Revised 3rd Annual SM MLK Showcase 2015

[ballersdreams]

Clay you have some points I agree like 4 and 5 but others I disagree. AAU does a lot for players development because without this development you would have freshman starting on their high school teams. I think a lot people get thinks wrong about AAU teams because there are mom and pops teams then are Coaches that develop players. I think parents are lied too by these mom and pops that don't have the connections to the college coaches.

Lets talk about the good AAU teams in NORCAL ( Cal Stars, Mustangs, Cal Ballars, JBS, EBX, Cal Sparks, Storm, and many of others). These types of AAU teams develop their player most of the coaches played college basket and have them connections. If parents would go to these AAU teams they will see where the development is being done. The best development is playing as many games as they can. Playing games develops game awareness which is a major part of the game. These kids are away ahead of schedule when playing on these AAU teams. All high school powerhouse teams have AAU kids on them that's how the High school teams get there ranking these days.

Lets talk about college scouts and what they are looking for. Today college scouts will watch 7th and 8th grades because they want to have a starting point on players they might want to recruit. They also look at the kids that have potential because the players height, athleticism, or knowledge of the game. They will follow these players as they move on to high school and see if they improve or not. When have anyone heard a college scout or coach come to Middle school to watch a player play. And how do you think ESPN know about the up coming prospects each year!!!!

Lets talk about players that are good but their high school teams isn't. Some players go to school that they will never get a look from a college. There are a lot of these players out there because they cant afford private school or don't live in the school district. These players need AAU teams for exposure unless they will never have a chance for a scholarship. A good AAU coach will help players that don't have the money for AAU because that's what they are about getting kids to the next level.

Lets talk about camps for players. Some camps are good for some players if they need the work in certain areas in their game. If a player is repeating a camp that means the player didn't take the time on their own to work on the drills they were taught. Its about the determination to master their craft and it cant be about what the parents wants. College camps some are good but most will send players letter because its a fundraiser for there school. But there are the invite one's that mean more because the coach want to see the players skill set. The difference between the 2 are one is hand written the other is a copy paper letter.

Lets talk about when a players needs the most exposer. Summer before the players Jr year because that's what most of the scouts are looking for who they real want to start making a play for the player before everyone else does. College scout know which Jr. they want already but some others caught their eyes here and there. Most of the time Jr. at that the end of the summer will know where they are going or who is interested in them. College scouts and coaches know how many scholarships they have coming up after the Jr. summer. Most colleges are looking for that player or players they need to add to the Jr. the already committed too.

So in my final taught all AAU team are not the same and parents need to do research before join an AAU team. Without AAU teams the girls basketball wont be as fun to watch like it is today. Who wants to watch a game that the final score is 26 to 30???????????????

 

[Paytc]

ballersdream,

Just to make my post clear after agreeing with Clay for the most part. I don't think Clay was knocking AAU clubs but just pointing out to beware of who may be getting the greatest benefit, club or players? As with every industry there are good and bad clubs out there. And some good clubs might be a bad fit for your child even though they fit your child's best friend.

Parents just need to keep their own child's best interest in mind, if and when, deciding to join a AAU team.

I like Kobe Bryant, but I did not agree with his negative opinion about what AAU clubs have done for player development and basketball. Kobe was an exception to the rule anyway, and may have no idea what a young struggling player might be dealing with in today's game. Again I don't like generalizing. You have to take it case by case. Deal with the situation you personally are up against.

I totally agree that many times your club team(s) might have more of an impact for your success as a player than your high school team. There is usually a bit less politics because the player has the opportunity to find a program that is the right overall fit for that player. Where as you can try out for a high school team and be one of the best players and may or may not make the team.Or may unfairly sit the bench. I give an example of that in K.T.D.O. In my opinion if a freshman is one of your best ballers they should be able to ball. What does age have to do with basketball if you are mature and skilled enough? Many times a young player can be as good as or better than the class that came before them. I do think again you have to take it case by case.Some young players have the skill set but lack the strength and maturity. But young ballers can be ready. The kids are playing AAU and CYO etc…. at a younger age theses days.

