Girls basketball on the decline?

[MU82]

In the 2013-14 school year, a National Federation of State High School Associations survey listed more than 430,000 girls basketball players in the nation. A similar survey, from the 2021-22 school year, showed that number had fallen to around 370,000.

The survey found boys and girls participation overall had declined by 4% since 2019, but the first post-pandemic national survey, released this year, found girls basketball participation had fallen 7% in that same three-year span.

And since 2002, two sports where girls are beginning to play year-round — soccer and volleyball — have exploded in popularity. Soccer and volleyball participation are up 15% each. Girls basketball, in those same two decades, is down 19%.

My local high school was once a top girls basketball program. Now, not so much. Here's the coach talking to the Charlotte Observer:

“Twenty-five years ago, you would get 50 girls for tryouts, and now basically everybody that shows up — as long as they have got the grades — they’re playing,” Butler head coach Mark Sanders said. “Last year, for us, we had a total of 16 girls that tried out.”

Butler has more than 2000 students.

Sanders believes several factors are at play: Much like boys, girls are starting to specialize in one sport year-round; and unlike boys, there are not as many willing athletes. Sanders said additional sports being offered, like fast-growing lacrosse, are also draining the available talent pool.

 “It’s very concerning,” said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ system athletic director Ericia Turner, a former high school and college basketball player, as well as a former girls basketball coach. “People’s motivations and interests have changed over the years. You’re talking about the 21st century child, and they have a lot going on. They have video games, the internet, and they’re doing different things. We’ve just got to meet them where they are, but I think a lot of them are turning to technology, and that’s just where they’d rather be.”

Anecdotally ...

In 2013-14, my first year as a middle-school coach, I was at a small charter school. 14 girls tried out. I was there 3 more seasons, and in each year, more girls tried out than the year before. My last season there, 2016-17, we had 28 -- double the number from 3 years earlier.

I then spent two years as an assistant at the largest high school in North Carolina (and one of the better programs in Charlotte at the time). We had big numbers, and had to do significant cuts. But as a percentage of girls in the school, maybe the numbers weren't so big.

For 2019-20, I went back to be a head coach, this time at the huge middle school (one of the 5 largest in NC) that feeds into my former HS. I was absolutely stunned when only 16 girls -- out of about 600 in grades 7 and 8 -- showed up for tryouts. More than 100 boys tried out for the boys team.

I didn't coach the next two years because of Covid, but I'm back as a head coach at another small charter school (different from the first one where I coached). I was pleasantly surprised that 27 girls tried out, as the AD told me to expect 15-20. About half of them were beyond awful, but at least there was interest.

One of the girls who made the team is a national age-group soccer player who had never tried basketball. She's in 8th grade and told me, "I just wanted to try basketball because it looks fun." She is tall and an incredible athlete. She is still learning and can't shoot yet, but she's gonna block about 10 shots a game for us, so I'm thrilled to have her on the team! Her parents said the soccer coach isn't happy she's playing basketball, though.

So, anecdotally, I'm not sure what I'd conclude. But nationally, the numbers are the numbers.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

 “It’s very concerning,” said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ system athletic director Ericia Turner, a former high school and college basketball player, as well as a former girls basketball coach. “People’s motivations and interests have changed over the years. You’re talking about the 21st century child, and they have a lot going on. They have video games, the internet, and they’re doing different things. We’ve just got to meet them where they are, but I think a lot of them are turning to technology, and that’s just where they’d rather be.”

Oh yes.  Let's blame video games, which have been around for over a generation, and "the internet" which has been around for over twenty years. 

The specialization argument makes a lot more sense.  Especially the specialization at a younger age, which I think has been a TERRIBLE direction for youth sports.

[lawdog77]

I blame the inability to wear untucked jerseys.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

One of the girls who made the team is a national age-group soccer player who had never tried basketball. She's in 8th grade and told me, "I just wanted to try basketball because it looks fun." She is tall and an incredible athlete. She is still learning and can't shoot yet, but she's gonna block about 10 shots a game for us, so I'm thrilled to have her on the team! Her parents said the soccer coach isn't happy she's playing basketball, though.

