You have to develop at least 5-7 players per grade to build a consistent program. I don't think it's bad to move 1 or 2 kids up. Moving up a bunch of them cannibalizes the grade they jump.

 

The way to do that is take your group 8-10 per grade and play AAU as kids. IMO it's ignorant to combine with 6 others schools to form an AAU team just so you can win. Combining the best does develop an individual player or two, but you're sacrificing your program so you can win the South East West North AAU Classic Special Phenom tournament. Hey that's great. No one cares except the team that won. Your players will never play one high school game together. The best way to do it, is keep your group together, play and develop chemistry, individuals improve, and the whole group improves together. Don't get rid of players 4 thru 7 because they cost you a meaningless game against the club team. The exist and because they are individuals looking for a team, or it's a team put together so one guy can make some money off having a team. Most of the better teams in the state have kids that played together their entire lives. A few will drop and a few will be added. I always hear how you can't give up on anyone. I don't think you can either. However, the best ones when their young, more often than not are the best ones all the way through. Out of 8-10 players, you can find your 6 per grade.

 

You definitely have to play AAU ball and play good competition. But the key is to develop a number of players in each grade. That formula isn't going to change. What does your AAU title get you when your team splits up and goes seven different ways? I think Highlands is benefitting right now because of three freshmen that played a lot of ball together. What's missing is another 3 from that grade and more from the grades above and below them. The 6th grade is very strong too. That's because a few guys got them together when they were young and the girls worked together for years. That needs to happen in both boys and girls basketball in every grade.

That has happened in the boys program in the current 6th grade, 8th grade and 9th grade that I am aware of. The problem is that what is taught by a parent is sometimes thrown out the door once the kids start playing on school teams. Different philosophies of offense and defense in addition to where kids are best equiped to play on the field and/or court.

That has happened in the boys program in the current 6th grade, 8th grade and 9th grade that I am aware of. The problem is that what is taught by a parent is sometimes thrown out the door once the kids start playing on school teams. Different philosophies of offense and defense in addition to where kids are best equiped to play on the field and/or court.

 

I know they are doing it at the 4th grade level also. Trevor Barth has a team of mostly Ft.Thomas kids playing for Gametime. They are the best 4th grade AAU team in Nky..The closet is definately not bare in Ft.Thomas there are a lot of talented younger kids coming up. Lets hope they all keep playing..:ylsuper:

That has happened in the boys program in the current 6th grade, 8th grade and 9th grade that I am aware of. The problem is that what is taught by a parent is sometimes thrown out the door once the kids start playing on school teams. Different philosophies of offense and defense in addition to where kids are best equiped to play on the field and/or court.

 

That does become a factor. If the kids develop a basketball skillset, it shouldn't be that hard to figure out who can do what. Maybe we also need some coaches that'll adapt their philosophies to what they have, instead of what they want to have. The football coach does this every season.

You have to develop at least 5-7 players per grade to build a consistent program. I don't think it's bad to move 1 or 2 kids up. Moving up a bunch of them cannibalizes the grade they jump.

 

The way to do that is take your group 8-10 per grade and play AAU as kids. IMO it's ignorant to combine with 6 others schools to form an AAU team just so you can win. Combining the best does develop an individual player or two, but you're sacrificing your program so you can win the South East West North AAU Classic Special Phenom tournament. Hey that's great. No one cares except the team that won. Your players will never play one high school game together. The best way to do it, is keep your group together, play and develop chemistry, individuals improve, and the whole group improves together. Don't get rid of players 4 thru 7 because they cost you a meaningless game against the club team. The exist and because they are individuals looking for a team, or it's a team put together so one guy can make some money off having a team. Most of the better teams in the state have kids that played together their entire lives. A few will drop and a few will be added. I always hear how you can't give up on anyone. I don't think you can either. However, the best ones when their young, more often than not are the best ones all the way through. Out of 8-10 players, you can find your 6 per grade.

 

You definitely have to play AAU ball and play good competition. But the key is to develop a number of players in each grade. That formula isn't going to change. What does your AAU title get you when your team splits up and goes seven different ways? I think Highlands is benefitting right now because of three freshmen that played a lot of ball together. What's missing is another 3 from that grade and more from the grades above and below them. The 6th grade is very strong too. That's because a few guys got them together when they were young and the girls worked together for years. That needs to happen in both boys and girls basketball in every grade.

 

I agree with parts and I disagree with other parts. I have a daughter at HHS in both classes you're talking about. So I can explain what my thoughts are. I also run the organization (Gametime) that those kids (both classes) played in. Except for one of the freshman. And some of the freshman that played for Gametime don't play bball anymore for HHS. So just because they played AAU and competitive bball early on, doesn't guarantee they will play in high school.

