5 Tips for Choosing a Summer Basketball Team

 

In today's landscape of high school and club basketball, players don't really get a break between seasons so much as change uniforms. As playoffs and state tournaments crown their champions the club teams are in the gym getting ready for the ever busier spring and summer schedule.

Whether you're staying with a club you've played with in the past or moving to a new program, get some assurances before investing your time and recruitment prospects with any group or individual.
With so much of the collegiate recruiting process based on non-scholastic teams and events, there's way too much on the line to settle for less than you deserve from a club coach or program director.

Look for a club that offers continued skill development.
Demand that your coach gets you on the floor beyond just game time. Get a guarantee that they'll do their best to both make you a better player individually as well as prepare your team for the events you're going to compete in. It's not enough to play the game; you have to work at it, too.

Check the club's schedule of events closely. Before you commit to a team be sure you know definitively what events they're going to be playing in this spring and summer. Don't simply take their word that they're going to be at "all the top events." Ask them to provide the complete schedule up front. You need to let recruiters know where you'll be playing and your family needs to be able to make travel plans.
Also be sure what bracket or tier they may be playing in during each event. Playing in the third or fourth division at an event isn't going to get too many recruiters courtside. Additionally, if it's a talented, young group ask if they'll be "playing up." It's important to be challenged by older and better competition to show college coaches your true potential. Playing in a younger age group may help you constantly win by 20 and take home some trophies, but won't do much to advance your game.

Be careful about overscheduling. Obviously the spring evaluation period only allows for one event, but July has the potential to be a real problem. There are two separate 10-day evaluation segments with a five day break in between. Playing two events each segment doesn't overextend the athletes and allows for travel time.
In the past, teams who have tried to squeeze three events into one or both segments have ended up exhausted and it showed in their play. The extra events aren't worth the price you pay and in terms of fatigue, risk of injury and poor performance. Besides, if coaches can't find the time to see you play in the other four tournaments, you're probably not at the top of their list.

Check out your club's roster. Be sure you know up front what position you'll be playing and how many others on the team will occupy that same spot. If you're a high school post hoping to play the wing during the summer you don't want to be playing for a team lacking inside players. One injury or some bad performances and you'll be back on the block missing your opportunity to expand and grow your game.

Do your homework on the talent level of your potential teammates as well. There's nothing advantageous about being the go-to player if you don't have any help around you. Conversely, if you're in over your head, it will be hard to be evaluated and recruited while sitting on the bench.

The club coach's relationship with college coaches is not as important as you think. When club coaches make their "pitch" to athletes and parents, this is one of the most overplayed selling points. No doubt it's important, but not remotely to the degree some would have you believe. If recruiters see you play and they like what you do they'll be there whether they know your coach or not. An established relationship with the college crowd can sometimes get them in the gym to see you play, but it won't get you an offer.
If you're talented enough and playing well, they'll find you anyway. Recruiters are a resourceful and greedy bunch. With job security being extraordinarily fragile these days, college coaches have more riding on every recruit than ever before. The word of even the most reliable club coach by itself isn't enough to get a good evaluator past any concerns they may have with aspects of your game. It's up to you to do that on the floor.
Somewhere along the line club coaches and program directors became de facto recruiting coordinators and many aspects of club basketball got bumped down the priority list.
There are a limitless number of concerns that could be raised by different players and parents, each looking for different things from their club experience. The most important thing is to ask questions and get confirmation on what you'll be getting from a particular coach or team.
Even if it's a coach you've played with for years, he or she still needs to provide you with the answers to your questions. New team or old team, the failure to ask can lead to a long, "hot" summer.

 

By Mark Lewis

 

Mark Lewis is the national recruiting coordinator for ESPN HoopGurlz. Twice ranked as one of the top 25 assistant coaches in the game by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, he has more than 20 years of college coaching experience at Memphis State, Cincinnati, Arizona State, Western Kentucky and, most recently, Washington State.

