The Things That Make Minnesota Basketball Great

One of the main things that I try to communicate when people ask my about my job as a coach is that basketball in Minnesota is <em>thriving</em>! And I wanted one of my first articles to highlight some of the things that I believe make the game special. <h2>There is so much...</h2> ...talent! One thing that I think about a lot while I'm coaching during the high school season is that the depth of talent in Minnesota is remarkable. It doesn't take long to recognize how many great players, coaches and teams there are both in high school and in the AAU circuit. That makes for a consistently high level of basketball across the state regardless of class (1A through 4A), grade level, AAU program, etc. I was texting back and forth with <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/author/grantmcginnis/">Grant McGinnis</a> earlier this week and he shared some numbers with me that I think do a good job of showcasing the state's talent. In the 2017 graduating class, Minnesota produced more than 80 scholarship level players (D1, D2, NAIA) and more than 150 athletes continued their basketball careers into college (including D3 &amp; JUCO). Those are <em>CRAZY</em> numbers! And it seemingly is only getting better from here. I do a lot of scouting of our future opponents during the high school season. There were a number of times last year when I was watching a game and a player would catch my eye. I'd look down at the program to start taking notes only to realize that she was in 8th or 9th grade. The future is bright! <h2>The Entertainment Value...</h2> ...is through the roof. Players today are so skilled and so talented. From the handles and court vision of the game's top guards, to the footwork and body control of the most polished post players, girls are consistently doing things on the court that dazzle and amaze. There have been a number of time times where I have found myself on the bench thinking (or saying out loud) "wow, that was a heck of a move." And it's not limited to good offense. Some of the more memorable plays from this past season for me were some truly remarkable blocks. I'm talking full-on, swat it into the 3rd row, get that (<em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">fill in the blank)</span></em> out of here, type of stuff. The game is fun, it's fast-paced, and it's so very approachable. Players and coaches often stick around after games to chat with fans. They'll take time to snap a quick picture with a young hooper or sign an autograph. And they are willing to indulge a new-to-the-business blogger with a quick interview (speaking from personal experience on that one). It's little things like those that I have come to appreciate about this basketball community. <h2>There Is Still Room...</h2> ...for the sport, and its fan-base, to grow. There are a lot of anecdotes that I could share about the growth of women's basketball both in Minnesota and nationally, but I'll stick to sharing one of my personal favorites. We had a game this past season where our girls went all out to get their classmates to come check out our team. They generated tons of excitement by declaring it a "Hawaiian-out" (complete with Hawaiian shirts and leis for the coaches to wear, not our best look), and did a great job getting the word out. Lots of students ended up showing up, which made for an awesome atmosphere. Our girls had a blast playing in that kind of environment, but what was even more fun for me was going to practice the next day and hearing our players tell the coaches (with giant smiles on their faces) the things their friends said to them afterwards. Things like "I had no idea how <em>good</em> you all are," "I'll <em>definitely</em> be coming to more games," and of course the coaches' favorite, "It was amazing how well you all play together as a<em> team</em>." It was awesome to hear our players get that kind of recognition and appreciation from their peers. And it was fun to be a part of something so simple that helped create new fans of the game. There are so many great things about this sport. And I'm a strong believer that it deserves better exposure. It's that belief that led me to Prep Girls Hoops, and I'm excited to play a small role in providing more consistent coverage to basketball in Minnesota through my contributions to the site! &nbsp; <em>In addition to his contributions to Prep Girls Hoops, Logan is an assistant basketball coach at Simley High School. You can follow him for more Minnesota girls basketball coverage on Twitter at <a href="https://x.com/LoganMoorse">@LoganMoorse</a></em>