The Brennan girls were hurt. They had given their all for the program. They sacrificed time, energy and individual fame for a cause. That cause was a chance to go to the State Tournament. They came up one game short and were set to have that bitter taste in their mouth all summer. Then it hit. The twitter feeds informed them that their coach, who demanded so much from them in the name of team, had taken another job. They felt duped, "hung out to dry". Their proverbial boyfriend and broken up with them through a text message, or that is the way a parent of one of the players described the emotions.
Across town, at a different high school, two players cried. Literally cried. These kids had worked with training gurus Gannon Baker and attended the great John Lucas clinics. They have been to Nike Regional Skills Academies , adidas Elite Camps and worked out with Women Basketball Hall of Fame players. They have played for coaches that groomed All-Americans like Ogumike Sisters and Meighan Simmons. They were so excited to hear rumors that their high school was hiring one of the best kept secrets in the country as their coach. And then, they read the same tweet the Brennan kids read, Koty Cowgill, former UTSA assistant coach, was not going to be their new leader.
This is not about what others are not, it is about what Coach Koty IS. A few years ago, UTSA would have never landed local stars like Tesha Smith and Niaga Mitchell-Cole. The UTSA elite/team camp has had national Top 50 players, Recee' Caldwell, McKenzie Calvert(Baylor), Kyra Lambert(TAMU), Amber Ramirez, Kianna Williams, AJ Alix(TCU), primarily due to Coach Koty's efforts. Despite his ability to reach kids as an elite recruiter, he knows his stuff. In this informational age where elite skill set instructors are a click of a mouse away, Coach Koty IS skilled. His jumper is as wet today as it was when he played. He can handle the rock as good as any kid in the city. Two ball, Three Ball, Combos etc., Koty can do everything he teaches. As far as X&O's go, he was only an advance scout for the WNBA Atlanta Dream the past couple of years. Local kids have been exposed to his unique abilities and the Brennan Bears' won!
"Kiarra Etheridge is a steal". This is exactly what I told a D1 school after the Brennan vs Champion game. This was the first time that I had seen Etheridge since the beginning of the year. The Marble Falls transfer has transformed from a 5'11 post player and athlete to a wing player with an improving skill set. I initially liked her in the fall but now the kid had the skills to go with her incredible motor. It was her effort that propelled the Bears to Austin. Why? Koty! Etheridge college opportunities have multiplied and the level of her offers have dramatically increased because she has been challenged to play her college position while in high school.
Tanaeya Boclair was considered and undersized post to most of the D1 schools that had offered her. Review any tape of Brennan last season and witness Boclair playing in the crowded post. She helped Brennan go undefeated and made the SuperTeam in the process. What she did not do was get individually better and increase her college readiness. That was until, Koty. Coach Koty immediately went to work teaching Boclair to extend her range on her jump shot and getting her to shoot "with a pause", as he terms it. The ability to elevate and shoot the 1-2 dribble pull up translates to every level of the game(see Cappie Pondexter and Maya Moore) and Boclair now possesses the formidable weapon. The results have enabled Boclair to add additional offers, including BCS opportunities to play the wing.
Eliza Martinez will give her all for you, as long as the 6'1 post player believes that you believe in her. Martinez is a different kid this season. The Mason sisters, Tia and Deja have continued to improve and make their presence felt. Point guard Ashlin Graham has had remarkable gains in terms of understanding time and score when running her team. She no longer pays tentative. Her defensive presence in the Regional Finals was very instrumental in the Bears victory. All of these kids have benefited from having a leader that truly understands that if players get better, the wins will follow.
The Bears are searching for a slogan for the T-Shirts. The shirts are for State. The parents and girls asked Coach Koty what does he want on the shirts. He tells them to choose a slaying because this is "their team".He goes on to state that he will hopefully have 30 more teams in his coaching career and this is the players team, their moment. Despite losing starters, all district performers and eventual college players, Alyssa Crockett and Kalani Marquez, the Bears have prevailed. Their disappointment has been turned to joy. No longer feeling betrayed, they feel blessed!
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Law of being unAverage: Amber Ramirez
Of the 40 or so players that played at UTSA on Tuesday night, how many of them were on Twitter or texting their teenage crush until the late on Monday night? How many of them were watching TV or playing video games? True, some of them were surely studying all night but how many of these players, some playing the biggest games in their high school careers, did nothing to get better? I know where one player was at 11pm on Monday night, she was at a Gold's gym shooting hundreds of shots for the thousandth time in her young life.
The saying goes, "Youth is wasted on the young". Amber Ramirez has not wasted her youth on doing young things. She has worked on her game with a focus and passion that is contrary to many of her counterparts. She is that story, the kid that is always in a gym.
Not ten minutes after entering a gym five years ago, game revealed itself. A tiny 4th grade player split a double team, performed a one handed crossover against the second defender then scooped in a right hand layup, and finished around a third player without securing it with the left hand. I sat at attention and asked the guy sitting next to me "where are the parents of that kid"! The guy next to me motioned to Amber's father, sitting immediately to his left. I introduced myself and shook his hand. Nothing else was said. Nothing else needed to be said. Any fool could see that this kid was special and NO ONE is born with game, especially a tiny 4th grader that had the physical frame of the kids that you see playing softball. The mutual understanding was that NO kid is born so gifted, so polished with skill and basketball instincts. After a few more sequences, I saw the obvious, Amber Ramirez was not the average player, in fact, she is one of the few that you could call elite. Yes, at 9 years old.
Amber Ramirez put on a show last night. Go back into the recent history of SA playoff basketball and her 31 points on less than 20 shots has to rank among the best. And she is 14 years old! Ramirez hit five from downtown, one literally from almost down town, in the first half on her way to 17 pts. Reason has it she would cool down. Nope! She scored 14 more in the second, two more 3's.
