Don't work this kid's AAU games
 

You think you got it bad now? 12-year-olds whose parents think your call just cost their kid a D1 scholarship. Well, get a load of this:

Unfortunately, he won't even get to play with OJ Mayo. :rolleyes:

I don't have to worry about "losing a scholarship" for a kid. I never work those kid's games!!

It's interesting, though. At a camp this weekend, I had a game where both teams had a kid who was playing to get seen by the coach of the D1 college where the camp was held. Both coaches said to me, the standard, "Well, you know #11 is just trying to get seen. Please take it easy on him." My partner would say, "A kid that fouls out of any game I'm reffing, isn't ready for college, coach."

Each kid was very tall, and of course, they ended up against each other in the post. I was interested in my own thinking process as I was working. I'd start to call a foul, and then hesitate. Neither coach complained too much, so I suppose we struck the right balance.

But I'm sure I would have called more if the coaches hadn't said those things before the game. I also don't think either of them was ready for college, although of course they still have a year more of hs. Both were pretty rough on defense, and just not polished in their ball-handling. But if they don't get into that school, it won't be because of me. But is that a good thing?

Is what a good thing?

I would expect any coach who takes the trouble to come see a kid play would want to know how he reacts to a wide range of situations, not just while he's getting pampered by the coach, the officials and his team mates. I've worked ncaa sanctioned camps & tournaments and have never had anyone tell me to take it easy on any player because he's getting looked at. Hell, they are *all* getting looked at during these things by *someone* at some point. But I have told players to be smart, shut up and play the game because coach so-and-so is watching him and he's about to screw up his big chance.

Somebody needs to tell daddy that he's nuts. You can't offer an eight grader.

You're right, of course. What I meant was that I'm not sure it's a good thing that I didn't give the D1 coach a chance to see how the kid reacted to getting called for some of his cheap shoves and borderline ball-handling. On the other hand, even their good stuff wasn't really remarkable, and I don't expect either one of them is likely to get "picked up". And at least they can't say it's because I called it too tightly.

Also, I'm working on not blowing so many fouls, and I really didn't pass on any of the OMG stuff. And as I said, neither of the coaches complained (about that one issue) much. Thus the question. Was it a good thing or a bad thing that I let the coach get in my head a little? Did I end up making the right no-calls, but for the wrong reasons?

If I come away from a game second guessing myself then I may not have done the best I could have. Perhaps the coaches comments did influence your call making process and you want some back. If you can walk away and feel ok about the game then you did well. I see a little of both in your post so live and learn.
An example I have is a partner came up to me and told me that the best player on Team A had 4 fouls and we better make darn sure his 5th is well earned. I found myself changing the way I was making my calls after that and the game seemed to get a little out of hand (rough play) while I waited for this kid to hack his way out of the game. Anyway once I shook my head and got rid of the kid the game finished without incident. I walked away wishing I had not changed my focus and learned a lesson, NO player is protected from fouling out, call the game consistant and you have no problems.

Don't take my comments too literal, I was passing on calls that were fouls but not hard fouls and I know that was wrong.

Me too......

That is something I need to work on as well. My best of intentions on getting better in that area have been hampered by the level of competition in the select tournaments I have called this summer. Lately I seem to get either 11th/12th grade or 5th grade. I feel like I am letting too much go when calling the 5th graders and blowing too much in the other. Maybe that means I am doing OK :confused:

I am a little concerned about the camp I will be attending this weekend. Hopefully I can watch some action near the evaluators and get a feel for what they think should be called before I have to step on the floor.

Why work any AAU? If the AAU is not associated with a camp, I will pass.

Peace

Yup, adjusting from level to level is very difficult, and my instincts are slow to learn. That's exactly where I'm at, so to speak. Sitting with the evals before your own games will help you, and I"ve been trying to do that, too. The other thing I tried this weekend, and I think it helped is that I said, "Okay, I'm gonna go to the extreme of calling too little, instead of too much" I'm thinking pendulum here. Clinicians said we did a great job of not getting pissy in that championship game and another that I did at the same level. SO maybe I'm starting to get the hang of it. Now I go back to 5th grade tomorrow. I already feel like I'm getting whiplash.

