When we lose common sense

After few weekends of competition, we can check results in youth competitions and we just can't skip results like: 108:6, 109:20, 107:2, 93:4, 99:8, 85:2. Probably all the winners are being tapped on their shoulders and they are told that they are the best. Winners they say: “You know, we have great generation, we are killing everyone, sometime we make double team and they can’t even cross middle court. We are scoring easy baskets and we are the best!” You know that song from ex-Yugoslavia called: “Ne moze nam niko ništa … “ or in translation we are untouchable.

However you were probably also on the other side of score 107:2 or 86:0? When child comes home and he has to tell his parents that, his team today did not score and that they came across mid-court only one time. Most probably, he is not happy and eventually he will lose his desire and his parents will, to take him to the games. In one month, we will most probably watch him doing some other sport. Next year we have outstanding generation and you do the payback to the idiot who won you by 100 and he starts never ending story, that makes our complexes go away, however we forget why youth basketball is going on, for. It is sure not about that, it’s about kids!

What about coaching ethics that says “Respect dignity of opponent’s players and coaches. If your team is dominant, put in the game players that play less. Do not take out on weaker teams! Show your value against equal opponents.”

You will not believe but this is written in coaching ethical codex. And it is not the only thing you can do. How about that: if you lead more then 30, you can put your defense on backcourt, so you don’t press anymore. Then you can play offense without dribble (believe me, your players will for sure have more from that). If we still dominate, we can play defense with hands behind the back. How can we explain that to our players? First praise them for good play and then present them your idea about trying new things. For example for defense on backcourt, you can say to them, that you want to see how do they get around if they don’t press. For playing without dribble, you can say that you want to see their give and go game, getting open, passing … and for defense with hands behind the back you can say, that you want them to better their footwork. At the end of the day, your players will have something from the match and you opponent also. Being real, winning 86:0 gives you nothing except rising your ego.

However, it’s true, that both side have to accept this agreement. Because I remember in the past that we had an agreement like that in our club. Our coach did all we agreed on one game, then president of opponent team called me and start yelling that we are underestimating them. Yes we forgot basic thing, to agree with opponents coach about our actions, so he can speak with his players also.

We live in time where basketball is competing with all sports and pushing your ego thru the kids play it’s not bringing us anything good. Every lost basketball player is minus for our sport, that we can not afford. So let’s do something for our team and stay human to our opponents. Winning 107:2 sounds good but means anything.