I have purposely NOT written about Amber this season. I am too familiar with the fact that familiarity breeds contempt. I know that the insecure would take her early success as personal fronts to their well being! I understand that some fathers, unwillingly to dedicate themselves to their child's goal, would beat the drums of envy. I knew it was coming. When many of the nation first learned and Googled the names Meighan Simmons, Jessica Kuster, McKenzie Calvert, and Kyra Lambert, it was this blog that the search engines would provide. Sitting behind a couple in attendance to see the next game, they saw Amber showing out and Googled her name. They were provided with a Premier Basketball Report article detailing what the nation knows. She is a Top 10 kid by Peach State Basketball. She is ranked as the 3rd best kid in the state by PBR, in a talent heavy 2016 class. She has multiple offers(not letters)from schools in the Big 12 and is being recruited by every major conference in the country. Her first division D1 offer came as a 7th grader.
What the article did not detail was that as a 7th grader, in the same UTSA gym, Amber broke the record for 3 point makes for 1 minute during the UTSA Elite camp with 17! The article did not discuss that she is a kid that often played against boys, while her "friends" teased her for it.The calm and collected kid this couple saw was a product of playing up 3 years in some national events. The article did not detail the time she gave 28pts to a commit slated for the University of Oklahoma. The article could contain that last summer she was the talk of an elite camp last that featured kids two years her senior, one bound for a team with more national titles that one hand can count. Or that Amber has been called a young Sue Bird by someone qualified to make such a pronouncement. That couple did not have a dog in the fight and Ramirez had shown them what many who took an unbiased look already knew; the kid is different.
The "law of averages" is usually referred to things having a way of evening out. Amber Ramirez proves the law is correct in a different way. She has refused to be average. She has refused to work like the average player. When the detractors talk, she is learning to not listen, unlike the average kid. The game of basketball does not "even out". The best are not chosen through natural selection. The best players usually have the best work habits(work smart and hard) and a fertile environment allows them to grow their game. While many were constantly comparing themselves to Amber, she continued to be unAverage in her focus and her performance rightfully reflected how different she truly is.
The saying goes, "Youth is wasted on the young". Amber Ramirez has not wasted her youth on doing young things. She has worked on her game with a focus and passion that is contrary to many of her counterparts. She is that story, the kid that is always in a gym.
Not ten minutes after entering a gym five years ago, game revealed itself. A tiny 4th grade player split a double team, performed a one handed crossover against the second defender then scooped in a right hand layup, and finished around a third player without securing it with the left hand. I sat at attention and asked the guy sitting next to me "where are the parents of that kid"! The guy next to me motioned to Amber's father, sitting immediately to his left. I introduced myself and shook his hand. Nothing else was said. Nothing else needed to be said. Any fool could see that this kid was special and NO ONE is born with game, especially a tiny 4th grader that had the physical frame of the kids that you see playing softball. The mutual understanding was that NO kid is born so gifted, so polished with skill and basketball instincts. After a few more sequences, I saw the obvious, Amber Ramirez was not the average player, in fact, she is one of the few that you could call elite. Yes, at 9 years old.
Amber Ramirez put on a show last night. Go back into the recent history of SA playoff basketball and her 31 points on less than 20 shots has to rank among the best. And she is 14 years old! Ramirez hit five from downtown, one literally from almost down town, in the first half on her way to 17 pts. Reason has it she would cool down. Nope! She scored 14 more in the second, two more 3's.
I have purposely NOT written about Amber this season. I am too familiar with the fact that familiarity breeds contempt. I know that the insecure would take her early success as personal fronts to their well being! I understand that some fathers, unwillingly to dedicate themselves to their child's goal, would beat the drums of envy. I knew it was coming. When many of the nation first learned and Googled the names Meighan Simmons, Jessica Kuster, McKenzie Calvert, and Kyra Lambert, it was this blog that the search engines would provide. Sitting behind a couple in attendance to see the next game, they saw Amber showing out and Googled her name. They were provided with a Premier Basketball Report article detailing what the nation knows. She is a Top 10 kid by Peach State Basketball. She is ranked as the 3rd best kid in the state by PBR, in a talent heavy 2016 class. She has multiple offers(not letters)from schools in the Big 12 and is being recruited by every major conference in the country. Her first division D1 offer came as a 7th grader.
What the article did not detail was that as a 7th grader, in the same UTSA gym, Amber broke the record for 3 point makes for 1 minute during the UTSA Elite camp with 17! The article did not discuss that she is a kid that often played against boys, while her "friends" teased her for it.The calm and collected kid this couple saw was a product of playing up 3 years in some national events. The article did not detail the time she gave 28pts to a commit slated for the University of Oklahoma. The article could contain that last summer she was the talk of an elite camp last that featured kids two years her senior, one bound for a team with more national titles that one hand can count. Or that Amber has been called a young Sue Bird by someone qualified to make such a pronouncement. That couple did not have a dog in the fight and Ramirez had shown them what many who took an unbiased look already knew; the kid is different.
The "law of averages" is usually referred to things having a way of evening out. Amber Ramirez proves the law is correct in a different way. She has refused to be average. She has refused to work like the average player. When the detractors talk, she is learning to not listen, unlike the average kid. The game of basketball does not "even out". The best are not chosen through natural selection. The best players usually have the best work habits(work smart and hard) and a fertile environment allows them to grow their game. While many were constantly comparing themselves to Amber, she continued to be unAverage in her focus and her performance rightfully reflected how different she truly is.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Growing disparity between good and bad ball players.
In another thought proviking article, Brian McCormick questions while the disparity between elite players/teams and others. He also questions the reason(s) behind the great migration to volleyball for SoCal girls. McCormick Link
Friday, January 25, 2013
Ball Don't Lie:Tina Camacho 500 Wins
LEADERSHIP IS NOT A TITLE
Tina Camacho is a leader. She is a manger, boss, supervisor, etc. She has that IT that allows her to earn not only the respect of her players but her peers. The two time court coach with USA Basketball earned her 500th victory this past Tuesday and the feat is nothing short of remarkable.
