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I see them everywhere. I see ones that are part of a store-bought stand and hoop rig, and I see the old-fashioned ones, that are screwed in above garage doors in driveways.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Yes, there is one next door, and another around the corner, both families from India, and both have boys playing most afternoons after school, even in light rain.
We had one for our kids growing up then donated it to a neighbor with young kids. Though I suspect there may be some bigger issues at work here. HOAs being one of them. The other being the number of kids in organized afterschool activities. We found when our kids were young that if we don't sign them up for various sports, Scouts, and other activities, they would not have any kids their age to play with.
There are very few school age kids out and about the neighborhood after school. Instead most of them are in some activity/day-care-like-something from the time they get out of school until their parents get home from work. During much of the year, that's dark so not near as much free play just shooting baskets in the driveway or pick up games of football/baseball happening.
Thanks for bringing out my failed Michael Jordan fantasy with this memory. As a portly youth and only 5'3 I realized I was never going to be a power forward but maybe that little fire hydrant would be a great outside shooter! But those stubby arms always seemed to come up short. Every time I see a yard hoop a tear forms as a I stumble out of the delivery truck heading to the door for another appliance delivery. Cool part is they actually make "Air Jordans" in size 6 mens so I can leap out of the truck like I'm dunkin' in game 7 of the NBA finals! I'm usually dunkin donuts daily!
Just kidding! Kids today are lazy, there were a few that played hoops but seems as soon as the net gets torn or the hoop gets rusty the parents throw it out! As a kid my neighbor had a crappy home life, parents were constantly fighting. That kid played basketball for hours, every night.
My sister has a hoop at her house (she's lived there over 20 years) and her boys (now in their early 20s) still enjoy it, I always see them using it when I visit once every year or two. If you're curious where, suburbs of Buffalo, NY, some of her neighbors have hoops too.
My theory as I believe OP said it may be an HOA thing with more and more housing being "developments" less standalone single-family homes.
We had one for our kids growing up then donated it to a neighbor with young kids. Though I suspect there may be some bigger issues at work here. HOAs being one of them. The other being the number of kids in organized afterschool activities. We found when our kids were young that if we don't sign them up for various sports, Scouts, and other activities, they would not have any kids their age to play with.
There are very few school age kids out and about the neighborhood after school. Instead most of them are in some activity/day-care-like-something from the time they get out of school until their parents get home from work. During much of the year, that's dark so not near as much free play just shooting baskets in the driveway or pick up games of football/baseball happening.
Oh, your post is so sad. I do feel sorry for the kids locked up in institutional after school care that are unable to get out and play. I'm glad that all our grandkids have basketball hoops, trampolines, pools, treehouses or live next to parks. They're all outside after school and very active. Organized sports is usually later in the evening.
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