[sprucepinetiger]

The reason that many coaches go down to the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade is because there is a lack of talent that tries out and/or sticks around. I heard that they just lost their best ball handler to East Ridge, too. If a high school lacks the number of talented girls they have to see of the middle school girls are worth trying out. If a 7th or 8th grader can produce more than the 9, 10, 11, or 12th grader then they need to be on the team and the other girls should be cut. You take the top 15-20 no matter what grade they are in. Just because a player is in a higher grade does not give them first priority over playing time. Plus girls are more likely to play up more than boys are due to the physical development is more similar between 13-16 year old girls as opposed to 13-16 yo boys.

Do you ever wonder why those that have talent won't stick around or try out? It's because they know that no matter how hard they work, no matter what they do, others are going to be pushed ahead of them. I've seen it first hand, both boys and girls. Coach likes a kid or his parents, he/she can make 15 turnovers a game, miss 15 shots in a row, run their mouth to ref's and COACHES!! Nothing is done. Another kid can come in, make one mistake and sit for two games...makes perfect sense right? It's just the same old thing that has always went on and will continue to go on. You are either in with the "in" crowd or you're not, simple as that. Sadly that plays a part, people say it doesn't but recent actions I have seen dictate otherwise.