I think the kids got better in the summer when they played at the parks and playgrounds with older players who would take the time to help them. I've coached kids that would work on their game every day, doing ball handling drills and ect. then go to park and play until bed time. They improved their games more that way, than the would have playing AAU where everyone is trying to win.

70's ended ck, different generation.

If anyone is interested in getting a good look into the monster of AAU youth basketball, I highly suggest reading George Dohrmann's 'Play Their Hearts Out'. Dohrmann is a Pulitzer Prize winner author who wrote for Sports Illustrated and followed a team of youngsters as they developed over 8 years. It's a great read with some really eye-opening stories.

 

Personally, I can see plenty of pros and cons for AAU ball.

 

Pros: More exposure, playing against better competition, the chance to travel, more practice time, the possibility that they play with teammates and/or in systems that allow them to showcase their skills which may otherwise go unseen, etc.

 

Cons: Coaches who take a win at all costs mentality and do little to develop the long-term futures of their players both academically and fundamentally simply for sake of inflating their ego and/or lining their pockets, players getting burnt out on playing, the chance that there is little to no discipline and structure in their program which carries over into the rest of their careers.

 

From my perspective, whether or not AAU is good for player development would have to be judged on a case by case basis. Some players would be better served to spend time working on weaknesses in their game individually instead of having their weaknesses exposed and confidence shattered on a big stage. Others may find a good AAU program with a coach/teacher whose in it for the right reasons and take their game to the next level.

the chance that there is little to no discipline

A LOT of this has to deal with the player themselves, as well as the players family. If you attempt to discipline the player, more and more parents listen to their kid whine and they take the kids side, and allow the kid to just quit and go to another team!

 

It all comes down from the parents, if the parents are the type that do not do what they say they will do, make excusses for things including for their kids, do not have integrity, have common courtesy, then the kids probably will be this way as well, and if you attempt to do something about it, these types will get in your way.

If anyone is interested in getting a good look into the monster of AAU youth basketball, I highly suggest reading George Dohrmann's 'Play Their Hearts Out'. Dohrmann is a Pulitzer Prize winner author who wrote for Sports Illustrated and followed a team of youngsters as they developed over 8 years. It's a great read with some really eye-opening stories.

 

Personally, I can see plenty of pros and cons for AAU ball.

 

Pros: More exposure, playing against better competition, the chance to travel, more practice time, the possibility that they play with teammates and/or in systems that allow them to showcase their skills which may otherwise go unseen, etc.

 

Cons: Coaches who take a win at all costs mentality and do little to develop the long-term futures of their players both academically and fundamentally simply for sake of inflating their ego and/or lining their pockets, players getting burnt out on playing, the chance that there is little to no discipline and structure in their program which carries over into the rest of their careers.

 

From my perspective, whether or not AAU is good for player development would have to be judged on a case by case basis. Some players would be better served to spend time working on weaknesses in their game individually instead of having their weaknesses exposed and confidence shattered on a big stage. Others may find a good AAU program with a coach/teacher whose in it for the right reasons and take their game to the next level.

 

Great Post. I Agree there are pros and cons to AAU Basketball.

I know near nothing about AAU Basketball or select summer teams (Soccer, softball, baseball etc...) I have a few questions that I'm sure BGPers could answer.

1. is there a limit to the number of players from one HS team that can be on summer teams? or Can I take my HS team and put them together on one AAU or summer team?

2. can these teams play anytime or just when th HS sports are out of season?

3. Can HS head coach or asst coach coach these types of teams?

4. are there any KSHAA rules regarding this?

 

Sure I'll have more questions but these are the first ones that come to mind...

I know near nothing about AAU Basketball or select summer teams (Soccer, softball, baseball etc...) I have a few questions that I'm sure BGPers could answer.

1. is there a limit to the number of players from one HS team that can be on summer teams? or Can I take my HS team and put them together on one AAU or summer team?

2. can these teams play anytime or just when th HS sports are out of season?

3. Can HS head coach or asst coach coach these types of teams?

4. are there any KSHAA rules regarding this?

 

Sure I'll have more questions but these are the first ones that come to mind...

1) In KY you can have as many players from a single high school team as you like.

 

2) As soon as your HS basketball teams season is over you can start playing, this last until the first of the school year. ( In Ohio you can play until either the first or second week of Oct, I like the way Ohio does it on this )

 

3) HS coaches can coach spring and summer club teams, they just can't coach their own players, if they are coaching their own HS players they must follow the KHSAA rules, so basically they can only coach their own players in June

 

4) the questions you asked above are about the only KHSAA rules in KY. Since it is not part of the KHSAA their is little else they can do

I've seen both pros and cons in terms of player development. From my experience it has been almost entirely favorable.

 

Spring and summer ball many not be essential, but it is invaluable for helping kids already with solid fundamentals improve their skills and thinking in actual game situations against very good competition. Under the right circumstances, this carries over to their school teams and into confidence off the court.

 

Some of the very best coaches in the game, without time or credentials to coach high school ball have excellent summer teams. Of course there are some stinkers too.

 

In terms of kids with the physique and skills to play beyond high school, it is almost mandatory for them to compete on a decent team in events attended my college coaches. Not many players - great or average - have the opportunity to play in the Sweet 16 at Rupp. Only a handful ever have a tourney like Mr. Hickey did this year. But a lot of good players can participate on summer teams that will play in events with more coaches present than ever attend the Sweet 16. I've seen more than 70 coaches at a single summer game, and over 300 at some tournaments. It's a numbers thing, and for good players, every bit of extra exposure is almost always a good thing.

