Help!

Hi all you Hoops fans. I could do with some advice if anyone is feeling helpful.

My almost 12 year daughter has been going to Basketball as an after school activity for a few weeks and today they took a team to another school for a wee tournament. At the end of the day a coach for a local team approached her to ask if she would like to come and play for their U14 team.

We know virtually nothing about Basketball but are delighted that she has found a sport she loves and seems to have some flair for.

We would like to encourage and help her and thought that Santa could perhaps produce some stuff.

So, any recommendation about getting a hoop for her would be gratefully received.

Do U14 girls play with the hoop at the same height as adults? 10 feet?

Is the back board pretty essential for practice?

What size ball do they use?

I have just had a quick look and have seen balls with special "hand print" marking to teach proper positioning. Are they useful?

Anything else you think would be of use?

I should add that we are not trying to produce a pro BB player here, just encourage her interest/talent in the most helpful way.

Thanks in advance for any advice from a totally lost rugby/athletics/gymnastics fan!

Any progress since you posted?

Thanks Camry.

She has just come home from her second training session. There was a different coach there today and he sought out her dad at the end to say she was doing very well and ask how long she'd been playing for!

I'm told he was quite surprised when he heard in had only been at it a couple of months. I think she's about 6 inches taller after hearing that!

I am reliably informed that Santa has been on the case and has found a fairly sturdy but not too expensive Hoop on a stand, a training ball and some shoes!

It's really lovely to see her do well at this. She is sandwiched between 2 siblings who seem to win medals at just about every sport they try. She is really sporty too but I know she doesn't feel that way because of the other 2.

Just great for her to know she is really good at this and to hear it from someone other than her parents!

I play a lot of basketball and I find that Sports Direct is the best bargain site for proper boots. I'd definitely recommend buying a high-ankle pair as once you turn your ankle properly it's never quite the same again...

A backboard is completely essential. Knowledge of the angles from which to use it will help her a lot.

Pr4wn,

You are a gent!



Unless you are a lady of course!

Either way thank you!

Santa tells me he has aquired these boots.

http://www.sportsdirect.com/nike-zoom-kd-3-junior-069034

Turns out he shops online from there too, who knew!

I hope they are the sort of thing she needs. We tried to look for "proper" basketball shoes as opposed to fashion shoes in a basketball style.

The hoop with backboard is sorted too although I think we may have to anchor it somehow as it would have disappeared in the winds we have had here in the last couple of weeks!

Thanks again for the help and please chip in if you think of anything else!

X

Okay,

The daughter eventually got to play for her team yesterday. Since they asked her to join they have had league matches in stead to training and so she hasn't been able to get to meet them properly. She isn't yet registered to play in the league.

Their coach emailed and asked her to come to play at a Blitz yesterday. She had a great time despite the blisters from the brand new BB shoes!!

So much so that today, she was back today playing for their U13 team at another Blitz! She is actually a very young U13 but there are not too many games for that age group so she will play U 14s.

It was great fun watching her even if it was a lot more Physical than I was expecting for a NON Contact sport!!!

That isn't a problem as this child was playing Rugby till last year, just surprised me!

So, I have watched my first ever BB games and it was great fun!

Thanks again for the help.

Great to hear MrsP, well except for the blisters.