Should My Child Play AAU Basketball?
Is Playing AAU Sports A Good Investment for My Child?
by
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Chapter 1 Does My Child Want to Play AAU Basketball The first question any good parent should ask his child before placing him on an AAU basketball team is whether or not the child wants to play the sport at that level. It is important that he knows the commitment level and has the heart and passion for the game to compete at this level. It is not uncommon for the Dad to want his child to play AAU basketball more than the child and tries to relive the game through their son. Don’t assume because you were a great basketball player or your uncle was an all American that your son wants to keep the legacy in the family. The desire to play select basketball and the number of hours required to develop skills and understanding of the game requires sacrifice. That mean’s reducing the amount of time playing video games, watching cartoons, going to bed early, eating healthy, studying more, staying focus on the task. There may be times when your child will omit going to the school dance to play in a basketball tournament. Some tournaments are held on various holiday’s such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and Mother’s Day. Are you willing to spend mother’s day in the gym watching your son or daughter play basketball? It is possible that your child says he wants to play AAU basketball and willing to put in the work to develop and get better. Some of the indicators to looked for and see if he is serious about devoting time to his craft is how often he works on his skills without you telling him. I knew my oldest son was serious at age of three because the first thing he would do before breakfast is look for his basketball and begin shooting baskets in his pajamas. Getting dress and eating breakfast was the least of his concerns until he got hungry which was generally an hour or two later. Second, is he a student of the game meaning does he begin asking questions about the rules of the game and the difference between a post player guard and forward. My youngest son would draw out plays on my coaching board he thought would work in a game. That’s when you know he is developing what most coaches refer to as basketball IQ.
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About the Book
The content of the book seeks to address, discuss and resolve common issues encountered playing on a select sports team. Its primary focus is on basketball and helping parents make the right decision as to whether or not to allow their child to specialize in one sport in pursue of scholarship or a dream of one day playing in the NBA (National Basketball Association). The author’s goal is to set the expectations for the parent and child that playing AAU basketball is fun and very entertaining but it requires time, energy, commitment and money. Solutions and remedies are given to a common question most parents have such as, “why doesn’t the coach play my child more during the game?” Another question of interest for most parents is the financial burden it appears to place on most families that include the cost of uniforms, tournament fees, food and travel and if it’s all worth pursuing every year! There is an entire chapter dedicated to searching and finding the right team for my child. Another chapter focus on finding a coach that has my child’s best interest in mind as a player and as person. It’s a book that every coach that coaches a select sport team should purchase and give their parents and require them to read before the season begins especially chapter 5. Chapter 5 defines the parent’s role during the course of the season making the games fun for everyone. The book a great read for anyone that has a child playing on a select sports team.
About the Author
Arlington R. Callies coached AAU track & Field for ten year and AAU Basketball for fifteen years. His first encounter with AAU sports occurred while teaching Math and Science at a parochial middle school and Athletic Director. He coached volleyball, basketball and track in the afternoon and weekends when an staff member from the Davis Scott YMCA recognize his coaching skills and talent level of his student athletes. Coach Callies, as he became known, volunteered his time and took some of the kids from the school and merged with local kids from the YMCA and competed at the AAU nationals. After his sons matured beyond playing church league and at the local boys club and he introduced them to AAU basketball. He explained to his son that the game they once knew will become more physical and skilled. It would require more preparation and dedication in order to get better but could still be fun. Coach Callies continue to coach his sons until they were in high school. Feeling as if they had heard his voice long enough as a coach and he had taught them the basic fundamentals of the game it was up to them to prove they were able to compete and overcome some of the adversities that comes along with playing a team sport. For the first time he and his wife were now AAU parents experiencing the low times of what it was like for their child to start the game, sometimes not playing more than two minutes the entire game to getting benched after making one mistake. But, they also experience the high times of their son being the lead scorer, making a steal or playing the whole game. Arlington never charged for his services of coaching AAU sports because he felt it was an opportunity to help his sons and other kids in the community stay in school, create an opportunity to get a scholarship, mature as a person, learning life lessons and becoming good citizens.