Hoops

Winter Junior fixtures

Saucers of milk all round

let's all play dodgeball instead

153,
Boom, boom! It's not that petty.

Interesting points re country players and SASI coaches.

PS I wasn't expecting many posters to put their non de plumes to this one!

70,
I reckon there is an error in your calcs!

There are more kids that currently play than that.

Ah,
so it the big issue changing between clubs, or kids dropping out altogether? To me they have different root causes.

Kids dropping out shows their satisfaction levels with the sport are low. Kids changing clubs shows their dis-satisfaction levels are high. You can have high levels of both.

Dis-satisfaction levels are associated with the "little things". With work one of the biggest drivers of dis-satisfaction is a perceived level of in-equality, for example, this person gets paid more than me and they aren't as good etc.

The proposed association model has the potential to work, but to be successful, all associations need to be roughly the same size and strength.

I would suggest that more kids drop out than change clubs. (as you have found) Therefore, the issue is how do we increase the satisfaction levels of kids so that basketball is their chosen sport?

Fox 28,
I think the draw is pretty fair with one away and one home game per opponent, but I understand where you are coming from with kids leaving the sport etc. Unfortunatey with volunteer stuff like comps committee, there are usually only te usual suspects who volunteer their time.

This modern world is risk averse and people seek instant satisfaction. With so many opportunities in sport, if they are not satisfied with one, then a quick change to another option is made.

To loose kids from the sport at a time when we need to grow the sport in this state is a shame. There are many reasons why they leave.

My recommendation to any junior would be to start off with, and try to stick with, your local club. Build something. Things turn around. In 1978 if you told someone in Alberton that CD footy club was to be a dominant force in the 2000's and that PA would be also rans, they would have laughed at you.

For the state competition to be effective and strong, we need ten clubs to be all of similar strength. Having a couple of "fat cat" clubs sliding down to a couple of "scrubber" clubs is not much of a competition at all.

Personally, I would prefer to see a zone situation like football and then if the child has given it a go at their local club and wants to move, then consider a neighbouring club. (I can hear the screams already!!) We all know that poaching does not occur in this state, don't we?

Some kids (and possibly their competitive parents reliving their lost opportunities through their children) want to go to stronger clubs to "win, win, win". I say any sport with 2 teams has a 50:50 chance - kids need to learn that losing is just as important as winning.


[Pause] Rant and rave time over.....now I wait for people to sledge me and hide behind a thin veil of "anon"