I have started to write this blog numerous times without the clarity to finish it. I questioned what was my point in covering the topic and examined if it would help others in any way. I did not want to offend those that have not been afforded the opportunity to have experienced the examples that will follow but I must write this fact; ELITE DADS are an integral part of producing ELITE GIRLS BASKETBALL players.
While reading Talent is Overrated (a must read) for the third time, I found the support that I needed for my observations of the girls basketball scene. The underlying theme of the book is that through extensive studies and historical examples, we learn that the myth of Talent is precisely that, a myth. We all mention and promote the belief of talent in girls basketball however, girls basketball is no different than any other science, profession or discipline. Girls basketball is governed by the same laws of success and the overwhelming law that can not be ignored is that ,'Deliberate Practice' from an early age spells success on the court.
Author, Geoff Colvin goes on to explain what Deliberate Practice is. His explanation follows.
Deliberate Practice IS:
1. DESIGNED specifically to improve performance
2. It can be repeated a lot
3. Feedback on results is continuously available
4. It’s highly demanding
5. It isn’t much fun
We all have heard how the most brilliant individuals in a particular area have a internal burning desire and unquenchable thirst for greatness. We all probably buy into these superhuman characteristics of these supposedly great people in order to make ourselves feel better for not being so superhuman. It must be natural abilities that allow Tiger Woods to be the first athlete to earn a billion dollars right? Mozart had to be born brilliant in order to compose his Piano Concerto 9 by the age of 21, right? How about Benjamin Franklin and his incredible writing ability? It had to be a supernatural right? WRONG WRONG and WRONG.
The common denominator in the lives and brilliance of Tiger, Mozart and Benjamin Franklin is that all these so called genius were raised by demanding fathers that were expert teachers. These Elite Dads used there mistakes and valuable life lessons to guide, direct and BUILD brilliance!
Tiger's dad wrote, “ I had been properly trained and ready to go. I took over new ground in starting Tiger at an unthinkably early age”. He then would sit the infant Tiger in a high chair and hit golf balls into a net endlessly. He bought Tiger his first golf club at 7 months and had him playing the course before the age of two. Being from Southern California, I had heard the stories of Tigers exploits repeatedly. I have a friend who tells of growing up in the same Orange County neighborhood as Tiger. My friend tells of how Mr. Woods would take Tiger to practice at the golf course EVERYDAY. As all the other kids felt sorry for Tiger while they ran the streets playing and having fun, Tiger and his pops would leave the neighborhood and return hours later, each and every day. The same routine, time and time again. The results of the very deliberate practice is very evident today.
Mozart father was an accomplished musician in his own right and started teaching his child to compose music at the age of three. By the time he had written his best work, at the young age of 21, Mozart has been deliberately practicing for 18 YEARS!
In examining a very high number of Elite girls basketball players, I have observed a high number of fathers who essentially groomed their daughters for success. Some local examples follow:
John Roberson- All John has done is raise 3 Division 1 girls basketball players and one Division 1 boy. While his son was on a visit to Boise St. last week, I watched 20 or so scouts a game put on their best to try and impress his daughter in Frisco. Arielle will have her pick of schools come next year. Her stock is already off of the charts. She has followed in the steps of a sister at Texas Tech, Ashlee, and a sister who plays volleyball at Texas. While Amber chose to accept a full ride for volleyball at UT, she had numerous offers for D1 rides in basketball.
Charlie Harper- Charlie is 3 for 3 and number 4 seems like a lock. Charlie Jr earned a D1 ride out of high school to Grambling. The second son, Charles is entering his sophomore year at Lamar University and the only daughter is the best of them all. CeCe walked in her older brothers path to accept a ride to attend University of Kansas on a full ride next year. She had over 30 offers when she decided on Kansas. As for the baby boy, Chris, he is one of the best 8th graders in the city and is also a star running back in football.
A few more examples:
Dwight Brown- Raised three college caliber basketball players. One son went D1, while the other son is planning to fulfill his potential at a school this year. Baby sister LenNique has had college scouts calling Wagner home for the past couple of weeks as they are making their pitch.
Marcus Peoples- Marcus workouts with the former phenom daughter Cassie, are legendary. The constant drilling and practice has put her in a position to be ranked as the #24 player in the nation by Hoopqurlz and accept a ride to UT as a sophomore.
Wayne Simmons- His daughter Meighan will not hesitate to tell you who taught her to play. Her father and trainer, Wayne can still be found tweaking her game in military base gyms around the city.
