First Time For Me

[Bad Zebra]

This might be the thread to post this...I just finished reading a book: "Play Their Hearts Out...A Coach, His Star Recruit and the Youth Basketball Machine". Author's name is George Dohrmann. It's a fascinating look at how AAU has changed (ruined) youth basketball in th US. The main plot of the book is following a specific coach who has latched on to a youth star at a young age, but it profiles a number of coaches in the AAU system.

After reading it, I have come to two conclusions:

1. My instincts are accurate when judging the caliber of individuals involved with AAU basketball.
2. High school basketball has largely become irrelevant in the US because of AAU.

I would reccommend it to anyone who has ever worked an AAU game and come away scratching their head as to how anyone could entrust their child to some of these characters.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

2. High school basketball has largely become irrelevant in the US because of AAU.

I would reccommend it to anyone who has ever worked an AAU game and come away scratching their head as to how anyone could entrust their child to some of these characters.

Two thoughts...

1) I disagree with your point about HS basketball becoming irrelevant. Gyms across the country are still filled with fans and student bodies to cheer on their teams. Maybe those games are irrelevant as far as getting scouted by big-time college coaches, but around here we still see college coaches showing up at weekday games to watch players. Buying into that thought process makes us part of the problem.

2) Not only do these parents entrust their kid to these coaches/organizations, they pay them large sums of money just so Johnny can be on the team. It's ridiculous.

[Smitty]

If you haven't been to one of the summer AAU tournaments where college coaches/recruiters show up to evaluate talent, then you likely wouldn't understand why parents pay to put their kids on these teams.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Smitty

If you haven't been to one of the summer AAU tournaments where college coaches/recruiters show up to evaluate talent, then you likely wouldn't understand why parents pay to put their kids on these teams.

Thanks.

Have been.

Will be.

Still makes no sense that parents would pay that kind of money to those kinds of people.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Still makes no sense that parents would pay that kind of money to those kinds of people.

After reading the book, you get a true sense of how slimy these people are. It was almost repulsive to read about them. Not only because of their (lack of ) character, but also the lengths that they go to exploit KIDS as young as third grade.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Thanks.

Have been.

Will be.

Still makes no sense that parents would pay that kind of money to those kinds of people.

I didn't mean "you", I meant anyone reading. You really need to get the stick out of your butt about me. Not really sure what started it, but you need to get over it.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I didn't mean "you", I meant anyone reading. You really need to get the stick out of your butt about me. Not really sure what started it, but you need to get over it.

In 100% honesty and sincerity, I have no clue what you are talking about. I did a search and found exactly one thread where you and I disagreed on something in the last several months. So I really have no clue what you are talking about.

But thanks for the instructions.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

After reading it, I have come to two conclusions:

1. My instincts are accurate when judging the caliber of individuals involved with AAU basketball.
2. High school basketball has largely become irrelevant in the US because of AAU.

I would reccommend it to anyone who has ever worked an AAU game and come away scratching their head as to how anyone could entrust their child to some of these characters.

I also disagree with the relevance or irrelevance of HS basketball. Basketball is pretty big in many parts of the country, probably more than others of course. I think AAU is big for players setting themselves up for the HS seasons, but often players are judged by what happens during the regular season and if they can work in a team concept. Of course AAU might be different for some of the top players, but HS is still a place where players have to excel. Summer basketball is about playing a lot of games with the top players and getting higher in the ranking, but if they cannot dominate or beat players at the HS level, they might affect their overall standing. Then again more and more HS teams are going out of their way to play other top teams in my state. The school Derrick Rose attended here in Illinois, his former HS played all over the country as they have several players that are ranked high.

Peace