Take a quick look at some of the great coaches in the NBA. Phil Jackson, Don Nelson, and Doc Rivers all played the game, yet were not considered stars in the League. It is probably not a coincidence that these players became very good leaders. Playing on teams with great stars, these men learned to earn their respect, yet understood their role. Being stars at the high school and college levels, these men learned what is was to be at the top of those respective totem poles. They have learned to play with teammates who had inflated egos and they also learned to encourage lessor teammates with fragile psyches. Camacho too learned to lead by being a high school star yet paid her dues as a role player at a Division 1 University, UTSA. Leadership ability is earned and learned through being battle tested and proving that capability to those that follow. Leadership is not a title, bestowed by some high school athletic director filling a position.
Camacho's leadership is evident on many fronts. She has coached current high school head coaches and former assistants, Triva Corrales(Judson), Jackie Contreras(Harlandale). Another former assistant is now a head coach in the Fort Bend district. Her current assistant works in a auxiliary role for the SA Silver Stars. Like Bobby Knight to Coach K, Al McGuire to Doc Rivers, and Red Holzman to Phil Jackson, the Camacho coaching tree is a direct indication of her ability to lead.
THEY DON'T CARE WHAT YOU KNOW UNTIL THEY KNOW YOU CARE
Leaders inspire. After a recent workout in preparation for her Pro Day tryout, former Wagner star and recent San Diego State player Sojoyia Griffin spoke to a gym full of young aspiring middle school players. When a future Wagner Thunderbird asked her to give her thoughts about playing for Camacho, the well spoken Griffin seemed to struggle to find the words to express her appreciation for her former HS coach. After repeatedly pausing, Griffin stated, "I just love Coach Camacho, what she has done for me, I will never forget". Enough said! She is a leader that inspires loyalty and admiration from her successful troops, not dissension and contempt.
Many high school coaches view their jobs as Jobs. Camacho realizes that coaching is more than a Job. Many of her players have had to overcome incredible obstacles and social issues to thrive. Camacho has been and is at times a social worker, mentor, shoulder to cry on, disciplinarian and for some, a second mother. Whenever I tweet anything about Camacho's success, it never fails that her numerous college players retweet the message. Her players care about her long after they are done playing for her because they know she continues to care about them!
TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVE, MUCH IS REQUIRED
The 2007-2008 Wagner team was loaded with 10 players that went on to play in college. That team went 36-1. The T-Birds went to the state semis before running into the Ogumike sisters, who lead their Cy-Fair squad to the championship. The Wagner 2007-2008 team was the best that I have seen in my handful of years in the city. Sajoyia Griffin, Jessica Sommers, Briana Brock, Arielle Roberson, Len'Nique Brown, Michelle Rodriguez, all went on to play D1 basketball. Amber Roberson had D1 basketball opportunities but chose to play at UT for the Final 4 bound volleyball squad.
Detractors will read that and exclaim that she is supposed to win with all those bullets in the barrel. That is easier said than done. Managing the egos and agendas of 10 talented kids and making them believe that the best interest of the team supersedes individual accomplishments is not, nor has ever been easy. For those nostalgic dreamers that wish for a different era, read about Auerbach, Lombardi and Wooden and learn that all great leaders have had struggles coaching supremely talented teams and getting players to "buy in" to the mission. That is what made them great, the ability to teach sacrifice by sacrificing!
How many high school coaches still drive from house to house, apartment to apartment, dropping off kids after practice? How many of them will encourage players to sell candy or work a snow cone machine in order for them to afford to travel with a club team in the summer? How many high school coaches will meet their player, an aspiring rapper, at a local college visit where she can get her first chance to rap in a professional studio, all while learning to appreciate an art form that is so foreign to a fan of country music?! How many high school coaches spend time cold calling college programs to help their kids get into school? Or spend their time and money traveling to Dallas or Houston in the summer to keep an eye on their players while they play club ball? Camacho has done and will continue to do these things. She is vested in her players success and her players invest their considerable abilities in her and her program. It is not a relationship of exploitation in the name of recognition or coaching advancement.
THE BALL DONT LIE
500 hundred wins speaks for itself. Now factor in how difficult it was to win at Burbank, a program that was not known to inherit an abundance of talent. Then move to Wagner, an immensely talented environment filled with "know it all players and PARENTS". Anyone sitting in the crowd at a Wagner game over the last few years have heard daddies, mommies, grandma, grandpa, and the community of sideline coaches criticize and second guess her decisions. Through all this, she is respected by almost all of the "know it alls". They know that the ball don't lie. She has consistently won and given the opportunity for many young women to succeed. That is her enduring legacy. How many young women have USED her to realize their dreams?!
I look forward to the summer in San Antonio. Every year, I get a chance to be a fan! The grapevine speaks of a game time and they all come. Last year I walked into the gym and saw Nique Brown, Jessica Sommers, Amber Roberson, Ashley Catlett, Briana Brock, and The Twins. Also in action, half of the current UTSA women's team, current and former college stars from across the city. WNBA All-Star Danielle Adams sat on the sideline and took in the action. I mistakenly identified Texas Tech and Judson great Ashley Roberson for her baby sis Arielle. I tweeted the assembly of SA hoopers, happy to get a chance to see young women play with passion, for the love of the game. Arielle replied to my tweet that it was not her in the gym YET, she was on her way from Colorado and excited to join the celebration. Arielle came to the place that loved her, to a culture of success that helped propel her to having a remarkable freshman season. The architect of that culture of excellence is Tina Camacho. The ball don't lie!!!
Tina Camacho is a leader. She is a manger, boss, supervisor, etc. She has that IT that allows her to earn not only the respect of her players but her peers. The two time court coach with USA Basketball earned her 500th victory this past Tuesday and the feat is nothing short of remarkable.
Take a quick look at some of the great coaches in the NBA. Phil Jackson, Don Nelson, and Doc Rivers all played the game, yet were not considered stars in the League. It is probably not a coincidence that these players became very good leaders. Playing on teams with great stars, these men learned to earn their respect, yet understood their role. Being stars at the high school and college levels, these men learned what is was to be at the top of those respective totem poles. They have learned to play with teammates who had inflated egos and they also learned to encourage lessor teammates with fragile psyches. Camacho too learned to lead by being a high school star yet paid her dues as a role player at a Division 1 University, UTSA. Leadership ability is earned and learned through being battle tested and proving that capability to those that follow. Leadership is not a title, bestowed by some high school athletic director filling a position.
