SPRING UPDATES
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009I thought I’d take a little time to write some of my thoughts about the spring and up coming summer. I love this time of year! Coaches and players are dreaming of what may come next season. Rising seniors are hoping to get noticed by a college. Eighth graders are thinking about those first high school workouts. It can be stressful but it’s worth every second. I believe players and coaches need hopes and dreams going into the summer. It’s the fuel that makes everyone work so hard. I remember the excitement when my daughter was getting ready for her first day of high school. We talked so much about trust and how she was so prepared. I also knew that high school sports have a lot of land mines. Trying to avoid all of them is almost impossible. I know many eighth grade kids are trying to make decisions regarding high school, it will not be easy. Education is always first, but I know basketball plays a huge role in their lives. All the studies prove when a girl is playing a sport she will be more confident and have more self esteem.
Kelly Hughes of Pt Boro is an eight grader trying to settle on a high school. She lives in a town that doesn’t have a great basketball tradition. Yet now she has to make a big decision about where to attend high school. Does she stay in her town or does she go play at a school with a higher profile? This will mean traveling every morning and making new friends, all this while trying to play basketball and getting an education. I would not want to be in her shoes. She is flat out the best shooter I have ever seen in a very long time. I didn’t say the best player, I said the best shooter. It is a gift that has been given to her. I wish her and her family the best while making such a big decision. No doubt it will not be easy. Each child has a different road to success. So there is no road map! I say take your time and make the most informative decision you can.
I also feel for the kids looking to transfer to other schools. There are too many reasons to list why kids may want to transfer, each kid and family have there reasons. I have first hand experience when it comes to this. When I made the decision to move my daughter to Rumson Fair Haven, my family went into melt down. It was not easy to leave or choose a school. I decided on Rumson, I did not allow my daughter to have a say in this matter. This upset my entire family and I fully understood why. I also understood this was a big decision and we couldn’t afford a mistake. I asked Rob Kennedy the president of the hoop group, the smartest man and most honest person I have ever met, what schools should I consider. He thought George Sourlis and Rumson could be a good fit for my daughter. I did not know much about George at the time, but I called him. I asked George about the school and what can I expect. The only promise he made about basketball is that she will make friends for life. George made one thing clear. Education is the most important reason to attend Rumson. I knew right there Candice would be attending Rumson. I felt the basketball could take care of itself. I will never forget that conversation. The thing I really admire most about George was when people said he recruited Candice, he never defended himself. He took all the heat for my daughter. He could have very easily explained I reached out to him. Then throw the ball in my house and let me deal with it. I will forever be grateful to him for that. I think you have to be a strong person to do what he did! He became the bad guy for my daughter.
There are strong rumors about two players transferring, Chyna Golden and Michaela Mabrey. They are both special players. First let me tell you a funny story about Chyna. Recently a Div 1 coach was calling me to discuss players in the area, during the conversation he said my top post recruit for 2011 is Chyna Golden, and then he asked me what Chyna was doing these days. My answer was simple “she is standing in front of me listening to our conversation”. We all got a big laugh out of it!(chyna of course did not speak to him due to ncaa rules) I asked Chyna parents about these rumors and her father said this “unless you hear it from the horses mouth don’t believe anything”. Meaning him or his wife… End of story. I also hope Mabrey is listening to Dawn and her parents and not outsiders. Again this is just a rumor, there is no proof she has made a decision to transfer. Changing schools can be tricky at times. My daughter fell into a unique place at the right time. There was luck involved. The kids at RFH like Kara Abbott and Kate Miller made her feel at home and took care of her. Then she had the ultimate coach leading the program. This is not the case everywhere.
There are a few things I want to tell everyone about. First the Academic Elite Camp on July 26 at the Hoop Group Headquarters. Rob Kennedy has shown his true colors by bringing this event to HGH. I had asked Mr. Kennedy to please do this event. If you are a good student who wishes to play at a high end academic college, this event is a must. All the best colleges will be at this event. I urge all quality students to attend. I would like to thank the Hoop Group and Rob Kennedy for doing the right thing. The boys have always had these types of events. Now the girls rightfully so will get there chance. Good luck to those that get accepted and play well.
