Nike Skills

[glenn]

We heard a lot of comments at each of the six sites and want to invite you to comment here if you, your daughter or your player participated. What did you like or not like? What else could have or should have been included? If you participated in a previous skills academy, how was this different?

[intelligenthoodlum]

Your man the IH was in attendance at the Nike Skills Camp at Rutgers Prep, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
The IH felt that there were probably a few too many girls at this particular Skills Camp--there were about 92/94 girls, by my unofficial count; as opposed to the prescribed 80 girls.

And to this observer and evaluator--as well as club coach with players in the building--the difference was definitely noticeable in the drill sessions, and during the games.

Of course, we all have been so impressed over the last few years with the exploits of Gannon Baker; and his absence this past weekend from 5 of the 6 Skills Camps was more than apparent.
In his absence, however, all of the trainers still put in real work of value; but the ENERGY level that Gannon always brings to ANY event just wasn't there.

The IH must note, at this point, that in the absence of that Gannon energy, the extra number of girls at the Rutgers Prep Camp--most of who already knew each other, on that congested Northeast basketball circuit from NY/NJ/Philly/Balt/DC--definitely gave this Camp the vibe of a basketball party! Especially when the competitiveness of the game competition kicked in downstairs on Sunday morning!

There was a stretch on Sunday morning downstairs (and a little bit Sunday afternoon, downstairs) where there were about 30-40 girls from about 5-10 to about 6-4 in height where real work and real headcracking was going on--and every one of the trainers (especially the old-head veterans) were super-hyped. This was by far the best comprehensive work and competition all-day AND EVALUATION OPPORTUNITIES, BY THE WAY, (and, for what it was worth, the closest thing, in spirit, to the Gannon Baker vibe...).

Having said all of this, obviously, the 40 number of previous years is much better than the 80 number; BUT if you're going to do the 80 number FOR BUSINESS AND POLITICAL REASONS, than it can be done if you're going to have Gannon AND a real training staff for him to manage the 80 girls.
Your man the IH suggested this weekend in conference at Rutgers Prep that doing six Camps at the same time is completely illogical and makes zero sense. Go back to the old days and do six camps in consecutive weekends--featuring Gannon--like the "old" days, where the girls showed up on a Friday evening, to start grinding each other out, with a full day Saturday, and wrap up on a Sunday early afternoon.
THIS way, the event would be truly meaningful for the girls--skill-wise AND game-competition-wise. Let the IH also include that this thing would also probably work best with some sort of non-partisan or limited-partisan agenda going on...

But sports fans, the IH does think that 480 girls, across six regions, IS doable--between the spring-evaluation weekend and the college team-camp weekends--as long as the IH's man Gannon and his staff is running thangz...

[intelligenthoodlum]

By the way, discriminating sports fans, your man the IH got a real kick out of hanging out with the CELEBRITY VIBES all weekend at the Nike Regional Skills Camp at Rutgers Prep.
It's been quite some time, and in a completely different arena, when there were so many girls, club/school coaches, trainers, scouts/pundits, administrators, general managers, and PARENTS on celebrity status all at the same time, at the same event!
The IH must admit to being highly invigorated, being in his element, on hang-out-and-relax-mode, with his man, one of the parents, all weekend, with real work and competition going on, too...
And several males in this business, acting like females all weekend, in fake business mode, in the building, too, sports fans--one of the costs of doing real business, no doubt...

[intelligenthoodlum]

So sports fans, we're talking about New Brunswick, N.J.; Atlanta, Ga.; Houston, Tx.; Chicago, Il.; Seattle, Wa.; and Los Angeles, Ca.
That's six regions, with 80 girls each, to be represented.
The congestion of the East Coast can be easily dealt with between the A-T-L and the NYC/Philly nexus.
Between Chi-town and Houston you have proper coverage of the upper and lower Midwest action.
With L.A. you have coverage of all that West/Southwest action; and with Seattle you're straight with the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain action.

So that's proper coverage, WE THINK, for 480 girls; primarily freshmen and sophomores, with a smattering of eighth-graders who actually can play, and enough juniors to keep the proper vibes flowing.

