3s When and How, and Parents and Play

#4 posting 12.10.2007
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3 POINTS AND STRATEGY
Doug Ritchey, a columnist in the Oshkosh Northwestern writes about the use of 3 point shot. I can state a few things about the 3. Teams DO resort to the trey too soon when they start falling behind. Teams DO NOT have a clear idea who should and should not take the three. It is a rare occurrence when I see a comeback offense.
I used to have a rule on the teams I coached: only two kinds of shots were allowed--lay ups or 3 pointers. When I was coaching the Osseo sophs back in the day my sophs (all who NEVER) made it to varsity by the way) mad 13 ---thirteen---3s in one game. And here is the kicker--8 different kids made a 3 in the game. My teams would also take 3s on the break. Of course there had better been a weak side rebounder zipping down. My favorite 3 of all time was in an AAU game when Kate Townley (Cretin-Derham Hall) came down on the break and fed Jenny Johnson (St. Louis Park) coming down the left wing with a behind the back pass for a three. That got a lot of jaws dropping on the other side.
But kids just didn't come down and jack up threes without any one touching it. We would test out the paint, and then they would fan or kick out up top.
Nothing makes me puke more when I see teams fall behind by 7 and then they start flinging 3s without rhyme or reason. And I detest when a player comes down a shoots a three without anyone else touching the ball. They might as well have four folding chairs for teammates.

PARENTS AND PLAY
Also in the Green Bay Press Gazette Bill Grosse writes about parents and making the sport work and the play is thrown out. Keep perspective and relish the play early on. Remember the children don't necessarily need to be structured and straight jacketed.
Cris Collingsworth, the NFL analyst, has a "playbook for parents" and Doug Bruggeman of Pelican Rapids has more on that subject.

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