How does youth leagues work in your country?

[JustMagic]

I'm very curious to know a few things about youth/kids basketball in other places around the world, so plz answer me this questions:

1. What's the minimal age kids start playing competative basketball? I mean in an orgenized league and all. Do they have special rules? regular size baskets and balls?
2. Do you have full stats in youth leagues?
3. Do you need a special diploma to be qualified to coach in your country?
4. Usually when a kid is much taller/stronger/more athletic than other kids his age in his position, does he train and play with an older team, or his own age, or both??


I'll be the first to answer. This is how it is in Israel:
1. The leagues start from 5th grade (10 years old). 5th and 6th graders play in a special league called "mini-basket". they play 4 on 4, the rim is only 2.60m high (8'7''), no 3 pts, the games are 5min X 6 "quarters" and each player allowed to play only 3 of them MAX. They play with a size 5 ball.
7th and 8th graders play with regular rules and rim hight but with a size 6 ball. 9-12 grade (ages 15-18) play with size 7 ball and other regular FIBA rules.
Zone defense is allowed only in the U-18 league (11-12 grades).

2. The only formal stat is the score. you can barely know how much points scored each player. Obviously no stats on the internet. On the official site you can check the only the final score, which is also updated only after a couple of months. Sad but all true

3. You must go through a month long course to get a "basketball-instructor" diploma to coach kids from 5 to 16 years old. To coach 17-18 y/o and adults you need a "basketbal coach" diploma, which is a much longer course.

4. Very rarely a kid like that will play with older kids, where he'll realy develop his skills and not only depend on his phisical atributes. Coaches want to win and "milk" the kis as much as possible.

[Undrafted Rook]

I'm very curious to know a few things about youth/kids basketball in other places around the world, so plz answer me this questions:

1. What's the minimal age kids start playing competative basketball? I mean in an orgenized league and all. Do they have special rules? regular size baskets and balls?
2. Do you have full stats in youth leagues?
3. Do you need a special diploma to be qualified to coach in your country?
4. Usually when a kid is much taller/stronger/more athletic than other kids his age in his position, does he train and play with an older team, or his own age, or both??

Finland

1. 10 year olds and under play in a small court to 2.6 m rims, with 27 inch (size 5?) ball.
2. No, U-16 has full stats in national competition.
3. Not necessarily, but there are courses available by the national basketball association.
4. Usually both or older, depends on the club.


Zone defenses are allowed from the U-16 age group, in younger groups you can play zone in the latter half of the game (new rule, and a stupid one.)

System is entirely club-based.

Hopefully we'll get more replies.

[D-Wags#13]

In Germany

1. you can start playing at whatever age you want, yet you will be physically inferior being 5 years old, but if you can play, you are at least allowed to in the under 9 competition. Then you have U10, U12, U14, U16, U18, U20 as far as regional youth competitions go. You there have different leagues that differ in strength. Winners of the stronger leagues move on to play in the district championships, winners there in state championships (ends here for U12, U18, U20), then there are regional championships (f.e. south-eastern german championship), then you will advance to the southern (northern) german championships and finally to the german championships (for U14, U16). U12 and U10, U9 don't have any advanced championships I think.
In U12 and below, U play 4x 10 minutes, time only being stopped in the 4th quater, no threes, rim at regular height, ball size 5. Each player has to sit out at least 1 quater and every player has to play at least 1 quater. In U14 regular rules but ball size 5, no zone defense. From U16 on regular rules without zone defense. From U18 regular rules.
Then there is in addition to all that the NBBL, like youth's first division for U19, where usually the best youths play. Here you have regular rules and some additions to gym capacity, organisation and stuff like that. This league is pretty professional. It is devided in 4 divisons with 8 teams each, Top 4 of each divison advance to the playoffs, divided in sout and north. Series is best of 3 in top 16 and top 8. Final 4 is then played with 2 southern and 2 northern teams as a tournament with one semi final and one final and game for third place.

2. Full stats only in U19 NBBL. But on that site http://www.basketball-bund.net you can see the results from U9 up to 4th divison on adult level with scorers, free throw makes and attempets, two pointers scored, three pointers scored and fouls. And you have statistics such as leading scorers, free throw % and threes per game as well as team stats for all that noted above.
On http://www.nbbl-basketball.de you have the results and complete stats for the NBBL category as well as game previews and reviews.

3. No diploma needed to coach on youth level, except for the NBBL. But to coach higher divisons in adult level you need a diploma. It's divided into D (lowest), C, B and A diploma. You have to pass them in that order. D is regular one, everybody gets that. C is a bit harder, you need that from 6th to 4th divison in adult level. B is for 3rd and 2nd divison and for 1st divison A is needed. If you played professionally before you can start with the B diploma.

4. Kids are allowed to play up to two age groups above theirs. Like a U12 is allowed to play in U16, but he needs a special permission from a doctor. No permission needed for playing one group above. With a special permission U16 can start playing in adult level. From U18 on you can play there without doctor's permission. youth players are allowed to play in max 2 adult teams. Like for example in a teams 1st and 2nd team, or 2nd and 3rd, but not 1st and 3rd, f.e.
So all in all, a player from U18 can play in up to 4 different teams. Not sure if a U16 is allowed to play in 5 different.
Besides that there are some special rules that make you available to play for two different clubs at the same time.

[Basti]

^ I didn't know it was THAT complicated in Germany