Any immediate answers to this question? Some say the style of play in AAU allows basketball skills to diminish. Would players be better off just palying with their school team all spring and summer?

As long as your high school team is the 1st priority, I don't see how AAU can hurt anyone. It gives the better players a chance to step it up.

AAU is bad for the kids who play muliple sports. Those who just want to play and focus on basketball get to do that and thus usually end up passing up the multi-sport kid.

 

 

I would argue that this is actually GOOD for high school sports because it allows more kids to participate. With fewer and fewer multi-sport kids now, there are essentially more spots for other kids now. Let's face it, if all the best athletes played every sport then many of the teams would just be all the same kids.

 

 

AAU has also increased the skill level of high school sports. The game today is much better because kids have more of an oppurtunity to improve if they want.

I think it has from this standpoint. I think a lot of the transfers we're seeing today, with elite players coming together to play for certain schools, has a lot to do with the relationships fostered by AAU ball.

I think it has from this standpoint. I think a lot of the transfers we're seeing today, with elite players coming together to play for certain schools, has a lot to do with the relationships fostered by AAU ball.

Exactly, and I would love to hear someone argue the contrary.

My parents would never had let me switch school districts because I liked the coach better.

My parents would never had let me switch school districts because I liked the coach better.

 

 

There is no school districts anymore....everything is open enrollment in the city.

Edited June 30, 200917 yr by Ram
Rule 13

My parents would never had let me switch school districts because I liked the coach better.

 

Niether would mine but I am afraid to say that is not the case with today's generation.

 

Open enrollment makes it easy and "district transfers" help as well. It would be better if they did not allow either but I don't see that changing any time soon. In my day, you went where you went and that was final. People have gotten very creative and find ways around the system - sad but true.

 

AAU can be a good thing for players who want to play while their school team takes a break or they are not as "committed" to basketball. It also aids top players to compete against better competition which they should be able to bring that back to help their school team so I see a plus there. As for any negatives, probably not enough time practicing basic skills as most time is devoted to games. I do think that basketball IQ level is not what it use to be and some of the basic skills are not taught - it is all about games, games, games. Games are great but you have to have the basic skillset and that needs to keep improving all the time. Most AAU teams have success by fc pressing and scoring layups but when they are not able to do that and are forced to run a half- court set, they fail. IMO too much emphasis is placed on athleticism and not enough on skill. Some of the players you see are very athletic but cannot make a simple lay-up, pass with their opposite hand, or play help defense. I know I am old school- sorry

Edited June 30, 200917 yr by Ram
Rule 4

Niether would mine but I am afraid to say that is not the case with today's generation.

 

Open enrollment makes it easy and "district transfers" help as well. It would be better if they did not allow either but I don't see that changing any time soon. In my day, you went where you went and that was final. People have gotten very creative and find ways around the system - sad but true.

 

AAU can be a good thing for players who want to play while their school team takes a break or they are not as "committed" to basketball. It also aids top players to compete against better competition which they should be able to bring that back to help their school team so I see a plus there. As for any negatives, probably not enough time practicing basic skills as most time is devoted to games. I do think that basketball IQ level is not what it use to be and some of the basic skills are not taught - it is all about games, games, games. Games are great but you have to have the basic skillset and that needs to keep improving all the time. Most AAU teams have success by fc pressing and scoring layups but when they are not able to do that and are forced to run a half- court set, they fail. IMO too much emphasis is placed on athleticism and not enough on skill. Some of the players you see are very athletic but cannot make a simple lay-up, pass with their opposite hand, or play help defense. I know I am old school- sorry

No need to apologize. As far as I'm concerned, you're right on the money.

Edited June 30, 200917 yr by Ram
Rule 14

This is a good topic of discussion, but we have to have this conversation within the Rules as set forth by BGP. Please review the rules, in particular Rule 4.

 

4. No recruiting comments or allegations of KHSAA rules violations by any school, coach, player or booster are allowed. No comments about where any player lives, has lived, or where they are from in a recruiting context. This is not the place to report KHSAA violations. Feel free to contact www.khsaa.org to report such violations, but do not discuss violations here.

Okay, let me try this again. High school coaches in Louisville use middle school AAU teams to make themselves and their programs more attractive, and with open enrollment kids can go wherever they choose. Coaches are "selling" their system and their program to kids at an early age because the kids get to pick where they want to attend high school.

 

 

 

This is not illegal by any stretch and any coach who does this is within the rules set forth by the KHSAA. My problem isn't with the coaches, it's with the open enrollment policy.

This is not illegal by any stretch and any coach who does this is within the rules set forth by the KHSAA. My problem isn't with the coaches, it's with the open enrollment policy.

Why should open enrollment not be allowed? People often complain that private schools have no boundaries, why should a school self-impose a boundary, then complain because a private school does not have a boundary?

 

Open enrolment makes a school work to keep students, not just open the door and say, "come in".

The problem I see with AAU is: you put the one or two very good players from one school on a team with the one or two very good players from another school, then the conversation begins with the players and parents. And it goes like, "Man if we had all these kids together on one school team, we could win the district, the region, or the State Championship"

 

Then you have, the kids getting to know each other, the parents getting to know each other, and parents, players, and coaches knowing each other. All of these people may like each other better then they like the parents, players, and coaches on their school teams.

 

Then through normal human behavior, players want to change schools.

AAU can be a good thing for players who want to play while their school team takes a break or they are not as "committed" to basketball. It also aids top players to compete against better competition which they should be able to bring that back to help their school team so I see a plus there. As for any negatives, probably not enough time practicing basic skills as most time is devoted to games. I do think that basketball IQ level is not what it use to be and some of the basic skills are not taught - it is all about games, games, games. Games are great but you have to have the basic skillset and that needs to keep improving all the time. Most AAU teams have success by fc pressing and scoring layups but when they are not able to do that and are forced to run a half- court set, they fail. IMO too much emphasis is placed on athleticism and not enough on skill. Some of the players you see are very athletic but cannot make a simple lay-up, pass with their opposite hand, or play help defense. I know I am old school- sorry

 

The AAU program that I am most familiar with, one in Ohio but where some NKY girls play, has the very best coaching I've seen at the HS age level. Better in fact than any I've seen from a HS program. Their practices often involve multiple coaches, some with outstanding credentials and experience. There is plenty of work on fundamentals and basic skills. This team also places significant emphasis on defense and team play, and I'm have to believe the players end up much better for having played in this program. Another plus for the program is the coaches they use. From what I've seen their purpose is not winning at all costs but in the total development of their players as individuals. To me that's important and not something you see all the time, at the AAU level or even at the HS level.

 

That's a response I guess to the negatives you addressed. I definitely agree with your thoughts that some of these AAU teams (the one I'm most familiar with certainly does) play very stiff competition over the length of their summer schedule and that certainly aids players in their development.

Any immediate answers to this question? Some say the style of play in AAU allows basketball skills to diminish. Would players be better off just palying with their school team all spring and summer?

 

AAU can take a lot of forms. We put together a "low key" AAU team for our daughter and some of her friends from various small schools so that they could develop better skills that would then benefit their small schools and make them more competitive with the large schools that have the deep benches and tons of athletic girls. The girls on our AAU team all are multi sport athletes so we have to squeeze it in between everything else. Luckily their AAU coach emphasized fundamentals and skills and bringing those to a high school team has really helped their respective schools. Granted, they did not play at an AAU level that will get them DI offers but their AAU experience has been really fun for them (trips to Disney, etc.) and has allowed them contribute a lot to their HS teams. I think its great if you have a coach who cares about the girls and if its done for the right reasons.