Why Summer Basketball Is Crucial to Recruiting

For teenagers in most sports--basketball included--the glory of playing organized competition often comes in representing your high school.
But when it comes to increasing your chances at a scholarship, the summer basketball leagues are where you need to shine.
Why is that? Why does high school bring glory and school pride, but summer league "pays the bills," so to speak?
The answer is in the availability of college coaches--and when the NCAA allows them to scout potential prospects.
NCAA Division I college coaches adhere to a strict recruiting calendar that follows NCAA bylaws. It gets into intense detail about when a coach can watch a player, talk to a player, acknowledge a player, and when a coach must avoid a player altogether.
Let's review the key terms for the recruiting calendar, as explained by the NCAA:

Quiet Period: The college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents off the college's campus. The coach cannot watch you play or visit your high school during this period.
Contact Period: The college coach can talk to you or your family on or off campus, and can watch you play.
Dead Period: The college coach cannot have any in-person contact with you. However, the coach can write you or call you on the phone.
Evaluation Period: The college coach can watch you play or visit your high school, but can't talk to you off the college's campus.
The last one is crucial, because it best points to summer basketball's importance in recruiting. College coaches only get so many opportunities to see a player perform. For the 2009-2010 school year, for example, women's college coaches can evaluate players at these times:

• September 9 through October 5 (contact period)
• October 6 through March 31 (evaluation period)
• A few select days in April (contact period)
• July 6 to July 15 (evaluation period)
• July 22 to July 31 (evaluation period)

The problem with the first period is that there aren't many games going on. The problem with the second period is that college coaches are now in the middle of their season and have very little time to recruit.
That leaves a few days in April and all of July for coaches to hit the road and scout potential recruits for their future teams. That gives summer competition an important niche in basketball circles.
Event organizers like the AAU, Nike or adidas line up its biggest tournaments to take place during the NCAA evaluation period, with the AAU calling summer hoops "the place to be."
For teenagers in pursuit of a college basketball scholarship, being at "the place to be" isn't an option--it's a must.

By Ryan Wood, iHoops.com

Improve Your Basketball Mentality by Learning from Derrick Rose — Eliminate Your Fear of Failure

 

If you watched the Bulls last week (who won by the way), you would have seen Derrick Rose commit numerous turnovers and shoot multiple air balls in the 4th quarter.
I remember at least two shots that totally missed everything.  Complete air balls!
Yet D-Rose stayed aggressive.  He still wanted the ball.  He didn’t hesitate on his next shot and he kept shooting without a second thought.
Granted, Derrick Rose needs to work on cutting down his turnovers (I think he had 6 in the second half)…  BUT you can still learn from his mentality…

D-Rose shows perseverance (a word I have mentioned in our player development program many times).   He is resilient, relentless, and has NO fear of failure.
He threw up two air balls, made several turnovers, but he was still the most important player on the floor.
So when YOU (as a high school, middle school, or youth player) get down about missing a couple shots, a lay up, or losing the ball… how CRAZY is that?!!!
Why in the world would you get down about missing a couple lay ups or shots when Derrick Rose, who will most likely be the NBA MVP this year, still shoots air balls and makes numerous mistakes in the NBA?
The best players in the world make mistakes.  So it’s ludicrous for YOU to get down or discouraged about making a couple mistakes.
Too many young players get discouraged and let a couple mistakes affect their play.  I see it all the time.  But when you stop to think about it, those mistakes shouldn’t affect you and it’s not a big deal.
In the first two playoff games Derrick Rose missed his first 10 three point shots!  That’s right, 10 in a row.  But he didn’t stop shooting and he made his 11th attempt, which was a big shot that helped the Bulls win the game.
Basketball is a game of mistakes. Everyone shoots air balls, misses lay ups, trips, loses the ball, and makes mistakes.  You need to accept that.  You need to realize that just because you missed 10 shots in a row, doesn’t mean you won’t make the next one.
If you want to become a better player, accept the fact that you are going to make mistakes in games.  Don’t let that affect your next play.  Don’t be afraid to make mistakes!   If the best players in the world make mistakes, you should not be afraid to make them.
I hope this helps put things in perspective for you.  So when you make a couple mistakes, you just learn from them and stay aggressive.  Be resilient.  Show perseverance.  Stay positive and you will become a better player!
By Jeff Haefner

Separate yourself for every other baller

It's simple and It's Basic, your number # 1 secret of success will always be knowing your Niche and using it to separate yourself form every other Baller out there.

This is the most over-looked art of figuring out what your coach really needs and developing an Identity on the court.

What is a Niche?

I'm Glad you asked!

Your niche is how you are different from everyone else. It is the one aspect that you are great at, not good at, but great at.

It is the one thing that will get you on a team, or get you cut off of a team.

This should be common sense for all Ballers, and yet it will be your secret weapon. Because most of your competition will forever ignore the fundamentals of Defining a Niche, or screw it up (since they've never bothered to pay attention to the lessons).

It's relatively easy to perform a play or move that gets a coach to say Hey, that ballers pretty good. But that doesn't mean they will pick you to be on their team or pursue you to play for them.

