(03-30-2024 10:59 AM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(03-29-2024 11:13 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 01:34 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 10:31 AM)Eagleonpar Wrote:  The biggest problem are the parents. And until they change nothing is going to matter

its a chicken & egg dilemma. The parents are feeling pressure to put their kids into competitive sports because they’re often told they have no shot to play HS sports unless they play youth at a high level.
Very few communities have viable rec leagues where kids can learn the game & compete. We had park commission baseball. Winning the league meant city tournaments & playing for a shot a being a legitimate city champ. These kids play for plastic trophies & a different tournament every weekend. Its meaningless.

In soccer down here, all the HS teams are coached by people employed at the various clubs. So you do have to play competitively to play HS.

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The same is true with baseball. The high schools hold camps and encourage the parents of the more talented kids to find competitive programs, if they have not already, to place their kids. Once they make it to HS & tryout, they are required to fill out what amounts to a resume. The reality is the team is largely determined before the tryouts take place. My kids were fortunate enough to be on the right side, but the reality is not a single kid from a “rec” league earned a roster spot on one of the better programs in the area.

Who is the big summer travel team now? I heard Dulins Dodgers moved to Dallas. Are the east Memphis tigers still around ?

(03-30-2024 11:05 AM)Eagleonpar Wrote:  

(03-30-2024 10:59 AM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(03-29-2024 11:13 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 01:34 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 10:31 AM)Eagleonpar Wrote:  The biggest problem are the parents. And until they change nothing is going to matter

its a chicken & egg dilemma. The parents are feeling pressure to put their kids into competitive sports because they’re often told they have no shot to play HS sports unless they play youth at a high level.
Very few communities have viable rec leagues where kids can learn the game & compete. We had park commission baseball. Winning the league meant city tournaments & playing for a shot a being a legitimate city champ. These kids play for plastic trophies & a different tournament every weekend. Its meaningless.

In soccer down here, all the HS teams are coached by people employed at the various clubs. So you do have to play competitively to play HS.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

The same is true with baseball. The high schools hold camps and encourage the parents of the more talented kids to find competitive programs, if they have not already, to place their kids. Once they make it to HS & tryout, they are required to fill out what amounts to a resume. The reality is the team is largely determined before the tryouts take place. My kids were fortunate enough to be on the right side, but the reality is not a single kid from a “rec” league earned a roster spot on one of the better programs in the area.

Who is the big summer travel team now? I heard Dulins Dodgers moved to Dallas. Are the east Memphis tigers still around ?

The highest profile kids usually end up in the East Coast Sox program which is regional. The Memphis Tigers are also around & have a good program as does Easley Baseball Club.

Youth/summer basketball has become a
Business and it isn’t keeping the kids best interest in mind. Too many games at a young age is causing premature injuries as well. I think the reason so many NBA careers are
Ending in injury is because of summer league. The kids are seeing too much action on their joints and muscles. In the years that they are supposed to be growing and developing.

Unfortunately kids and their parents have been convinced that summer leagues are necessary to keep up with the competition.

I can assure you high school sports have almost zero bearing on getting a college scholly. The competitive teams at the older ages playing showcases all the time and that is where you get seen. The college coaches do not have time to go to all the high schools anymore. Why would they when they can just go to one showcase and see all the top kids. High school is for pride and for fun. With that being said AAU basketball is absolutely terrible. All about money for the players and the coaches and the parents and has nothing to do with skills and development.

(03-30-2024 09:58 AM)Eagleonpar Wrote:  

(03-29-2024 11:56 PM)Tiger87 Wrote:  

(03-29-2024 09:44 AM)Eagleonpar Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 01:34 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 10:31 AM)Eagleonpar Wrote:  The biggest problem are the parents. And until they change nothing is going to matter

its a chicken & egg dilemma. The parents are feeling pressure to put their kids into competitive sports because they’re often told they have no shot to play HS sports unless they play youth at a high level.
Very few communities have viable rec leagues where kids can learn the game & compete. We had park commission baseball. Winning the league meant city tournaments & playing for a shot a being a legitimate city champ. These kids play for plastic trophies & a different tournament every weekend. Its meaningless.

We got Hurd and Cowboy

Isn't Kam Jones a Hurd product?

I think so. Hurd is basically the only game in town now. He’s got the Jason and John platform every week

Point being...It's dishonest to take a dump on Hurd and the Memphis summer scene, while at the same time fawning all over Kam, and not give credit.

(03-31-2024 10:29 AM)Dbtex10 Wrote:  I can assure you high school sports have almost zero bearing on getting a college scholly. The competitive teams at the older ages playing showcases all the time and that is where you get seen. The college coaches do not have time to go to all the high schools anymore. Why would they when they can just go to one showcase and see all the top kids. High school is for pride and for fun. With that being said AAU basketball is absolutely terrible. All about money for the players and the coaches and the parents and has nothing to do with skills and development.

The same is true for Soccer and Volleyball .... Club Team tournaments are where the real recruitment happens .... Unless a high school coach has a hand in club ball, no attempt to help with recruiting at all ....

(03-31-2024 10:29 AM)Dbtex10 Wrote:  I can assure you high school sports have almost zero bearing on getting a college scholly. The competitive teams at the older ages playing showcases all the time and that is where you get seen. The college coaches do not have time to go to all the high schools anymore. Why would they when they can just go to one showcase and see all the top kids. High school is for pride and for fun. With that being said AAU basketball is absolutely terrible. All about money for the players and the coaches and the parents and has nothing to do with skills and development.

Football is probably the last sport where the HS trumps all. The director of our club tried to ban our ECNL girls (top league in girls soccer) from playing HS ball, but that backfired completely. Kids still wanted to rep the school. But, yes, never going to be a recruiter at a HS match.

Same deal for cheerleading. My granddaughter was caught up in that crap for a while. Smart kid. Told the adults to f off and did what she wanted to do.