The Grammar school season is heating up. I love grammar school basketball for too many reasons to list. It drives me nuts when a parent thinks there Kid to too good for grammar school. The old, I rather they use the time for training line is often used…to that, I say BS. Because I train just about every top kid around and what some parents call elite training, I call completely different. But what I really want to talk about is what going on with kids these days. There is something taking place in all my years, I have never seen. Kids in grammar… yes GRAMMAR SCHOOL, worrying about hype and ego. Coaches lying to kids. Parents lying to coaches. This year I have seen and heard some shocking stuff. I mean, I expect this once kids get in high school. But not with grammar school kids. Things have clearly gotten out of control.
When kids are in grammar school, you play basketball not to get a scholarship. You play travel basketball not to get some form of social media attention. You do it because you get to learn a few things about a sport. Things like the rules, how to prepare, teamwork, accountability and responsibility. You learn how to socialize and get along with your peer’s. But somehow in the last year… yes in the last year things have gotten twisted!
I have seen a bizarre twist. Kids skipping travel basketball and grammar school basketball. Why? Because they think it’s beneath them. Now trust me this is a parental issue not a kid issue. In most cases this is a parent trying to signal that there child is better than other kids… it doesn’t have a dam thing to do with development or training. I train the dam best of the best and they all played youth and grammar school basketball. This is something new and parental EGO DRIVEN.
I have seen parents complain about 7th and 8th graders playing on a “B” team. When did grammar school kids start complaining about a “B” team. Isn’t being on any team good enough? I guess Fab Eggenschwiler of Lehigh, Georgia Heine of UPenn, Jenna Paul of Colgate and Bri Delaney who signed at Stonehill. Should have all packed their bags and ran away. Found new teams and coaches, just because they were on a “B” team at the age of 12, 13, 14 and 17….this is beyond nuts what is going on. There is no explanation for this crazy behavior. Kids should only be concerned with having fun and getting better. Not bragging rights.
Now don’t kid yourself, you have coaches now playing on parents egos. When you have 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade parents talking about “we are considering playing EYBL” you know that shit came out of the mouth of a AAU coach. Folks there is no such thing as EYBL at that age. But there are coaches who will stop at nothing to convince a kid there better than other kids and saying you can play EYBL is just the thing. Instead of worrying about EYBL, maybe they should worry what time they are getting to the beach, what time the Ice cream shop closes or when the next fun birthday party is taking place. Folks these are crazy things in youth basketball I have not seen before… EVER. I have never seen this type of behavior at the grammar school level…. And please do not blame this on Covid or Mental Health. This is about EGO and nonsense.
Everyone is in the same boat fighting for attention as kids get older… BUT NOT AT THIS AGE. Parents worrying about there kid being part of a brand name, not getting there child in a healthy environment. Coaches flat out mis-representing what a kid should expect at this age is insane. There will be plenty of time for all this down the road and guess what? You just may find out it’s not what it all chopped up the way you want it to be. These are the best days of your child’s basketball career right now!
Now why is all the taking place, it seems out of the blue? Ego and pride, again do not blame COVID. Parents get angry when you make it clear another child is more advanced than there kid at a early age. Next because kids all want everyone to think they are on a certain level as a player, they feel they belong on a certain team. Then coaches realize telling parents the story that fits the parents narrative is always better than the truth. It’s a vicious cycle that has taken on a different look in the past year.
Now at the end of the day. Those kids who work the hardest will be just fine. Now some are going to have to be Mentally tougher than others. Not everyone’s talent is equal. Some Parents will need to be Patient along the way. But their child’s time will come. It always does for those kids who work and enjoy the game. But those around them (THERE INNER CIRCLE) will need to think about doing what’s right for a change and be more concerned with these kids development and experience…IT’S NOT THAT HARD….
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