 

You are right, if you want to be competitive, you must play AAU. The difference comes as an idividual parent's and player's choice. As an individual parent and player, am I focusing on making my daughter's high school team the best they can be or am I focusing on making my daughter the best she can be. It's very different. My philosophy is to put my daugther in the situation that challenges her the most and makes her want to work harder to compete with the talent that she gets exposure to in the top of the AAU levels. If you keep your grade together from primarily one school, you don't get to play against the best in tough situations because you're either going to get beat before you play the best or the best is going to beat you to death and that's not good either. If you put good teams together, your individual daughter (if she's good enough to make the AAU team) will be put in very challenging situations. Then when she comes back to play a school game, the game is much slower for her and the challenges she has overcome in AAU are much easier to overcome because of her skill level and experiences gained by playing top level AAU. Two of the freshman playing significant roles on HHS' team this year played for me. Since the 3rd grade, I think we only won 2-3 AAU tournaments (and I think 2 of them were last year in 8th grade!). It wasn't about winning, it was about competiting against the best!

 

Your philosophy works to make a high school's program better. And there is NOTHING wrong with that approach. You do have to develop depth in the program to be successful. You have to make it fun for all the girls and develop their skills or they won't play because they won't experience individual success. But as an idividual parent, I'm looking to develop my kid and I do that by finding out where she is going to be the most challenged and if that is playing with kids from 6 other schools because it affords her the opportunity to see and play against the best competition, than that's where she'll be.

 

It really depends on what the individual's (players and families) long term goals are. If it's to have a fun and successful high school career, then your way, along with some of the elite kids sprinkled in can be the way to go. But you can also have a fun and successful career with the elite kids too. If your daughter has aspirations of playing in college, then she needs to play the highest level of AAU that she can be competitive at. Not win everything, but be competitive. Very seldom do kids get recruited anymore from scouts watching a high school game. You must get out and get exposure and the higher level you play, the more exposure you get. Again, it's what your player wants.

 

You say it takes 5-7 per class. That's not really the case anymore. If you have 1-2 elite players per class (mixed in with a couple other role players), you are good to go. You can only play 5 at a time and you really only need 8 strong players to get by at the varsity level. If you have 2 elite kids in each class, you're going to be very good! Look at most of the good teams. They all have young kids contributing. They have the elite kids from their classes (no matter what grade) making up thier teams. The problem comes if you have a couple classes in a row that don't have great players, then you run into some lean years. But the days of having 5-7 players per class are gone. The kids play too many other things and all the sports require year round training and participation. Kids quit sports (that they used to hold on to) to play their main sport year round. You just don't have the numbers anymore because of the year round commitment of all sports.

I know they are doing it at the 4th grade level also. Trevor Barth has a team of mostly Ft.Thomas kids playing for Gametime. They are the best 4th grade AAU team in Nky..The closet is definately not bare in Ft.Thomas there are a lot of talented younger kids coming up. Lets hope they all keep playing..:ylsuper:

 

Another person who played for Mr. Shields. You don't need to be the best team. That's great, but it's about putting in the time and doing it with kids that are going to the same school. If he's winning because he has a guy who's going to Newport, a guy who's going to NCC, a guy who's going to Conner, and a kid going to Covcath, then it doesn't matter. Take 10 kids who are going to Highlands and you have the right recipe.

I know they are doing it at the 4th grade level also. Trevor Barth has a team of mostly Ft.Thomas kids playing for Gametime. They are the best 4th grade AAU team in Nky..The closet is definately not bare in Ft.Thomas there are a lot of talented younger kids coming up. Lets hope they all keep playing..:ylsuper:

 

There is actually a second group of Gametime boys being coached by Derek Smith. They are mix of 3rd and 4th, so they are not as competitive as Trevor's team, but they are developing and have some really nice players coming up!

That does become a factor. If the kids develop a basketball skillset, it shouldn't be that hard to figure out who can do what. Maybe we also need some coaches that'll adapt their philosophies to what they have, instead of what they want to have. The football coach does this every season.

 

Gametime has approached HHS as being a feeder system for them and it never went anywhere. We have kids from all over NKY, but we were willing to dedicate some of the teams and gym time to develop kids for HHS boys.

Another person who played for Mr. Shields. You don't need to be the best team. That's great, but it's about putting in the time and doing it with kids that are going to the same school. If he's winning because he has a guy who's going to Newport, a guy who's going to NCC, a guy who's going to Conner, and a kid going to Covcath, then it doesn't matter. Take 10 kids who are going to Highlands and you have the right recipe.

 

It's not Trevor's job to develop HHS' program. He's concerned about his son. In his case, that particular class has a lot of very good athletes. In fact his son (and maybe one other) are 3rd graders playing up. But they are very good. Times have changed. I'm not saying I like it, but they have changed.

G1...Here's the issue with what you're saying...especially on the boy's side. If you take 10 kids in the 3rd grade and play them together. They will improve and they will learn to play together. Now if you could guarantee that is the only sport that all of them will play all the way through high school, you have a great thing. But here's the problem and it's going to continue to happen more and more. The kids play other sports and all sports require a commitment level. The kids that are 6-10 on that bball team are going to be playing other sports. They will eventually realize that they may be better in other sports and if they are going to focus on one or two, bball may not be there favorite. Now add in that the best player on the bball team may be in the same situation. If he's the best bball player, that means he's probably a very good athlete that plays multiple other sports. So just because he is the best bball player, that doesn't mean he won't have to choose some day.

