How many practice before games do you suggest? I have run into issues with some fo my players this past summer making more games than practices and feel really bad about that. I believe as you have suggested that better shooters better basketball players are built in the summer! I have some control of scheduling games and I would like to make sure I am doing what is best for my group of girls not trying to emulate the big money teams. I thought I saw somewhere you said maybe a 7 to 1 practice to game ratio.

You certainly make the PLAYER during summers.... it seems like a lot of teams are playing a ton of games these days because of the limited contact days.. at least in our state.... 26 I think.

Now this is just my opinion but I would think that a 3-1 ratio or 4-1 would work fine during summers... too many practices without games and they get stale. They need games to transfer the knowledge that they acquire in practices to game situations. The last thing you want is some practice hero... they need to be able to play, thats where you can judge the improvements they make.

Thanks coach Sar....
Again this is youth players and we play in a league in our town that is a step or two above Rec level. WE get communities outside of our own coming to town to compete.

Do you believe still the 3 to1 or 4 to1 ratio for games in season is also appropriate. It is difficult to be with the girls as much as I would like and not sure if we should be meeting more than 3 times a week. 2 is more realistic and maybe playing in games every 2 weeks. So I could get to that 4 to 1 ratio before games.

IF all you can practice is twice a week, I certainly would play once..... IF you all you do is practice they will lose interest in the game... while you want to practice more (and you cant) let them play, you still want to create a love for the game. Do the best you can with the practice time you have available and then have at least one game a week.