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Girls high school basketball in Georgia has grown --- literally.
Remember when a female player was considered a giant at 6 feet? Those days are gone.
There are at least 16 girls playing in the state this season who are 6-3 or taller. Jasmine Duffey of Jonesboro is the giant at 6-7.
Twenty more girls are at least 6-2.
"There was a time when you saw a 6-foot girl on a team and you thought they were huge," Woodward Academy coach Jon Merrill said. "Now, you see teams with several 6-foot players. Part of the trend has been that more girls are playing now, and they are playing year-round."
Surprisingly, a study by the National Center for Health Statistics reveals that the average height of 15-year-old girls has not changed significantly in the past 10 years. Why the sudden influx of tall basketball players?
Coaches say tall females no longer are ridiculed about their height and have more confidence. Since most females have started getting involved in sports earlier in life, they are developing more coordination.
Society, coaches say, finally has accepted tall girls.
"Tall girls are viewed differently now," said St. Pius coach Stephanie Dunn, who coaches 6-5 Kelley Cain. "Being a tall girl is a more positive thing now. There is nothing wrong with a tall girl. They are getting more admiration."
The admiration has had a positive influence on most girls' confidence levels. Although they tower above most of their classmates, coaches say tall girls are now less self-conscious.
"My confidence is great," Jasmine Duffey said. "You get a lot of respect when you are tall."
And attention. The 36 girls in the state taller than 6-2 are being recruited by most of the top college programs in the nation.
Twenty years ago, Collins Hill all-state player Maya Moore would have been the perfect center.
Now, the 6-foot Moore is developing her perimeter skills. A state medalist high jumper, Moore can dunk a basketball. When she runs up against taller players in college, however, she'll have to play outside. Moore is being recruited by the nation's top programs, including Tennessee, Connecticut, Duke and Georgia.
"I grew up playing guard," said Moore, a junior for the top-ranked Eagles. "On my summer team, I always play guard. The game has changed, and there are taller post players."
Pace coach Shana Vidal said coaches are doing a player a disservice if they don't help develop perimeter skills. Although Megan Elliott is the tallest player on the Knights team at 6-1, she has the ability to play shooting guard and small forward.
"People built like Maya Moore are going to have to play out on the perimeter," Vidal said. "She will be able to create a mismatch problem. I think the girls game, with all the height, is on its way to catching the boys in terms of versatility."
Alvin Duffey sensed his daughters Jasmine and Jawanda would be good athletes, but he never envisioned they would grow so tall.
Duffey, who is 6-10, said he worked with his daughters on their ball-handling and shooting skills while they were growing up. Several major colleges, including Georgia, North Carolina State, Maryland and Auburn, are recruiting Jasmine, a senior. She hit a growth spurt when she turned 10.
"I don't know if it is the hormones or something in the food, but kids in this generation are taller," Tucker coach Robin Porter said. "Girls are developing quicker and are physically mature now."
And that is good news for basketball coaches.
"We love tall girls," Warner Robins coach Tom Mobley said. "Girls are starting to play more basketball outside of the high school season. They are developing more skills."
Copyright 2006 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
