Hoops

What makes a good club for juniors?

Got lucky with the club my girl is at. Nearly started at another club but by pure luck am so blessed to be where we are. Yes there are issues -all based on parent perceptions. Yes there are biased decisions but isolated and doesn't really affect the end results. So lucky to have the coaches we have - and there is a lot of competition to get the coaching job. So lucky to have top parents, some of whom have played the game at the top levels. But I would move in a minute if I thought that the environment changed to such an extent that the basketball welfare of my kid was compromised. I don't expect it to though. But I know which clubs I would go to at this point in time if required.
Have really focused on how the other clubs are managed / coached. Definitely wouldn't have my kid at a particular club because of their coaching style / manner, no matter how successful they have been.
Do the homework. Go to training. Watch the games. Talk to parents. Look at the teams in the years above also. See who the coaches are and how long they have been there. Your gut feel after that will probably be right.

I think that could be horror stories at every club.

Great post summarizing most clubs at some stage!!

Had a classic situation where 2 of our best U18 girls was denied Senior Div 1 games by a mother (manager) and coach (best friend). Told they had to EARN their spot by sitting on the bench in street clothes - even though they'd played 1/2 the games the season before as fill ins.

The club had brought in 3 adult women who lived 50 km away so never trained following pre season. And needless to say the manageresses daughter (lazy, unskilled) got starters role. Even though she trained 3 times for the season and turned up drunk to several games - possibly playing better.

When confronted about the situation (privately) they said if they didn't like it the girls could go elsewhere! When we tried to get a clearance they refused saying it wasn't the clubs interests to clear junior players to other senior teams?

My daughter Emily loved her coaches when she was playing juniors. Clear direction, clear instructions, emphasis on teamwork, constructive feedback offered in a manner that made them want to improve. Making kids do suicides because they lost? I've heard of that, but never seen it.