I would recommend finding a skills development coach or program in addition to (or in the place of) a club team depending on your economic means and personal needs. I would recommend Jon Sanders of 50allstars.com or KP from project basketball( if you can book the time with KP). But there are several other good skills development trainers out there.Again find a fit that works well for you. Many times your AAU club director or coach can recommend someone.

This post was edited on 1/15 2:45 PM by Paytc

This post was edited on 1/15 2:48 PM by Paytc

 

[ClayK]

Club basketball is very important for player development, and for exposure during high school ...

But the myth that multiple exposures all over the country, or even up and down the West Coast, are important in any manner has cost a lot of parents a lot of money.

If parents, guided by high school or club coaches, reach out to schools and send out schedules, they will control the process. Waiting to be discovered makes no sense -- initiating contact is by far the best way to go.

Getting seen at seventh and eighth grade is simply not important. If you're good enough, you will get a scholarship even if you're seen for the first time the summer before your senior year. College coaches do not need multiple looks to get a feel for a player's talent level. (One coach told me he could tell if a player could help him in the layup line ... an exaggeration, but not as much as you might think.)

It does make sense to get out there the summer before the junior just in case of injury, but otherwise it doesn't really matter. It's not like there are so many great players that teams don't have scholarships lying around. Cal, for example, could have given out five more this year.

And even without club ball, a player can reach out to colleges, send DVDs and get looked at. Whitney Boddie, who started at Auburn and was drafted by a WNBA team, never played a minute of club ball, and played for a tiny high school in the middle of nowhere in Alabama. They will find you ...

Exposure camps are a waste. A camp with more than three girls at a station isn't going to teach anybody anything in a 10-minute stay. (If a girl really wants to get better, all she has to do is play against guys; taking 12 elbow jumpers in an exposure camp isn't going to accomplish anything, and neither will the pickup games.)

There's a lot of money made in tournaments and exposure camps, and if a player enjoys them, has a good time, and the travel and expenses aren't a big deal financially, then great -- have fun and do as many as you want. But if you think flying to five tournaments a year for four years is going to make a difference in terms of scholarship offers, or paying for a one-day exposure camp will, you're mistaken -- and expensively so.

 

[ballersdreams]

I agree with you Clay on exposure camps are a wasted of time. But the camp I was talking about was the hand written letter to come to their college camps. AAU teams aren't for everyone but are good for most that can afford as long that the players is being develop skills and the feel for the game. Some parents think about financially part of AAU but most parents rather pay now then later for college. I know there are a lot high school that are looking at the bigger picture. Them coach are looking to help players but reaching out to colleges for their players. But there are some coaches that are just look to self preservation. Some coaches wont ask the player want out of the game and wont tell the player if the don't have the 16 core classes plus good SAT that they can never follow their dreams. I see this a lot coaches need to know this type of information when the players is a freshman .

PARENTS NEED TO KNOW COLLEGE CANT TOUCH PLAYERS WITHOUT 16 CORE CLASSES PLUS A GOOD SAT TEST SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PARENTS CAN LOOK ON CLEARINGHOUSE AND FIND ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WITH THAT SAID YOUR KID CAN BE THE BEST ON THE COURT BUT IF THEY DONT HAVE THESE REQUIREMENTS THEY WILL PLAY JC COLLEGE BASKETBALL BUT THATS NOT A BAD THINK BUT JUST A LONG ROAD TO WHERE U WANT TO SEE YOUR KIDS AT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ClayK]

Great point about the core classes and NCAA eligibility. Any athlete wanting to play in college in any sport should go to ncaa.com and find out about eligibility requirements.

But again, if you are good enough, you will get a scholarship because there are more scholarships than players, so parents don't have to pay now, or pay later. Well, they have to pay some, but they don't have to pay to go to Virginia to play in Boo Williams multiple times or pay to go to L.A. four times a year. If a family takes charge of the process and reaches out to colleges they are interested in, the investment doesn't have to be much at all.

Of course, club coaches (who want to win more than they want to make money) aren't likely to tell star players that it's OK to skip tournaments, and exposure camp organizers definitely aren't going to tell people their events are pretty much a waste of money on the girls' side, and too often those are the loudest voices that parents hear.