FOOTPRINTZ Elite Basketball Training

WHEN THE MADNESS IS OVER : What is NEXT?

Ok...ok, being involved in basketball for over 25 years. I have NO reservation in proclaiming the NCAA "March Madness" tournament as the biggest annual sporting event in the world. It also, signifies the end of the amateur basketball season.

"March Madness" is here! High school coaches soon will head back into the classroom where the will teach the last chapter of Global Studies, College coaches are focusing on recruiting players that will assist them in remaining gainfully employed, club level and AAU teams are contacting players to join the respective teams at which point they will compete in spring AAU tournaments. With all the various basketball activity, how many are dedicated to increasing a player's SKILL SET once the "Madness" ends?.

Beginning in April/ May many high school aged players will participate on the AAU circuit - playing 10000 games, but rarely focusing on "adding to their TOOL BOX"..."Players get better in the OFF SEASON whereas TEAMS get better during the season" has the motto for basketball coaches since Naismith hung the first peach basket, but in today's world "conventional wisdom" has been moved aside in an effort to obtain regional and in some cases national exposure or national exposing.

In today's game, many high school coaches are now "directing" AAU teams. The coaches, themselves, place quantity of games over quality of games, WINS over development (teaching) & yelling over explaining. This is no more evident in the fact that the NYC region aka "the Mecca of Basketball" only netted 1 McDonald's All American roster spot (Christ the King's Bria Smith). As a result, according to Tom Konchalski, reknowned recruiting analyst, "Basketball in New York has been on the decline. Kids are leaving for prep schools and not working on their skills the moment the season is over."

Furthermore, according to recent reports - the NCAA is in the process of limiting "Live Periods" of recruiting where college coaches historically were able to "unearth the late rising jewel". In years past, coaches would convene at a large AAU event, where they would be able to see HUNDREDS of players during one weekend, however, under the new rules coaches will only watch a few players at a time during high school workouts. As a result, some coaches are less interested in researching unsigned, unknown seniors especially with tightening recruiting budgets.

So, it only makes since for players who college bound to WORK ON THEIR SKILLS prior to their senior season. This mindset is similar to attending college as a "regular incoming freshman" where admissions representatives look at a applicant's 6th term and on occasion an applicant's 7th term grades as opposed to an applicant's 8th term grades.

In essence, players need to get in the gym and become BASKETBALL PLAYERS as opposed to those that just play basketball.

"THE HARDER YOU WORK…THE LUCKIER YOU BECOME"