RebKell's Junkie Boards

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[Howee]

[ClayK]

By definition, any player who puts on a WNBA uniform is a WNBA player. In the same way, any player who gets a scholarship is a scholarship player.

But the quality of the product in either case is dependent on the quality of the athletes. If the quality of the product declines, then there will be an impact on customer satisfaction, to put it in business terms.

So far, though, the WNBA and USA Basketball have shown little interest in dealing with the decline in participation (of course the college world is worried about other things). To me, that could be construed as mere stupidity all the way up to dereliction of duty.

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Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[myrtle]

My boss once said to not lose sight of quality over quantity. He used the example of the company parking lot...where the most cars by quantity were by far the ford Fiesta.

I think the quality of the coaching and competition is light years ahead of 2012, and that was light years ahead of 2002. And like Elsie, I'm happy there are so many sports now for girls! It's all good.

[Rock Hard]

[tfan]

[ClayK]

It's been a slow evolution, primarily driven by the improvement of youth level volleyball.

One big change in the past decade is the appearance of full-time, year-round volleyball coaches working in the club system. These coaches naturally want girls to play year round because that's how they make their living, and they work hard to create an environment that encourages girls to stay involved.

Without a lot of running and no contact, the fun of the sport is more prominent, and when you add in the culture of the sport -- the fans are polite, the teams bond as a group, etc. -- it's just become more and more attractive to young girls who like sports but aren't necessarily cutthroat competitors.

At the same time, basketball has become more physical (that's how you win) and the culture in the stands has become more negative and sometimes downright ugly. The full-scholarship requirement means that competition for that big money is brutal, and players move from team to team to get the best chance, they feel, at what is truly a lot of money.

At another level, the officiating in basketball has declined because no one wants to deal with the abuse from parents and coaches, while volleyball officiating is easy money and the culture is such that abuse is rare (and no one really understands the rules).

The trend is obvious, and there's no reason to expect it to change. The Caitlin Clark phenomenon may have some impact, but really, the middle school girls who decide what sport to play are probably not watching much sports on TV.

_________________
Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[Luuuc]

My niece stopped playing basketball and opted for volleyball instead. For her it's a lower-stress and more social sport to play. She's fairly sporty but not super competitive.
I get the appeal for someone like her.

As a spectator though it's still a no for me.

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Thanks for calling. I wait all night for calls like these.

[tfan]

[snichols]

[tfan]

[ClayK]

>I expect it to change. Unless high schools start having two or more volleyball teams there is a limit to how many players can play volleyball. And volleyball is a terrible sport for bench players since no one needs a break or gets in foul trouble and there is no "garbage time" as time never runs out.

In California, most high schools have three volleyball teams, and many more girls try out for volleyball than basketball.

It used to be that most high schools had three basketball teams, but no more. It's hard to even find frosh teams to play, and a few schools don't have JVs.

The playing time issue cuts both ways. There are six volleyball players on the court, and there's room for specialization. Aside from the libero, some girls are back-row and are subbed out when they rotated to the front.

And in general, high school teams play eight or nine of the 12 or so on the roster, so the amount of time on the bench can be substantial.

The point about clubs is spot on, and as mentioned, club volleyball coaches can make a living doing only that -- so they are highly motivated to keep girls and parents happy. Club basketball coaches on the women's side are not full-time, and with parents chasing those full rides, team bonding is less. In volleyball, only the very elite get a full ride; most get some kind of partial, which might even be just a cash outlay.

I would love to believe things will turn around, but if you're on the ground, you've seen the shift happen. I've had several girls want to play basketball but their club volleyball coaches essentially wouldn't let them, saying they'd lose their spot on their club teams if they didn't play year round.

_________________
Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[TechDawgMc]

Volleyball players tend to play both high school and club. The high school coaches generally encourage them to play club. That’s one reason why it seems a lot of players feel the need to choose between volleyball and basketball.

And volleyball will usually play the six starters, a libero, and at least two specialists. So that’s roughly nine players who get solid time. The deeper part of the bench may see little playing time — though they tend to get in when the team wins two quick games.

[tfan]

[ClayK]

Of course only the elite athletes impact the higher levels ...

But if more athletes play volleyball than basketball, it follows that more elite athletes will play volleyball than basketball.

And as I have mentioned, the decision the elite athlete makes about which sport to play occurs in middle school, long before any thoughts of professionalism enter in, and peer group pressure is paramount.

_________________
Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[CBiebel]