Do AAU player relationships compromise HS game competitiveness?

[HoopsLady]

Can there be such a thing as friendly competition? Off court relationships need to be put aside during game competition. I have noticed some situations where this is not happening. Thoughts?

[Clyde]

Can there be such a thing as friendly competition? Off court relationships need to be put aside during game competition. I have noticed some situations where this is not happening. Thoughts?

 

Human nature says that if you're playing a friend you're not going to have the same fire. You'll still play as hard but something mentally changes.

[ColonelCrazy]

Human nature says that if you're playing a friend you're not going to have the same fire. You'll still play as hard but something mentally changes.

 

I don't know, I never had any problems beating up on some friends. Sometimes you want to beat the friends more.

[RCC9]

I don't know, I never had any problems beating up on some friends. Sometimes you want to beat the friends more.

 

I agree. I think it depends on the kid. I see some that will play a little softer against a friend (as Clyde mentions) and I have seen some that want to beat you more because you are friends and don't want to listen to it if they were to lose to you! I think Clyde's description comes true more often on the girl's side because of the nature of most girls. But I have still seen some play like they want to pull the other girl's hair out on the court/field and then be the first one they hug after the game.

 

I would say it would be hard to go to battle with a teammate and rely on her all summer long in very competitive events and then turn on her in HS ball. That's tough to ask.

[keepinitreal]

I agree. My daughter is never nervous before a game unless she is playing against her friends from AAU. By far the worst game of the year for her as far as her performance but also the one that she looks most forward to as well!

[TripleSevens]

Human nature says that if you're playing a friend you're not going to have the same fire. You'll still play as hard but something mentally changes.

 

I do agree. Generally, this makes perfect sense, however I think that girls that want to play AAU will usually tend to be more "competitive" in nature. This will probably make most of them not fall all the way into what is generally true for "the whole". Because they are more competitive in nature, the "being nice" to a friend is far less of an issue/option than it would be for most. I have seen girls that are very tight from AAU, play each other in high school games absolutely get after it, even give each other "dandy" fouls then laugh about it after the game. I will also add that after they have played AAU for a while and met so many players from other schools, it becomes a normal occurrence to be playing against someone you know well throughout a HS season. Once it's normal, they learn that it is totally okay and expected to put all friendship aside. In other words, "experience" curbs what could be a natural tendency. Basically between a more competitive nature, and learning that they are free to compete and not expected to be "nice", I don't think it is ever really an issue.

[ColonelCrazy]

Human nature says that if you're playing a friend you're not going to have the same fire. You'll still play as hard but something mentally changes.

 

I don't know, I never had any problems beating up on some friends. Sometimes you want to beat the friends more.

 

I just realized this thread was in the girls' basketball forum. As it applies to girls, yes, it may make a difference.

 

As a guy, I can tell you that I never had any problem getting after my buddies. No chance I'm taking it easy, and no chance I'm letting them beat my squad.

 

It very well may be different for many girls.

[Dozer61]

NKY has benefitted significantly over the last couple of years from girls participation in AAU or other offseason league play. IMO it has raised not just the skill level of players but also the competition factor between HS teams. This season, i have seen nothng to indicate that players are going lightly on each other. In many cases I have seen just the opposite where the girls seam to elevate the level of play even farther for those games where they are competing against thier friends .

[RCC9]

NKY has benefitted significantly over the last couple of years from girls participation in AAU or other offseason league play. IMO it has raised not just the skill level of players but also the competition factor between HS teams. This season, i have seen nothng to indicate that players are going lightly on each other. In many cases I have seen just the opposite where the girls seam to elevate the level of play even farther for those games where they are competing against thier friends .

 

I agree. I see it more with the younger girls, but once they are older and in HS, they have learned to compete against and want to beat even their best friend. But I still think it falls back on the individual on how they approach it.

 

I also agree we are in the era of Girl's AAU having a huge impact in NKY. Several years ago, some really nice teams were formed and stuck together...developing these ladies we are seeing now. And there are many more to come behind them. The level of NKY Girls bball has been raised tremendously. When SK was in the top 20 this year...when was the last time NKY has had more than one (maybe SK and ND in a couple years), let alone 4 teams in the top 20 and many more not too far behind them. It's really fun watching NKY girls bball grow.