Donnie Vorpahl- Coached, trained, raised one of the brightest young prospects in the city in Churchill freshman PG, Leslie.
Danny Ameziquita- Coached, trains and raised one of the best young scorers in the city in daughter Destiny. Danny has helped guide dozens of kids through his Lady Mustang program.
Tim Calvert- Established his own organization to give his daughter and others the opportunity to shine. Daughter Taylor will inevitably play basketball in college and younger sis, McKenzie is already getting college attention as an 8th grader.
These local examples represent some of the best players in the city. While having an elite dad is not the only ingredient in raising a “Talented” basketball player, having one is a distinct advantage. NO child is born with an ingrained desire and discipline to work deliberately on their games. All of these fathers have pushed their kids at some point. A common belief among some parents is that you should not have to push a kid to practice. That is lie! At some point in their academic lives, a parent has instilled deliberate practice in ALL Elite Students. Why would or should athletics be any different. The most common accusation by some in regards to Elite dads is that “He is living vicariously through his kid”. That comment is usually spewed by the parents of kids that have been embarrassed on the court by those "abused and overworked" kids of Elite Dads. Or by the coaches who claim these kids as their own creation. No coach can claim LenNique Brown or Cassie Peoples. These kids were deliberately raised to excel on the court by great families, led by Elite dads. Talent has very little to do with it.
I was in a conversation with Darryl Richardson( another Elite dad who raised college caliber sons) of the Rohawks a year ago. During our discussion, LenNique Brown name came up. Darrel went on to say, “ Nique is a female version of Pooty”. Pooty is the nickname of her older brother, Leonard. He went all the say that all of 'Niques' mannerisms and favorite basketball moves can be traced back to her study of her older brother, Pooty. Now whether it was Pooty , their father or mother, the point is that Nique was constructed from a very early age to shine is basketball. Not by talent but through very deliberate practice. Was it fun the entire time? NO WAY! Anybody that has heard how LenNique's older brothers chew her out DURING the game, when she is not performing up to family standards, would not say that was fun. The scolding by her brothers offers all the ingredients of Geoff Colvins rules of Deliberate Practice; They REPEAT their HIGHLY DEMANDING criticism and offer IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK, that is DESIGNED to improve her performance. FUN probably not! Effective? Just ask her high school coach and the dozens of scouts begging for her services how effective it is.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Central Texas Legit Combine!
The Central Texas Legit Basketball Combine in Jarrell, Texas (20 miles north of Austin) will take place on Saturday, October 24, 2009. The event is for girl basketball players in grades 7 thru 12 and similar to the NBA combine where they participate in a variety of skill tests, but also compete against other athletes in live game action. College scouts will also attend the event! More information and event details can be found on: http://www.basketballcombines.com/
Ph: (254) 493-7541
Fax: (254) 231-3239
Ph: (254) 493-7541
Fax: (254) 231-3239
Lindsey Cloman, the next Robin Roberts?
Click here to see San Antonio's Lindsey Cloman, Oklahoma freshman, working on her career after basketball!
College Coaches Follow Players
The following is from an Elite Dad about what college coaches are really looking for:
"I am a frequent reader of your blog, and I think you are putting some great info out there. In my opinion, your blog entries about FIT should apply to the AAU level as well as the college level. You want your kid to look their very best in front of college coaches. After all, that is what is going to get them noticed, and ultimately get them that scholarship everyone is working so hard to achieve. I would like to tell you about my experience over the last two days. This was a great learning opportunity for me. If this info helps one of your readers, it will have been worth my time to write it.
I have always heard the phrase: “College coaches follow players.” What exactly does this mean, and furthermore, is it really true? Let’s start with what does it mean. If your child is already being recruited, it does not matter which exposure event he/she plays in,college coaches will follow him/her. Of course, if your child is not being recruited yet, this does not apply; however, if he/she is on a team with such a player, that provides the opportunity to get noticed.Now, to take that a little further, if your child is the one being recruited, does it really matter what AAU team he/she plays for? This is where my research begins, and we answer the “is it true” part of the opening question.
I figured the only way to get a straight answer on this was to go directly to the source, so I called three NCAA Division I programs. I called one in Texas, one in Arizona, and one in California. I asked all 3 the same two questions:
1) As a college recruiter, do you care what AAU program a kid plays for?
2) If you are recruiting a kid who plays for team A, and that kid moves to team B, and then the coach/director from team A contacts you with negative things to say about the kid, what stock do you put in that.
