OPEN GYM DATES GREAT FOR COLLEGE COACHES AND PLAYERS

This time of year college coaches are working the phones. They are working the phones trying to do two things. Get the attention of players and maybe more importantly gathering information. This time of year I speak to more college coaches maybe more than any other time. The calls range from a coach looking for contact information, work ethic, attitude or  a players ability. By the way parents there is no quetion you are in the mix…the number of coaches asking about the family  now..would blow your mind.  But there is once source of information available to all that is sometimes forgotten…THE HIGH SCHOOL OPEN GYM.

Yesterday Rumson High School, Gil Bernard  and Rutgers Prep all posted there Open Gym Dates for college coaches. Why is this big? Well besides the fact these schools are loaded with talent. I mean Rutgers Prep would be Top 3 in the Shore and Gil has the 2nd best freshman in the state and are loaded too. College coaches get to look at players with their high school teammates. Its a chance for colleges to really see how a kid mixes  with real teammates in a setting that resembles college much more than AAU.  A player gets a chance to shine before the fall weekend recruiting period. Open gyms gives a player and college coaches another way to get in the gym outside that  one weekend to see kids.

 Coach Sourlis makes Open Gym a priority

Not every open gym has the star power of Rumson. Last year RFH had 8 D1 players on its roster. This years team has 6 D1 locks and that number could rise to 8. George Sourlis does an amazing job each year of getting his players seen by coaches. It clearly is very important to him, just look at the track record and the type of college his kids attend. A college coach can attend the RFH open gym and not only see great talent. But they can watch D1 players who have signed play against talent still available….WHAT BETTER WAY is there TO EVAULATE a player than against D1 talent?

 Megan Volker for example may be one the biggest sleepers in the junior class, who simply will be getting her first shot at real time after watching D1 after D1 player ahead of her graduate. But what many people forget is she has been practing againt D1 talent for two years…NO DOUBT this will serve her well. Think about this RFH has two of the best young point guards in the state. Christina Antonkakis and Tori Hyduke are flat out studs. Where else can a college coach go see two sophomore point guard studs like this in one day on the same team…NO WHERE. What about watching a Top 4 rated junior in the Shore,  who is over 6ft, a great student and D1 lock play…. just for gas money. Hannah Scanlon is going t0 make a case for the best post player in the shore one day  and that’s is a fact.

 Players like Foos prove videos don’t lie!
https://videographer.tapeplay.com/users/review/740/?key=8c5cfccd1e0f9ac4e3a91414b40e1d6a
Open gyms give kids Like a Lindsey Morris who for my money is the most improved player in the shore, a chance to really open coaches eyes. It gives a 6ft shooting guard/swing Katie Foos another way to prove she has that rare talent of size and shooting ability. It gives a Foos..a chance TO SHAKE THOSE UNPROVEN LABELS that we attached to so many kids when they are young and follow them unjustly, regardless of how much the player improves..

 Now every school is not rolling out players like RFH in there open gym. But every school should have a open gym. I also believe coaches should work together when putting together open gyms. Look what Gil Bernard and Rutgers Prep are doing… having there open gyms on the same days:)  How about  RFH and RBC having open gym the same day, except different time. How about St. Rose and Neptune doing the same or SJV and Holmdel following suit. See coaches would flock to those open gyms, if they could see multiple teams in a day…

 BOB MARTORELLI HAS STEPPED IT UP!

Now there are some teams that don’t have open gyms. I don’t know why? Maybe its because they think open gym is just for D1 players….WRONG..in fact the Shaw lighting and MARTORELLI Hawks are having a D2/D3 open gym and there are teams loaded with D1 talent. By the D3 coaches talk to D1 coaches and not every kid is going D1 by a long shot,

My hope is that coaches, players and parents work towards having open gyms. Hell have 3 or 4 the more the merry. Its a great toll for kids to get exposure.  Its also a way to build team chemistry and bring attention to a program….

CURRENT OPEN GYM DATES AND TIMES

SEPTEMBER 15th and 29th…6:30pm

SEPTEMBER 16th and 30th…OCTOBER 7th …3:30

SEPTEMBER 16th and 30th…OCTOBER 7th…7:00pm

   NBS UPDATE- If you will not be attending NBS this weekend. Your payment must be in or you must e mail nbspd@AOL.COM and alert us in order to keep your spot…NO EXCEPTIONS as we have a number players on our waiting list…THANK YOU