Who is the game for ?
As I write this , I cannot help but think back to a classic movie I saw while growing up and recall the phrase “ LET THEM PLAY, LET THEM PLAY “ . Thus the theme of this note.

I cannot stress how important the LOVE of the game is to children both young and old. I have noticed throughout the years that the players who are able to develop and grow are the ones who have a passion for the game of basketball. It is not always the ones who play on a winning team or are the best shooters but the ones who just love to play the game. If they feel the passion for the game then they will dictate how much they want to play or practice. I have said in the past that one of the jobs of parents is to provide kids with the opportunity to enjoy the game. They will all not enjoy watching the game being played by others, or going to camps, or playing on an extra team but offer them the chance.

Let’s remember the game is for them and not us. If they are not a star now, that is okay their love will carry them through these times. As a parent we must make sure they are having fun, as not every coach will have this as their focus and it is sometimes up to the parents to remind children of their reason for playing. It is also important to keep things in perspective as the years go on and remember that they are still young. It is funny how quickly some kids forget a loss while we parents never seem to forget them. Also do not underestimate how much our children listen to us and feed off of our actions and words.

Bottom line, basketball is a great game which can provide children with not only great experiences but also instill teamwork, commitment, and confidence in our children. Let’s allow them to play the game for as long they can.

This note applies to all youth of the young age 5 or 6 but I strongly believe that this message applies to all young people ages 4 – 18 yrs old.