At one time do you start to see kids playing a good game and not just ball hogging?

[Anonymous]

I’m talking about passing in basketball, lax, soccer.. when do you start to see kids play the game with passing instead of hogging to make the goal?

[Anonymous]

When kids are old enough to run plays and he is the one who is supposed to take the shot.

[Anonymous]

When they get to 11 v 11. They can't hog the ball the whole way down a big field.

[Anonymous]

Depends on what level of play. House league basketball you have ball hogs and horrible shots at the middle school level still. Haven’t watched high school house league yet but won’t be surprised if it’s the same.

[Anonymous]

I think a good coach can start getting kids to pass even at a really young age. One of my kids had a great coach for soccer in second grade. When they scrimmaged he would not count a goal unless there had been at least 3 passes leading up to it. He made a big deal about passes during games and would give little rewards for most passes and assists. He gave no positive reinforcement to the kid who hogged the ball even though he scored a lot. Most of the kids figured out that team play was what earned them the praise and rewards, so they did it.

I wish other coaches were as committed to this. It’s so painful to have a kid who never looks for the pass and just throws up terrible shots. Seeing that in basketball now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a good coach can start getting kids to pass even at a really young age. One of my kids had a great coach for soccer in second grade. When they scrimmaged he would not count a goal unless there had been at least 3 passes leading up to it. He made a big deal about passes during games and would give little rewards for most passes and assists. He gave no positive reinforcement to the kid who hogged the ball even though he scored a lot. Most of the kids figured out that team play was what earned them the praise and rewards, so they did it.

I wish other coaches were as committed to this. It’s so painful to have a kid who never looks for the pass and just throws up terrible shots. Seeing that in basketball now.

I love that, great coach. Very rare to see. It often stinks for the rule follower kids who don’t get the glory but will make the passes and play the game how they are being coached to play it well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m talking about passing in basketball, lax, soccer.. when do you start to see kids play the game with passing instead of hogging to make the goal?

The coaching example was great--I agree! Some kids who are not only skilled but also really smart and probably have watched either older siblings play sports and/or enjoy watching it on TV will already start to pass and share the ball as early as age 5/6 in soccer and basketball without any instruction. And with instruction they certainly will do it. Some will do it because they that's how they see it done. Some will do it because they will realize which kids can score and will get them the ball--especially in basketball. Some kids realize very quikcly they aren't strong enough to get the ball intot he basket or consitently and they will pass up open shots to get it to the kids that can.

[Anonymous]

I was at a varsity basketball game at my daughter’s school recently and there was a lot of ball hogging going on. Lots of players wanting to be the “hero.”