Camacho's leadership is evident on many fronts. She has coached current high school head coaches and former assistants, Triva Corrales(Judson), Jackie Contreras(Harlandale). Another former assistant is now a head coach in the Fort Bend district. Her current assistant works in a auxiliary role for the SA Silver Stars. Like Bobby Knight to Coach K, Al McGuire to Doc Rivers, and Red Holzman to Phil Jackson, the Camacho coaching tree is a direct indication of her ability to lead.
THEY DON'T CARE WHAT YOU KNOW UNTIL THEY KNOW YOU CARE
Leaders inspire. After a recent workout in preparation for her Pro Day tryout, former Wagner star and recent San Diego State player Sojoyia Griffin spoke to a gym full of young aspiring middle school players. When a future Wagner Thunderbird asked her to give her thoughts about playing for Camacho, the well spoken Griffin seemed to struggle to find the words to express her appreciation for her former HS coach. After repeatedly pausing, Griffin stated, "I just love Coach Camacho, what she has done for me, I will never forget". Enough said! She is a leader that inspires loyalty and admiration from her successful troops, not dissension and contempt.
Many high school coaches view their jobs as Jobs. Camacho realizes that coaching is more than a Job. Many of her players have had to overcome incredible obstacles and social issues to thrive. Camacho has been and is at times a social worker, mentor, shoulder to cry on, disciplinarian and for some, a second mother. Whenever I tweet anything about Camacho's success, it never fails that her numerous college players retweet the message. Her players care about her long after they are done playing for her because they know she continues to care about them!
TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVE, MUCH IS REQUIRED
The 2007-2008 Wagner team was loaded with 10 players that went on to play in college. That team went 36-1. The T-Birds went to the state semis before running into the Ogumike sisters, who lead their Cy-Fair squad to the championship. The Wagner 2007-2008 team was the best that I have seen in my handful of years in the city. Sajoyia Griffin, Jessica Sommers, Briana Brock, Arielle Roberson, Len'Nique Brown, Michelle Rodriguez, all went on to play D1 basketball. Amber Roberson had D1 basketball opportunities but chose to play at UT for the Final 4 bound volleyball squad.
Detractors will read that and exclaim that she is supposed to win with all those bullets in the barrel. That is easier said than done. Managing the egos and agendas of 10 talented kids and making them believe that the best interest of the team supersedes individual accomplishments is not, nor has ever been easy. For those nostalgic dreamers that wish for a different era, read about Auerbach, Lombardi and Wooden and learn that all great leaders have had struggles coaching supremely talented teams and getting players to "buy in" to the mission. That is what made them great, the ability to teach sacrifice by sacrificing!
How many high school coaches still drive from house to house, apartment to apartment, dropping off kids after practice? How many of them will encourage players to sell candy or work a snow cone machine in order for them to afford to travel with a club team in the summer? How many high school coaches will meet their player, an aspiring rapper, at a local college visit where she can get her first chance to rap in a professional studio, all while learning to appreciate an art form that is so foreign to a fan of country music?! How many high school coaches spend time cold calling college programs to help their kids get into school? Or spend their time and money traveling to Dallas or Houston in the summer to keep an eye on their players while they play club ball? Camacho has done and will continue to do these things. She is vested in her players success and her players invest their considerable abilities in her and her program. It is not a relationship of exploitation in the name of recognition or coaching advancement.
THE BALL DONT LIE
500 hundred wins speaks for itself. Now factor in how difficult it was to win at Burbank, a program that was not known to inherit an abundance of talent. Then move to Wagner, an immensely talented environment filled with "know it all players and PARENTS". Anyone sitting in the crowd at a Wagner game over the last few years have heard daddies, mommies, grandma, grandpa, and the community of sideline coaches criticize and second guess her decisions. Through all this, she is respected by almost all of the "know it alls". They know that the ball don't lie. She has consistently won and given the opportunity for many young women to succeed. That is her enduring legacy. How many young women have USED her to realize their dreams?!
I look forward to the summer in San Antonio. Every year, I get a chance to be a fan! The grapevine speaks of a game time and they all come. Last year I walked into the gym and saw Nique Brown, Jessica Sommers, Amber Roberson, Ashley Catlett, Briana Brock, and The Twins. Also in action, half of the current UTSA women's team, current and former college stars from across the city. WNBA All-Star Danielle Adams sat on the sideline and took in the action. I mistakenly identified Texas Tech and Judson great Ashley Roberson for her baby sis Arielle. I tweeted the assembly of SA hoopers, happy to get a chance to see young women play with passion, for the love of the game. Arielle replied to my tweet that it was not her in the gym YET, she was on her way from Colorado and excited to join the celebration. Arielle came to the place that loved her, to a culture of success that helped propel her to having a remarkable freshman season. The architect of that culture of excellence is Tina Camacho. The ball don't lie!!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Too Close for Comfort!!!
Again referencing Clay Kallam's article, parents of recruits need to take heed for a different reason.
Some conferences are known for having a really physical style of play. When looking at options for your child, it is probably a good idea to study not only the fit of the school that is interested in your child but also the style of play that the teams in the conference typically play.
Occasionally, the glory days call upon me to hit the court and prove that I still got it. At 6'3 and 210 pounds, I swear that I can still go! That is until some young buck hits me with a double cross over and leaves me standing still. I saw the move, knew the proper reaction but the only recourse I could offer was the 'Derrick Haper' claw! For those of you unfamiliar with 1980's basketball, it was an era of super physical play, even on the perimeter. Former Dallas Maverick Derrick Harper would use his immensely strong hand to hand check and clamp down on the hips of an opposing dribbler. Etched in my brain are childhood memories of 6'9 Magic Johnson violently slapping away 'the claw', only to have Harper attached it to his hip again and again in a dual of wills. Fast forward to my current gym experiences against these lighting quick youngsters and they too know what it is like to get clawed by a very physical defender, way past his prime. It is not manly to call fouls in pick up ball and when these youngsters inevitably complain about the rough stuff, I remind them of such. It is the only way that I can still "compete". It seems that some college programs subscribe to this theory as the best way for them to "compete" as well.