Regarding question 1, all the coaches I spoke to said no, they do not care what AAU program a kid plays for. I was told by all of them: “We recruit kids, not AAU coaches or programs.” I did have one coach say if a kid played for an AAU team where all the players on the team just run around, that would not be good.
In response to question #2, again, all three coaches responded basically the same: “We know sour grapes when we hear them.” They all said they would not put much stock in such comments; however, there are some “red flag” topics that would get their attention. They said they would always investigate, and draw their own conclusion.
I guess it is pretty safe to say, college coaches recruit kids, not AAU coaches or programs. When looking for an AAU team, parents should consider the right fit for their child, just as they would when considering colleges. If your child is best suited for a more structured, set play, type of offense that is the type of AAU team you should look for. If your child is better suited for an “open floor”system, you should look for that type of team. Again, you want your kid to look their very best in front of college coaches. That is what is going to get them noticed, and ultimately get them that scholarship they have worked so hard for. In closing I would like to add, I think it is very important that parents of athletes get educated about the college recruiting process. It is IMPERATIVE that parents are involved with the process. They MUST have some clue about what is going; after all, it is THEIR child’s future."
"I am a frequent reader of your blog, and I think you are putting some great info out there. In my opinion, your blog entries about FIT should apply to the AAU level as well as the college level. You want your kid to look their very best in front of college coaches. After all, that is what is going to get them noticed, and ultimately get them that scholarship everyone is working so hard to achieve. I would like to tell you about my experience over the last two days. This was a great learning opportunity for me. If this info helps one of your readers, it will have been worth my time to write it.
I have always heard the phrase: “College coaches follow players.” What exactly does this mean, and furthermore, is it really true? Let’s start with what does it mean. If your child is already being recruited, it does not matter which exposure event he/she plays in,college coaches will follow him/her. Of course, if your child is not being recruited yet, this does not apply; however, if he/she is on a team with such a player, that provides the opportunity to get noticed.Now, to take that a little further, if your child is the one being recruited, does it really matter what AAU team he/she plays for? This is where my research begins, and we answer the “is it true” part of the opening question.
I figured the only way to get a straight answer on this was to go directly to the source, so I called three NCAA Division I programs. I called one in Texas, one in Arizona, and one in California. I asked all 3 the same two questions:
1) As a college recruiter, do you care what AAU program a kid plays for?
2) If you are recruiting a kid who plays for team A, and that kid moves to team B, and then the coach/director from team A contacts you with negative things to say about the kid, what stock do you put in that.
Regarding question 1, all the coaches I spoke to said no, they do not care what AAU program a kid plays for. I was told by all of them: “We recruit kids, not AAU coaches or programs.” I did have one coach say if a kid played for an AAU team where all the players on the team just run around, that would not be good.
In response to question #2, again, all three coaches responded basically the same: “We know sour grapes when we hear them.” They all said they would not put much stock in such comments; however, there are some “red flag” topics that would get their attention. They said they would always investigate, and draw their own conclusion.
I guess it is pretty safe to say, college coaches recruit kids, not AAU coaches or programs. When looking for an AAU team, parents should consider the right fit for their child, just as they would when considering colleges. If your child is best suited for a more structured, set play, type of offense that is the type of AAU team you should look for. If your child is better suited for an “open floor”system, you should look for that type of team. Again, you want your kid to look their very best in front of college coaches. That is what is going to get them noticed, and ultimately get them that scholarship they have worked so hard for. In closing I would like to add, I think it is very important that parents of athletes get educated about the college recruiting process. It is IMPERATIVE that parents are involved with the process. They MUST have some clue about what is going; after all, it is THEIR child’s future."
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
October Fest!
The October exposure period was was filled with some local happenings. Some of them follow:
South Texas Hoyas- Played in the Dallas Texas High School Invitational and represented well. They finished 2-2 , with both losses coming by a total of 2 points. The second loss came in sudden death double overtime. The interesting thing is that former TeamXpress players, LenNique Brown, Cheyenne Berry, Ciara(CC) McLee, and Alison Salmon suited up for the Hoyas. Talking to one Dallas area club coach about the play of a few of these players he wrote, "I now see what you are talking about with Nique. The way she played on Sunday showed me that she can easily play in the Big 12". Another coach sent this text, " Chy and CC looked good today. I have never seen them play so well". This coach went on to say that she had not known that Cheyenne could handle the ball so well. BUT, I KNEW IT! I witnessed Cheyenne play for the Lady Rohawks three years ago and she was something! CeCe Harper, Bobbi Taylor(South Alabama), Monica Engleman(Kansas) and Cheyenne were a sight to see. At times, Cheyenne was the most exciting one of the bunch with her no look passes and creative shot making. The buzz from this weekend is that Cheyenne has her swagger back. She apparently got the attention of a D1 in Louisiana, who immediately asked for a visit on Monday. South Alabama also apparently enjoyed her weekend enough to ask for a home visit Tuesday. Ciara McLee also reportedly had two D1 schools(SELA and UNF) asking for home visits as of yesterday due to her monster weekend. This kid has been on Hoopgurlz twice and is one of the best the city has to offer and the AMAZING thing is that McLee had NO D1 suitors apparently going into this past weekend. As for Brown, she just added a major Big East school to her list of pursuers and they are coming down to SA for a visit. FIT FIT FIT!!!! Jordan Collazo played so well that a few schools jumped on her band wagon and Asha Finch has Southland conference schools already babysitting her!
