Wichita Biddy Basketball closing?

[WINGdingBALLfling]

I came home today and heard a headline on channel 12 that said Biddy basketball is closing. If it is true that they are closing down that could be a MAJOR blow to the talent coming out of Wichita and the surrounding area in a couple of years. I know Conner Frankamp played their all through grade school and so did some of the other City league elite.

[SubGod22]

From people I know who've coached kids there recently it's not a surprise. It's been really poorly run/organized and the officiating has gotten worse. I started at the YMCA and heard horror stories about Biddy from teams who played in both. Little good has been happening there the past few years. If someone was willing to put forth some effort to properly run it, or something like it, it would be successful. But I've heard they've run off A LOT of teams/players the past few years. MAYB will now be an even bigger deal I'm sure.

[WINGdingBALLfling]

ya i knew they had changed owner ship since i had played their but it was still somewhat of a surprise considering what all it has done for the city in the past decades.

[SubGod22]

ya i knew they had changed owner ship since i had played their but it was still somewhat of a surprise considering what all it has done for the city in the past decades.

I can understand that. I know a coach there that vents to me quite a bit about what's happened the past few years. It is sad that things have gone so far down hill.

[JohnnieBallgame]

I am not surprised if this is true! Several years ago, many of the suburban kids/teams left because of issues that included safety, sportsmanship, and what was perceived to be reverse racism.

There were several suburban leagues, along with the MAYB, and to a lesser extent the YMCA that tried to pick up the slack and competitive void.

There were games when parents/family members in the crowd would make statements like "you gonna let that white boy do that" when a shot was blocked...etc. This kind of behaviour prompted one 5th grade white kid to tell the opposing parents/family "yes, he can't stop it because this is my house and I own him here." As you might imagine this nearly incited a riot. White player/team was issued a technical foul, nothing done to the parents or family members making the statements that started the whole thing, who were adults!

I know that I stopped sponsorship of teams there and donations after witnessing the above incident and others like it. I have heard from numerous others who have had similar experiences.

[shoxlax]

It's basically a case of the inmates running the asylum.
They have run themselves into the ground by not standing up for the principles the league was founded on and deserve what they get.

While the Y in the past has been viewed as a recreational league, they are poised and more than capable of filling the void left by Biddy Basketball. Money is no object either.

[1979Shocker]

BIDDY Basketball Looks Toward Winning Future

Sunday, February 20, 2011

BIDDY basketball is back. The decades-old program thought it was game over, when the Salvation Army was forced to drop the program because of financial reasons.

Now, dedicated community members say they are continuing the program on their own.

The BIDDY basketball program is one that promotes teamwork, sportsmanship, integrity and fairness through the spirit of basketball.

Those involved, say those are life-lessons the city of Wichita cannot afford to pass up.

"It's going to be a community effort, and the community needs to get involved to save a wonderful tradition. We can't just let BIDDY go into nothing," said Jay Wassall, East BIDDY Director.

A private family has decided to financially-back the program, allowing it to flourish once again.

[rZ]

I apologize in advance for referring to comments made by Jeffery Parsons (sp?), however at the end of Sports Sunday this past week he talked about how its probably not a bad thing that a poorly run biddy basketball closes its doors. MAYB, YCMA and others are more than capable of filling the void with better run programs.