Dumb and short-sighted. Sure, if you are in an ultra-specialized sport like gymnastics it makes sense to only focus one sport, but generally playing multiple sports is beneficial. Unless you want your kid to peak at age 12 and burn out by 15, then single sport is the right approach.

https://usatodayhss.com/2017/a-few-surprises-in-the-data-behind-single-sport-and-multisport-athletes

I'm convinced my athlete benefited greatly from playing other organized sports (soccer, softball) as well as athletic hobbies (rock climbing, skating) rather than staying specialized from age 5.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Dumb and short-sighted. Sure, if you are in an ultra-specialized sport like gymnastics it makes sense to only focus one sport, but generally playing multiple sports is beneficial. Unless you want your kid to peak at age 12 and burn out by 15, then single sport is the right approach.

https://usatodayhss.com/2017/a-few-surprises-in-the-data-behind-single-sport-and-multisport-athletes

I'm convinced my athlete benefited greatly from playing other organized sports (soccer, softball) as well as athletic hobbies (rock climbing, skating) rather than staying specialized from age 5.

Even in specialized sports such as gymnastics or swimming, you need a break and let your body recover.

My neighbor is a national level swimmer, she hasn't had a break in 14 months, her mom said.  They are going to force her to take a month off to rest.  But between club short course,  high school, club long course, and summer swimming, these kids don't get a break.

My son's soccer coach for a state league level team wants his players to do winter sports in HS.

[Uncle Rico]

Girls should be learning home economics and typing but not in woke America

[JWags85]

Dumb and short-sighted. Sure, if you are in an ultra-specialized sport like gymnastics it makes sense to only focus one sport, but generally playing multiple sports is beneficial. Unless you want your kid to peak at age 12 and burn out by 15, then single sport is the right approach.

https://usatodayhss.com/2017/a-few-surprises-in-the-data-behind-single-sport-and-multisport-athletes

I'm convinced my athlete benefited greatly from playing other organized sports (soccer, softball) as well as athletic hobbies (rock climbing, skating) rather than staying specialized from age 5.

I agree, but not in the case quoted.  She's an 8th grader, so probably 14.  If she truly is a national level soccer player, that is the age of specialization.  There is a reason you see basketball players give up football around HS age.  Or when soccer players go all in on academies.  Thats the time that you truly become elite.

Having your kid be some Todd Marinovich lunatic since they are in kindergarten is bad.  But if you're going to be a D-1 athlete, much less a professional level talent, I have no issue with, and would support, aiming at that from around 14-15 onward.  And thats not even thinking of injuries or whatnot.

My old neighbor played SEC soccer.  She was a very good player in her youth, but nothing crazy.  Played quite competitive tennis and I believe basketball.  Made JV soccer as a freshman, though 2 other freshman played varsity.  Then she focused fully on soccer.  Made a huge leap in her club season, got scouted by a better club and switched her sophomore year.  And sophomore year ended up making varsity and ended up starting and being a leading scorer by the end of the year.  There was no growth spurt or physical maturity change.  Just focus.

[dgies9156]

The best thing about women's athletics is the equality between men's offerings and women's offerings.

If women's basketball is declining, it's because women have other opportunities that they're good at. As a consequence, your talent pool is spread more broadly. That's great because it means  women have more opportunity to pursue what they like, to stay physically fit and to focus on things other than the opposite gender.

I watched my daughter discover soccer as a young girl. She played house league for years, then high school and club in college. Now, when she's not injured, she's playing adult recreational soccer in her hometown. It's been great for her.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

I agree, but not in the case quoted.  She's an 8th grader, so probably 14.  If she truly is a national level soccer player, that is the age of specialization.  There is a reason you see basketball players give up football around HS age.  Or when soccer players go all in on academies.  Thats the time that you truly become elite.

Having your kid be some Todd Marinovich lunatic since they are in kindergarten is bad.  But if you're going to be a D-1 athlete, much less a professional level talent, I have no issue with, and would support, aiming at that from around 14-15 onward.  And thats not even thinking of injuries or whatnot.