When discussing the "ugly" brand of basketball in his piece, Callum speaks of unskilled athletes being able to negate the skill sets of polished players. The same goes for physical conferences that allow bully ball tactics to thrive. It does not matter how skilled a kid is if the defense is allowed to push and shove beyond the rules of the game. Proper footwork, ball fakes, deft ball handling will enable skilled kids to create opportunities on the offensive end but a quick jersey tug or well placed stiff arm to the hips can make all these skilled moves ineffective. Playing through some contact is part of the game at any level, but playing with excessive contact favors some and hinders certain players.
When attending a coaching clinic a few years back, West Virginia's HS Mike Carey was asked what was his strategy defending the pick and roll. I prepared myself for some pretty complicated insight since Carey's defense was known to be formidable. Coach Carey simply stated, "We do not let them set the screen". Huh? He went on to explain that he teaches his players to physically impede screeners by pushing them away the areas in which they want to go. I was sitting next to Bob Starkey, current Texas A&M assistant who was an assistant at LSU at that time. Coach Starkey, a serious note taker in the clinic, looked confused said, " We could never get away with that in the SEC". To put that comment into context, the common wisdom is that the SEC is a VERY physical league. To have a coach in the SEC say that those tactics were too physical for the very physical SEC, told me all I needed to know.
Do your research early and often when searching for the right style of play for your child!
Some conferences are known for having a really physical style of play. When looking at options for your child, it is probably a good idea to study not only the fit of the school that is interested in your child but also the style of play that the teams in the conference typically play.
Occasionally, the glory days call upon me to hit the court and prove that I still got it. At 6'3 and 210 pounds, I swear that I can still go! That is until some young buck hits me with a double cross over and leaves me standing still. I saw the move, knew the proper reaction but the only recourse I could offer was the 'Derrick Haper' claw! For those of you unfamiliar with 1980's basketball, it was an era of super physical play, even on the perimeter. Former Dallas Maverick Derrick Harper would use his immensely strong hand to hand check and clamp down on the hips of an opposing dribbler. Etched in my brain are childhood memories of 6'9 Magic Johnson violently slapping away 'the claw', only to have Harper attached it to his hip again and again in a dual of wills. Fast forward to my current gym experiences against these lighting quick youngsters and they too know what it is like to get clawed by a very physical defender, way past his prime. It is not manly to call fouls in pick up ball and when these youngsters inevitably complain about the rough stuff, I remind them of such. It is the only way that I can still "compete". It seems that some college programs subscribe to this theory as the best way for them to "compete" as well.
When discussing the "ugly" brand of basketball in his piece, Callum speaks of unskilled athletes being able to negate the skill sets of polished players. The same goes for physical conferences that allow bully ball tactics to thrive. It does not matter how skilled a kid is if the defense is allowed to push and shove beyond the rules of the game. Proper footwork, ball fakes, deft ball handling will enable skilled kids to create opportunities on the offensive end but a quick jersey tug or well placed stiff arm to the hips can make all these skilled moves ineffective. Playing through some contact is part of the game at any level, but playing with excessive contact favors some and hinders certain players.
When attending a coaching clinic a few years back, West Virginia's HS Mike Carey was asked what was his strategy defending the pick and roll. I prepared myself for some pretty complicated insight since Carey's defense was known to be formidable. Coach Carey simply stated, "We do not let them set the screen". Huh? He went on to explain that he teaches his players to physically impede screeners by pushing them away the areas in which they want to go. I was sitting next to Bob Starkey, current Texas A&M assistant who was an assistant at LSU at that time. Coach Starkey, a serious note taker in the clinic, looked confused said, " We could never get away with that in the SEC". To put that comment into context, the common wisdom is that the SEC is a VERY physical league. To have a coach in the SEC say that those tactics were too physical for the very physical SEC, told me all I needed to know.
Do your research early and often when searching for the right style of play for your child!
"Winning Ugly, Stunted Growth"
Clay Callum of Full Court Press wrote a thought provoking article on "winning ugly". The article speaks to the way college programs often recruit unskilled elite athletes to negate skilled players and win games that are a nightmare to watch. This article touches on some things that surely effect the development of young players.
"I do not care if the score is 2-0, as long as we win" is a common saying of a "successful" local high school coach. Consequently, his/her team wins, yet his/her players do not get better in the process. This is great example of a one sided relationship. The coach calculates his/her wins and winning percentage in hopes of gaining recognition and eventually a better job, but his/her players, that jeopardize their health and formative developmental years for him/her, get little in return.
Judson High School coach Triva Corrales has been praised on this site on more than a few occasions. She is blessed to inherit a lot of athletes that MUST attend her school. Many coaches would utilize these athletes in a way described in the Callum article, as glorified defenders and servants for the all mighty win column. Corrales is thankfully not a member of the tribe that takes and takes but rarely gives to her athletes. Judson has upset Top 3 schools Steele and Wagner this season and the primary reason why, her kids have grown from just athletes to skilled decision makers.
Steele and Wagner high school overwhelm teams with a daunting full court press. Both schools are also stacked with talented kids that will play at a very high level in college. In the past, Judson had one primary ball handler and decision maker, Samantha Allen'14. Allen is one of the top point guards in the city. Teams like Steele and Wagner would chase and trap Allen all over the court. Her teammates were as athletic as opposing teams but not fully capable of making sound decisions with the ball in the past. Now they are. Ball reversals to Allens' teammates result in transition opportunities, smart decisions and sound basketball plays. The development that Corrales has fostered in her program* is paying off and flies in the face of the practices that are being applauded as successful at some schools in the city.
(*Corrales has a program, not a team! She has a former varsity head coach as her jv/frosh coach! Think about that for a second. A capable former varsity coach and former local high school star resigned from her position to assist Corrales. Corrales previously coached at the varsity level and gave up that position to become an assistant with her former coach Tina Camacho at Wagner before landing the Judson job. Corrales is very involved with her middle school programs and encourages her kids to play for the right club programs.)
