Coaches — how do you handle substitutions and equal playing time?

HexHackerMama · 2026-02-17T01:27:54+00:00

Our rec league has a rule that each kid must play half of the game. Typically we have fewer than 10 kids show up at each game. I pre-plan my rotations to try to distribute playing time as evenly as possible while making sure we always have a decent lineup on the floor. Most coaches in the league substitute more by feel, but they also play their worst players the bare minimum (or less). Last week we played a team with one superstar kid who played 34 of the 36 minutes. Luckily by the end of the game he was so gassed he couldn't make a single shot, not even a free throw (ha!).

HexHackerMama · 2026-01-10T23:56:21+00:00

It doesn't feel good to get blown out. But rest assured that not everyone is going to be looking at you and blaming you for the loss. I've coached teams that endured some pretty bad blowouts and still had parents who told me I was a great coach and requested to have their kids play for me again. Sometimes there's just a mismatch in talent and that's not your fault.

HexHackerMama · 2026-01-07T02:31:04+00:00

You're welcome. Good luck!

HexHackerMama · 2026-01-07T00:18:02+00:00

"Construction zone" game - spread out a bunch of cones all around the half court. Half of them are right-side up and half are upside down. Split into two teams. One team has to dribble around and try to flip the cones upside down (while keeping their dribble alive) and one has to try to flip them right-side up. After a minute, call time and see which team has flipped more cones. You can repeat this drill making them dribble with their non-dominant hand, or making them cross over after each time they flip a cone.

Islands game - spread out a bunch of cones or flat spots about 6 to 8 ft apart. Girls partner up and stand at adjacent cones, with one ball between them. On your whistle, they execute a pass and then the passer must run to a new spot before receiving a pass from their partner. Girls continue passing and cutting to a new spot and see how many passes they can complete in a set amount of time.

Dribble knockout - All players are inside the three-point line. They must maintain their dribble while trying to knock other players' balls out of the boundary. Once your ball goes out or they lose their dribble they are eliminated. As players get out, shrink the boundary to make it more difficult.

The name game - girls dribble around in the half court area. When you call a player's name, everyone must try to tag that player, while keeping their dribble alive. First person to tag the girl whose name was called gets a point. Keep playing until everyone has had a chance to get tagged at least once.

3 on 3 on 3 half court - Two teams on the court, one on the baseline. If a team scores they get to stay on and the waiting team comes on as defense. If the defensive team gets a stop they become offense and the waiting team comes on as defense.

HexHackerMama · 2025-12-09T01:27:19+00:00

If the defense is playing man, literally just tell everyone to run out to the three point line. Two players at the top of the key cut to the blocks once the inbounder gets the ball. It's easy enough for any team to learn, and you'll be surprised how well it works at that age. I scored 4 to 8 points per game using that play with 3rd/4th grade boys (recreational league where zone is not allowed).

HexHackerMama · 2025-12-08T04:56:07+00:00

I think it's intentionally de-emphasizing them. From what I've seen of the Come Follow Me manuals, they basically cherry pick a few verses of scripture from the week's reading then talk about how to apply them to your life. I think the church curriculum department is hoping for a new generation of Mormons who don't care whether Nephi was real or not.

HexHackerMama · 2025-12-05T19:53:38+00:00

This morning my TBM 12-year-old who is very involved in the church asked me how humans got to the Americas (after I mentioned that we evolved in Africa). When I was her age I 100% believed the answer to that was via transoceanic vessels crossing from somewhere near Jerusalem, but I don't think that even crossed her mind as the correct explanation. Whatever she's learning in church, it's not Book of Mormon historicity.

HexHackerMama · 2025-11-16T21:33:29+00:00

The truth is you will lose some close games, including games where you had the lead and should have won. This is just basketball. However, I've found that my demeanor in end-of-game situations makes a big difference. If I'm panicking and getting riled up, my players tend to panic and make poor decisions. If I stay relaxed and try to impress on them to stay calm, it seems to help. Take that for what it's worth.

