Premium ContentMouse over Home then click on Premium Content for information.An odd thing happened shortly after the start of a recent girls high school basketball game.
One of the referees stopped the game not because of something a player did. Or something a coach did.
It was something the basketball did. More accurately, something the basketball didn't do — bounce the right way.
"A girl was dribbling down the court and the ball almost took a right turn," referee Brent Robinson said. "We tossed it out of play because it was lopsided."
Those basketballs, manufactured by the Baden company, have frustrated several high school coaches and athletic directors. The balls are being used for the first time this season after the Nebraska School Activities Association approved a five-year contract with Baden in February of 2011.
Most agree, including a Baden company representative, that there is indeed a problem.
Metro Conference supervisor of officials Mike Peters said he has noticed the problem while watching games.
"It didn't seem to me like the kids were handling the ball well," he said. "If the ball isn't exactly round or loses air, you can understand why."
Bellevue West Athletic Director Kevin Broderick was blunt: "It's just not a good ball."
High schools were unaware that a change was going to be made after years of playing with Spalding brand basketballs, Broderick said.
"Nobody consulted anybody at the schools about the change," he said. "We didn't get the opportunity to look the new ball over or try it out, and we haven't been happy with what we ended up with."
Bellevue West purchased 30 of the new basketballs — 15 for the boys and 15 of the slightly smaller ones used by the girls. Broderick said the school has sent half of those balls back to the Baden company for replacement.
"The main thing is that a number of the balls haven't kept their shape," he said. "They don't bounce right and some look more oblong than round."
Millard West A.D. Rick Hook, who previously coached the Wildcats' boys basketball team, agreed.
"Eighty percent of the balls we bought are lopsided," he said. "As a basketball guy, I think the change is the worst choice that could have been made."
The problem is being addressed by the Baden company, which is in Washington state.
"This is the first time in our 32 years that something like this has happened," said Max Kay, Baden vice president of operations and development. "It's an embarrassment, and we feel terrible about it."
Kay said an isolated production problem in the Chinese factory where the balls are made is to blame.
"There were some slight defects that were making some of the balls bounce funny," he said. "We produce millions of balls, but to have this happen in our first year in Nebraska is a darn shame."
NSAA's executive director, Steve Shanahan, said he is aware of the problem and has worked with Baden and Nebraska high school officials to rectify the situation. He added that "a significant number" of schools have been affected.
Baden CEO Michael Schindler was apologetic in an email to Nebraska high schools in mid-January, saying the basketballs that had been returned to the company had been inspected by the company's technicians and that the returned balls "clearly have issues." He said Baden would replace any defective balls at no charge.
Broderick said the dissatisfaction over the Baden basketballs intensified because coaches generally liked the previous Spalding basketballs. The Baden balls also cost about $10 more apiece.
"It (Spalding) was a good ball and it was one that everyone was used to," he said. "It's not like we were having a problem with it."
Caught in the middle is Hauff's Sporting Goods of Omaha, which has sold the Baden basketballs to many high schools.
"A lot of the coaches and schools are unhappy, and they want to blame somebody," said Dave Aden, Hauff's vice president. "Fortunately, most of our customers aren't blaming us."
Aden said that Baden is a reputable company but that there have been obvious problems with these basketballs.
"Changing to the new ball was a decision the NSAA made and it's kind of backfired on them," Aden said.
Nebraska high schools aren't forced to use the Baden balls during the regular season. But most schools have switched to them because the Baden balls will be used exclusively in district play and the postseason. Shanahan, who said he couldn't release the financial terms of the contract with Baden, said the NSAA consulted other states making the switch from Spalding.
"We had heard nothing negative about the newer ball," he said.
Company representative Kay said Baden is the official high school basketball in 18 states.
"We live and breathe high school basketball," he said. "This is the first time something like this has happened to us, and we feel terrible."
"We understand the frustration," Shanahan said. "There's no disputing some of the balls were defective, but we're not displeased with the way the company is handling it."
Contact the writer:
402-444-1350, mike.patterson@owh.com
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