TeamXpress- Played in Frisco at the Premier Basketball Future Stars Showcase. They struggled early against a good Oklahoma Air team by scoring 24 points for the entire game in a double digit loss but rebounded by beating a good team out of Arkansas . Some bright spots were the play of Arielle Roberson and Tierany Henderson. Roberson is increasingly impressive by adding the 20 footer to her already remarkable skill set. Henderson is a major shot blocker at 5'10 with a wingspan that goes on for days. A key pick up to strengthen the back court was Kelly Gramlich from Austin. I have written about Gramlich three point shooting exploits in the past. The kid can light it up and played extremely well in the Xpress system. Pflugerville sophomore guard, Ari Booth showed glimpses of her bright future. What is most impressive about Booth was that she is one of the few girls in the area that shoots at the top of her jump and with an "L", like a boy. In the past, this has limited her range but I saw her hit a couple from deep this weekend. The TeamXpress games were watched by 20 plus scouts during every game.
SA Heat- Played in the Premier Basketball event. The Heat went 3-1 with the only loss coming to Oklahoma Air. Jessica Kuster continues to impress. Word is that the University of Texas- Arlington commit MAY BE reconsidering and changing her mind. The school that she is rumored to be considering was at both of the Heat's games that I watched. I had a good opportunity to finally get a prolonged look at Leslie Vorpahl(not Vorphal). I really liked what I saw. She has great instincts and finishes well for a small guard. She looked like she more than belonged on the court with girls 3 years her senior. Karissa Cantu has a little spice to her game. She takes chances with passes and plays that are exciting when successful. Cantu and Chelsea Solis are an exciting tandem. The Wagner star, Solis was solid and is reportedly getting ready to commit to Texas A & M Kingsville. I noticed something interesting throughout the SA Heat games. Coach Kobe Cantu gave everybody playing time in an exposure event. He subbed 5 girls at a time, even in crucial parts of the game. He truly showcased all of his kids.
SA Finest- They also played in the Premier Basketball event. They went 4-0 while playing in the JV division with the average margin of victory of 20 points. Although the competition was not the greatest, it did not stop a number of schools from sitting in on a few games. The first game against Mansfield Summit JV saw coaches from UTSA, UAB, Oklahoma, Rice, Colorado St. and OLLU. Madison freshman Brianna Jones apparently got the attention of the OLLU staff with her impressive weekend. The 5'9 guard is getting better by the minute. Former TeamXpress guard, Recee' Caldwell rejoined her original squad and teamed with Wendy Knight to put on a show. UTSA, UAB, Colorado St. repeatedly inquired about Caldwell as she literally floored a couple of opposing players with forays to the basket. Knight shot an incredible percentage as she punished smaller guards and blew by bigger players. Also, having strong showings was Jackie Anderson and Avery Queen. Queen, the 6'1 8th grader, was the reason for the Oklahoma coach in attendance.
Lady Rockets- The Judson High School based team was headed by local coach, Luke Fashaw. This team featured TeamXpress senior Paisley Spencer. The lightning quick Spencer played well over the weekend. Spencer played with this collection of Judson talent due to TeamXpress choosing to concentrate on playing a younger group in the event. The Lady Rockets also featured the talented freshman "LB" Brown. Brown has tremendous upside and an aggressive attacking game that will suit her well in her bright future.
