Debate: Should Girls Basketball be a fall sport?

[BasketballMind]

Some of those that coached around the time of the season change told me that the decline in participation was on pace with the season going from Fall to Winter. I am sure there is more to it than that, but I think that's a major factor. Curious what the board here thinks. Volleyball in turn attracts more athletes to it because to participate in volleyball and not hate it, is much easier than basketball. Not taking a shot there, just what I believe. I don't think volleyball would lose the participation that girls basketball does by being played in the winter. I think it would stay relatively close to the same or it would be miniscule.

It would complicate college recruiting a little, but I truly think that if the two sports flipped back, we'd see a major increase in basketball participation and hopefully better teams around the state. There are a lot of good volleyball players that would translate to basketball, but because some of them get caught up in JO volleyball from the time they're in Junior High, many forget about basketball altogether.

Thoughts?

[The Schwab]

Basketball in the fall would make it a lot easier to find basketball coaches and officials. It would make scheduling tougher if there wasn't a corresponding change by SD and MN for those teams that are closer to the border.

[ndlionsfan]

There's definitely a participation issue in basketball. In our HS this past school year, 40 girls were in vball in grades 7-12 and only 15 in bball in those same grades. A total of 8 bball players in grades 9-12. Both sports had good athletes and successful seasons, so it's not like the participation in bball is hurt because they're losing all the time.

[BasketballMind]

There's definitely a participation issue in basketball. In our HS this past school year, 40 girls were in vball in grades 7-12 and only 15 in bball in those same grades. A total of 8 bball players in grades 9-12. Both sports had good athletes and successful seasons, so it's not like the participation in bball is hurt because they're losing all the time.

That type of ratio is pretty common from conversations I've had with other friends of mine around the state. I think a lot of those volleyball players would come out for basketball in the fall just due to the back to school energy to be honest. Volleyball is another one that I commonly hear the kiss of death phrase "I'm not playing basketball so I can focus on volleyball."

Take someone like Abby Duchscherer from Kindred. She signed with Alabama for softball this past fall. She really has no reason to ever pick up a basketball or volleyball again aside from love of the game. As far as "focusing on softball" goes, that could be argued to make sense. I'm sure she wants nothing more than another state tournament run and will do whatever she can to get there. "I'm not playing a X so I can focus on Y" often ends in that player not improving or slightly regressing by the end of their career.

[packers21]

I loved when girls basketball was in the fall and would love to see it returned to the fall, but it will never happen.

[Sportsrube]

With Class B girls golf moving to the Fall it will be interesting to see how that affects numbers for VB and golf. If ND were to return GBB to the fall it would have an affect on towns that play SD, MN and Mont. teams, but I see that as a minor thing. I was a head VB and head GBB coach at the time of the switch and VB coaches were told that this would increase attendance at VB games. My answer was that it wouldn't, that the only thing that would increase VB attendance was having more people who understood the game (IE: 2nd generation players). I don't know the numbers, but I would bet that attendance at VB games has not increased very much and that attendance at GBB games has dropped.

[packers21]

With Class B girls golf moving to the Fall it will be interesting to see how that affects numbers for VB and golf. If ND were to return GBB to the fall it would have an affect on towns that play SD, MN and Mont. teams, but I see that as a minor thing. I was a head VB and head GBB coach at the time of the switch and VB coaches were told that this would increase attendance at VB games. My answer was that it wouldn't, that the only thing that would increase VB attendance was having more people who understood the game (IE: 2nd generation players). I don't know the numbers, but I would bet that attendance at VB games has not increased very much and that attendance at GBB games has dropped.

Agreed

[BasketballMind]

With Class B girls golf moving to the Fall it will be interesting to see how that affects numbers for VB and golf. If ND were to return GBB to the fall it would have an affect on towns that play SD, MN and Mont. teams, but I see that as a minor thing. I was a head VB and head GBB coach at the time of the switch and VB coaches were told that this would increase attendance at VB games. My answer was that it wouldn't, that the only thing that would increase VB attendance was having more people who understood the game (IE: 2nd generation players). I don't know the numbers, but I would bet that attendance at VB games has not increased very much and that attendance at GBB games has dropped.

I think golf moving to the fall is going to end many girls golf programs completely. The great ones will probably dual sport, but I doubt very much there are going to many many girls that golf and don't play volleyball.

[Flip]

I think basketball numbers would go up. I feel like there is an excitement for school in the fall and more kids would participate. The break between VB and basketball is absolutely ridiculous too. That doesn't help basketball one bit.

I spoke with a girls coach that would like to see basketball go back to the fall too. He coached in a coop and said on Wednesdays the girls in his school would leave at 5 AM for VB and basketball. By the time basketball rolls around the kids are sick of having to do that. 5 AM in the winter is a lot different than 5 AM in the fall.

[GOPACKGO!!!]

I don't know if the time of year has anything to do with the number of kids going out. Kids get pushed so hard in a particular sport that I'm sure some feel the need to choose one or the other. 20 years ago kids weren't pushed like they are now in the off season and VB was just gaining traction. I'm all for kids taking in a camp or two in the summer and being kids for the remainder. Life is too short!