 

That means by the time your 10 kids get to freshman year, half of them won't be playing bball anymore. Then by the time they are sophomores, 7 of them may not play. There are always exceptions, but this has become the new norm. I talk with other coaches about it all the time. So if you want to focus on bball and be the best you can be, you have to seek out and find the other bball only kids and play with them.

 

I'll ask you, if you were able to keep the kids together and they turned into a great high school team, what are the individual's getting out of it? They may get a great high school experience and there is nothing wrong with that. It all depends on what your child's goals and aspirations are. If you are a great high school team, that doesn't mean your child would reach his or her goal of playing in college (if that were their goal). My kids want to play in college. Obviously there is a lot involved with being able to do that and there are no guarantees, but I will do whatever I can to help them achieve their goals.

The fallacy here is playing in college IMO. Very few basketball players from Northern Kentucky go on to play Division I athletics whether it be boys or girls. Everyone can pay to play in college if they so choose. I understand where RCC9 is coming from to an extent, but I will also say that few kids choose one sport to specialize in while they are 9, 10, 11 or 12 years old. You are only a high school athlete one time in your life and everyone should have a goal to play at the next level, but reality also says that those that will move on are few and far between.

 

Use Highlands football, CovCath baseball and Holmes basketball as examples. How many kids from those programs in the last 30 years have gone on to play Division I football free of charge. Then take that number and think about how many kids have come through those programs in those same 30 years.

There is actually a second group of Gametime boys being coached by Derek Smith. They are mix of 3rd and 4th, so they are not as competitive as Trevor's team, but they are developing and have some really nice players coming up!

 

I thought Keith Salter coached that team?

The fallacy here is playing in college IMO. Very few basketball players from Northern Kentucky go on to play Division I athletics whether it be boys or girls. Everyone can pay to play in college if they so choose. I understand where RCC9 is coming from to an extent, but I will also say that few kids choose one sport to specialize in while they are 9, 10, 11 or 12 years old. You are only a high school athlete one time in your life and everyone should have a goal to play at the next level, but reality also says that those that will move on are few and far between.

 

Use Highlands football, CovCath baseball and Holmes basketball as examples. How many kids from those programs in the last 30 years have gone on to play Division I football free of charge. Then take that number and think about how many kids have come through those programs in those same 30 years.

 

This is my point. I'm not talking about trying to be an elite player. Two different goals. I agree with what RCC9 is saying then if you only care about yourself. Go play with your top AAU friends, come back to school ball, be an individual, and you'll likely be on a team that never ever wins the region. Kinda like Highlands the last decade. I'm talking about building a program.

 

Basically, the kids can put in all the time, reach their maximum potential, then go play at Thomas More or Georgetown and quit after a season or two when trying to succeed in life becomes more important. The most important games 99% of the players play will be in high school. Very very few of the players in this area are going to make an impact in college. Doesn't hurt to try though. To each their own.

My stepson and a few other 6th grade boys at Highlands played for Gametime last year with some Walton Verona boys and got a lot out of it. This year they have decided to play with more of their teammates along with a Catholic boy and a kid from Bellevue. Tricia Macke is their coach and they are looking to build team chemistry with the 7 Ft. Thomas kids that play on the 6th grade team. She practices them twice a week, has intense skills training at the Armory on Sunday mornings and is planning on playing in several AAU tourneys over the next few weeks including Georgetown Stampede, KBA and President's Day tourney out in Florence this weekend. Sure, there are a couple kids here that could go play on more select teams with kids from all over NKY but they have chosen to try and get better as a team and it doesnt mean they have to compete at the Div 1 level. I believe they will play in the Div 2 format downstate.

My stepson and a few other 6th grade boys at Highlands played for Gametime last year with some Walton Verona boys and got a lot out of it. This year they have decided to play with more of their teammates along with a Catholic boy and a kid from Bellevue. Tricia Macke is their coach and they are looking to build team chemistry with the 7 Ft. Thomas kids that play on the 6th grade team. She practices them twice a week, has intense skills training at the Armory on Sunday mornings and is planning on playing in several AAU tourneys over the next few weeks including Georgetown Stampede, KBA and President's Day tourney out in Florence this weekend. Sure, there are a couple kids here that could go play on more select teams with kids from all over NKY but they have chosen to try and get better as a team and it doesnt mean they have to compete at the Div 1 level. I believe they will play in the Div 2 format downstate.

 

Eager to see how they do to see if her coaching cred carries over to the boys. Her 5th grade girls are the defending AAU Division 1 Kentucky state champs, ranked 11th nationally and will be moving up having just beaten the No. 8 team, Cincy Finest.