I really thought I had hear and seen it all in the youth and high school basketball world. But clearly that is not the case. Now I have seen some crazy things over the years. I have seen folks advising kids only to see them ruin these kids athletic futures. All because some kid or parent decided to listen to some adult faking as if they are knowledgeable. This has gone on for years and will go on for another 100 years. But usually it reserved for high school and AAU basketball. But when it starts to filter down to grammar school, then we all should be worried.
The NCAA has been trying to kill off AAU for years. They finally may have found a solution and that is to take it over. AAU in theory is a good thing. Except for the egos and deception that surrounds it. It’s why parents never know who or what to believe. My best is advice is don’t believe anyone. But hey what do I know? I mean recently saw a kid growing and starting to shine and hit her stride. She was getting D1 offers, it was beautiful watching it. But what happens? Some adult tells the kid there is something better. Now I know this kid is making a massive mistake. But guess what? The adults surrounding her know more than me and the college coaches shaking there heads. Look this is an old story and it’s not changing. There will always be kids and parents making bad decisions. It comes with the territory. But when a high school kid makes a bad decision. They knew all to well the truth, they have been warned for years. But when grammar school kids are making serious mistakes before they even get a chance that’s different and disgraceful. Because they don’t know any better. There and their parents in most cases are just getting started.
There is not one college basketball coach on planet earth that would encourage a grammar school kid or their parents to listen to a coach who demands their kid play one sport. Yet here we today, coaches telling kids they have to pick one sport when they’re in 4th and 5th and 6th graders. Here we today folks telling 7th and 8th graders don’t play for their middle school team. Now this is so over the top and horrible I can’t begin to wrap my head around it. Now let me give you some facts. The reason someone would tell a kid this young to go play on a dam AAU team in the winter and the fall, instead of playing for there middle schools and town teams comes down to one thing CONTROL. But it also comes down to playing to parents and kids egos. You see that kid or parents gets to run around and say… see we’re special. See were playing a high level brand of basketball. Our coaching is better. We’re different and the future stars of tomorrow. So let me help you out. There is no high level of basketball at that age, it’s all bullshit. Nobody thinks your kid is a superstar in the making except you and the coach or trainer bullshitting you. As for that great coaching. Well if it so good why the hell is your coach, coaching grammar school kids!!!
Look I have seen some wild things this year. Like Dawn Karpell being an assistant coach on a AAU team. Kids with multiple D1 offers now with zero, kids in the perfect environment looking for more. I have seen all the silly nonsense. But I see it every year and it reside in AAU and high school. But the dumbest thing I have seen “EVER” is folks encouraging grammar school kids to skip playing with their friends. Skip going for ice cream, skip learning how to be patience, skip learning how to handle losing, skip learning to uplift kids who maybe can barley dribble and run. Skip learning how to communicate with those less blessed. Skip learning leadership skills. Skip learning to be a teammate. Skip being the kid who all they want to do is see their friend get a basket. Skip in many cases the last chance to play basketball with their best friend. Skip learning to be positive when things are not going well. No these things don’t matter. Having a lifetime experience is not important. That kid has to get better and the only way is to get into hardcore year round training. Forget being a kid and understanding it’s about more than you. Well since you’re looking for that hardcore stuff. Please , bring your 4th, 5th and 6th grader to the fall NBS. Trust me they’ll get the best training of their life and when they’re done. They’ll never want to see a basketball the rest of their life.
Folks grammar school kids need to develop social skills outside of year round AAU, what the hell is wrong with people… no adults. There has to be a balance. The shore conference has turned out more college players than any town in America. Mid Monmouth and so called “BAD” grammar school hoops has worked for the best players ever to wear uniforms. Name them and they played grammar school and Mid Monmouth athletics. Is it, the kids are too good for such basketball today. HELL NO!!! it the parents egos and adults who were not successful in their athletic careers trying to take away some of the most enjoyable times in a kids life. This is not about winning and losing. Getting better or not getting better. This is about a life experience… PARENTS WAKE THE HELL UP. Your kids will soon be in the AAU world and then it will be about a different thing. Having fun with friends will be secondary. Playing without no pressure or a care in the world will be a thing of the past. Getting ice cream will be a pipe dream…
I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE BECAUSE I KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS THAN ALL THOSE ADULTS AND PARENTS COMBINED THAT ARE ADVISING KIDS POORLY