On Sunday the Coaches Choice New Jersey vs. Pennsylvania event will take place at Holmdel High School. This will no question be the showcase event of the year. Tom Sclafani has put together a dream event. The matchups and talent in this event cannot be matched. You have basically the best teams in New Jersey against some of the best teams they will face all year. You also have the two best teams in the state going head to head. The coaches and teams in this event all have one thing in common. They HAVE ALL PLAYED THE BEST COMPETITION, THEY COULD FIND ALL YEAR. This is the true measure of all teams, playing the best on the biggest stages. All these teams could have ducked this event…they didn’t AND nor should you for reasons that go way beyond the games on Sunday.
Six years ago at Monmouth University college coaches lined up on coaches row. There were national championship coaches in the house. There were Hall of came coaches in the house. Almost every college program who was not playing appeared to be in the gym. The crowd packed the area. It was a satisfing day for all. Little girls were running around. AAU coaches and player advocates were out in full force. The GIRLS BATTLE OF THE BOARDWALK was a mega event and a way to showcase all of the great players in the Shore. But 2 years later it was gone. First RFH started the Bulldog classic at the same time..why? I’ve never gotten a straight answer. The result, fewer coaches and fans attended the event and worst blow out games. The result of all this, The Bulldog Classic and the Boardwalk are both …DEAD! But the Coaches Choice folks have given us a 2nd chance
Now we all get another chance and everyone better take full advantage. There will be so many coaches at Holmdel, your head will spin. But what we better hope is that this event is sold out. Nothing would make me more happier than if I was told to turn around because of this reason. It’s important that this event, does what it is suppose to do for the next 20 years…OPEN DOORS. This event must have young girls, seeing what real high level girls basketball looks like. They need to feel the energy of a loud energetic gym. They need to see the coaches they see on TV. They need to know they too can one day be part of all the excitement that’s comes with such a powerhouse event.
Another chance for All TO SEE GREAT HOOPS IN ONE PLACE….HOLMDEL ON SUNDAY
The Coaches Choice is so important to kids for so many reasons, that have nothing to do with the scores. More importantly it becomes a meeting ground for college coaches and advocates. It’s a place where an advocate can whisper sweet things into a college Coaches ear about a player looking for love. It’s place where a Advocate can remind a coach of a talented unsigned senior, who may be forgotten. It’s a place where a Destiny Adams a 8th grader walks by and a college coach goes ..WHO’S THAT? It’s a place where a parents comes up to me and gives me a highlight of a player from North Jersey and the information is passed along to a college coach. The COACHES CHOICE is where college coaches who are in scrabble mode want to meet with AAU coaches or Power brokers afterward for a drink. These are things that change lives and why Sunday is so very important.
Tom Sclafani has done his Part. He has brought together all the important parts. He has the best coaches, best teams, best players and college coaches all showing up. The media will be out in full force. The Star Ledger, Gregg Lerner, New Jersey Sport Reporters will all be there. David Prowd and other bloggers all will be there. There will be TV cameras rolling and camera’s snapping pictures. It will all be there for all to see. There is only one question left. Will the High School Coaches, Parents and AAU coaches from across the state. Tell there kids, there daughters in particular “GET TO THE COACHES CHOICE SHOWCASE SUNDAY AT HOMDEL? Will they strongly urge, even demand there kids go to this event? Will they work their practices around the event? Because you have newspapers in some areas that have lost interest in girls basketball.
Sunday will be a test as to weather the people who control the future of the sport care. Tom Sclafani is giving us a 2nd chance and maybe our last chance, to show our support for a real showcases. Because we can’t have another great event die on the vine…COACHES CHOICE AT HOMDEL…THIS SUNDAY….
THE LINEUP IS A WHO’s…WHO