As the father of two boys' (senior and freshmen in H.S. this coming school year) who will play Div. III sports when they matriculate to college, I can understand a parent wanting to assure his child's college education as early as possible but this is ridculus. Who is to say that Floyd will even be at USC when this kid graduates, plus the kid can't sign any earlier that his senior year in H.S. This is just plain nuts.

But I am not suprised. The first AAU National Championship Tournament I officiated was the 1993 Girls' 12U and one could not turn around without falling over a member of a Div. I coaching staff member. Remember, 12U means that they just completed sixth grade for crying out loud.

I am done ranting (foaming at the mouth as some esteemed members of the Forum would say).

MTD, Sr.

Juulie - there's a girls HS camp near me the middle of next week. The head coach will call me late this weekend to discuss the ref situation. Maybe, if you're available, we might get to work together a few times. I'll let you know. Any other Portland area refs, let me know if you're interested.

[email protected]

I'll fly out if it means we get to do a 3-person crew together! :D

Gee - a 3-way with Juulie and Dexter!!! All we need to make it perfect is Diebler! In fact, he could be the referee!! :eek:

Im with your partner on this one. If either one of them gives you a reason to call a cheap shot or a violation then I feel that they are not ready to move to the next level. We only call what we see.

Just had to offer this - kind of along the lines of the subject of the the thread.

My older son played AAU ball with a kid whose grades were so bad he was never eligible to play high school basketball. The kid ended up signing, and playing with, an elite D1 program. How did he even get into college? Prep school his senior year.

And, as a side note, one of my younger son's teammates has an older brother who plays football for an elite D1 program. Two of his classes: Yoga and History of Rock and Roll.

Hey, welcome back, theboys. Nice to see you. Isn't this kind of thing just amazing? I always wonder what these kinds of parents are thinking about. The real question is, where did the kid go after 4 years of NCAA eligibility? Do you know?

Thanks, Juulie. I've been around, just mainly lurking.

He's still at the school. This will be his second year. My older son plays DIII ball now. Lots of long bus rides.

We're starting over, though. My eight year-old played his first AAU season this spring. I feel like its a second chance for me. I'm trying to put my howler monkey days behind me. Twice during the season refs stopped our games (10 year-old games, no less) to have parents removed from the gym. Both times I looked across at my wife, and mouthed, "Yay! Its not me!"

The really good question is who paid for the prep school.

Once we know that we can figure out if the kid's AAU coach was able to grab some of that as the money changed hands. You know, consulting and services fees.

Its interesting you say that. He started off the season with my son's AAU team. After a couple of tournaments he was approached by the coach of another team. He was told by that coach if he changed teams he would be guaranteed to play for an elite D1 school. The kid ended up moving in with the family of one of the kids who played on that team. A couple of weeks after jumping to the other team, we all attended a big out-of-town showcase tournament. He committed to the D1 school while at that tournament.

This may not be as obvious as you think. A lot of people think prep schools are paid for by agents or by the schools to beef up their program, but many are paid for by the player's family. Some parents take loans to pay for the one year tuition in the hope of getting a 4-year D1 scholarship at the end of the rainbow.

The strangest way of paying for prep school that I've heard is a local NY prep school that required those on financial aid to work their grant off selling baked goods on the street during their spare time. Unbelievable.

This is something that is not talked about too often and everyone assumes there's a lot of under the table money. In reality, it's often a scam that parents have to accept because they didn't make their kids work during their real HS career.

Of course, recent changes made by the NCAA have changed the landscape for prep school eligibility. It looks like junior colleges are about to become popular destinations for academically challenged athletes.

Yep, I've seen this movie before.

The obvious answer is the kid's family payed for the prep school.

Obviously it doesn't always work that way, which is exactly why the ncaa took the steps they did break the player-AAU coach-prep school-D1 coach connection.

But they cannot break it completely and AAU coaches still have a lot of influence (and earnings potential) steering kids in a particular direction.

Unfortunately, many of the players and their parents think the summer basketball team or the college will pay for it. When they get the reality check it can be a shock.