With delta variant, what will happen to youth basketball this winter?

[Anonymous]

AAU teams and leagues continued last year, despite COVID with more than a few infections resulting. Many club and rec teams just stopped playing.

What's your take on what will happen this winter?

[Anonymous]

Kids over 12 will be vaccinated. I predict they'll continue for that age.

[Anonymous]

I think it will probably happen but who knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids over 12 will be vaccinated. I predict they'll continue for that age.

Yeah, but there are significant issues now with breakthrough cases even for the vaccinated. I think a lot will depend on the number of cases in the area.

[Anonymous]

So much of this depends on gym availability. If MCPS decides to close schools to outsiders and not rent out gyms in the evenings/weekends, there will be no MoCo league. Virginia could be a different story. I predict that the CYO leagues that the ADW runs will go, tho.

[Anonymous]

they'll play. some will be masks required.

[Anonymous]

It better not get canceled. Our kids can’t afford yet another year of interference with their development. Shooting is only one part of the game. Kids need high-level reps in games, and drilling in practice, to defend well as a team and to learn how to score within a system. Anyone can shoot a three, but doing so while stretching the defense’s geometry so your threat gets teammates layups and free throws is a nuanced skill.

The world is catching up. We need to push through Covid to survive.

[Anonymous]

Our league went on last year…outside. Instead of using the local school gyms, they used the local school tennis courts and area organizations donated moveable basketball hoops. If things don’t get better, I imagine our league will do the same this winter also.

[Anonymous]

FSBL in Loudoun was way down last winter, they had to go to two grades per division- 3/4 5/6 7/8. One girls division was just the same two teams playing ten times.
For summer league, they sent out an e-mail promising more relaxed covid rules, after being super stringent in the winter, requiring parents to fill out questionnaires, no use of fountains, keep your water bottle in backpack, masks worn during play, and a separate covid manager per team to enforce the restrictions.
If they have to do these restrictions again, the league might just shut down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It better not get canceled. Our kids can’t afford yet another year of interference with their development. Shooting is only one part of the game. Kids need high-level reps in games, and drilling in practice, to defend well as a team and to learn how to score within a system. Anyone can shoot a three, but doing so while stretching the defense’s geometry so your threat gets teammates layups and free throws is a nuanced skill.

The world is catching up. We need to push through Covid to survive.

I really want to see basketball back, too, but I gotta say that it's more important to keep kids from getting sick and potentially dying. Hope the vaccines for under-12s are available soon.

[Anonymous]

Sports are back and going to stay. This may mean some no longer play certain sports. We won’t let DD play indoor basketball this winter if she’s not vaccinated. After skipping last year, her AAU days are likely over. She’s young but will have lost skill and will likely loose interest. This means more spots will open for others too.

[Anonymous]

My kids played indoor basketball last winter. They had to wear masks while playing. They really hated playing in masks. I would prefer requiring all spectators to wear masks and letting playing in masks be optional.

[Anonymous]

My boys have played all summer (rec and travel). One league required spectators to wear masks, one did not. The players obviously did not have to wear masks. I don't see why the winter would be any different. I think requiring masks for spectators is a good idea--it makes it safer for the players to play without masks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My boys have played all summer (rec and travel). One league required spectators to wear masks, one did not. The players obviously did not have to wear masks. I don't see why the winter would be any different. I think requiring masks for spectators is a good idea--it makes it safer for the players to play without masks.

Agree. My kids played in a summer travel league and there were no covid issues, kids did not play in masks. I'm hopeful that we are past that nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My boys have played all summer (rec and travel). One league required spectators to wear masks, one did not. The players obviously did not have to wear masks. I don't see why the winter would be any different. I think requiring masks for spectators is a good idea--it makes it safer for the players to play without masks.

That is not obvious. Parks and Rec required it for players while playing last winter.