Pirate Galaxy » only advantage the Aggies had during the game w

Last week, our local county recreation department opened team registration for kids winter basketball, which is like a national holiday for overly-invested sports-parents.I coach second graders and wanted to create playing opportunities for as many of them as I could, so I expanded the roster from one team of 12 to two teams open to 20 kids. I reached out a fellow dad about possibly combining his team with mine. As it turns out, he was disbanding his rec team and taking his son to a private league -- a choice he has every right to make, of course. He wasnt the first kid to leave our school league, and as a firm believer in rec leagues, it saddens me that he probably wont be the last.Ive been thinking about a comment made at an Aspen Institute Project Play panel I hosted on revitalizing in-town sports leagues. Ryan Eckel, vice president of branding for Dicks Sporting Goods, told the audience the name rec league is undercutting the mission of the local organizations who run them.That point resonated with me, so I followed up with Eckel for some clarification:The word recreation implies fun, which is what these leagues should be, because thats what will keep kids wanting to participate.?But it also implies a lack of seriousness, which I think undersells all the very serious benefits of this type of sport participation.In a culture when parents are constantly being reminded of how competitive it is to get into -- and expensive to attend -- college, and the options are elite or travel and recreation, its easy to see why parents would choose the elite option. But the parents who pull their kids out of the in-town leagues in favor of the elite programs are the ones who can afford to do so, and this pulls dollars out of the in-town leagues and reduces their relevance.Between playing, parenting and coaching, Id say I have accumulated about eight years worth of time in the rec league. I know first-hand the benefits of a well-rounded sports experience that includes fun and skill, but the larger effect these local leagues have on kids throughout the region -- including introducing them to organized sports in the first place -- cant be denied.Is the answer as simple as re-marketing rec leagues as something more compelling or exciting, like elite or travel? On the one hand, we want to encourage a return to in-town leagues; on the other hand, we dont want to intimidate or put off families who arent looking for an intense experience.Eckel made a rebranding suggestion that made sense to me: calling it a developmental league, which puts youth sports in their proper perspective while still providing the cachet of progress toward a bigger goal -- after all, it works for the NBA and USA Basketball.Obviously, more compelling marketing isnt enough. Local county-funded recreation organizations could call it the Best Way For Your 8-Year-Old To Get Accepted Into College League and it would still require improved infrastructure, investment and parents willingness to be involved.For now, the colloquialism I typically use that makes the most sense to me is friends team, because in the end, that is the thing about the experience that the kids themselves notice and appreciate most. Wholesale Air Jordan 10 China . 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The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. GREENSBORO, N.C. -- With her team playing its second road game in three days, coach Cori Close was just hoping UCLA would find a way to get better against North Carolina A&T on the Aggies home court.The Bruins did just that in an emphatic manner.Monique Billings and Kari Korver scored 15 points apiece to lead five players in double figures as No. 10 UCLA coasted to a 83-42 win against North Carolina A&T on Tuesday.Jordin Canada had 12 points and 10 assists for the Bruins (9-2), who are off to their best start since opening the 2010-11 season with 10 straight wins.Coming off a disappointing loss against No. 6 South Carolina on Sunday, UCLA dominated in all areas to head into the Christmas break.Our biggest goal we had for today was to finish strong and get better, Close said. Its very easy for kids to be halfway out the door for Christmas break. Overall, we just wanted to stay hungry and I thought we were able to do that. But I also think theres more in us, and I think were going to find it.Kennedy Burke and Kelli Hayes added 11 points apiece for UCLA, which had 20 assists on its 31 made field goals and shot 54.4 percent from the floor.Kala Green scored 12 points for North Carolina A&T (2-9), which struggled all game on offense and finished with more turnovers (23) than made field goals (13).The Bruins used a stifling defense in the first half to take control, holding the Aggies to four total field goals on 15.2 percent shooting while building a 45-17 lead.The Bruins scored 23 points off 116 Aggie turnovers in the first half and made 15 of 30 field goals, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range.ddddddddddddUCLA, which entered the game averaging more than six 3-pointers, made 9 of 18, with Korver going 5 for 8 behind the arc.BIG PICTUREUCLA: The Bruins got back on the winning track after their loss to the Gamecocks, dominating in all facets against a lesser opponent in its nonconference finale.N.C. A&T: The Aggies got a taste of playing a top-10 team on their home court. Despite the lopsided loss, the level of competition they faced should be a building block for them once conference play opens up in January.STAT SHEETAbout the only advantage the Aggies had during the game was in rebounds during the first half, holding a 27-22 advantage, with 16 of those on the offensive end.SCHEDULE QUIRKUCLA wanted to squeeze in a second game during its brief tour of the Carolinas and found the perfect partner in N.C. A&T, which is about a 3-hour drive from Columbia, South Carolina, where the Bruins played on Sunday. The game time -- noon -- was also a bit unusual, but A&T had a packed gym courtesy of local middle school students that were bused in and created a lively atmosphere.UP NEXTUCLA: Returns home to open Pac-12 play against Utah on Dec. 30 and Colorado on Jan. 1.N.C. A&T: Closes out 2016 with home games against Ohio on Dec. 28 and Francis Marion on Dec. 31. ' ' '