My old neighbor played SEC soccer.  She was a very good player in her youth, but nothing crazy.  Played quite competitive tennis and I believe basketball.  Made JV soccer as a freshman, though 2 other freshman played varsity.  Then she focused fully on soccer.  Made a huge leap in her club season, got scouted by a better club and switched her sophomore year.  And sophomore year ended up making varsity and ended up starting and being a leading scorer by the end of the year.  There was no growth spurt or physical maturity change.  Just focus.

That's a fair point. For those kids that are multi-sport, they typically start to focus around that age.

My sense is this girl is most likely the opposite--one that has been single sport focused her whole life. Just a guess, but the fact that she wants to try basketball at that age, despite the wishes of her coach and parents, says to me she is at risk of soccer burnout.

[Jay Bee]

What is a girl

[tower912]

The gender that ignored you.

[JWags85]

That's a fair point. For those kids that are multi-sport, they typically start to focus around that age.

My sense is this girl is most likely the opposite--one that has been single sport focused her whole life. Just a guess, but the fact that she wants to try basketball at that age, despite the wishes of her coach and parents, says to me she is at risk of soccer burnout.

Totally fair as well.  For every case like my neighbor, you have the best player from my HS when I was a freshman.  He was first team all state on a state championship team.  Got a scholarship to IU which was a powerhouse at that time (4 championships in the 10 years around me entering HS).  Played a season, got decent run as a freshman.  Transferred to a lower level program and then ended up dropping soccer all together by Junior year. 

I know another kid I used to play with that was getting high major looks as a 14 year old.  Remember him playing in a tournament at Bavarian as a 12-13 year old where he was so absurd that people were acting like it was a Danny Almonte situation.  Ended up burning out in HS to the point that he ended up at UWGB which was a big step down given his younger years.  And he too didn't even finish his college career.  Funny thing about him too was it wasn't helicopter or overbearing parents.  Dude LOVED soccer and was obsessed as a kid.  But sometimes parents need to curb some of that in their best interests.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Totally fair as well.  For every case like my neighbor, you have the best player from my HS when I was a freshman.  He was first team all state on a state championship team.  Got a scholarship to IU which was a powerhouse at that time (4 championships in the 10 years around me entering HS).  Played a season, got decent run as a freshman.  Transferred to a lower level program and then ended up dropping soccer all together by Junior year. 

I know another kid I used to play with that was getting high major looks as a 14 year old.  Remember him playing in a tournament at Bavarian as a 12-13 year old where he was so absurd that people were acting like it was a Danny Almonte situation.  Ended up burning out in HS to the point that he ended up at UWGB which was a big step down given his younger years.  And he too didn't even finish his college career.  Funny thing about him too was it wasn't helicopter or overbearing parents.  Dude LOVED soccer and was obsessed as a kid.  But sometimes parents need to curb some of that in their best interests.

Same. Kid who was on a rival HS team but same club team as my kid made the U.S. Futures team then the U.S. National Team and played in Europe with those teams over the summers. Got a D1 offer from top 5 school, and then by senior year of High School decided not to play at all in college.

[MU82]

My sense is this girl is most likely the opposite--one that has been single sport focused her whole life. Just a guess, but the fact that she wants to try basketball at that age, despite the wishes of her coach and parents, says to me she is at risk of soccer burnout.

That thought entered my mind as well.

Whatever the motivation to play hoops, she’s a great kid and a wonderful teammate. I can tell the others look up to her. I’m thrilled she’s on the team.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

When my daughter was a freshman in HS playing hoops, the AD had a presentation for student-athlete parents with all the coaches seated behind him. The AD extolled the virtues of being a multisport athlete and not to focus on just one sport. All the coaches behind him were dutifully nodding their heads up and down. Then when the seasons started, all the coaches totally undercut the AD and started telling the kids how unless they focused on THEIR sport the kids playing time would suffer, it doesn't show commitment to the team, etc. Totally amusing.

[MU82]

When my daughter was a freshman in HS playing hoops, the AD had a presentation for student-athlete parents with all the coaches seated behind him. The AD extolled the virtues of being a multisport athlete and not to focus on just one sport. All the coaches behind him were dutifully nodding their heads up and down. Then when the seasons started, all the coaches totally undercut the AD and started telling the kids how unless they focused on THEIR sport the kids playing time would suffer, it doesn't show commitment to the team, etc. Totally amusing.

Amusing yes, but also a little sad.