One interesting quote in the article coming straight out of Kimani's mouth that I'm surprised no one has touched on.
"Kids haven't really changed," he said. "The people around the kids have changed, though. I would call home to my mother and talk about not playing enough or getting yelled at and her message was to work harder, fight through adversity, become stronger. Today kids call an AAU coach and they say they will find another place for you. It's happening all over the country ... 700 to 800 transfers a year.
For the most part, it is my perception that the majority of this board has dismissed or mocked Floyd when he brings up the transfer epidemic. In some cases I can see why, as some of the transfers have certainly been Floyd's and the staff's own doing. That's undeniable. However, I find Kimani's take on today's kids interesting, though he did tiptoe around it. Kimani points out that it was much harder for him to just up and leave a situation he was not comfortable with and his support system basically wouldn't allow it. In other words, face the music, support your choice and tough it out. In today's instant gratification world, that is all but none existent. If a player isn't instantly playing over 20 minutes a game and being praised for his skills, then he'll up and go somewhere where they will. The work needed to get there is not a priority nor recognized in many of today's cases. However, I think Kimani tiptoes around it by saying it's not the kids, its the system around the kids. The AAU coaching, which may be true to some extent, and brings me to another point. The AAU and prep school conundrum.
I would say the purpose of the AAU and prep schools was to allow these kids to hone their skills and academic qualifications for a shot at a scholarship to play college hoops. Nothing wrong with that. However, its evident that it has morphed into an auction league of sorts for many of these AAU and prep school coaches. It is evident many of these coaches are "steering" players to particular schools or schools, and the coaches themselves may be up for auction for helping steer a player to a certain school. If it turns out that player doesn't find that school satisfactory, he just calls his agent/coach.
http://www2.kusports.com/news/2010/may/29/coach-defends-pump-n-run/
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/columns/story?id=3710807&columnist=oneil_dana
An excerpt from Roland Lazenby's book The Facilitator :
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)
There's a saying that amateur status is highly prized in America. But like virginity, it's difficult to ascertain.
I've coached AAU basketball, and I have a sense of how the game works. One of the things is that it's almost impossible to lock a player to one team. So players are constantly being recruited from one team to the next.
Perhaps one of the biggest revenue streams for facilitators is in AAU basketball. Wes has his strong connections to AAU basketball. AAU basketball is a big factor in this.
The competition in this game is just amazing. But a part of the game, at a certain level, is just amazingly cynical.
An AAU coach is a connection for funding. AAU teams are non-profit, but the coach can get paid nicely. There is relentless recruiting for the top players. There is shoe money. There is equipment.
Wes has supported The Family. I'm under the impression he was also involved with AAU in Camden, although I'd have to check that out.
One of the girls on my team, her parents were very aggressive in wondering things like what AAU scholarships are available, what college coaches might be able to see her, what equipment... You have families in need and there's a lot of "what's in it for me." This is the game you play to get noticed. It's like the payola of the music industry years ago. You need someone to help you shop around for the best offer: which team, which location, which freebies, which coach, which connections does that coach have... There's a whole structure there that has evolved for basketball.
What to do? Ha, thats the NCAA baby. I don't have the answers. What I do know is today's coaches have to walk a very fine line with the AAU and prep school coaches. A line and a bridge many on here have pointed Floyd and his staff have burned.
"Kids haven't really changed," he said. "The people around the kids have changed, though. I would call home to my mother and talk about not playing enough or getting yelled at and her message was to work harder, fight through adversity, become stronger. Today kids call an AAU coach and they say they will find another place for you. It's happening all over the country ... 700 to 800 transfers a year.
For the most part, it is my perception that the majority of this board has dismissed or mocked Floyd when he brings up the transfer epidemic. In some cases I can see why, as some of the transfers have certainly been Floyd's and the staff's own doing. That's undeniable. However, I find Kimani's take on today's kids interesting, though he did tiptoe around it. Kimani points out that it was much harder for him to just up and leave a situation he was not comfortable with and his support system basically wouldn't allow it. In other words, face the music, support your choice and tough it out. In today's instant gratification world, that is all but none existent. If a player isn't instantly playing over 20 minutes a game and being praised for his skills, then he'll up and go somewhere where they will. The work needed to get there is not a priority nor recognized in many of today's cases. However, I think Kimani tiptoes around it by saying it's not the kids, its the system around the kids. The AAU coaching, which may be true to some extent, and brings me to another point. The AAU and prep school conundrum.
I would say the purpose of the AAU and prep schools was to allow these kids to hone their skills and academic qualifications for a shot at a scholarship to play college hoops. Nothing wrong with that. However, its evident that it has morphed into an auction league of sorts for many of these AAU and prep school coaches. It is evident many of these coaches are "steering" players to particular schools or schools, and the coaches themselves may be up for auction for helping steer a player to a certain school. If it turns out that player doesn't find that school satisfactory, he just calls his agent/coach.
http://www2.kusports.com/news/2010/may/29/coach-defends-pump-n-run/
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/columns/story?id=3710807&columnist=oneil_dana
An excerpt from Roland Lazenby's book The Facilitator :
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)
There's a saying that amateur status is highly prized in America. But like virginity, it's difficult to ascertain.
I've coached AAU basketball, and I have a sense of how the game works. One of the things is that it's almost impossible to lock a player to one team. So players are constantly being recruited from one team to the next.
Perhaps one of the biggest revenue streams for facilitators is in AAU basketball. Wes has his strong connections to AAU basketball. AAU basketball is a big factor in this.
The competition in this game is just amazing. But a part of the game, at a certain level, is just amazingly cynical.
An AAU coach is a connection for funding. AAU teams are non-profit, but the coach can get paid nicely. There is relentless recruiting for the top players. There is shoe money. There is equipment.
Wes has supported The Family. I'm under the impression he was also involved with AAU in Camden, although I'd have to check that out.
One of the girls on my team, her parents were very aggressive in wondering things like what AAU scholarships are available, what college coaches might be able to see her, what equipment... You have families in need and there's a lot of "what's in it for me." This is the game you play to get noticed. It's like the payola of the music industry years ago. You need someone to help you shop around for the best offer: which team, which location, which freebies, which coach, which connections does that coach have... There's a whole structure there that has evolved for basketball.
What to do? Ha, thats the NCAA baby. I don't have the answers. What I do know is today's coaches have to walk a very fine line with the AAU and prep school coaches. A line and a bridge many on here have pointed Floyd and his staff have burned.