As a scout and pundit, the IH would love to hang out over six consecutive weekends and watch 80 girls at a clip do real skill work and compete against each other with minimum intrigue and drama, and partisan-less agendas--primarily freshmen and sophomores...

[dtrain34]

There were about 60-65 girls in OC instead of the 80 IH describes being in Jersey. I think likely because the area was so wide geographically (Alaska, Montana, Utah, Washington, Idaho and Oregon) that some kids just couldn't make the trip, though the same number were likely invited.

Some of the same vibe in terms of kids who already knew each other going at it... there were seven kids from the Seattle area and they piled their bags in the same area on the sidelines and clustered during breaks.

Although the girls were shown some valuable individual drills to take home, maybe a bit too much time was spent on the mass one-girl, one-ball drills at the outset of some of the sessions. The competitive level was pretty high and the chance to do as many "vs." drills as possible to take advantage of that would've been welcome, but that's not a big quibble.

I did get feedback that it wasn't as intense as some players expected -- but although I have never met the man, I did see a camp run by one of his proteges last summer and there are apparently few Ganon Bakers or his ilk to ramrod two days of all-out hoops. Not to say the coaches weren't intense and enthusiastic, they were. Just not extraordinarly so. What was interesting was that, in Oregon City High School's main gym the only spectator area was fairly high up from the floor. From there, the drills didn't seem incredibly competitive, but when the group was split and you watched them from ground level in one of the side gyms the reality was very different:

There was abundant talent, good size, intensity on the part of almost all the girls. Stronger competition than any see in high school and more than most will see in a typical AAU tournament, which I assume is the point of the "Academy." That goal was very much delivered upon.

There was a bit of the celebrity thing going on as well, but not so much with the up-and-coming stars. There were the offspring of a few well-known personalities on hand and the sight of a legendary Hall of Famer strolling from gym-to-gym in jeans and a windbreaker, for the most part being left alone by others to just be dad was nice to see.

I wouldn't say it was the camp to end all camps, but it was unquestionably worthwhile. The biggest parental "complaint" in Oregon City was the NCAA rule mandating that the girls return the plain blue shorts they had been provided to wear during the event. A bit of discussion on how significantly a $15 chunk of synthetics distributed by a shoe company was going to sway a kid's ultimate college decision. There must have been a slow day in Indianapolis a while back when the Enforcement Division came up with that interpretation :rolleyes: .

All in all though, I'd say it was a valuable experience for the attendees.

[Coach Hart]

As a HS coach and a skill development trainer that is certified by Ganon, has worked with him and been a GM for his company I do understand how it is hard to match his enthusiasm and his intensity. I do think it can and has been done but I also believe that many of the trainers at these events aren't in it for the right reasons. I think you have to invest in the kids as people then as players. I think if you attack from the stand point of, "you have to reach them before you can teach them" then you'll have a much better success rate. I know there are some in the business that just really want to make a name for themselves and aren't really in it for what the young ladies can get out of it. It's more for the show.

With that being said, I do think there are some trainers out there that can reach those young ladies and also provide the right type of drills and skills that are necessary for them to reach and stay at a competitve level throughout the duration of the two days. I do believe that dtrain mentioning the mass one-ball, one-girl drills and how they can be mundane has an effect. I also believe you have to hit those skills but you can do it in competitive situations. I do many of those same drills in my high school practices but modify them so they involve the team and make it competitive so the intensity stays high. I think the same should apply at these clinics.

Bottom line, you have to have a passion to teach and a passion to reach kids before it will translate over to the court and instruction and coaching. I believe there are some highly qualified individuals that can do that but for whatever reasons are not involved in the clinics.

