ORR

BASKETBALL
I. D. WHITE, M.D,
B, Ce BOLD

Clinton

Basketball and basketball tournaments as playod in Indiana have
borno the brunt of several attacks from more of less responsible
sources and personages in recent momhhs. In an attompt to verify or
refute the criticisms, the foblowing questionnaire was sent to 108
high school principals and coaches in all sections of Indiana. Their
answers and comments, together with the name of the high school they
represent, are given in the following, and the final conclusions are
based upon those anstors and our personal exporicnccs.

A summary statement or a gtatemont of the findings of this questio1
naire should include the subject-mattcr shown in the table on pages
four and five,

Tae gchools rosponding to the questionnaire meke up an cexcellcnt
cross scetion of Indiana basketball.

The principals and coaches from those schools cre exporicnecd men,
Few wovld question the integrity of these men who are working with
our Indiana boys.

Tho answers are statements and opinions bascd upon years of
experiences whth boys end for boyse

The result is an almost unanimous vote for Indiana basketball as
it is managed under the High School Athictic Associatikn regulations.
It ig an almost unanimous denial of physical or moral injury to the
participant by mon who are not only in daily contact with the part-
icipants, but who have boon participants thomselvcs.

5 cBasketball in Indiane is playcd as the High School Athletic
Association intonds that it ahall be played; it is not harmful to

the boy oithor physically, mentally, or morally; there is no tangible
ovidenee that it is any moro harmful than other athletic activiticss
attecks are foundcd upon lack of knowlcage and oxpericncto as an
athleto or with athletcs; there are long term cvidences as well as
current cvidenees of boncfits physically, montally, and morally from
paskctball, and if properly coached and supervised, the benefits will
be oven more markcd. Bagketball th Indicna is a gane and sound
activity, rogardlcss of criticism.

A few of the comments mado by principals and coaches will add
m.aning to the above statomonts:

"problem students have often beon reached by athletics."

"Just place our high school boys along side nonehigh school boys
or non-athletic boys and note the difference."

i