Basketball Size as Related to Children's Preference, Rated Skill, and Scoring

Abstract

This study was done to ascertain ball preferences of ten-year-old children and to assess whether their preferences were related to their skill in shooting, score attained, or some other factor. 77 children recruited from a rural community and also from the National Youth Sports Program volunteered to participate. Subjects were videotaped as they shot five free throws using in random order a men's, a women's, and a junior standard basketball. A shooting score and a technique score were recorded. Children preferred a ball smaller than the one they normally used; prior experience with a basketball did not seem to influence point scoring. Most subjects were unable to use technically correct mechanics to shoot free throws. There may be considerable improvement in children's shooting technique if instruction is given and a junior size basketball used.

Free-throw accuracy and success as a function of ball weight in 9- to 11-year-old male players

“…Studies that analyzed the effect of modification of ball weight on free-throw accuracy showed that the lighter ball could either increase accuracy (ISAACS; KARPMAN, 1981;REGIMBAL et al, 1992) or not affect it (CHASE et al, 1994;SATERN et al 1989). As the results of previous studies were inconsistent, we did not hypothesize about whether modification of ball weight would affect the values of the variables analyzed.…”

“…Score obtained according to whether the ball hit the backboard and the rim at each free throw. The experts determined the following scores from the literature reviewed (BUTTON et al, 2003;CHASE et al, 1994;LANDIN et al, 1993;REGIMBAL et al, 1992;SATERN et al, 1989): (a) zero points indicated that the subject missed the entire basket on the shoot; (b) one point was awarded if the ball hit the backboard or net only but did not go into the basket; (c) two points were awarded if the ball hit the rim or the rim and the backboard but did not go into the basket; and (d) three points indicated that the subjects made the basket.…”

“…For the lighter ball, one that was close to the 467.76-g ball proposed by Satern et al (1989) was chosen. For the heavier ball, one that was between the 538.65-g ball proposed by Chase et al (1994) and the 552.8-g ball proposed by Isaacs and Karpman (1981), Regimbal et al (1992), andSatern et al (1989) was chosen.…”

“…They found that shot accuracy was greater with the lowest basket and with the smaller ball. Satern et al (1989) also studied the effects of the dimensions of the ball (567-623.68 g and 75 cm, 496-552.8 g and 72.5 cm, 467.76-552.8 g and 70 cm) and the height of the basket (2.44 m, 3.05 m) on the success and the movement pattern of the free throw. The results showed an increase in the horizontal displacement with the larger ball and a weak relationship between the subjects` standing height and average projection angle when shooting with the intermediate size ball.…”

“…The participants scored more in the lowest basket, but the lighter ball had no effect on free-throw success. Regimbal et al (1992) assessed the dimensions of children's ball preference (567-623.68 g and 75 cm, 496-552.8 g and 72.5 cm) and analyzed whether this was related to shot technique and the score that they obtained. The children preferred a ball that was smaller than the usual one and with which they improved their scoring and their shot technique.…”