WSJ: Girls Are Leaving High School Basketball, and Here’s Why

[Plebe]

 

[Zarathustra]

As long as more girls are playing SOMETHING it seems a good thing to me!
We love watching Women's Soccer! Don't forget the women's " friendly": USA vs England
at Wembley Stadium on October 7, 2022!

 

[Beemer]

I'd much rather see girls opt for just one sport as opposed to having them quit sports entirely like so many have done. I do think it helps kids overall to play more than one sport, as they emphasize different things (speed, hand/eye coordination etc) that can help a young athlete's development but I also understand the insane pressure a lot of these kids are under to commit to just one sport. It's ridiculous and worse it is actually harmful to these kids.

So girls get out there and play! Basketball, track, volleyball, lacrosse, field hockey, whatever. It's all good!!!

 

[Zarathustra]

I just recalled that MORGAN MALI, the female Creighton U WBB player was
a multiple sports player in H.S. She
was a 13 letter winner in high school. The 13th letter was some related activity
award. Of course, she was voted the best all round female athlete in the state
during her senior year in H.S. One talented young lady!!!.... and a very good
three point shooter, a lefty ( I believe ). UCONN WBB vs Bluejays WBB should be
a good match up. But, our height and muscle will prevail, among other things!!

 

[Zarathustra]

I just recalled that MORGAN MALI, the female Creighton U WBB player was
a multiple sports player in H.S. She
was a 13 letter winner in high school. The 13th letter was some related activity
award. Of course, she was voted the best all round female athlete in the state
during her senior year in H.S. One talented young lady!!!.... and a very good
three point shooter, a lefty ( I believe ). UCONN WBB vs Bluejays WBB should be
a good match up. But, our height and muscle will prevail, among other things!!

Uphs!! Correct spelling: Morgan Maly! 6'1" Junior . Her 13th letter was
for being the H.S. Class Valedictorian! She was ALL STATE in track ( Nebraska)
and the " Multi- sport Athlete of the Year" , Gatorade POY, Nebraska's
" Miss Basketball". She played on the Crete H.S. team, Crete, Nebraska. Some
young ladies excel in multiple areas. Morgan was exemplar in three sports and
in the classroom! Look for Morgan twice this year, and
next year, as UCONN continues its dominence over one of the NCAA's GREAT EIGHT
WBB teams (2022). Go BIG EAST, GO HUSKIES.

 

[Zinethar]

I strongly believe that participating in multiple sports in their season is a benefit to athletes in many ways. The recent trend for off season training has hurt several high school sports in my area. I was coaching Track and Field in 2012 and the week before the Sectional Championship I had several athletes tell me they couldn't attend practice because they had soccer practice! I looked into it and discovered they indeed did have a soccer practice on the school grounds and it was (not legally in terms of regulations) being required in order to participate the following fall! I complained to the AD who apologized to me (sort of)by saying allowed it because the spring season was over!!! It seems the baseball team was done. He did cancel their use of school facilities until after our meet but the practices were just moved to a village park.

 

[cancontent]

I'd much rather see girls opt for just one sport as opposed to having them quit sports entirely like so many have done. I do think it helps kids overall to play more than one sport, as they emphasize different things (speed, hand/eye coordination etc) that can help a young athlete's development but I also understand the insane pressure a lot of these kids are under to commit to just one sport. It's ridiculous and worse it is actually harmful to these kids.

So girls get out there and play! Basketball, track, volleyball, lacrosse, field hockey, whatever. It's all good!!!

I strongly believe that participating in multiple sports in their season is a benefit to athletes in many ways. The recent trend for off season training has hurt several high school sports in my area. I was coaching Track and Field in 2012 and the week before the Sectional Championship I had several athletes tell me they couldn't attend practice because they had soccer practice! I looked into it and discovered they indeed did have a soccer practice on the school grounds and it was (not legally in terms of regulations) being required in order to participate the following fall! I complained to the AD who apologized to me (sort of)by saying allowed it because the spring season was over!!! It seems the baseball team was done. He did cancel their use of school facilities until after our meet but the practices were just moved to a village park.

