High School or Summer Ball

[ifyousayso]

If players could only do one or the other, which is the most important in the big picture of preparing for College and why?

[HighLevel]

I can't decide which one is MOST IMPORTANT but I do believe summer ball is MOST BENEFICIAL when preparing for college. Summer basketball provides most athletes with an opportunity to travel, play against some of the top talent in the country, exposure to college coaches and recruiters, opportunities to develop and establish relationships with players from other areas. I believe there is more to preparing and developing an athlete for college than x's and o's. High schools are hindered by how many games they can play in a given season, how many out of conference games they can play, where they can and can not travel, zones and many other obstacles.

[hbodu1]

I do think you can make the distinction. High School ball (should) provide more opportunity for practicing fundamentals and team play. Summer ball gives you competition against better players and allows you to play at your more natural position. Neither to me is more or less important.

[funhoops]

If an "Elite" player skipped the summer circuit her 9th,10th, and 11th grade summers and played only High School ball, would college coaches still find her? I understand the argument that a player is exposed to better talent and improves more by playing summer ball, but what about exposure? Are there sleepers out there who shun summer ball?

[ballfan]

Sure a player can avoid playing summer ball and still get noticed but the chances are much less than if they play summer ball. Here is how:

She is 6'3" and can play which means somebody will hear about her no matter what.

She plays on a team with another recruited athlete and is seen because of her.

Her high school team plays a schedule which includes teams and players that attract college coaches.

She gets lucky.

For many kids playing summer ball particularly at the exposure tournaments and camps is the best and possibly the only way colleges will notice them. I know kids who did not play summer ball until after their junior year and not suprisingly they did not receive any letters or other contacts until they finally played in the summer. Why not play when you have the opportunity to be exposed to a couple hundred schools. If you want to play at the next level it's a no brainer.

[ifyousayso]

The only problem I see with summer ball is that, especially with high exposure clubs, most really do not provide true development of a player but more so an opportunity to showcase the skills you already have...notice I said most not all. So it is a catch 22.

[funhoops]

She is a gifted student and has both grades and test scores to prove it.

She targets schools that have academic programs and a team that
fit her.

She attends a camp of the college of her choice, impressess the coaches and is offered.

There is "more than one way to skin a cat." Not every kid will excel in summer ball and there is nothing wrong with the player actively seeking (recruiting) a program\university that fits them.

[ClayKallam]

Whitney Boddie of Auburn never played a second of summer basketball and wound up with an SEC scholarship. Each has its benefits, each its limitations ...

From my selfish coaching standpoint, I enjoy high school more because I get more practice time (and practice is more fun than games for me), and because there's more structure to it. You win the league, you advance to the playoffs, you go through an elimination process, etc. You can measure your success through an ongoing season whereas summer ball is a succession of tournaments, some of which mean more than others, but none of which is definitive. No overall standings are kept, and that lack of structure makes it less enjoyable for me.

That said, I enjoy coaching my high school team in the summer because of the player development opportunities and the fact that I'm not too concerned with winning. I can focus on working with players and helping them develop in a situation where the wins and losses ultimately don't mean that much.