There’s just not that kind of funding now, or in general for city recreation funding. But for me it was an escape from the peer pressure. It really paid off later on in college as its very easy for players to get the wrong impression when the coaches really pushed you, or they would get involved with all the nonsense that accompanies the carnival and you lose focus. You think they are messing with you and taking it easy with the other guys. Then it dawns on you that its because they “really” care. Thats why my son eventually walked away from football. That part he couldn’t get. He thought he was being “disrespected” But the HS has 19 state championships he attended. I think thats when he decide for sure, he didn’t want to be like me. Which is what I was “attempting” to explain from the get-go, which I never expected from him. He said he wanted to concentrate on basketball. Really, he wanted to get away from the Marine who is the head coach. He appealed to Mom and she won that one. She didn’t like seeing him get hit. Hey, I didn’t either, but thats how its goes out there.

That part is still an issue out here, parents-coaches, and many of the kids today really don’t have a solid family situation, so its a matter of really being their parent. If the kids know you care about them, they’ll go the extra mile.

 

[Zzyzx_Road]

while I was good at organized sports through the high school level, the most fun was always informal pickup ball on the playground or in the gym from childhood well into adulthood. Not only social, but ultra competitive, trash talking, rough play, then get together afterwards like nothing happened. Best memories of my childhood and adolescence. I had a good time with organized sports, but then I had some talent to actually participate in them and there was status associated with that. But it wasn’t the same, just too organized most of the time. So I wonder about the kids of this generation, they play year round in organized environments, I think they lose some sense of fun from that.

 

[pianistclare]

while I was good at organized sports through the high school level, the most fun was always informal pickup ball on the playground or in the gym from childhood well into adulthood. Not only social, but ultra competitive, trash talking, rough play, then get together afterwards like nothing happened. Best memories of my childhood and adolescence. I had a good time with organized sports, but then I had some talent to actually participate in them and there was status associated with that. But it wasn’t the same, just too organized most of the time. So I wonder about the kids of this generation, they play year round in organized environments, I think they lose some sense of fun from that.

Yes. Once it becomes a job of sorts…and you are only doing for your folks’ sake…it’s time to re-think.

 

[Captain_America]

while I was good at organized sports through the high school level, the most fun was always informal pickup ball on the playground or in the gym from childhood well into adulthood. Not only social, but ultra competitive, trash talking, rough play, then get together afterwards like nothing happened. Best memories of my childhood and adolescence. I had a good time with organized sports, but then I had some talent to actually participate in them and there was status associated with that. But it wasn’t the same, just too organized most of the time. So I wonder about the kids of this generation, they play year round in organized environments, I think they lose some sense of fun from that.

An interesting comment and it reminds me of a great GREAT movie I saw on hulu, about learning hockey, called “Pond Hockey.” You know, the informal stuff out of a pond, where you play as long as you can.

 

[Rhubarb]

If he practices and gets good, it could be a college scholarship when it’s time. But then he’s going to be tied into the college athletics department and owe them his time on campus to pay the bills.

Socially, I wouldn’t worry about it. I turned down the head football coach in high school, also skipped golf and rugby (though that wasn’t a sport organized by the district) for drama club and the chess team and I was runner-up for homecoming king. Though, I kinda wished that I had done the sports now - working through school is hard.

I liked the response about if he likes it - if it’s something there’s passion for, go for it. If not it might be better to find out what he does have a passion for.

 

[StrawberryJam]

I played sports in high school and college, and enjoyed it all. It didn’t do much for me socially, as far as I can tell, but it was good recreation. However, I didn’t play basketball or football.

I’ve got a son destined to be a great size for bball. He’s moderately interested and in sixth grade. How important is basketball?

I can see how All the Kids in High School are supposed to look up to basketball and football players and that there’s all this folderol and school pride rah-rah business. I suppose the social benefits are a big incentive, from a parent’s perspective.

BUT to get him to this point, it looks like a good-sized investment of time and money.

What’s your thoughts here?