The NCAA has shut down the April recruiting period for boys. Now they want to do the same for the girls. I believe this would be big mistake. The boys recruiting process is light years ahead of the girls. Many girls will suffer if this happens. The college coaches are complaining that the AAU coaches are controlling the girls while traveling all over the country, telling them where and when to play. This leaves little time for skill development, academics or social activities. I have seem some scary things myself already, players from New Jersey playing with teams from Alabama or Tennessee. Why are teams in New Jersey traveling to tournaments in Chicago? When your roster is full of low and mid major players, it makes no sense at all. Because low and mid major schools tend to recruit kids in their region of the country. My biggest problem with the AAU coaches is that at times they feel their program is more important than the high school. I personally do not think an AAU coach or team should ever take precedent over any high school team. The NCAA will be making a big mistake ending the April recruiting period. Many players will suffer. I say find a way to limit the games and AAU practices during the non- recruiting period. This will mean the kids will have more time to work on skills and the AAU coaches will have less influence on the players. The players need the exposure in order for colleges to see them. Why take this away from the players. It makes no sense. Not all AAU coaches are controlling the kids and disrupting the high school coach or making empty promises. Many are just giving their time and trying to provide an opportunity to kids.
ON THE RECRUITING FRONT:
Danielle Pankey has signed a letter intent with Farleigh Dickinson University. Tom Brennan has done a great job preparing this young lady for the next level. FDU is making the Shore Conference a recruiting playground. They now have Pankey, Strich, and Mayrose on their roster. What happens if they add a post player? Interesting right!
Emily Lawrence’s name seems to pop up any time I speak with a college coach. Her decision to play for the Diamonds out of Neptune was a great decision. The Diamonds will get lots of exposure and she will benefit from this.
Speaking of the Diamonds they won their bracket at the Boo Williams’ tourney and then went on to win the Pat Williams Championship. I heard Sy Davis and Richardson were great.
The Central Jersey Hawks 15u team played up and was the talk of the tourney. They went 2-1 and played in the top 32 bracket for 17u. Their only loss coming to the James River Blaze, who finished 4th in last year’s 15u nationals. Boo Williams tourney is the best event in April. They run the event perfectly and Boo himself is one the classiest guys out there.
The Sting 17u team won their pool. Hampton is gearing up to have a big summer. Brooke
battled injuries last season but appears to be healthy and ready for a big senior year. All reports say Hampton played sensational.
Michaela Mabrey and KC Hobbie led Demons won the Joe Smith bracket that included the Hawks and the Sting.
The biggest story of the event had to be Chyna Golden’s Philly Triple Threat. They lost in the semi –final of the Silver Division of the super bracket. This is a special bracket made up of only the best teams in the country.
I recently asked a college coach how many Div 1 players she thought where playing in the Shore Conference. I heard the shocking number of 15. People that is amazing!
Last but not least but USATODAY final girls ranking had SJV ranked at #21 and Shabazz at #25…Can someone tell me how Colts Neck is not on this list.
ESPN RISE TOP 50 GIRLS had Shabazz at #22 , SJV #37 and University at #46. I guess Colts Neck didn’t call the right people. All in all New Jersey made a great statement about girls’ basketball this year.
Well I hope everyone is working on their game and is safe. I would like to leave everyone with something Carlene Mitchell the recruiting coordinator from Rutgers told me.
“When I recruit a kid the first thing I want to know is if she is a good person. If you are not a good person you are not going to fit in at Rutgers. That’s more important than any rebound or shot”. I thought that was a great statement. It doesn’t all ways work out that way but I wish more schools thought like that.
I will write a blog when anything interesting pop up. Please send me any interesting news you hear in the basketball
Tiny green can be reached at tiny@hoopgroup.com