Over the years, there’s no doubt that the game of basketball has been constantly evolving. So, why hasn’t NFHS, the National Federation of State High School Associations, kept up? Many have said that the system was “broken” and stuck in the “boomer” era. As a result, NFHS implemented three new rules for the next basketball season.
It’s no longer unusual to see social media flooded with six-foot-tall elementary students dominating the game. Seeing this, NFHS knew they had to adapt to the evolving times in order to retain their “cool kid” status. In an attempt to appeal to the crowd, they made it possible for athletes to re-class for up to three years. Now, athletes can move back three years (in grade level) and stay in their primes a little longer. This rule will be applicable for the athletes who’ve peaked in middle school and want to hold onto their glory days a little longer.
High school counselor Stephanie Fugita, who often watches the Pinewood basketball games, was confused as to why the NFHS would do such a thing. She expressed concerns for the future of Pinewood’s basketball teams under these circumstances.
“Opponents were already towering over our players, and now there are going to be college players on the high school court?” Fugita said. “I thought I was already done with the alumni, but now they’re coming back.”
As a player on the girls basketball team, freshman Sloane Parenti expressed similar frustration and confusion with the new rule.
“I thought I was coming here to play other freshmen in high school, not to play against freshmen in college,” Parenti said.
Next, the NFHS decided to introduce a new five-step traveling rule after the “zero step” rule in the NBA…with a little twist on it, of course. Therefore, instead of only allowing two steps before a travel, NFHS made it possible for players to take five whole steps without being called for a travel.
Doc Scheppler, the head coach of the Pinewood girls basketball team, shared his brutally honest view on this new addition.
“They’re going to have to give us all passports for traveling around the world, heck, I might just join the game to hit my goal of 10,000 steps each day,” Scheppler said. “Also, with that many steps, maybe my players will finally be able to break a trap.”
Last but certainly not least, is the long-awaited four-point line. This four-point line will be 3.11 feet behind the current three-point line, marking it at a solid 22 feet and 9 inches away from the basket.
“What is with all these specific numbers? This is basketball, not math class,” Scheppler said. “At this point just make a five-point line from the parking lot. I’ll volunteer to paint it.”
Although he tries to stay optimistic about the future, the negatives outweigh the positives for Scheppler. Not trying to be the NFHS’s guinea pig, Scheppler made it clear that he wanted no part of this system anymore, and therefore plans to move his basketball team to Australia, just like the rest of the school.
“Well, I’m ditching,” Scheppler said. “Maybe we’ll see dunking kangaroos there; that’ll be fun, but anything is better than playing basketball for NFHS – Nonsense & Failing Hair-brained Schemes.”