Costs are also a factor as to why players focus on one sport or play none at all. Even competing at the high school level is becoming expensive for some families which is unfortunate.

 

[cohenzone]

I'd much rather see girls opt for just one sport as opposed to having them quit sports entirely like so many have done. I do think it helps kids overall to play more than one sport, as they emphasize different things (speed, hand/eye coordination etc) that can help a young athlete's development but I also understand the insane pressure a lot of these kids are under to commit to just one sport. It's ridiculous and worse it is actually harmful to these kids.

So girls get out there and play! Basketball, track, volleyball, lacrosse, field hockey, whatever. It's all good!!!

I have one hs freshman granddaughter playing JV soccer, will probably play hoops nd definitely lacrosse She’s decent at all 3 but lacrosse her best. Her middle school sister is playing school soccer and on a higher level travel team. Probably the best player her age in town. Probably will play hoops and I don’t know what else. She’s usually the best or second best in town at whatever sport she tries, just not always interested. Neither will be limited to one sport even though the younger will probably be looked at by some colleges for soccer. Both are good students which helps. Their youngest sister is 7 and possibly the most athletic. My son ( their father) is a decent athlete and I know wanted a boy, but got 3 athletic daughters whom he coaches in youth hoops and soccer. He doesn‘t mind his fate.

 

[Ozimoto]

In some cases, this drive for specialization is often, in my opinion, driven by parents with big dreams and quite often unrealistic expectations that their kid is going to get a full ride scholarship somewhere.

In the case of a number of my kids' friends what started out as fun and a challenge for competition beyond rec level became a grind once their parents started to push them because they showed above average ability (for their age group and region). In some cases, the kids ended up quitting sports entirely or, once they hit the college recruiting process, the kids and their parents realized they "weren't all that."

 

[Alydar]

In some cases, this drive for specialization is often, in my opinion, driven by parents with big dreams and quite often unrealistic expectations that their kid is going to get a full ride scholarship somewhere.

In the case of a number of my kids' friends what started out as fun and a challenge for competition beyond rec level became a grind once their parents started to push them because they showed above average ability (for their age group and region). In some cases, the kids ended up quitting sports entirely or, once they hit the college recruiting process, the kids and their parents realized they "weren't all that."

I friend in my neighborhood who was a scratch golfer at 13. By 17 he had quit playing due to his father's pressure.

 

[Boreifs]

My daughter played in Spring, Summer and Fall leagues with her high school team as well as AAU basketball, so it was impossible to play another sport. In her Senior year, she played Softball and loved it. As long as off season programs are that intense, it will remain difficult to play another sport. Let’s also not forget that one can make big money in Track and modest money in Soccer on the International circuit. Professional Beach volleyball is also a possibility. Basketball is not the only professional outlet.

 

[EdSaid]

Unfortunately, profit sports are leaving many athletes behind for financial reasons. Coaches are getting money and promising scholarships (which are not often realized). Many kids are forced to dedicate to one sport early or fear being cut.

A lot of parents are just plain nuts. Last spring I drove by the local baseball fields (south eastern Mass). I watched a game from far down the left field line. I think it was U15 baseball. The closest parent started talking my ear off. He said this was AAU baseball, but not a very good league. I asked why, and he told me he only paid $1800 for his son to play on this team. He said you have to pay more to get on a better team with better competition. Good thing he didn't ask for my opinion.

 

[Martin]

What foes the article say about why they ate leaving?

 

[ctbbfn]

Similar (maybe better) article no paywall:
Why Is Girls Basketball Participation Declining?

 

[Plebe]

Of all the reasons put forward for the decline in participation, I find this one the most concerning:

In the age of Instagram and TikTok, basketball also suffers in comparison with sports perceived to be “girlier,” Gliebe said.​

​

“I think the biggest reason for girls not participating in basketball, and I know this is silly: It’s not a ‘cute’ sport,” said Gliebe, mentioning the skirts worn in tennis and the spandex shorts worn in volleyball and running. She said she hopes the practice of WNBA players wearing glamorous outfits into arenas helps the game appeal more to teenagers.​

 

[Beemer]

Similar (maybe better) article no paywall:
Why Is Girls Basketball Participation Declining?

