Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 6th grader is starting rec basketball this winter thru OBGC. It never occurred to me it’s too late.

Yes. That is late. Most kids will think he's just doing it so he/she can put it on the extracurricular list. Unfortunately, there are a lot of players who join late and just want to have it on their list. It makes it tough for the kids who really want to play but aren't good enough to play travel or AAU.

OP here - well this is a new thing for me to worry about. A-hole parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 6th grader is starting rec basketball this winter thru OBGC. It never occurred to me it’s too late.

Yes. That is late. Most kids will think he's just doing it so he/she can put it on the extracurricular list. Unfortunately, there are a lot of players who join late and just want to have it on their list. It makes it tough for the kids who really want to play but aren't good enough to play travel or AAU.

Exactly zero fifth graders will think that a kid is playing rec basketball for some ulterior motive. That’s nuts.

This! My DS started in 5th with no prior experience and it was fine. They were able to split up our league into 2 divisions with more experienced and less experienced players.

Not too late OP! It’s amazing how much we celebrate early athletic achievement especially when studies show most kids will quit organized sports by the time they turn 13.

If your 10-11 year old is asking to play basketball, let him join the Rec team. I agree with the PP advising you on getting some one on one sessions with a coach prior to him joining.

I’ve seen it with my own child who is a “ late bloomer” when it comes to sports. He started his sport when he was 11 and now at 14, he is so intrinsically motivated and has surpassed many kids who started earlier and burnt out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 6th grader is starting rec basketball this winter thru OBGC. It never occurred to me it’s too late.

Yes. That is late. Most kids will think he's just doing it so he/she can put it on the extracurricular list. Unfortunately, there are a lot of players who join late and just want to have it on their list. It makes it tough for the kids who really want to play but aren't good enough to play travel or AAU.

You sound nuts. What extra curricular list are you taking about?
Her assistant soccer coach is a basketball coach and asked her if she wanted to play. Some of the kids on her soccer team play so she says yes. Sports should not be all serious at age 11.

It's definitely not too late, but don't set your kid up for a bad time by sending them to the first practice completely blind. I don't think you need to hire a trainer, but it would be good to go to a park to shoot baskets, practice dribbling, and learn the rules of the game before the season starts.

OP- please ignore these crazy people. It is Rec sports. I would have DC go out to a local hoop and shoot some. Once she is on a team I would ask coach for some help learning the proper hand position for shooting.

I coached rec soccer thru early HS, even though DC have all moved on to either other sports or travel teams. Even when I had a ninth grader come to play for the first time, I would make a point to welcome her to the team and let her know how glad I was that she was out and joining the team. I would also spend some extra time to help her learn some basic drills.

Anyone who says this is too late to start a Rec sport is one of the reasons youth sports are so terrible around here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 6th grader is starting rec basketball this winter thru OBGC. It never occurred to me it’s too late.

Yes. That is late. Most kids will think he's just doing it so he/she can put it on the extracurricular list. Unfortunately, there are a lot of players who join late and just want to have it on their list. It makes it tough for the kids who really want to play but aren't good enough to play travel or AAU.

Exactly zero fifth graders will think that a kid is playing rec basketball for some ulterior motive. That’s nuts.

Anonymous wrote:My 6th grader is starting rec basketball this winter thru OBGC. It never occurred to me it’s too late.

Yes. That is late. Most kids will think he's just doing it so he/she can put it on the extracurricular list. Unfortunately, there are a lot of players who join late and just want to have it on their list. It makes it tough for the kids who really want to play but aren't good enough to play travel or AAU.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re worried about that, set up some personal training. It’s pretty amazing how quickly a newbie can get better with a trainer.

For rec? Most of the kids using trainers are trying to make better aau teams or make high school teams or get recruited for college

Sure, but if OP is concerned her kid might get mocked, 4-6 sessions with a trainer could make a huge difference.

My kid went from being the worst on his rec team to playing varsity at a large, very competitive high school team with the help of a trainer, so I’m biased toward thinking every kid should do at least a little. The difference it makes in, for example, a kid knowing productive things to work on alone at the gym is really amazing.

My 6th grader is starting rec basketball this winter thru OBGC. It never occurred to me it’s too late.

Anonymous wrote:If you’re worried about that, set up some personal training. It’s pretty amazing how quickly a newbie can get better with a trainer.

For rec? Most of the kids using trainers are trying to make better aau teams or make high school teams or get recruited for college

My DD started Rec in 6th grade. No problem. This was in McLean where most kids had played a while.

Anonymous wrote:If you’re worried about that, set up some personal training. It’s pretty amazing how quickly a newbie can get better with a trainer.

This.

My DS started playing in 3rd and even then there were some boys who made fun of him for not being as good. He worked super hard and now in HS far outshines the boys who made fun of him. He worked with a private trainer but also every day on his own.

If you’re worried about that, set up some personal training. It’s pretty amazing how quickly a newbie can get better with a trainer.

Is this too late? Worried the other kids will think my child and lack of skills is bringing them down/causing them to fail.