To be candid:
You don’t have to face a two-pipe problem to set up a basketball court these days.
All you need is to get two basketball hoops as well as few things you’d need to give finishing touches to your setup. Then, you can place each hoop at both ends of the court, draw the lines, and that’s it. Ta da! The game is ready.
But, have you taken into account the height of the rim? Have you considered that you may not be optimizing your skills if you practice with a very low or high hoop?
Here’s the icebreaker.
In this article, we’ll be sharing with you the exact height for a standard NBA basketball hoop. Plus, we’d be looking at the various basketball hoop sizes for different ages.
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What Is The Ideal Height For Each Age?
Before we dive into what is ideal or not for different ages, let’s take a trip 120 years back, with our time machine.
How did it all start?
James Naismith (A Canadian gym instructor that got credit for inventing the game of hoops) created the peach basket—which he used as the hoop on the first basketball court located near a running track. Before he placed the peach basket, there was no extensive consultation or calculations.
He placed the hoop, and it appeared to be 10-feet (305 cm) above the ground. Since then, the height became a standard. Back to our present day. But does this standard apply to all ages? The answer lies in the next few sections.
Age 5 To 7
Age 5 to 7 is an age group that you find in Kindergarten to second grade. Since the goal is to allow the children to get used to the sport—it’s best to keep things simple. The lowest setting available on the basketball hoop is ideal for this age group—which is about 6 to 7 feet.
Age 8 To 9
Because this age group is older than the previous ones, they should expect things to get a bit complex. At this point, they have gained a considerable amount of strength. You can find this age group in third grade to fourth grade. Thus, it’s safe to increase the hoop to 8-feet.
Eight-feet is perfect for this age as long as you intend to keep things appropriate.
Age 10
Kids of this age are in the fifth grade. At this age, they should be good at performing repeatable shooting strokes without any hassles. If that is the case, it’s safe to take the height one foot higher—which is Nine-feet. While you’re at it, you can incorporate some exercises that will improve shooting mechanics.
Age 11 and Older
These age groups are in the sixth grade and above. It also means that it’s a good time to switch to the regular 10-feet basketball hoop. At this age, these young folks need to practice shooting as much possible. You can start by helping them focus on shooting from the free-throw line. Afterward, they can learn how to shoot from three.
FAQs About the Height of the Basketball Hoop
Is It A Good Idea To Make The Basketball Hoop 10 Feet High For Middle School Basketball Players?
People come up with suggestions that kids in middle school are not exactly tall. Since they aren’t exactly tall, 10 feet seems like it is high. But, in reality, the game of basketball is a team sport that requires every team member to corporate with each other—to bag the victory. So, when the height of the rim is low, it only benefits dunkers. Not all basketball players are dunkers.
Also Read: Best Basketball Hoops for Kids
In A Youth Program, What Is The Average Basketball Hoop?
In reality, height varies from place to place. It’s just unfortunate that most modern-day programs employ 10 feet high basketball hoops regardless of the player’s age.
No doubt, 10 feet is high for youth basketball players, and it will cause a lot of problems in shooting mechanics in the future. But, if you look on the bright side, training programs these days incorporate youth basketball goal height.
Is It Compulsory That I Follow The Regulation Of Basketball Goal Height?
It’s necessary for the basketball rims in junior high, high school and so on, to be exactly 10 feet above the ground—not more or less.
Consequently, you should follow the regulation height when the players attain the right age. That way, the basketball players get familiar with the kind of height they will handle in official matches. You refer to the basketball hoop height by age if you have basketball players in Kindergarten.
Is The Hoop Height Going To Change Anytime Soon?
The 10 feet standard hoop height has stood for over 120 years. And as years go by, many coaches and players are coming out to campaign for a change. Some suggest that 11 feet are a better standard, while others think that 12 feet are the way to go.
They did that best with the campaign. But it wasn’t good enough because NBA officials didn’t pay attention to the campaign. For now, there are no signs of the officials changing the height of the hoop. So, only time will reveal if the standard height will remain or go higher.
Bottom Line
The most effective way to perfect your skills for the game of basketball is to train with a realistic setting (like the right side of the court, and standard hoop height). That way, you don’t only get a sense of what you’ll face in an official match, but you will confidently handle the game with ease.
If you have younger players in Kindergarten, it’s crucial to avoid going overboard. Instead, adjust some things, including the hoop height like we mentioned earlier in this article. Or follow this simple rule:
Make the court shorter
The ball should be smaller
Lower the rim
Do you think the hoop height should increase? If yes, which do you prefer 11 feet or 12 feet? We want to know what you think. Please send your comments and suggestions.
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