Yes, I agree with a lot of what this article says. Once again the grown ups have spoiled something that should be fun for the kids by turning it into a money grubbing drudgery.

Also the part of how many late blooming kids never get their chance to grow & maybe even shine because of the emphasis on the kids who get it right away resonates with me too. God only knows how many girls who might have developed into solid players later on gave up, discouraged by the fact that they'd just be warming the bench all the time.

 

[Beemer]

Of all the reasons put forward for the decline in participation, I find this one the most concerning:

In the age of Instagram and TikTok, basketball also suffers in comparison with sports perceived to be “girlier,” Gliebe said.​

​

“I think the biggest reason for girls not participating in basketball, and I know this is silly: It’s not a ‘cute’ sport,” said Gliebe, mentioning the skirts worn in tennis and the spandex shorts worn in volleyball and running. She said she hopes the practice of WNBA players wearing glamorous outfits into arenas helps the game appeal more to teenagers.​

I'm thinking more in terms of "less physical" than "girlie"??? IMO there is a lot more physical contact in the women's basketball game today than in other women's sports. Contact never bothered me or my sister, we played tackle football with the boys until we went to high school but I would say most girls don't like a lot of contact and of course you don't get much of it in sports like volleyball or track. Even field hockey & lacrosse are low contact compared to basketball IMO, you just don't see the constant collisions & contact that are routine underneath & around the basket during a game, well at least I haven't.

And yes for a lot of girls "looking cute" is also very important to them. My niece is a scholarship athlete but she's definitely a girlie girl as well as are many of her teammates. They're willing to sweat but not all the time lol

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I want to say it was up to a decade ago that there was quite the ruckus over declining basketball numbers and how volleyball had overtaken basketball. Don't remember what reasons were offered at the time. But that's what the internet is for! Why the spike in volleyball participation?

"Her decision to pick volleyball over basketball follows a national trend. Two years ago, for the first time, more high school girls played volleyball (432,176) than basketball (429,504), according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. In 2015-16, volleyball added another 4,133 girls to those numbers, while basketball lost 276 participants.

Examine the past decade, and the numbers are more striking. Statistics compiled by the NFHS show an increase of more than 40,000 volleyball players in that span and a decrease of 23,000 basketball players.

"There's been a huge African-American crossover into our sport, and it's become the social norm now to play volleyball, whereas 10 or 15 years ago, it was basketball," Texas coach Jerritt Elliott said. "It appeals not just to the super tall but the super small. The super small has a niche with the libero and the [defensive specialist] position where they can find success at a very high level."

More good stuff there. Very, very long article quoting a lot of the athletes.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Of all the reasons put forward for the decline in participation, I find this one the most concerning:

In the age of Instagram and TikTok, basketball also suffers in comparison with sports perceived to be “girlier,” Gliebe said.​

​

“I think the biggest reason for girls not participating in basketball, and I know this is silly: It’s not a ‘cute’ sport,” said Gliebe, mentioning the skirts worn in tennis and the spandex shorts worn in volleyball and running. She said she hopes the practice of WNBA players wearing glamorous outfits into arenas helps the game appeal more to teenagers.​

I tend to believe girlier, short tennis skirts, spandex shorts, and glamorous outfits are all euphemisms for sexier. Not much sexy about a basketball uniform. Today girls want to strut their stuff. Simple as that! Doubt this? Check out their pictures on TikTok and Instagram.

 

[Ozimoto]

If it is that simple just adopt the volleyball style uniforms for basketball...

 

[sun]

Part of being a contact sport is the potential for injury.
Just like with football & soccer, there's knee injuries plus other types.
Many parents may discourage their daughter/son from playing BB and other sports for the child's well being.

 

[SVCBeercats]

If it is that simple just adopt the volleyball style uniforms for basketball...

Yep! Occam's razor!