 

There are exceptions to the rule, but they are becoming increasingly rare. It's just too easy for college coaches to visit a handful of key events in July and see more talent than they have time or budget to see otherwise.

70's ended ck, different generation.

 

I've got to agree w CK. Kid's who play against older, tougher competition can really improve their game... Sometimes the adversity from these games (atmosphere, a little pressure, proving themselves..) really develop a player. Street ball is different from organized basketball, but a lot of times kids improve their skills from playing tough games like these. It's not a knock on AAU, but a contrast that can help a lot of players. A lot of players pass up those who are able to play AAU during this age. Of course, it's up to the players to find the competition and be able to keep organized ball as their focus.

A LOT of this has to deal with the player themselves, as well as the players family. If you attempt to discipline the player, more and more parents listen to their kid whine and they take the kids side, and allow the kid to just quit and go to another team!

 

It all comes down from the parents, if the parents are the type that do not do what they say they will do, make excusses for things including for their kids, do not have integrity, have common courtesy, then the kids probably will be this way as well, and if you attempt to do something about it, these types will get in your way.

 

I agree with much of what you're saying. However, I think we are using 'discipline' in two different aspects.

 

The whole quote was: "the chance that there is little to no discipline and structure in their program which carries over into the rest of their careers".

 

Here, I was speaking more to the discipline required to play a solid, fundamental, structured system that has to be taught over years. Some examples of this would be an unqualified coaching teaching improper fundamentals, playing an overly gimmicky system that has little to no value going forward, letting your most athletic kid who happened to mature early (and is unlikely to grow much, if any more) become reliant on advantages that they cannot sustain, etc. These can have very adverse consequences at the younger levels, where poor habits can become especially tough to correct.

 

What's personally frustrating for me, as an observer, is the fact that all too often, the players are treated like disposable commodities; this seems especially true of situations where they're involved with a collection of talent from various sectors who'll never play together on any other level and there is a fair amount of turnover on the roster from one year to the next.

 

With that said, I'd still like to reiterate that I don't view AAU basketball as a whole like this, and most certainly recognize that there are coaches, parents, players, etc. who are trying their best to do everything the right way.

AAU ball serves a purpose, giving players a chance to spend more time on the court against quality competition and a chance to be seen by college coaches. Unfortunately, there is a certain attitude that comes with it sometimes, particularly when players start letting their AAU influences affect their high school career.

AAU ball serves a purpose, giving players a chance to spend more time on the court against quality competition and a chance to be seen by college coaches. Unfortunately, there is a certain attitude that comes with it sometimes, particularly when players start letting their AAU influences affect their high school career.

 

Well said. I don't really like the attitude that comes with AAU. Not only by the players but the coaches as well.

You have to do something dluring the summer if you want to be good. My younger sister played D1 basketball. She spent 2-4 hours a day, virtually every day, year round doing something to make herself better, shooting, dribbling, lifting weights, running, playing, etc. She didn't play AAU but went to probably a half dozen camps each summer. If you want to find out how good you are and how good you need to be, go to a top notch camp. For girls that would be Pat Summitt's camp at Tennessee (my daughter's gone 3 times0. I've seen better players there than I've ever seen in an actual high school game. For boys, I imagine Calipari or Motta at OSU have comparable camps.

 

As others allude to, I've seen bad habits picked up in AAU ball. It all depends on the coach in my book. Be picky. If you can't find a coach you really like. Go to camps.

Camps sometimes can be very bad! For one, A LOT if not most of the college camps for boys, the head coach of the college only makes a token appearance and has nothing to do with helping the instructing. I was friends with Ryan Hogan after he played on my team at the Krider All American Camp at UC, they place people on the teams like the Blue Chip Camp. A few weeks later he was at the Xavier camp, he was by far the best player there, it wasn't even close, the camp said it was a good camp, that it was for high school players as well, but there was NO talent there besides him! The maybe two dozen other high school kids needed a lot of work, but for the maybe 60-70 grade school kids it was worth it! It was a waste of time and money for him to attend, the staff was even embarrassed.

 

The Krider Camp was the best camp in the nation during it's time! Players like Bibby were there and they had a very large amount of talent, mixed in with less talented players, but they at least had talent. But, summer basketball killed it! The last year was 1998. They were trying to start it up again this year, but last I heard it wasn't looking so good, as players are busy in July playing with their teams on the summer circuit.

 

BUT, I agree, any player who wants to improve cannot just play on spring and summer teams, they need to work outside of the team to improve, this is where you can tell who really wants to improve and go to the next level! Too many players go home to the couch and the video games, and other things, and barely pick up a basketball the rest of the week, and do not do drills to improve. And screwing around dunking on a lowered rim and such does not count. Too many players do not have the dedication these days, which is fine, but they will not improve.

 

Plus, in the summer, the players want to play in front of all of the college coaches, not just one or two.

Edited April 6, 201115 yr by SportsGuy41017

I think that one of the issues with AAU ball is that a lot of players spend the summer showing off their strengths to coaches instead of working on their weaknesses.

I think that one of the issues with AAU ball is that a lot of players spend the summer showing off their strengths to coaches instead of working on their weaknesses.

You are right! But the good players and the ones who want to improve will also work on their weaknesses. Some also think if the players were not playing spring and summer ball that they would be doing other things to improve, but they would not.