article The responsibilities of a HS Head Coach

[Woodland]

High school basketball is different than football for sure. In basketball, you have to get out on the AAU circuit. All the gauntlets and tournaments were built and derived so coaches wouldn't have to go out to Siberia looking for a kid. The best kids would now be concentrated in certain cities and events; and the coaches could sit there for days and evaluate. The high school coach has a role, but more than anything it is more on the admin side with grades and eligibility issues. I don't think he is close to being responsible for getting a kid a scholly, There are always exceptions to a rule and the Jake Ohmers will always find their way to bigger colleges. He is more of the exception. For aspiring high school basketball players you must be playing basketball during the spring and summer in gyms where college coaches are sitting drinking coffee all day watching basketball; AAU has mandated this.

You hit the nail on the head. If a high school coach calls about a kid to a college coach,he’ll ask where does he play aau. The college coaches talk to aau coaches not high school coaches.

[okie1]

I’m glad you shared this because a prominent HS football coach was the inspiration behind this thread. I’m not going to publicly name the coach but this coach is a successful coach who is a household name and there are multiple people who feel he doesn’t do enough to put kids into college. I find that claim odd because every year there are multiple kids that play football at the next level once they graduate high school. There’s no way this coach is having several kids play at the next level and he isn’t doing anything at all to help them on top of maintaining a highly competitive program. I think people either generally don’t know what to do and when things don’t work out for them they blame the HS coach. I’ve always felt that if a kid is serious about playing at the next level in whatever sport and if they want their HS Head Coach involved then there needs to be a meeting with the kid, parents and coach so expectations can be set by all sides. The more the lines of communication are open the more can be accomplished and I think your story is a great example of that.

 

Good HS players in KY don’t equate to D1 players especially in football. However, some parents and people don’t want to face reality.

A lot of people look down on the NAIA programs within the state and then wonder why their players who should have been D1 can’t even make the travel squad at one of the In state NAIA schools.

I could write a book on this subject...the best is the parent who hasn’t showed up to a parent meeting in 4 years... never took a kid or talked about going to a camp... never checked or held kids accountable for grades and then wonder why they aren’t getting D1 looks!

[Hoptown b-ball fan]

I think there are two questions here.

 

The first revolves around college basketball exposure. I don’t think it’s on a high school coach to get a kid exposure. The aau circuit has taken the place of high school ball in this regard. However, a high school coach should be active in helping a kid find a good aau situation. So often parents and kids who aren’t familiar with the aau environment are taken advantage of by aau coaches.

 

The second is the academic qualification. Again,

The NCAA clearinghouse is really tough to understand and guidance counselors have tough jobs. If a kid could potentially play at a NCAA school

Coaches should at least let kids know what it takes to meet the minimum requirements.

 

The sad thing is, I’ve heard of coaches who intentionally convince kids to take easier classes so they don’t have to worry about a kid remaining eligible and costing them any chance of qualifying.