Lady Rohawks- Reportedly, Lady Rohawks played very well despite going 1-3. Coach Harper took a group of old and young to the Cy-Fair Texans event. Harper made sure that his uncommitted seniors received the requisite minutes and opportunities to earn some college attention in the event. He started and played his seniors in positions that would showcase them for the next level. His uncommitted girls reportedly added new schools to their list of suitors. Harper then advertised the future with a young group that featured Taylor Calvert, Niaga Mitchell-Cole, two promising Pflugerville sophomores and the exciting youngster, McKenzie Calvert. Taylor Calvert is reportedly getting a lot of attention from prestigious academic institutions such as,Princeton, Rice, and SMU.
SA Comets Elite- The Comets took their huge front line to the Cy-Fair Texans event. They went 0-3 while playing tough teams Houstonians, Cy-Fair Premier and Houston Heat. Baylor was on hand to babysit commit, Sune Agbuke. More than 20 plus scouts were on hand keeping a keen eye on Kathryn Galindo. The Big for Antonian reportedly had a good event. The Comets were without the services of two experienced guards for the event.
South Texas Hoyas- Played in the Dallas Texas High School Invitational and represented well. They finished 2-2 , with both losses coming by a total of 2 points. The second loss came in sudden death double overtime. The interesting thing is that former TeamXpress players, LenNique Brown, Cheyenne Berry, Ciara(CC) McLee, and Alison Salmon suited up for the Hoyas. Talking to one Dallas area club coach about the play of a few of these players he wrote, "I now see what you are talking about with Nique. The way she played on Sunday showed me that she can easily play in the Big 12". Another coach sent this text, " Chy and CC looked good today. I have never seen them play so well". This coach went on to say that she had not known that Cheyenne could handle the ball so well. BUT, I KNEW IT! I witnessed Cheyenne play for the Lady Rohawks three years ago and she was something! CeCe Harper, Bobbi Taylor(South Alabama), Monica Engleman(Kansas) and Cheyenne were a sight to see. At times, Cheyenne was the most exciting one of the bunch with her no look passes and creative shot making. The buzz from this weekend is that Cheyenne has her swagger back. She apparently got the attention of a D1 in Louisiana, who immediately asked for a visit on Monday. South Alabama also apparently enjoyed her weekend enough to ask for a home visit Tuesday. Ciara McLee also reportedly had two D1 schools(SELA and UNF) asking for home visits as of yesterday due to her monster weekend. This kid has been on Hoopgurlz twice and is one of the best the city has to offer and the AMAZING thing is that McLee had NO D1 suitors apparently going into this past weekend. As for Brown, she just added a major Big East school to her list of pursuers and they are coming down to SA for a visit. FIT FIT FIT!!!! Jordan Collazo played so well that a few schools jumped on her band wagon and Asha Finch has Southland conference schools already babysitting her!
TeamXpress- Played in Frisco at the Premier Basketball Future Stars Showcase. They struggled early against a good Oklahoma Air team by scoring 24 points for the entire game in a double digit loss but rebounded by beating a good team out of Arkansas . Some bright spots were the play of Arielle Roberson and Tierany Henderson. Roberson is increasingly impressive by adding the 20 footer to her already remarkable skill set. Henderson is a major shot blocker at 5'10 with a wingspan that goes on for days. A key pick up to strengthen the back court was Kelly Gramlich from Austin. I have written about Gramlich three point shooting exploits in the past. The kid can light it up and played extremely well in the Xpress system. Pflugerville sophomore guard, Ari Booth showed glimpses of her bright future. What is most impressive about Booth was that she is one of the few girls in the area that shoots at the top of her jump and with an "L", like a boy. In the past, this has limited her range but I saw her hit a couple from deep this weekend. The TeamXpress games were watched by 20 plus scouts during every game.
SA Heat- Played in the Premier Basketball event. The Heat went 3-1 with the only loss coming to Oklahoma Air. Jessica Kuster continues to impress. Word is that the University of Texas- Arlington commit MAY BE reconsidering and changing her mind. The school that she is rumored to be considering was at both of the Heat's games that I watched. I had a good opportunity to finally get a prolonged look at Leslie Vorpahl(not Vorphal). I really liked what I saw. She has great instincts and finishes well for a small guard. She looked like she more than belonged on the court with girls 3 years her senior. Karissa Cantu has a little spice to her game. She takes chances with passes and plays that are exciting when successful. Cantu and Chelsea Solis are an exciting tandem. The Wagner star, Solis was solid and is reportedly getting ready to commit to Texas A & M Kingsville. I noticed something interesting throughout the SA Heat games. Coach Kobe Cantu gave everybody playing time in an exposure event. He subbed 5 girls at a time, even in crucial parts of the game. He truly showcased all of his kids.