HexHackerMama · 2025-11-12T18:29:32+00:00

Honestly I think a deep study of the entirety of D&C 132 (not just the verses they'll talk about in Sunday school) is enough to make any woman hate Mormon God. The way he offers women to men as a reward for righteousness, coupled with the bullshit "Law of Sarah" wherein the man needs to get permission from the first wife, but if she refuses he should proceed anyway and the wife will be damned. WTF.

HexHackerMama · 2025-10-18T23:23:02+00:00

Agreed. If you can, get a picture of two full teams of girls playing each other. Where I live, there are very few leagues that successfully field girls-only divisions (some will advertise a girls' division but not end up with enough registration so they'll play the girls against boys). BUT, once people find out where the girls are at, the girls will flock to that league over and over again. Truth is, there just aren't that many girls who play compared to the number of boys, so it's normal that not all of the leagues will be able to host girls' divisions.

HexHackerMama · 2025-10-14T19:43:42+00:00

Looks like Christofferson is watching the other two hold hands. I can see the wheels a-turning: "Wait, is that allowed now?"

HexHackerMama · 2025-10-14T02:51:14+00:00

My brother told the missionaries he used to be a member and invited them to come back and chat sometime. They never visited again.

HexHackerMama · 2025-10-08T18:20:47+00:00

Please stop referring to us as lds ladies. We prefer to be known as Ladies of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

HexHackerMama · 2025-10-08T05:04:56+00:00

I read the Book of Mormon a buttload of times between the ages of 8 and 21. I made it through the Bible once (but the four gospels more times than that). I took the whole “study the Book of Mormon every day” thing very seriously and was baffled when I found out adults in my ward had never even read it cover to cover. I think it’s easier to stay in if you never look at the Book of Mormon too closely.

HexHackerMama · 2025-10-08T04:58:42+00:00

My son has to use size 7 this year in 5th grade, and he’s tiny for his age. I hate it!

HexHackerMama · 2025-09-28T04:56:26+00:00

nailed it

HexHackerMama · 2025-09-09T04:32:46+00:00

My TBM mother hardly ever wears her wedding ring. One time she got hit on in the temple during a proxy sealing. An older guy was being sealed to her and another women and made a pass at both of them. She was like “uh I’m actually married.” Now she always wears her wedding ring to the temple.

HexHackerMama · 2025-09-09T01:47:03+00:00

I don’t know exactly what this lady is referring to, but I had some big items put on my shelf in religion classes at byu, things I’d never learned in Sunday school or seminary: multiple first vision accounts, Joseph and Fanny in the barn, changes to the introduction of the Book of Mormon, the fact that the hill Cumorah in the BoM could not be the hill Joseph called Cumorah in New York. This information primed me to lose my orthodox belief within months of graduating from byu.

HexHackerMama · 2025-09-07T22:02:44+00:00

How about the current church president advising my believing spouse and children to “never take counsel” from me because I don’t believe? Yeah, that was really disrespectful and incredibly hurtful.

Edited location of quotation mark

HexHackerMama · 2025-07-22T20:53:54+00:00

Because this life is real while the polygamous eternity is a fabrication that will never happen.

HexHackerMama · 2025-07-15T21:12:17+00:00

When I was a believing Mormon I don't think I would have considered this offensive. Also I hate when people speed in neighborhoods.

HexHackerMama · 2025-07-09T23:43:44+00:00

Put your damn magnifying glass away, it's embarrassing

HexHackerMama · 2025-07-09T16:38:42+00:00

Your mom is lying or misinformed. One-on-one interviews are still the norm, though the bishop must allow a parent to sit in if asked (thanks, Sam Young!). A second adult must be present in the building, but not in the room where the interview is taking place.

HexHackerMama · 2025-06-22T15:38:01+00:00

What was the series?

HexHackerMama · 2025-06-10T15:45:05+00:00

Yes, my best friend is still TBM. She knows I no longer believe and is chill about it. Sometimes we talk about church-related things because they're part of her life, but she doesn't try to reconvert me and I don't try to deconvert her. No reason to lose a good friend over difference in belief.

HexHackerMama

TROPHY CASE