Callums article is addressing the negative impact that the unskilled labor force has on college basketball and illustrates one of the reasons why womens' basketball may never be a truly revenue producing sport for more than a few schools. However, the problem starts in youth basketball, with clubs and high schools that emphasize winning over development. Sadly, in most industries, winning or success is a byproduct of proper development. Hopefully girls and women's basketball will soon get the notice.
"I do not care if the score is 2-0, as long as we win" is a common saying of a "successful" local high school coach. Consequently, his/her team wins, yet his/her players do not get better in the process. This is great example of a one sided relationship. The coach calculates his/her wins and winning percentage in hopes of gaining recognition and eventually a better job, but his/her players, that jeopardize their health and formative developmental years for him/her, get little in return.
Judson High School coach Triva Corrales has been praised on this site on more than a few occasions. She is blessed to inherit a lot of athletes that MUST attend her school. Many coaches would utilize these athletes in a way described in the Callum article, as glorified defenders and servants for the all mighty win column. Corrales is thankfully not a member of the tribe that takes and takes but rarely gives to her athletes. Judson has upset Top 3 schools Steele and Wagner this season and the primary reason why, her kids have grown from just athletes to skilled decision makers.
Steele and Wagner high school overwhelm teams with a daunting full court press. Both schools are also stacked with talented kids that will play at a very high level in college. In the past, Judson had one primary ball handler and decision maker, Samantha Allen'14. Allen is one of the top point guards in the city. Teams like Steele and Wagner would chase and trap Allen all over the court. Her teammates were as athletic as opposing teams but not fully capable of making sound decisions with the ball in the past. Now they are. Ball reversals to Allens' teammates result in transition opportunities, smart decisions and sound basketball plays. The development that Corrales has fostered in her program* is paying off and flies in the face of the practices that are being applauded as successful at some schools in the city.
(*Corrales has a program, not a team! She has a former varsity head coach as her jv/frosh coach! Think about that for a second. A capable former varsity coach and former local high school star resigned from her position to assist Corrales. Corrales previously coached at the varsity level and gave up that position to become an assistant with her former coach Tina Camacho at Wagner before landing the Judson job. Corrales is very involved with her middle school programs and encourages her kids to play for the right club programs.)
Callums article is addressing the negative impact that the unskilled labor force has on college basketball and illustrates one of the reasons why womens' basketball may never be a truly revenue producing sport for more than a few schools. However, the problem starts in youth basketball, with clubs and high schools that emphasize winning over development. Sadly, in most industries, winning or success is a byproduct of proper development. Hopefully girls and women's basketball will soon get the notice.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Si'(Yes) to USA intervention in GirlsBB!!
'This is an attempt by USA basketball to take all the elite players away from club and eventually high school basketball teams.' This is the sentiment of some of the most influential people in amateur basketball about the creation of IHoops and the increasing role of USA Basketball in the summer.
USA Basketball announced that it will partner with IHoops by saying the following: "the partnership will expand USA Basketball’s focus on elite players and the fielding of national teams for international competitions to a broader group that encompasses the entire youth basketball community". To which I say, Thank God!!!
While some "influencers" feel that the move would mean "bigger government" and more regulation, so to speak, I feel that this is whats needed in girls basketball. Here is my argument.
Elite Environment- USA Soccer program selects kids at an early age and keeps them incorporated in training groups throughout the year. Johnson high school has two elite soccer players that leave school periodically to go train with Team USA. Regardless if they are in the middle of their high school or club season, these elite soccer players pack up and leave when called to Team USA. These kids benefit from going to an environment that is conducive to their aspirations. They receive elite training in an elite environment, numerous times a year. Why not implement the same program(s) in girls basketball?
Locally, many observers have seen USA trial participants, Recee' Caldwell and McKenzie Calvert perform. What many have not seen is them perform on the level in which they do while at USA trails in Colorado, among the best players in the world. Watching these two kids in that environment, where every kid in attendance is cut from the same cloth, is hard to explain. I would equate it to a young Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie learning to master Jazz by being in a club where their improvisational skills are encouraged and understood. It is like a young Biggie Smalls and Jay Z learning to rhyme without writing their lyrics on paper, memorizing complicated stanzas and experimenting with unique word play. Watching 50 or so kids that all subscribe to the dedication and sacrifices that it takes to be on that level, is inspiring. Now take these kids out of this environment, where they face 6'2 guards that can handle and shoot with the best of them and place them back into a scene where they face 5'8 post players that play basketball for recreation.
High School- The typical high school basketball program in most of the country is not designed to develop elite basketball players. Take a look at the USA Today Top 25 HS teams in the country, 3 of top 5 and 6 of top 10 teams are private schools. Last year's Nike Tournament of Champions hit me over the head with the fact that most of the best high school teams in the country are private schools with open enrollments and very qualified coaching.
Schools like Mater Dei or St Mary's in California are known to churn out high major players(elite). The coaching staffs have helped produce dozens of D1 kids and the teams are ran like college programs. These private schools across the country are breeding grounds for elite prospects matriculating to elite college programs. Let's face it, a large portion of high school coaches across the country can not equip elite basketball players with the tools to help them achieve on the next level. To back up that statement, just look at the heavy concentration of talent from the same programs across the country. Kids transfer to the Mater Dei's, St Mary's(CA), St Mary's(AZ), Christ the King's(NY), and McEachern's(GA) to play in an environment that fosters growth. In Texas, why has Ducanville and Georgetown been so good and produced so many college players for so long? These high school coaches are much sought after. While some cry foul, the same hypocrites will applaud a music or theater student for being accepted into LaGuardia Arts. USA Basketball should become the ultimate private school and even the playing field for the elite kids that are not fortunate enough to attend a private or public school where the coach and the environment are not elite.
Club Ball- In some circles the reputation of club ball is akin to drug dealing! That is mostly among the old pharisees that used to control the law but the point is that club ball is probably not the best place to grow elite girls basketball players as well. From a club coach/director, many club coaches could not diagram a multiple action set if their life depended on it. I have seen so called elite program coaches that DO NOT OWN a white board. Most college programs run dozens of sets and each set has multiple actions that demand for players to read and then react accordingly. A lot of club programs are glorified talent recruiters. These "coaches" load up on talent, full court press, scream, and blow inferior talented teams out. This is what makes them "elite"?! Hardly!!