SA Finest- They also played in the Premier Basketball event. They went 4-0 while playing in the JV division with the average margin of victory of 20 points. Although the competition was not the greatest, it did not stop a number of schools from sitting in on a few games. The first game against Mansfield Summit JV saw coaches from UTSA, UAB, Oklahoma, Rice, Colorado St. and OLLU. Madison freshman Brianna Jones apparently got the attention of the OLLU staff with her impressive weekend. The 5'9 guard is getting better by the minute. Former TeamXpress guard, Recee' Caldwell rejoined her original squad and teamed with Wendy Knight to put on a show. UTSA, UAB, Colorado St. repeatedly inquired about Caldwell as she literally floored a couple of opposing players with forays to the basket. Knight shot an incredible percentage as she punished smaller guards and blew by bigger players. Also, having strong showings was Jackie Anderson and Avery Queen. Queen, the 6'1 8th grader, was the reason for the Oklahoma coach in attendance.
Lady Rockets- The Judson High School based team was headed by local coach, Luke Fashaw. This team featured TeamXpress senior Paisley Spencer. The lightning quick Spencer played well over the weekend. Spencer played with this collection of Judson talent due to TeamXpress choosing to concentrate on playing a younger group in the event. The Lady Rockets also featured the talented freshman "LB" Brown. Brown has tremendous upside and an aggressive attacking game that will suit her well in her bright future.
Lady Rohawks- Reportedly, Lady Rohawks played very well despite going 1-3. Coach Harper took a group of old and young to the Cy-Fair Texans event. Harper made sure that his uncommitted seniors received the requisite minutes and opportunities to earn some college attention in the event. He started and played his seniors in positions that would showcase them for the next level. His uncommitted girls reportedly added new schools to their list of suitors. Harper then advertised the future with a young group that featured Taylor Calvert, Niaga Mitchell-Cole, two promising Pflugerville sophomores and the exciting youngster, McKenzie Calvert. Taylor Calvert is reportedly getting a lot of attention from prestigious academic institutions such as,Princeton, Rice, and SMU.
SA Comets Elite- The Comets took their huge front line to the Cy-Fair Texans event. They went 0-3 while playing tough teams Houstonians, Cy-Fair Premier and Houston Heat. Baylor was on hand to babysit commit, Sune Agbuke. More than 20 plus scouts were on hand keeping a keen eye on Kathryn Galindo. The Big for Antonian reportedly had a good event. The Comets were without the services of two experienced guards for the event.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Time to Show and Prove!
I found this interesting quote on a Texas message board:
"It's sad to say this, but most of the top girls programs in Dallas, San Antonio and especially Houston are now starting to promote their 2011, 2012, 2013 and even 2014 classes. I've seen some girls who have not made it out of middle school play on top teams out of San Antonio and Houston, and play OVER juniors and seniors this past summer.
Why take a junior or upcoming senior to a summer live event when you know you are going to promote your younger age classes??? Man, that's cold blooded! Even if one was to say "this 2010 kid can't play or is not better than this 2011 kid", I would say "then keep it real with the player and their parents and stop taking their money and send them to another program that you feel will get them more exposure"...The clock is really ticking on the 2010 sleepers to get offers, and for those high school coaches and AAU girls coaches to get on the phone to WORK for them. Who's willing to work??? We shall see."
"It's sad to say this, but most of the top girls programs in Dallas, San Antonio and especially Houston are now starting to promote their 2011, 2012, 2013 and even 2014 classes. I've seen some girls who have not made it out of middle school play on top teams out of San Antonio and Houston, and play OVER juniors and seniors this past summer.
Why take a junior or upcoming senior to a summer live event when you know you are going to promote your younger age classes??? Man, that's cold blooded! Even if one was to say "this 2010 kid can't play or is not better than this 2011 kid", I would say "then keep it real with the player and their parents and stop taking their money and send them to another program that you feel will get them more exposure"...The clock is really ticking on the 2010 sleepers to get offers, and for those high school coaches and AAU girls coaches to get on the phone to WORK for them. Who's willing to work??? We shall see."
The above quote is right on point in regards to the "cold blooded" ways in which a lot of clubs operate. A few thoughts follow:
Who will work for them?:
This is a great question. Who is working for the kids who are not major talents. Stars are stars and they are going to go to school regardless of club affiliation. The test of a AAU coaches true connections and hard work is seeing where they help the lesser talented kids in their organization go to school. The following is part of an email from a club director of a local club about Charlie Harper and his Lady Rohawk program:
"I am saying that it is just as hard, or even harder, to get nine seniors signed like Charlie(Harper) did (which you recognized), or to take kids that (name deleted) is not interested in (which a few of us have done), and be competitive with them, and give those kids an opportunity, and belief that maybe they can play college ball."
