Why do very good HS players get left out?

[Crunch-time]

This topic is pretty much based on a post under the McDonald’s all-American thread. A player somewhere always gets shunned on “every” list that is published.

 

Basically, why do deserving players get left off of these lists? If a list is comprised from feedback/nominations from multiple outlets such as Blue Chip scouting services, sports writers, coaches, and other various outlets…how do they all “miss the boat” on a particular player?

 

Also, many posters seem genuinely baffled as to why great HS players with big numbers do not seem to get attention from colleges. It seems to happen every year. Why do you think big HS stats do not always translate into attention from “any” colleges?

 

In hoops, I personally think college coaches make their decisions based on seeing the player compete with and against the nation’s best at the highest level during summer evaluations. Soccer & VB (club teams)…FB (camps & combines). HS stats don’t seem to really matter at all anymore...accurate?

[crazy8s]

This topic is pretty much based on a post under the McDonald’s all-American thread. A player somewhere always gets shunned on “every” list that is published.

 

Basically, why do deserving players get left off of these lists? If a list is comprised from feedback/nominations from multiple outlets such as Blue Chip scouting services, sports writers, coaches, and other various outlets…how do they all “miss the boat” on a particular player?

 

Also, many posters seem genuinely baffled as to why great HS players with big numbers do not seem to get attention from colleges. It seems to happen every year. Why do you think big HS stats do not always translate into attention from “any” colleges?

 

In hoops, I personally think college coaches make their decisions based on seeing the player compete with and against the nation’s best at the highest level during summer evaluations. Soccer & VB (club teams)…FB (camps & combines). HS stats don’t seem to really matter at all anymore...accurate?

 

I do agree that summer exposure helps a player along with aau play on a good team that gets some national exposure. However, I do think it helps to know someone who can get the word out about your player. I do think high school stats can get you some intitial attention but very rarely do they come to see you play at a high school game anymore unless you are one on the top of the top players. As for D1, size and atheticsim are big key factors along with the ability to score at will. D1 is big business, big time commitment, and not for everyone. Even the best players go D1 and transfer to a smaller school the next year for a variety of reasons - and it is not all about PT.

 

I would say that alot of players who dream of playing college ball, dream about the big schools- UK, UL, Tennesssee,e tc. and sometimes the advice they get is not true to where the best fit is for them at the college level. They may be a star in their hometown or county but get them outside of that and they are not as strong or as skilled as they need to be. (It amazes me how many top players in the state cannot dribble with their left hand or make a left handed pass). So when the big schools don't come a callin'- they lose interest. It takes alot to get a D1 scholarship but you don't have to go D1 to have a great college career. There are lots of levels to play - D2, D3 and NAIA D1 & 2 - all have ways of offering scholarships either athletic or academic but many quality players can get a full ride and play basketball to boot. Nothing wrong with that.

 

As for them missing players, I really don't have an answer other than they just didn't do their homework. Maybe they saw the player one time and formed an opinion which wasn't really accurate. Coaches are swamped with teacher responsibilities and don't have the amount of time it takes to promote thier player either. You have to look at stats to some degree as well - state scoring ppg, rpg, etc as well along with asking around. Sometimes it comes down to one player that they know and they might like their coach, school, or know their family member, etc verses another that they know nothing about, smaller school vs bigger school, etc. No one wants to admit that but it does happen, it is not who you are but rather who you know that can sometimes get you onto one of these selections. Sad.....but true.

Edited February 18, 2009 by crazy8s

[Jim Schue]

Big stats don't matter much if you can't play defense or have the height/leaping ability/quickness to get your shot off. That's why you see kids averaging 35 points a game in HS end up in the NAIA levels.

[kysportsfan4life]

Well, it never should be ALL about the stats. Averaging 20 or 30 is great, but are you passing, rebounding, defending, and being successful as a team? Scoring points isn't everything, but there are a lot of people who still think it means everything, including some players, I'd imagine.

