Feedback on One on One Basketball or Skills and Scrimmages

[Anonymous]

I'm looking for a winter basketball league for 8 year old DS that includes good weekly training practices and somewhat competitive games with refs. He is a good player who really wants to learn new skills and game strategies. We haven't had good luck with county REC ball due to free-for-all games in the younger age groups and beginner-level training (how to shoot hoops and dribble). I've looked around at a few area leagues but kids are not allowed to play up.

Any good or bad feedback on One on One Basketball or Skills and Scrimmages? Any other suggestions in area of DC, close-in NoVA, or Bethesda, under $400? Also, I don't want to commit to a full year (e.g. Tru2form), just winter, because he plays soccer too.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm looking for a winter basketball league for 8 year old DS that includes good weekly training practices and somewhat competitive games with refs. He is a good player who really wants to learn new skills and game strategies. We haven't had good luck with county REC ball due to free-for-all games in the younger age groups and beginner-level training (how to shoot hoops and dribble). I've looked around at a few area leagues but kids are not allowed to play up.

Any good or bad feedback on One on One Basketball or Skills and Scrimmages? Any other suggestions in area of DC, close-in NoVA, or Bethesda, under $400? Also, I don't want to commit to a full year (e.g. Tru2form), just winter, because he plays soccer too.

Thanks!

Don't know about scrimmage, but One on One is okay for 8 year olds. A lot depends on the coach, and they recruit college kids from AU. Some are great. Some are so-so. Still, the games are competitive.

[Anonymous]

My kid signed up for a One On One skills series and went to one class. It was actively non-competitive. I totally get trying to prevent a free-for-all with young kids, but it wasn't that. They weren't calling fouls to enforce rules. They were calling fouls to prevent competitive play within the rules. A kid who, for example, walked 5 steps with the ball didn't get a travel call, but a kid who stole the ball got called for a foul --- for the steal, which they said was not allowed in their league. It was weird and seemed to be actively making all the kids involved worse.

[Anonymous]

Look at Tru2Form too.

[Anonymous]

You want a development league I suspect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid signed up for a One On One skills series and went to one class. It was actively non-competitive. I totally get trying to prevent a free-for-all with young kids, but it wasn't that. They weren't calling fouls to enforce rules. They were calling fouls to prevent competitive play within the rules. A kid who, for example, walked 5 steps with the ball didn't get a travel call, but a kid who stole the ball got called for a foul --- for the steal, which they said was not allowed in their league. It was weird and seemed to be actively making all the kids involved worse.

OP here, thanks so much for the feedback! This happened to DS last year in his 7-year-old Rec league where he was able to easily steal the ball or get many of the rebounds and score often. The coaches started removing him from the game to "give the other kids a turn"! I get it, league is for beginners to learn how to play, but the more experienced players (camps, practice) like DS get discouraged.

I'm going to sign up DS for a DC Parks and Recs league because for sure he will play with or against other kids who are better than him. And if not, I'm only out $20 so I'll have $$ leftover to sign him up for training series.

Thanks!