This email was sent in response to my proclamations that some people were just envious of a certain clubs success. The writer of the above comment signed off of his insightful email with this: "No envy here, just another perspective."
After a lot of thought, I realized that this club director had a great point. It is easy to have success if you always have the most talent. Now, does success beget talent or vice versa. The chicken or the egg? Either way, it is no surprise that the most successful teams have the best players.
For instance, Meighan Simmons was going to a major college before she ever played for TeamXpress. CeCe Harper was destined for a great school while still in middle school and before she suited up for her dad's Lady Rohawks. In fact, it was in middle school that CeCe received her first letter from UConn. These elite players are elite regardless of club affiliation and their talent will eventually shine. Of course FIT can and will play a huge factor in showcasing talent but stars will still be stars. But how successful will our local clubs be in getting the kids that are not on CeCe and Meighans level in to a school. We will soon see!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Centex Skills Academy Part 2
Last weekends skills academy has continued to be a hot topic in the city. A major reason for the continued discussion is the future; the clinic featured some of the best players this city has to offer over the next few years. A quick run down follows:
2013
Chamaya Turner- One word, "BEAST. The 5-9 forward for Canyon is a problem for opponents. I predicted the New Comer of the Year for her district would be another player a few weeks ago but I had it wrong. Turner is a 15 point 10 rebound kid out of the gate! Her size and strength create match up problems for defenders. She can hit the mid range jumper and her low post foot work is advanced enough to allow her to score over taller defenders on the block.
Elexus Allen- A very long athletic freshman at Stevens. Her 5'11 frame and quick feet enable her to be effective on the glass and very active on defense. She is built in the mode of SA great, Annissa Hastings. Hastings is now the asst. coach at Stevens and will surely help the talented Allen realize her vast potential.
2014-
Carlie Heineman- Arguably the best shooter in the clinic(and city). Carlie has tightened up her handle enough to allow her to create her own shot. She has been a great spot up shooter for the last couple of years but now she has added ball handling and a very effective runner. Her step back jumper is quite impressive. She had a great weekend!
Recee' Caldwell- Caldwell is legit. Her handle, basketball IQ and three-ball make her easily one of three best players in middle school. The fascinating thing about her clinic was her attention to her future. She has been exclusively working on shooting like a boy this summer. She has made thousands of shots while maintaining an "L" and releasing her shot at the top of her jump. Needless to say, she is struggling to make the transition. Her trade mark step back and three-ball makes her one of the best shooters, regardless of age, in the city. She scrapped the comfort of her old shot and used her new shot over the weekend. The consistency was not there but the willingness to keep the future in mind was impressive.
McKenzie Calvert- Calvert, the scoring machine, was on full display. Her speed, toughness and swagger ensures that she is one of the best three players in middle school. Very few girls can take contact and still finish at this age like Calvert can. Defenders can almost chalk it up as two points when guarding her in the open court. Calvert "gets buckets"!
2015
Kyra Lambert- I have always loved Lambert's game but I am now more smitten. She is not only a great athlete but her skill set is impressive. The most impressive thing about her in the clinic was her willingness to learn. She looks instructors in the eye, asks questions and works on new techniques while waiting her turn. Her handle, explosiveness and court vision make her the other player in the argument for being the best in middle school. However, she is younger than the other two players in the argument. She is 11 months younger than Calvert and 3 months younger than Caldwell.
2016
Lexi Rich- Besides having a great basketball name, Lexi Rich is going to be nice! The young guard already has a good handle and decent jumper. She also has the swagger that goes along with her name and game. She attacked the drills and stationary work with a passion while helping struggling campers with encouragement during the process.
During the clinic, I observed something that I forgot, ballers like to play with fellow ballers! This fact was evident in the clinic. While separating teams for transition drills and scrimmages, some of the players started manipulating the drill lines. Manipulating is the wrong word, they started initiating their own lineups. When it was all said and done, one team featured 5 of the girls mentioned above: Turner, Allen, Caldwell, Calvert and Lambert. Simply put, this group was amazing! They put on a show!The unselfishness, communication, level of intensity and cohesion was something to see.