[intelligenthoodlum]

By the way, sports fans, special shouts out to some of the 2012-class girls who did nice first-time Skills Academy work up at Rutgers Prep:

Lanay Montgomery, 6-4, Academy of the Holy Cross/Kensington, Maryland;

Dionna Joynes, 6-3, Bishop McNamara/Forestville, Maryland;

Diana Logan, 5-11, Riverdale Baptist/Upper Marlboro, Maryland;

Jade Clark, 5-11, St. John's College/Washington, D.C.;

Jennie Simms, 6-0, Riverdale Baptist/Upper Marlboro, Maryland;

and also to the 2013-class girls who did nice first-time Skills Academy work as well;

Jannah Tucker, 6-0, Western/Baltimore, Maryland;

Tyshell King, 5-11, St. Frances Academy/Baltimore, Maryland;

Taylor McCauley, 5-10, Academy of the Holy Cross/Kensington, Maryland;

Lindsay Allen, 5-7, St. John's College/Washington, D.C.

Without question, the DMV is still like that--and still represents IN PUBLIC!

[no1else]

Ganon led the two day session in Orange County. He and his very capable band of coaches kept the girls attention on high alert and the level of effort on full throttle.

76 girls attended from Arizona, California (North & South) and Hawaii. Yes it was a lot, but the facilities could handle it well, it was very well organized, and nobody was ever left standing around doing nothing. If they ever did, they were called out. Most of the girls were there at least 30 minutes before the sessions started working on their games and the coaches were out on the floor helping them. The personal touch was there for the asking.

I liked the new expanded version. There already is a program for identifying the best of the best and that is the USA basketball camp and tryouts. I believe the goal of the skills academy is different; to touch more than just the Elite. To get close to 80 girls at each venue is a cultivation of the game. One weekend of drills will not change a players skill level that dramatically. That happens when they go home and practice what they've learned. But getting the message of intensity, passion and love for the game and providing some tools at the same time to twice as many girls as last year is where the real accomplishment was made. Congratulations and thank you to Nike for making it possible.

[pgcop]

I spent 3/4 of a day at NSA in NJ on Saturday and most of the day on Sunday What I noticed was a lot of talented kids, I didn't like the arraingement, with half upstairs and half downstairs. I also didn't like that the venue had no air condition, at one point on Saturday the temperature reached 106 in the gym and I went home shortly after. Saturdays sessions seemed basic, a lot of stretching, a lot of breaks, a lot of layup drills and a little scrimaging. Downstairs wasn't as hot as upstairs but still it was hot. Since I now live in Secaucus, it wasn't a hard drive glad they moved from Philly but choose another venue or turn on the a/c.

Note to the IH per your post, 2013 Jannah Tucker did not participate, also I did not see you there at all on day one, what's the deal?

[intelligenthoodlum]

I spent 3/4 of a day at NSA in NJ on Saturday and most of the day on Sunday What I noticed was a lot of talented kids, I didn't like the arraingement, with half upstairs and half downstairs. I also didn't like that the venue had no air condition, at one point on Saturday the temperature reached 106 in the gym and I went home shortly after. Saturdays sessions seemed basic, a lot of stretching, a lot of breaks, a lot of layup drills and a little scrimaging. Downstairs wasn't as hot as upstairs but still it was hot. Since I now live in Secaucus, it wasn't a hard drive glad they moved from Philly but choose another venue or turn on the a/c.

Note to the IH per your post, 2013 Jannah Tucker did not participate, also I did not see you there at all on day one, what's the deal?

How about the basketball version of fashionably late!

The IH's bad; the IH didn't roll up in the building until the end of day one--during celebrity happy-hour!
Which is why the IH didn't realize that Miss Jannah wasn't there. But, of course, the rest of the DMV was represented well!

So, where you been, man. Your man the IH misses you, for real. Easpecially with this new breed of heathen out and about...

Secaucus? What's up with that?

[bbhcky4]

From the OC Ganon was said to be his usual great self but even he was heard commenting that there were too many kids. Some kids didn't touch the ball in the scrimmages due to the number of teams and limited time. The skills info was great but not enough balls or time to practice them.

[pgcop]

Actually IH the site was down or I couldn't get on it for about 2 months, then I got this new gig I kind of lost touch with gbb, especially in that area. Here not much going on I have been following boys. But I wanted to come and see Benjanay Laney, I'm sure the spelling is wrong, but I've been hearing a lot about her.

[no1else]

Glen - were you at the Nike skills academy in the NW and can you offer up your own review of the event plus identify any standout players? I saw Mark at the camp in the OC and was hoping he would do likewise.