PYB or Professional Youth Basketball

I got a message from a coach yesterday and he emphasized that youth should stsrt playing AAU ball in the 9th grade. I agree with his statement. I see too many youth playing 8th grade and below without the proper footwork or mechanics to make it to the next level. The culture of youth basketball today premeates a professional atmosphere that includes travel by plane to tournaments and living in nice hotels, just as professional teams do nowadays.

I see parents sticking their kids into AAU just because thats the thing to do now. But this same kid cannot dribble around a defensive player to create space, because he hasn't the basketball saavy. I am a firm believer that most kids playing AAU or select basketball are what I term "surburban players." Kids who have parents who can afford to 'sponsor" their kids to play. I think the true players are kids who are from singe-parent homes and live in non- surburban neighborhoods. Those kids are hungrier and playing regular in the local parks and rec centers. Playing 3v3 and getting in the required "reps" to become better. Think about this: Watch an AAU game and concentrate on the weaker players. Count how times they shoot or handle the ball ti use their footwork versus them playing 2v2 or 3v3. They would get more reps playing at a local park.