The High School season has started. Many kids will begin chasing a chip, a dream or just an experience. But there is another group of kids getting ready to set the wheels in motion that may secure there future as well. That group is the 2027 and 2028 classes. There are some hard decisions that must be made by lots of grammar school players starting right now. Decisions that could lead to dreams coming true. The next few months are important for grammar school kids as well.
I say it every year to rising grammar school players this of year. Now is the time to start preparing for high school..NOT LATER! Some will listen and some will not. For 8th graders this is the last time they will have what seems like endless time to work on there game. It also a time for many to get ready for high school basketball. Each year those kids who listened to my my words.Start preparing and focusing on there all important improvement curve. There inner circle and adviors know the years between 8th and 9th grade are when kids make there biggest jump as a player. This is the time of year when the march starts. That march that leads to a successful High School career. This march leads to dreams coming true and a wonderful high school experience. I often hear how there are 100 ways to skin a cat. Well I’m here to tell you, nothing can be further from the truth.
This is the time of the year when a Fab Eggenswiler goes from playing on a so called “B” AAU team, (that every parent dreads). To becoming the Shore Conference defensive player of the year and becoming a D1 player at Lehigh. It’s when a “B” team player Jenna Paul swallows her pride and plays on a “B” team coached by Mary Beth Chambers. Then becomes the All Time leading scorer in TRN history and starter at COLGATE UNIVERSITY. This is the time of year year when a “B” team player like Brianna Delaney signs at D1 Stonehill. You see these things happened long before their dreams came to the light. Long before anyone knew there names. First these players had to make a decison. The decision to work and not complain. To show up every day when nobody gave them love. To swallow there pride by staying and not running, while watching there friends get all the milk and honey. They faced there reality and beat back their doubters the non believers. There parents didn’t protect them but rather set them free. They parents didn’t and wouldn’t allow them to accept there faith and run to promises, scoring points, fake hype and sweet things whispered in there ears to make them feel special again. No, they let their kids taste the pain of disappointment, feeling unwanted and not appreciated; while wiping away there tears. Make no mistake there will be a new set of Bri Delaney’s, Jenna Paul’s and Fab Eggenswiler’s. THERE IS EVERY YEAR. They are the kids who figure out a way to show up everyday. They are the kids who do more than everyone else. The kids who understand, that now they must be different, work harder, dream bigger and to believe more
Now is when parents often live though their kids. They bathe in their child’s grammar school success. There kids focus is on there grammar school and youth league games. Points and a tweet means more than a teammate or development. But these are also the games that lead to kids learning to share and socialize with there peers. This is when kids are often playing with there friends making memories that will last a lifetime. This is ofen when kids have there most healthy and happiest basketball experience. But these things do not necessarily translate to a kids development at the next level. The list of kids from towns with great middle School and town youth teams that have never tasted success in high school, is endless. Many stars become ghost in high school. Many of those town champions will be experiencing they last chip. For many kids their high school dreams will end before they get started. The kids who actually excel are the ones who understand that this is the season of growth but it takes work…lots of work. Not ego boasting but rather truth and commitment. Many will find that out too late….
The 2026 class may one day be known as the best class in Shore history. That’s because they were gym rats and seem to love the gym. It’s a group that fully understood what was ahead of them. There hard work has ked to a confident group. Many believe the 2027 class is the weakest class in Shore history. There confidence and competive nature is questioned,; along with there work ethic. But now they can change all that. Now they can create there own legacy, like every class before them. Maybe a army of Lizzy Lyons are in the waiting. You know that kid who goes to there grammar school practice. Then comes to shoot for a hour and then goes to point guard school all in the same day. LIZZY LYONS is currently the measuring stick in the 2027 class. That’s because of one word “COMMITMENT “. She has left her classmates in the dust with her work ethic. She has postioned herself to play at the best high schools. She can pick her school now without fear. But she still has work to do , they all do. It’s just that Lizzy Lyons has left no doubt it’s part of her DNA now. Who knows maybe the 2027 and 2028 class will surprise everyone. Maybe the light switch will go on. Maybe a group kids will understand the Shore is different and work different. Maybe this group of gramnar school kids will refuse to take a walk down easy street. Maybe the next few years will be the glory years for some kids…but then again maybe can be a dangerous word…when commitment is not involded.
In the next few months some kids are going to get to the next level….TRUST ME! The gym will become there best friend. We may not know there names yet. Maybe they play soccer, track or on a unknown “B” team. Trust me some kids are going to get better..much better, it happens every year and this year will be no different. Sure some kids are going to find chasing dreams is too much, too stressful, too long, too risky, dangerous to there self esteen and mental health. They will need a out somehow, a way to step away without breaking hearts. But always remember this, there will always will be parents willng to give there kids a chance. To let them try and soar without a parachute, guarentees or promises. Soon we will know which kids got it. Soon we will know which kids made the COMMITMENT💪🏀✔️...
LONG BEFORE THERE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL PRACTICE A YEAR FROM TODAY!
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