Here is the fact of the matter, go to the Top 100 of any respectable ranking service and you will find that MOST of these girls were considered elite in middle school! I challenge you to do the research and you will surely discover that a trainer(mom/dad/good skill coach) had skilled up the Top 100 kids and had them on the path of being elite before their eventual club team "claimed" them. Obviously, club serves a purpose and allows for the 3% to separate themselves and sharpen each other. Club is where almost all of the 3% of eventual college players test their skills against each other on a frequent basis. However, if USA Basketball was to identify the top prospects while they were in middle school and invite them to be part of a national training and playing program, this would better equip these kids with the basketball IQ to better transition to the next level.
Win/Win- The USA program would be a Win/Win for all involved. Here is why:
Kids: Most kids that play basketball are not elite. They lack the resources( financial, opportunity, discipline) to become elite. They want to play basketball for fun, past the time, social standing etc. That is terrific and is another reason why our country is so great. We have scholastic opportunities that kids can take advantage of to help them set goals, be active, learn teamwork etc . However, it is when an elite kid attends the same school when problems can arise. The elite basketball players are like the self made super rich leaders of industry. They have worked hard to accumulate wealth yet the average kid(parent) wants them to be treated the same.They are not the same! One kid can play a trumpet in a fashion that demands a solo performance and the other kid is a good back up musician. In a band, the back up musician understands that they must start early in life and put in more hours to "earn" a solo. In high school ball, entitlement and affirmative action are in vogue. Eliminating elite kids from non-elite environments will help more kids get the opportunity to just "play" basketball.
HS coaches: A lot of HS coaches are not developed leaders. Watch Steele(Schertz) HS football coach Mike Jinks for 30 seconds and you can tell he IS a leader in life. He is a people manager and motivator. He is elite! Most coaches are not cut from the same cloth and accordingly, do not have the requisite ability to coach elite kids. Go to a Kim Mulkey practice and see that she exudes leadership. You do not have to read a resume' that includes star athlete, championships as a player, assistant and head coach to know that she is built to lead.The typical high school coach does not want to deal with a parent that has invested hours upon hours and tens of thousands of dollars in their child's dream. Dealing with parents that expects a coach to work on the game of basketball as hard as their kid, is not something most of them sign up for. IF USA Basketball removed these kids from the high school system, that would allow for more peaceful rest by many high school staffs. Not having the same passion to get better as their elite players, has to be frustrating to many HS coaches.
Club Basketball: If USA removed the 200-300 top prospects from every class, the club system would thrive. Most good club coaches would tell you that one of the biggest problems they have is teaching to the lowest common denominator. Most kids are still learning algebra while the elite kids are starving for calculus. With approximately 1200-1500 Division 1 rides given every year, removing the 20% or so of those athletes would not hinder the system very much. Another common problem for club coaches is that in most cases, the elite kids and or parents do not cause the most problems. It is the kid(parent), jealous of the elite prospects, that will drive you crazy. Club teams will go on to provide a great environment for thousands of college bounds athletes to test their mettle every summer.
In high school, I took a required Spanish class. My lack of effort made me a poor Spanish student that was nicknamed by my teacher, " No Se' Rey". Translation, "I don't know, Ray". My instructor would ask me a question and I would inevitably reply, "No se' senora". She would shake her head at me and my lack of effort. Contrast that to a buddy of mine, he was a "Si"(yes) student. He was my back court mate on the basketball squad. He was and still is, my man! He would get on me for clowning in Spanish class. He would get so upset that I was not taking the class serious. He had a vision. He understood that Southern California was increasingly Spanish speaking and he was concentrated on his future. And there I was, getting in the way of his learning. He was also disgruntled with our teacher. He was thirsting for more knowledge, he was always asking to learn how to speak and write more complicated conversations. She would tell him to take the class next year, and the next year, to learn advanced concepts. He suspected that she could not teach to the level he required and he resented her for it. Today, as a professional, he has risen fast to positions of prominence in his chosen field, partly because of his ability to speak and write fluent Spanish.
Some kids want to learn fluent Spanish. They are hindered by inept instructors and class clowns hollering "No Se" ", through lazy efforts. USA Basketball is the perfect place for these students, with an eye on their future, to be fed according to their appetites to learn. Why is this not the best scenario? ' No Se'!
USA Basketball announced that it will partner with IHoops by saying the following: "the partnership will expand USA Basketball’s focus on elite players and the fielding of national teams for international competitions to a broader group that encompasses the entire youth basketball community". To which I say, Thank God!!!
While some "influencers" feel that the move would mean "bigger government" and more regulation, so to speak, I feel that this is whats needed in girls basketball. Here is my argument.
Elite Environment- USA Soccer program selects kids at an early age and keeps them incorporated in training groups throughout the year. Johnson high school has two elite soccer players that leave school periodically to go train with Team USA. Regardless if they are in the middle of their high school or club season, these elite soccer players pack up and leave when called to Team USA. These kids benefit from going to an environment that is conducive to their aspirations. They receive elite training in an elite environment, numerous times a year. Why not implement the same program(s) in girls basketball?
Locally, many observers have seen USA trial participants, Recee' Caldwell and McKenzie Calvert perform. What many have not seen is them perform on the level in which they do while at USA trails in Colorado, among the best players in the world. Watching these two kids in that environment, where every kid in attendance is cut from the same cloth, is hard to explain. I would equate it to a young Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie learning to master Jazz by being in a club where their improvisational skills are encouraged and understood. It is like a young Biggie Smalls and Jay Z learning to rhyme without writing their lyrics on paper, memorizing complicated stanzas and experimenting with unique word play. Watching 50 or so kids that all subscribe to the dedication and sacrifices that it takes to be on that level, is inspiring. Now take these kids out of this environment, where they face 6'2 guards that can handle and shoot with the best of them and place them back into a scene where they face 5'8 post players that play basketball for recreation.