It is as important as his passion is.
Is he achieving in his academics?
I’m not sure this was mentioned in any of the posts.
How are his grades?
If he has excellent grades overall or even in one category, I would explore options that will lead to a future that can lead to a job that will pay the bills.
If he has grades that are average, then I would start investing in sports.
Our country will spend spend and spend even more on such things.

 

[Cat]

Here’s the inspiring story of Fred van Vleet, a young man from our city that we are all so proud of:

articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-03-20/sports/ct-fred-vanvleet-rockford-spt-0321-20140321_1_wichita-state-fred-vanvleet-fred-manning

Many of the people on this thread might say that Fred’s step-father went too far. Fred would disagree.

The point of the story is that this sport of basketball is what held their family together. And BOTH boys ended up with college scholarships.

My daughters were figure skaters. They started Learn To Skate classes when they were 3and 5. Now they are 29 and 31 and still skating/coaching.

In grade school, even in kindergarten, they got up at 5 in the morning to be at the rink at 6. On weekends, we had to be in Chicago, ON the ice, by 5:30 a.m., and it was a 65 mile commute. So we were up by 4:00 a.m. or earlier in bad weather.

I agree with everyone on this board who says that any sport or any activity (music, theater, raising rabbits, etc.) should be driven by the CHILD’S passion, not the parents’ passion. There are so many sad stories that don’t turn out the way Fred’s did–a lot of kids will walk away from the activity once they turn 18, and never ever come back to it. That’s so sad.

I personally think that if your son is 6th grade and just now starting to play basketball, he will have a lot of catching up to do. One of the posters above described how many kids get “good” at this sport, and it truly does start very young. A lot of the best college basketball players grew up in very bleak neighborhoods (ghettos), and they played basketball for hours everyday, often at a Boys/Girls club or a church. By the time they get to high school, they are really really good. Nobody makes them do this–they just love the game. I am concerned that if your son doesn’t love the game, he won’t be very successful at playing it. But I also know that there are kids who don’t even try basketball until they get to high school, and natural talent takes over and helps them succeed.

IMO, basketball is a great way to try to earn a college scholarship. A lot of kids play college basketball and don’t go on to the NBA draft–they just get their degree and get a good job. That’s success, IMO.

Good luck to your son!

I agree

 

[Cat]

Please allow me to add something to my above post.

I said that it is important that the child’s passion drive the involvement in his/her activities.

But I think it’s a lot better for the whole family if the parents share the child’s interest in the activity.

My husband and I attended a synchronized skating competition in Chicago a few weekends ago. In front of us, a group of parents were chatting throughout the flight of teams about some home improvement project. They didn’t look at the ice. At the end of the flight when everyone started standing up, these parents looked around and said, “Oh, is she finished now?”

They didn’t even bother to watch their daughters’ teams, let alone any of the rest of the teams!

How awful that must be for their daughters!

We see a lot of parents who get their child involved with an activity that they themselves know little-to-nothing about, but they get interested after their child starts doing it, and often end up staying involved with the activity even after their child is grown up. Many of the figure skating judges are former skating parents who loved the sport so much that they decided to train to become judges!

You don’t have to be “passionate” about the activity (although my husband and I describe ourselves as figure skating fanatics, and I am spending several entire days next week inside an ice rink watching many many hours of Midwestern/Pacific synchronized skating sectional championship!)

But I think it’s just a whole lot nicer writing out those checks and going to those concerts/games/competitions/shows, or whatever, if you yourself at least like the activity.

 

[SuperLuigi]

Remember Andre Agassi’s shocking revelation that he has hated tennis most of his life?

When was that?

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

When was that?

He wrote and autobiography maybe 5 years ago. That was one of the pretty big revelations. The other, housework is easier when it is two in the morning and high on Crack.

Also, he was balding in highschool.
It was quite the autobiography…

 

[tomarin]

He wrote and autobiography maybe 5 years ago. That was one of the pretty big revelations. The other, housework is easier when it is two in the morning and high on Crack.

Also, he was balding in highschool.
It was quite the autobiography…

Yep. Apparently he hated it because his domineering father forced him to eat, sleep and drink tennis from childhood on in order to mold him into a champion. He secretly resented it.