Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

OP here. Plenty of opportunities to sub in 3v3. My daughter sat on the bench for 5 solid minutes to start the game, and that is when I began tracking. Most coaches rotate players in and out of the game quite frequently because the games are so short. So sitting a kid for 5 minutes is really odd and rarely happens.

I've coached in this league. I know exactly how and why it is run.

I would in no way make any substitutions 5 minutes into a game of 3 v 3 basketball. Maybe at the 8 to 10 minute mark but not at the 5 minute mark. Kids aren't even winded. Constant subbing for subbing sakes is dumb...constant pulling and putting in players gives them no sense of the game flow. If I was coaching and saw you whip out your phone to start tracking your kids time, I'd probably have reacted in somewhat the same way (granted I wouldn't have noticed).

In fact, I'll tell you exactly how I'd sub in this situation with 5 kids. My 3 starters would be out there until 10 minute mark. I'd sub the two kids in and leave my best player out there. Sub again at about 15 minute mark for my best player bringing my 2nd best player back out there. At about the 5 minute mark, I'd have the starters back out there. Though depends on game situation. If it is a blow out either way, I'd just leave the kids out there. If it is closer, I'd bring kids back sooner or not just depends. I'd also watch to see how kids are playing. I have some competitive kids and if I see them fouling too much or getting outside their own head, I might sub them at that point.

I'll note you didn't respond to the other aspects of my post about height or anything like that. The fact you've made 20+ response posts tells me you are likely more invested in this than you should be.

Anonymous wrote:

OP here. Plenty of opportunities to sub in 3v3. My daughter sat on the bench for 5 solid minutes to start the game, and that is when I began tracking. Most coaches rotate players in and out of the game quite frequently because the games are so short. So sitting a kid for 5 minutes is really odd and rarely happens.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BTW, these minute counts are close to accurate because I turned on a minute counter about 5 minutes into the 1st game because I sensed that something odd was happening.

So within 5 minutes of the 1st game you were already tracking playing time? That seems a little odd. You knew right away that playing time wasn't equal? Man, you sound like a real peach to have as a parent on the team.

Should there be equal or mostly equal time in Arlington's 3 v 3. More likely than not time should be relatively equal. But there are numerous other factors into playing time than straight minutes. You've stated that your daughter is better then the coaches daughter at shooting and dribbling. You do realize there is more to basketball than just that. Is she taller? so is your daughter shorter and this girl taller such that they are playing different positions. Even in 3 v 3, you need to have height to get rebounds. Maybe she was having an off day but the coach (and father) knows this. As someone that has coached in that league and has had new kids placed on my team, I've generally taken the view that you'll get playing time and it gets more as I start to learn what your strengths and weaknesses are. In other words, I want to understand how you play the game. If you are a strong player, I'll provide more time and also use you to cover up for a weaker player, with the intention of keeping a balanced team out there. If you are a weaker player, I'm going to make sure one of my stronger players is out there. (And I get it that you think your kid is one of the better players but there is always inherent biases when evaluating our own kids).

As a coach, it isn't as easy to sub as you think. If game play goes on for a long time without a break, you can't just sub. And some players just sit there. Now, in what amounts to rec basketball 3 v 3 that likely didn't happen but you never know.

As for coaching, most of the 3 v 3 teams are preformed with kids that know each other. I'm sure there are some Arlington Soccer teams that have 3v3 teams at your daughter's age. Maybe you should ask yourself, why your daughter wasn't asked to join a team with her friends...or, maybe a better way would be to form your own team and you could be the coach. If that didn't happen, maybe you need to look at the mirror on this issue - especially if teammates of your daughter are playing for other 3 v 3 teams (this goes to my first paragraph above) and your daughter wasn't asked to be on that team.

Anonymous wrote:BTW, these minute counts are close to accurate because I turned on a minute counter about 5 minutes into the 1st game because I sensed that something odd was happening.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d suggest helping your daughter learn to speak up. I’ve coached rec league soccer for the past few years and it can be really confusing and chaotic as the coach.

In one game, I accidentally sat one kid for 2 quarters and let someone else play the whole game. It was a completely honest mistake—the other team was short players so we loaned some of ours, a few kids got hurt and had to come out, and they were all yelling and horsing around on the sidelines in the insane way that third graders do and I just got confused.

Nobody said anything, so I discovered my mistake at the very end of the game. The kid who sat out was quiet and well behaved so I kind of forgot about them. Again, completely my fault but I reminded everyone next time that they should always speak up if I make that kind of mistake. And even if I don’t make a mistake, they should speak up and let me know that they’re eager to play (or not).

I have a few kids on my rec team who are there because their parents make them. Those kids hate to play (and sometimes are very quiet). They’ll ask if they can NOT play as long as they play the first two quarters so I’m trying to accommodate those kids too.

All of this to say that it’s a great chance to teach your daughter about self-advocacy and to articulate her needs and wants to a coach.

And as a coach, I hope you give the volunteer coach the benefit of the doubt!

This is a really good point PP. Thanks for making it. Have definitely seen situations where good coaches make honest playing time mistakes in rec. There can be a lot to balance and it definitely happens unintentionally sometimes (it also sadly happens intentionally sometimes).

Anonymous wrote:I’d suggest helping your daughter learn to speak up. I’ve coached rec league soccer for the past few years and it can be really confusing and chaotic as the coach.

In one game, I accidentally sat one kid for 2 quarters and let someone else play the whole game. It was a completely honest mistake—the other team was short players so we loaned some of ours, a few kids got hurt and had to come out, and they were all yelling and horsing around on the sidelines in the insane way that third graders do and I just got confused.

Nobody said anything, so I discovered my mistake at the very end of the game. The kid who sat out was quiet and well behaved so I kind of forgot about them. Again, completely my fault but I reminded everyone next time that they should always speak up if I make that kind of mistake. And even if I don’t make a mistake, they should speak up and let me know that they’re eager to play (or not).

I have a few kids on my rec team who are there because their parents make them. Those kids hate to play (and sometimes are very quiet). They’ll ask if they can NOT play as long as they play the first two quarters so I’m trying to accommodate those kids too.

All of this to say that it’s a great chance to teach your daughter about self-advocacy and to articulate her needs and wants to a coach.

And as a coach, I hope you give the volunteer coach the benefit of the doubt!