High School- The typical high school basketball program in most of the country is not designed to develop elite basketball players. Take a look at the USA Today Top 25 HS teams in the country, 3 of top 5 and 6 of top 10 teams are private schools. Last year's Nike Tournament of Champions hit me over the head with the fact that most of the best high school teams in the country are private schools with open enrollments and very qualified coaching.
Schools like Mater Dei or St Mary's in California are known to churn out high major players(elite). The coaching staffs have helped produce dozens of D1 kids and the teams are ran like college programs. These private schools across the country are breeding grounds for elite prospects matriculating to elite college programs. Let's face it, a large portion of high school coaches across the country can not equip elite basketball players with the tools to help them achieve on the next level. To back up that statement, just look at the heavy concentration of talent from the same programs across the country. Kids transfer to the Mater Dei's, St Mary's(CA), St Mary's(AZ), Christ the King's(NY), and McEachern's(GA) to play in an environment that fosters growth. In Texas, why has Ducanville and Georgetown been so good and produced so many college players for so long? These high school coaches are much sought after. While some cry foul, the same hypocrites will applaud a music or theater student for being accepted into LaGuardia Arts. USA Basketball should become the ultimate private school and even the playing field for the elite kids that are not fortunate enough to attend a private or public school where the coach and the environment are not elite.
Club Ball- In some circles the reputation of club ball is akin to drug dealing! That is mostly among the old pharisees that used to control the law but the point is that club ball is probably not the best place to grow elite girls basketball players as well. From a club coach/director, many club coaches could not diagram a multiple action set if their life depended on it. I have seen so called elite program coaches that DO NOT OWN a white board. Most college programs run dozens of sets and each set has multiple actions that demand for players to read and then react accordingly. A lot of club programs are glorified talent recruiters. These "coaches" load up on talent, full court press, scream, and blow inferior talented teams out. This is what makes them "elite"?! Hardly!!
Here is the fact of the matter, go to the Top 100 of any respectable ranking service and you will find that MOST of these girls were considered elite in middle school! I challenge you to do the research and you will surely discover that a trainer(mom/dad/good skill coach) had skilled up the Top 100 kids and had them on the path of being elite before their eventual club team "claimed" them. Obviously, club serves a purpose and allows for the 3% to separate themselves and sharpen each other. Club is where almost all of the 3% of eventual college players test their skills against each other on a frequent basis. However, if USA Basketball was to identify the top prospects while they were in middle school and invite them to be part of a national training and playing program, this would better equip these kids with the basketball IQ to better transition to the next level.
Win/Win- The USA program would be a Win/Win for all involved. Here is why:
Kids: Most kids that play basketball are not elite. They lack the resources( financial, opportunity, discipline) to become elite. They want to play basketball for fun, past the time, social standing etc. That is terrific and is another reason why our country is so great. We have scholastic opportunities that kids can take advantage of to help them set goals, be active, learn teamwork etc . However, it is when an elite kid attends the same school when problems can arise. The elite basketball players are like the self made super rich leaders of industry. They have worked hard to accumulate wealth yet the average kid(parent) wants them to be treated the same.They are not the same! One kid can play a trumpet in a fashion that demands a solo performance and the other kid is a good back up musician. In a band, the back up musician understands that they must start early in life and put in more hours to "earn" a solo. In high school ball, entitlement and affirmative action are in vogue. Eliminating elite kids from non-elite environments will help more kids get the opportunity to just "play" basketball.
HS coaches: A lot of HS coaches are not developed leaders. Watch Steele(Schertz) HS football coach Mike Jinks for 30 seconds and you can tell he IS a leader in life. He is a people manager and motivator. He is elite! Most coaches are not cut from the same cloth and accordingly, do not have the requisite ability to coach elite kids. Go to a Kim Mulkey practice and see that she exudes leadership. You do not have to read a resume' that includes star athlete, championships as a player, assistant and head coach to know that she is built to lead.The typical high school coach does not want to deal with a parent that has invested hours upon hours and tens of thousands of dollars in their child's dream. Dealing with parents that expects a coach to work on the game of basketball as hard as their kid, is not something most of them sign up for. IF USA Basketball removed these kids from the high school system, that would allow for more peaceful rest by many high school staffs. Not having the same passion to get better as their elite players, has to be frustrating to many HS coaches.
Club Basketball: If USA removed the 200-300 top prospects from every class, the club system would thrive. Most good club coaches would tell you that one of the biggest problems they have is teaching to the lowest common denominator. Most kids are still learning algebra while the elite kids are starving for calculus. With approximately 1200-1500 Division 1 rides given every year, removing the 20% or so of those athletes would not hinder the system very much. Another common problem for club coaches is that in most cases, the elite kids and or parents do not cause the most problems. It is the kid(parent), jealous of the elite prospects, that will drive you crazy. Club teams will go on to provide a great environment for thousands of college bounds athletes to test their mettle every summer.
In high school, I took a required Spanish class. My lack of effort made me a poor Spanish student that was nicknamed by my teacher, " No Se' Rey". Translation, "I don't know, Ray". My instructor would ask me a question and I would inevitably reply, "No se' senora". She would shake her head at me and my lack of effort. Contrast that to a buddy of mine, he was a "Si"(yes) student. He was my back court mate on the basketball squad. He was and still is, my man! He would get on me for clowning in Spanish class. He would get so upset that I was not taking the class serious. He had a vision. He understood that Southern California was increasingly Spanish speaking and he was concentrated on his future. And there I was, getting in the way of his learning. He was also disgruntled with our teacher. He was thirsting for more knowledge, he was always asking to learn how to speak and write more complicated conversations. She would tell him to take the class next year, and the next year, to learn advanced concepts. He suspected that she could not teach to the level he required and he resented her for it. Today, as a professional, he has risen fast to positions of prominence in his chosen field, partly because of his ability to speak and write fluent Spanish.
Some kids want to learn fluent Spanish. They are hindered by inept instructors and class clowns hollering "No Se" ", through lazy efforts. USA Basketball is the perfect place for these students, with an eye on their future, to be fed according to their appetites to learn. Why is this not the best scenario? ' No Se'!
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