Then the wrong of San Antonio reared its head. Some of the upperclassman at the event started complaining about mixing the teams up due to an unfair advantage! WOW!!!! One particular upperclassman was pleading for the instructors to break up a team consisting of two freshman, two 8th graders and a 7th grader! Now I admit, this team was a very good one but to claim that a team of kids 3 to 4 years younger should be broken up due to THEM having the advantage is nauseating. This is the type of mindset that we must change in San Antonio. Running from teams, forfeiting games and ducking competition in an effort to salvage self esteem and bragging rights must stop. If this city is ever going to truly challenge areas such as Dallas and Houston for state supremacy in girls basketball, we must raise our young ones to fear none and take on all challengers. When you take that inevitable butt kicking, go back to the drawing board and KEEP IT MOVING! But as the saying goes, "Old Habits Die Hard"!
2013
Chamaya Turner- One word, "BEAST. The 5-9 forward for Canyon is a problem for opponents. I predicted the New Comer of the Year for her district would be another player a few weeks ago but I had it wrong. Turner is a 15 point 10 rebound kid out of the gate! Her size and strength create match up problems for defenders. She can hit the mid range jumper and her low post foot work is advanced enough to allow her to score over taller defenders on the block.
Elexus Allen- A very long athletic freshman at Stevens. Her 5'11 frame and quick feet enable her to be effective on the glass and very active on defense. She is built in the mode of SA great, Annissa Hastings. Hastings is now the asst. coach at Stevens and will surely help the talented Allen realize her vast potential.
2014-
Carlie Heineman- Arguably the best shooter in the clinic(and city). Carlie has tightened up her handle enough to allow her to create her own shot. She has been a great spot up shooter for the last couple of years but now she has added ball handling and a very effective runner. Her step back jumper is quite impressive. She had a great weekend!
Recee' Caldwell- Caldwell is legit. Her handle, basketball IQ and three-ball make her easily one of three best players in middle school. The fascinating thing about her clinic was her attention to her future. She has been exclusively working on shooting like a boy this summer. She has made thousands of shots while maintaining an "L" and releasing her shot at the top of her jump. Needless to say, she is struggling to make the transition. Her trade mark step back and three-ball makes her one of the best shooters, regardless of age, in the city. She scrapped the comfort of her old shot and used her new shot over the weekend. The consistency was not there but the willingness to keep the future in mind was impressive.
McKenzie Calvert- Calvert, the scoring machine, was on full display. Her speed, toughness and swagger ensures that she is one of the best three players in middle school. Very few girls can take contact and still finish at this age like Calvert can. Defenders can almost chalk it up as two points when guarding her in the open court. Calvert "gets buckets"!
2015
Kyra Lambert- I have always loved Lambert's game but I am now more smitten. She is not only a great athlete but her skill set is impressive. The most impressive thing about her in the clinic was her willingness to learn. She looks instructors in the eye, asks questions and works on new techniques while waiting her turn. Her handle, explosiveness and court vision make her the other player in the argument for being the best in middle school. However, she is younger than the other two players in the argument. She is 11 months younger than Calvert and 3 months younger than Caldwell.
2016
Lexi Rich- Besides having a great basketball name, Lexi Rich is going to be nice! The young guard already has a good handle and decent jumper. She also has the swagger that goes along with her name and game. She attacked the drills and stationary work with a passion while helping struggling campers with encouragement during the process.
During the clinic, I observed something that I forgot, ballers like to play with fellow ballers! This fact was evident in the clinic. While separating teams for transition drills and scrimmages, some of the players started manipulating the drill lines. Manipulating is the wrong word, they started initiating their own lineups. When it was all said and done, one team featured 5 of the girls mentioned above: Turner, Allen, Caldwell, Calvert and Lambert. Simply put, this group was amazing! They put on a show!The unselfishness, communication, level of intensity and cohesion was something to see.
Then the wrong of San Antonio reared its head. Some of the upperclassman at the event started complaining about mixing the teams up due to an unfair advantage! WOW!!!! One particular upperclassman was pleading for the instructors to break up a team consisting of two freshman, two 8th graders and a 7th grader! Now I admit, this team was a very good one but to claim that a team of kids 3 to 4 years younger should be broken up due to THEM having the advantage is nauseating. This is the type of mindset that we must change in San Antonio. Running from teams, forfeiting games and ducking competition in an effort to salvage self esteem and bragging rights must stop. If this city is ever going to truly challenge areas such as Dallas and Houston for state supremacy in girls basketball, we must raise our young ones to fear none and take on all challengers. When you take that inevitable butt kicking, go back to the drawing board and KEEP IT MOVING! But as the saying goes, "Old Habits Die Hard"!
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