[madman]

I know that coaches are busy with coaching, teaching, etc. but I think many of them drop the ball when it comes to marketing some of their players. I think they could do more than they do when it comes to helping their players find scholarship opportunities. Heck, the school counselor who is responsible for many more students helps non-athletes get academic scholarships. I've seen so many student athletes who could play at the next level (most lower levels) not get any assistance from their coach because the coach is just happy that the season is over and he/she goes onto something else. It's left up to the parents or an AAU coach to help the kid get a look or offer from a college. College coaches really don't put much weight on what a parent has to say about their kid because "everyone thinks their kid can play" but if the high school coach would have some contact with the college coach it could be different. Alot of kids slip through the cracks because they aren't noticed or advertised. Some kids don't have the financial abilities to play AAU or club ball and high school is there only avenue to going to the next level. It wouldn't take alot of effort on the high school coach's part to shoot emails, make phone calls and/or send videos to some college coaches. The kid has worked hard and given his best effort and I think the coach should do the same thing.

[kysportsfan4life]

I know that coaches are busy with coaching, teaching, etc. but I think many of them drop the ball when it comes to marketing some of their players. I think they could do more than they do when it comes to helping their players find scholarship opportunities. Heck, the school counselor who is responsible for many more students helps non-athletes get academic scholarships. I've seen so many student athletes who could play at the next level (most lower levels) not get any assistance from their coach because the coach is just happy that the season is over and he/she goes onto something else. It's left up to the parents or an AAU coach to help the kid get a look or offer from a college. College coaches really don't put much weight on what a parent has to say about their kid because "everyone thinks their kid can play" but if the high school coach would have some contact with the college coach it could be different. Alot of kids slip through the cracks because they aren't noticed or advertised. Some kids don't have the financial abilities to play AAU or club ball and high school is there only avenue to going to the next level. It wouldn't take alot of effort on the high school coach's part to shoot emails, make phone calls and/or send videos to some college coaches. The kid has worked hard and given his best effort and I think the coach should do the same thing.

 

A family member of mine went through this scenario. He wanted to pursue baseball at the next level, and the coach kept putting off sending videos or taking videos, but wouldn't let the parents take videos, so it was a lose/lose. Luckily he was talented enough to get noticed by a team on his own. Coaches like this are just inexcusable. You would think most coaches would take pride in their player playing at the next level, but I think a lot of them are just too lazy or preoccupied to worry with their athletes. It's really sad.

[hoopgirl40]

It also depends on how colorful the player is, and how much he or she fills the stands. A kid who works hard, plays the game, and has good stats, is not as recognizable as one who gets pumped up and excites the crowd. Colleges want to fill arenas, so they want the most exciting players they can get. It is like the old saying, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease".

[PrimeTyme]

How about a coach that was requested to forward tapes and stats and it was not done. But then when it was done, in one instance was the wrong tape (wrong year and player) and in another instance to the wrong school. Nice promotion of your player!

Even better, not to report the stats for the whole senior year of a player.

Believe it or not, its their job.

[hoopdreams]

The reality is that 90% of recruiting happens in the summer through college "invite" camps on their own campuses or from AAU tournaments. The summer is the best time for colleges to recruit because they can see thousands of players in a short amount of time. During the season they want to focus on their team and often only travel to high school games to "babysit" the players that are at the top of their list.

 

Not many kids truly get offered scholarships from a game tape or film sent blindly to a coaching staff. What actually happens when tapes or letters are sent to a college is that their third assistant or DOB watches the tape first. Only if they feel the player is good enough does it warrant moving up the chain for other assistants to view. Rarely does the HC see game tape sent in.

 

College coaches look for many things but attitude and effort are at the very top of the list as well as the potential for improvement or "upside". Of course basketball skills are important along with how a player fits into a certain style of play or system. Unfortunately, many players "peak" at a young age and if a coach doesn't see that the player will improve much over the next few years, a good high school player won't necessarily make a good college player. Therefore many good high school players don't get recruited if they don't seem to have much room to improve. Exposure in the summer or from playing in the state tournament with their high school team is crucial.

 

Lastly, players and parents should ultimately understand that a coach will not knowingly take on a problem child no matter how "great" everyone thinks they are. The pool of outstanding basketball players for college coaches to choose from is deep. Parents should also be careful to always be positive about other players and the high school coaches when talking to college coaches. Remember the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Sometimes parents are unknowingly limiting their child's chances at receiving a scholarship by their attitude or behavior.

 

Good luck to all players. Keep working hard and stay positive. I love to see kids get chances to play at the next level!

[PrimeTyme]

The tapes wern't randomly sent. They were requested by the head coach.