Subscribe to SportsWorxThe growth and importance of AAU basketball in recruiting has jumped exponentially in the past 20+ years. It has reached a point where high school coaches are not the main contact for college coaches in the recruiting process in most instances. While a motivated, connected high school coach is still a valuable resource for parents and college coaches the world of AAU basketball plays an ever increasing role in the process.
As AAU plays a bigger role parents have more questions about programs in their area. Following are some thoughts from Alex Meachum, President & Founder of Shining Star Sports. Shining Star Sports is one of the most highly respected and highly successful AAU programs in Ohio and Kentucky. As an organization they have multiple state titles and an outstanding record of providing opportunities for their athletes to play at the next level.
SW:What are the key factors parents should consider when choosing a select/travel team for their young athlete?
AM: Parents need to look for a well rounded program. One that focuses on the development of their child both on and off the court. Academics and behavior off the court is as important as what they do on the court. I would advise parents to look for a team that best prepares their son for High School or College. Just because a team is ranked #1 in the country doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for your kid.
SW: What has your organization done to establish it as one of the top basketball organizations on a state and national level?
AM: First, thank you for the kind words and considering our program a top level program. I think slow growth and our focus has attributed to our success. We didn’t rush into the AAU world and try to become the greatest program in the world overnight. It’s the old baked potato theory….It taste better if you slow bake it in the oven opposed to putting it in the microwave for 5 minutes. We started off with one team seven years ago and had seventeen teams in 2009. Our focus from day one has been DEVELOPMENT and DISCIPLINE over wins and loses. Our product is our kids and if our kids are getting better then our teams will naturally win.
SW:What advice would you give the middle school athlete as they prepare for high school?
AM: I think that is a very good question. I love to discuss this because parents and players tend to focus on the wrong thing going into high school. They think shooting is going to get them a spot on the team. In some cases this is true, but overall its a very bad approach to making a team. What happens if you have a off day shooting the ball? I would focus on defense and ballhandling as much as anything. Not enough kids focus on these two things. Think about it, if I tell a kid to go practice right now they will automatically go to a basket and shoot. How many kids would step on a court and do stationary dribbling or work on defensive close outs? The ones that do this are your better players in my opinion. If your the best defensive player on your team and you play a team with a 27 points a game scorer, guess who will most likely guard him? And that player will probably play the entire game because of their scoring ability so you will need to play the entire game to guard that player. Basketball games come down to maximizing your possessions. You can do that a lot of different ways. If the game is close then you can’t turn it over. Therefore, you need a very good ballhandler in the game. This goes back to my point of players working on their ballhandling skills. If my son played on a team and a parent came up to me and said,”Alex, your son plays great defense and gives so much effort when he plays!” that would make me happier then hearing,”Alex, your son is the best shooter this team has.” That is just my opinion and how I view things.
There are many outstanding AAU programs and organizations across the country. With a little bit of research and asking the right questions parents can make sure that their young athlete has the best experience while playing AAU basketball.