No. You want your prospect Coach to say -- after experiencing watching you play -- "Wow! Thats Exactly what I need on my team, How do I get them to consider playing for me?"

But getting a coach to be 'Jaw Dropped' and begging you to play for them is a much more complex process. You don't have to understand the biology or chemistry that goes on... but you DO have to realize that dominating the hardwood requires a lot of knowledge and a little skill.

It's not difficult. But it's not something most people naturally learn to do.
There are a few key secrets to Identifying A Niche that -- once you master them -- will guarantee that EVERY Time you step on the court every coach and player will be astonished and you will start leaving your dominating trail of legacy along the way.

That's how the greats are formed. First by identifying their niche and then by working to master their niche. Most Ballers Play From their Heels meaning they blow it when it comes to Discovering what aspect of the game they are dominate at. They stumble along the way guessing how to develop their game and normally find them selves in a dark hole with no way to get out.

The Baller Graveyard is crammed with great talented ballers that failed to identify and work on their niche.

However, when you master the basics of Developing a Niche and continually working to master your niche, you will start to see and feel the benefits that come with being a unique Hot-Ticket ball player.

Whatever results you're getting will instantly be multiplied many times, as soon as you apply the secrets of Niche Discovering.

If you look at any of the Dominating Forces in the pros you will find that it is easy to identify their niche:

Ray Allen- Shooting
Bruce Bowen- Defense
Steve Nash and Jason Kidd- passing and play making
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James- Scoring
Shaq- Post Dominating
Dwight Howard- Rebounding
Tim Duncan- Fundamentals

And the list goes on and on with other big time ballers like the always passionate Kevin Garnet, Allen Iverson with the killer crossover and Vince Carter's high fly act.

They discovered their Niche and developed a plan to master it, not just to be good at it but to be great at it.

So how do you figure out what's your Gold key Niche?

Easy, ask yourself what do you think you are the best at, what important aspect of basketball do you always do well, or tend to be better then others at.

It would also be a great idea if you asked your coach, parents, teammates and other players that do not personally know you but have seen you play before.

It is also very important to receive honest opinions, and you should not ask someone you believe who falsely tell you something just to, please you, get the truth.

If you have an identified niche, you will be that much more dominant and coaches would much rather recruit a player that performs a certain task very well like passing then trying to recruit a player that they will have to develop those certain skill they are looking for.

Now once you have identified your niche, you have found a pot of gold, an you will be 100 steps ahead of your competition.

You see, if you do not have a niche, and really do not understand what kind of a player you are or what you do very well, you will just confuse all the coaches and recruits that are interested in you.

The most common mistake that I have seen with lack of niche identification normally happens with guards.

You know what I am talking about, that guard that you see but you really do not know if he is a point guard or a shooting guard, it's like he is stuck in the middle.
And if you are stuck in the middle, you are not going any where.

Allen Iverson is a perfect example, he was having problems figuring out what kind of player he was, and his game struggled, but once he committed to being a two guard, his game flourished and he become an NBA ALL-STAR.

So determine your niche and commit to mastering it, whatever it is, it might be scoring, shooting, rebounding, defense, passing, play making or even teammate support.

If you do not have a niche, get one or you will never get to the next level.

What does it take to get to the Next Level?

Parents and Players ask all the time what coaches look for and what can get them to the next level. That next level is different for every player but typically that question is speaking about college. Parents and Players want to get their education paid for and if they can make money playing basketball then that is just an added bonus. The answer will differ from day to day and from kid to kid depending on the situation. What I should cover is something that players don’t hear about everyday as something they can work on. Energy.

I know what you are thinking. “How can a scout or a coach judge energy?” Let me answer with a comparison. When Mike Anderson from Missouri recruits kids he goes after players that can play in his system. His system is full court pressure all the time as I spoke about in my last post. When Mike Anderson goes to watch a player perform he looks for energy. He looks for players who can get after it and aren’t afraid to get after it.

When I played competitively I wanted my opponent to hate to be guarded by me because I was on him the entire time. It used to drive them crazy. I loved to guard the player who always was moving without the ball and running around. COACHES LOVE THAT. Every team needs someone who come up with loose balls and are not afraid to play defense the entire time. Coaches love players who are willing to give it their all 100% of the time and who don’t get tired.

My point is this: Just like shooting, passing, dribbling are talents or skills so is energy. Coaches scout it and can see it just like the other talents that are out there and that players have.