Hoops

NITP - NPP

Anon^ I agree with you and having kids in the programs over a number of years there is also the issue of how the NITP/NPP programs end. The timing is such that kids may have been exposed to massive amounts of extra raining and sacrifice over a number of years.

Then they are asked to do even more at the expense of year 11-12 studies which is always the toughest years for our teenage kids heading into something like under 17 or under 19 worlds.

Sometimes a kid just needs a break to recover from years of additional elite training and be able to take a break to gather himself/herself before taking on the massive undertaking of VCE...

NITP/NPP is a selection process, it has to be, but I very much agree it should and probably is reviewed for improvement every year.

I would encourage those who direct and coordinate our elite programs to have open honest and positive consultation with parents and kids who have been there to explore how it actually affects families and in the end how things could be improved for the benefit of future elite athletes and those running the programs.

Just my opinion, not a criticism of the programs as my boys have certainly benefited from elite training for quite a while, but there have been ups and downs along the way...

@HO, my understanding is that NITP/NPP is about Australian pathways into junior International teams and eventually the Boomers or Opals, not so much the NBL/WNBL, however I stand corrected if this is not the case...

the grading is not a reflection of the current junior talent,

We are ranked 4th because of opals not because of the general ability of australian basketballers in junior ranks

One problem with that idea anon^ and it lies with funding IMO. We can't identify more elite kids than there is funding to do it with.

Also, the purpose for elite identification has been clearly displayed, it is to play for your country, so the compounding fact in front of these kids is that there is only a few spots regardless.

More needs to be done to support grass roots and the mid range elite or those with a potentially elite future, but can't be funneled into a narrow and low funded program.

Developing coaches, supporting Associations and State programs while working out how to best provide for kids who are miles from anywhere, these are all problematic to your solution IMHO...

@HO, fair enough, depends how you look at it I guess...

Anon^ it is about 9 hours per week, in addition to whatever else the kids do outside of NPP training.

A huge commitment, then there are camps and other trainings every so often as a group or tours and possible COE visits.

A bit more than just a 2 hour session once a week!

Anon #978, the Geelong 18 team had a kid drop out and are down to nine this season, have had another one or two injured almost every week and just have not been consistent, so they didn't make VC. Less to do with the fact they have a couple of NPP players than various other reasons.

stacy Barr plays for Idaho, or did think this was her last year, in the Western Athletic Conference, not the strongest conference in Div1 and from memory she never played in a very strong team as a junior , so think that kept her from the NITP area,

Ok HO, then I will nominate a bloke who killed it in SEABL and is now doing fantastic in SCM, Jason Reardon, believe he didn't go the pathway either, yet has had a great career without getting to the NBL of course. (Probably would have done well there too).

Is this the example you were after mate?

Then to suggest naming any kid who didn't even make NITP or NPP in the first place but should have, well only a parent or someone very close would probably be able to do this, again very subjective IMHO...

@HO, you may be asking something that is probably going to be seen as too subjective to comment on when it comes to naming somone like that brother...

Who wants to name that kid or those potential prospects and what would be the point?

So many have gone through this pathway, which itself has changed many times, that is a hard one to discuss on a forum I would have thought.