NBA, USA BASKETBALL OFFER GUIDELINES FOR YOUTH
The NBA and USA Basketball have partnered to develop an inaugural set of youth basketball guidelines to enhance the way children, parents and coaches experience the game, emphasizing the importance of player health and wellness, the NBA announced Monday.
The recommended playing and rest guidelines — which have been endorsed by organizations such as the AAU, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Adidas, Nike, Under Armour and the NCAA — were established over the last six months by three working groups ( health and wellness; playing standards; curriculum and instruction) made up of coaches, administrators, former players including retired NBA champions Shane Battier and Bruce Bowen, and leading medical experts from around the world.
PARTICIPATION
Ages 7- 8: One game ( 20 to 28 minutes) and one practice ( 30 to 60 minutes) a week.
Ages 9- 11: One to two games ( 24 to 32 minutes) and two practices ( 40 to 75 minutes) a week.
Ages 12- 14: Two games ( 28 to 32 minutes) and two to four practices ( 60 to 90 minutes) a week.
Grades 9- 12: Two to three games ( 32 to 36 minutes) and three to four practices ( 90 to 120 minutes) a week.
REST
Ages 7- 8: Two rest days a week minimum; four months a year playing organized basketball; nine to 12 hours of sleep a night.
Ages 9- 11: Two rest days a week minimum; fivemonths a year playing organized basketball; nine to 12 hours of sleep a night. Ages 12- 14: One rest day a week minimum; seven months a year playing organized basketball; eight to 10 hours of sleep a night ( nine to 12 hours for 12- year- olds).
Grades 9- 12: One rest day a week minimum; nine to 10 months a year playing organized basketball; eight to 10 hours of sleep a night.
“As both the chairman of the Jr. NBA Leadership Council and a parent whose kids grew up playing basketball, I’m proud that the NBA and USA Basketball developed these important guidelines,” said Martin E. Dempsey, a retired U. S. general and special adviser to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We have a responsibility as stewards of the game to provide an appropriate structure for youth basketball, and these recommendations will help to reshape the game in a positive way at the grass- roots level and promote a healthy experience.”
The health and wellness working group also outlined eight recommendations to promote a positive, healthy youth basketball experience, including the importance of delaying single- sport specialization until 14 or older.
“A lot of ( the concerns) seem to revolve around a fear that a child would be at a competitive disadvantage if they don’t specialize, thinking about even making their high school team but also thinking about collegiate scholarships and elite travel teams,” John DiFiori, NBA director of sports medicine and UCLA team physician, told USA TODAY Sports.
“Too much of the emphasis has been on success at young ages, competitiveness and competitions, rather than the balance between sport being a good thing for health and wellness, engagement of sports in the long term promoting good health to adulthood, and participating ( in sports) for the other benefits — social benefits, self esteem, leadership opportunities — rather than simply competitiveness and trying to gain an edge for some sort of future success.”
DiFiori stressed that the guidelines only applied to organized basketball and that the NBA encouraged children to hone their skills on their own time as well.
“( Organized basketball is) time in structured practices led by a coach, structured training, sometimes kids will have personal coaches and all that sort of thing, and then competition time,” DiFiori said.
“It does not apply to time children and adolescents will be on their own practicing layups, practicing their left hand vs. their right hand, shooting free throws, shooting jump shots. It doesn’t apply to pickup games.
“Those are all things that we encourage.”