KELLIE CROUCH DOES THE RIGHT THING

It’s over and WAGNER COLLEGE just out waited the competition and now is getting the best available senior point guard in the state of New Jersey. They say recruiting is a long grind when you want a great player. In the case of Kellie Crouch, Wagner College was the best grinder and is getting the ultimate teammate and true point guard. She  could help Wagner become a  NEC power. THIS IS A MAJOR STEAL AND ALMOST UNPREDICTABLE.

When I think of SJV, I think of great kids. They have kids who you just want to be around. Tina LeBron, Zoe Pero, Gigi Caponergo and company all would make any ones All GREAT KIDS team. These kids all have something in common. They are talented, don’t have ego’s, not selfish, have great parents and are mega talents. All will be going to college for free. Last night another great kid from a first class family  decided to end the recruiting process and with that every SJV senior is going to college for free (Kelly Campbell is going to DePaul).

 Classy parents Rich and Lori taught Kelly doing the right thing is what makes YOU SPECIAL!

Kellie Crouch picked her college on her own terms, she wanted to pick a school that made her happy and more importantly reward her parents for all the sacrifices over the years. Kelly Crouch did found what she was looking for and she found the coach, that she knows will hand the ball over to her…Lisa Cerminago.

  Wagner Coach Lisa Cermignano out waited the competition!

A year ago RIDER COLLEGE, UNH, MT. ST. MARY’S  and other schools were fighting for the signature of Kellie Crouch. The problem was Kellie Crouch was not ready to make a decision. Rider, UNH, Mt. St. Mary’s and others figured out that Kellie Crouch was not ready. So these schools all decided it was time to more on after a year of waiting and hoping. It is risky business for any kid to wait when schools are offering a free education. But Kellie Crouch is no ordinary kid, she is a modern day gunslinger and the hardest worker I know these days. This is way Wagner is a very lucky school, because they know they are getting someone that will buy in 100%.

There will be no breaks in the training. There will be short cuts taken and most importantly Wagner College will get that rare freshman that will be totally prepared for college. Kellie Crouch and her family don’t play politics. They don’t do things to impress people. They do things because they believe in doing things the right way. They have taught their daughter right from wrong and more importantly that not every thing always goes the way you want…BUT YOU STILL DO THE RIGHT THING…EVEN WHEN AT TIMES IT’S NOT IN YOUR BEST INTEREST.

 Coaching is a tough thing and at SJV it’s even tougher. SJV, RBC and RFH are the 3 big dogs in the shore and the state. They are magical names in girls basketball. The roll out D1 players the way McDonalds does hamburgers. These 3 schools also get the lion’s share of the media attention. It puts more pressure on the coaches and it puts pressure on the kids. Kellie Crouch knows what this pressure feels like and so does Coach Karpell. When you have the talent that SJV has, keeping people happy is no easy job. SJV is no one  woman or two woman team. This is a team made up of players who in many cases, could best the best player at almost any other High School. It’s also a place where ego’s can cause problems if you don’t have good people. Dawn Karpell is lucky she doesn’t have good people…SHE HAS GREAT PEOPLE.

 The best pure senior point guard in New Jersey has not played her natural position very often in high school. Even in in an article about her verbal to Wagner, she was called a shooting guard. It’s something Kellie has come to accept and live with. Playing the off guard position at SJV  has never disrupted her love for the game, her work ethic or commitment to SJV. This mature approach IS RARE IN KIDS TODAY, and will serve her well next year. D1 basketball is about sacrifices and handling the bad times as well as the good times. NO PLAYER will be  better at this than Kellie Crouch, because nothing for her has been easy and that includes choosing a college, while playing out of position in high school. But like everything else Kellie Crouch always did things the RIGHT WAY and she choose Wagner  RIGHT WAY…WHEN SHE WAS READY!

 When Kellie Crouch was a freshman in high school. She got time but not major time on the floor. But it did not stop her from working OR BEING A QUALITY TEAMMATE. When she thought she needed to improve her game, she left the safety of the  Shore Shots to play for a master coach and teacher in Beth Chambers. Why? She wanted to improve even if she had to give up playing time.  Beth Chambers helps players grow. It’s not a surprise all of Beth Chambers players sophomores, juniors and seniors always have college offers. They become teammates, friends and Kellie Crouch was no different than any other kid who plays for Mrs. Chambers. This is why she will play in the September recruiting period even if she has already choose a college. She understands it not just about her….this is why Kellie Crouch will be prepared for anything in college because she GETS IT!….DOING THE RIGHT THING COMES NATURAL.

“BIG SISTER JESS…SHOWED HER WHAT IT WOUD TAKE”

Kellie Crouch, has out worked everyone over the years. She has her older sister’s Jess’s desire. I coached Jess when Kellie was still on the baby bottle. Jess was one of the all time tough kids. She was feared by all because she was a WARRIOR and like Kellie, she was a sponge. Jess suffered major back issues and it shorted a bright basketball future and maybe that’s why her baby sister is the smartest player in the shore. She may have been afraid to take anything for granted. Folks don’t even question that statement because I see them all…ALL OF THEM.

She will be a impact player from day one at Wagner College. Why? her ability to make others better and her ability to adopt to anything a coach asks her to do. She will adjust without a fight and she will adjust for her teammates. Before her grandfather passed away this summer, Kellie’s  grandfather keep asking where she was going to school. He keep asking when she would choose a college. He would be proud today, because all his granddaughter’s hard work and mental toughness has paid off… Because Kellie Crouch will be from one day be one of the best point guards in the NEC and folks that’s another fact…I KNOW THE CONFERENCE INSIDE AND OUT.

  GRANDFATHER WOULD’VE BEEN PROUD!

So Wagner is making the Shore its personal play ground for recruiting. They are doing something I love. They are recruiting like they do on the men’s side…there are looking for fits and more importantly taking gym rats with talent, who are underrated or under used….its paying off and yesterday, they got the biggest payday of all. ….. KELLIE CROUCH!  

 “hey D1 teammates wait for me” future teammate Syd Sabino photo bombing D1 Nicole Morris and Kellie Crouch at NBS

CORE SKILLS TRAINING STARTS TODAY AT HOOP GROUP….  you can sign up at the door… currently not sold out