MEMPHIS VS NASHVILLE

[AirForceOne]

A couple of ways to look at it. Either coach the same age each year, which trust me has it's advantage, or move up with the same team.

 

We are leaving for the Nike MDC, we should sit down in Kingsport and talk.

 

If you think you can make money off of a shoe co. forget it, it don't work that way.

 

You can get product to enhance your team.

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Yeah, there's a big mis-perception about the shoe company involvement.

 

BigY I'll touch base with you then with some others I know are interested.

[Blackburn]

OK AFO, so, by way of your example, coaches would convince their best players now at the 15U level to play with SE Elite for the next few years?

[Mr.B.com]

OK AFO, so, by way of your example, coaches would convince their best players now at the 15U level to play with SE Elite for the next few years?

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NO...EACH TEAM STAYS WITHIN THAT ORG.....FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE....THATS JUST ONE WAY OF DOING IT.......MYSELF AND AFO ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THIS ROLLING.....WE WILL BE PUTTING OUT INFO FOR ALL COACHES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS.......AFO I WILL BE BACK IN TOWN TOMORROW AND I WILL GIVE YOU A CALL........

[gomab2]

A fundamental mistake is being made here in this discussion...

 

The ultimate goal is to get kids exposure and provide them the opportunity to earn a full scholarship for college. All I have heard so far in this discussion is about winning, especially winning an AAU Nationals. But most of the teams on the "list" do not even travel to any National events. Many of the teams on the list played in an AAU event on Memorial day weekends, arguably the largest Event weekend in the Nation, with TOC, MDC, and Adidas Memorial Day, as well as the Indiana event...

 

I am not against combining talent to form a better team(s), but the first key is the Program the kids go to, especially once they reach 15:u. It has worked in Memphis, because kids are funnelled to the same Memphis YOMCA program after middle school, which happens to be a National program that plays in major events and helps kids get into school. What's the point of forming merely a talented team, when the program's priorities are in the wrong place?

 

If the goal is to put all of the best players on the same team, then why not start putting them back on the TN Travelers, which was the original "Super Team" east of Memphis??? Benson takes his teams to exposure events, does a great job of getting them in school, and runs his program the right way...

 

There are still so many egos involved. There are already elite Programs in the State, who both do things the right way as well as compete Nationally. Currently, there are Three Tennessee teams ranked in the Top 25 Summer Poll, and that doesn't even include Powers YOMCA and the Travelers. The programs are in place, and have a national name among college coaches as well. It makes the most sense to me when Coaches and elite players join in to these programs, which 1) helps the kids and 2) strengthens the top TN teams for National competition. Memphis Magic and Memphis YOMCA did this to great benefit of both, and ultimately the kids involved. And if you need more teams, create multiple strong teams within a program. Look at Tim Thomas Playaz organinzation and the Atlanta Celtics, two of the strongest programs in the country. Both often have multiple teams in each age group that are strong nationally...

 

There are a lot of good ideas among the posts in this thread. But egos ultimately will stand in the way from the right thing being done here in Middle TN. The Programs are in place in TN, the talent is there, and quality coaches are scattered throughout. Whatever avenue is taken, the kid's best interest must be put first in order for this to succeed.

[Mr.B.com]

A fundamental mistake is being made here in this discussion...

 

The ultimate goal is to get kids exposure and provide them the opportunity to earn a full scholarship for college. All I have heard so far in this discussion is about winning, especially winning an AAU Nationals. But most of the teams on the "list" do not even travel to any National events. Many of the teams on the list played in an AAU event on Memorial day weekends, arguably the largest Event weekend in the Nation, with TOC, MDC, and Adidas Memorial Day, as well as the Indiana event...

 

I am not against combining talent to form a better team(s), but the first key is the Program the kids go to, especially once they reach 15:u. It has worked in Memphis, because kids are funnelled to the same Memphis YOMCA program after middle school, which happens to be a National program that plays in major events and helps kids get into school. What's the point of forming merely a talented team, when the program's priorities are in the wrong place?

 

If the goal is to put all of the best players on the same team, then why not start putting them back on the TN Travelers, which was the original "Super Team" east of Memphis??? Benson takes his teams to exposure events, does a great job of getting them in school, and runs his program the right way...

 

There are still so many egos involved. There are already elite Programs in the State, who both do things the right way as well as compete Nationally. Currently, there are Three Tennessee teams ranked in the Top 25 Summer Poll, and that doesn't even include Powers YOMCA and the Travelers. The programs are in place, and have a national name among college coaches as well. It makes the most sense to me when Coaches and elite players join in to these programs, which 1) helps the kids and 2) strengthens the top TN teams for National competition. Memphis Magic and Memphis YOMCA did this to great benefit of both, and ultimately the kids involved. And if you need more teams, create multiple strong teams within a program. Look at Tim Thomas Playaz organinzation and the Atlanta Celtics, two of the strongest programs in the country. Both often have multiple teams in each age group that are strong nationally...

 

There are a lot of good ideas among the posts in this thread. But egos ultimately will stand in the way from the right thing being done here in Middle TN. The Programs are in place in TN, the talent is there, and quality coaches are scattered throughout. Whatever avenue is taken, the kid's best interest must be put first in order for this to succeed.

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WHY SEND THE PLAYERS FROM MIDDLE TN TO KNOXVILLE TO PLAY ON THE TRAVELERS......WHEN THERE SHOULD BE A TEAM OUT OF MIDDLE REPRESENTING THE TALENT FROM NASHVILLE AND SURROUNDING AREAS...NOTHING NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRAVELERS PROGRAM, THEY HAVE AN EXCELLENT ONE....BUT MIDDLE NEEDS TO STEP UP....JUST FROM STARTING THIS POST I'VE RECEIVED SO MANY CALLS FROM PLAYERS AND COACHES....PLAYERS DONT WANT TO PLAY WITH OTHER PLAYERS, DONT LIKE OTHER PLAYERS.. COACHES WHO DONT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN THINKING ITS A BAD THING....DONT LIKE OTHER COACHES....EVEN PARENTS WHO DONT WANT THEIR KIDS PLAYING WITH OTHER KIDS---ITS CRAZY....IF YOU WANT THE BEST FOR THE KIDS THIS IS ONE WAY HELPING THEM---HAY-- FROM WHAT I GET OUT OF ALL OF IT IS PLAYERS , COACHES,AND PARENTS OUT OF MIDDLE WILL NOT COME TOGETHER WHICH IS FINE..,LET BY-GONES BE BY-GONES.. THE PAST IS THE PAST ...NO NEED TO DWELL ON IT...I KNOW I COULD SAY SOMETHING THAT I HAVE HEARD ABOUT PLAYERS ABOUT COACHES EVEN PARENTS..SUCH AND SUCH DONE THIS SUCH AND SUCH DONE THAT....THIS PLAYER DONE THIS, THIS PLAYER SAID THAT ABOUT ME,, THIS PARENT DOES THIS, THIS PARENT TOLD ME THIS, THIS COACH SAID THIS, COACH SAID THAT....JUST LET IT GO...ALL THE PROGRAMS DOWN HERE ARE STILL GOING TO BE SPREAD OUT WITH THE TALENT----ANOTHER THING I REALIZED IS ALOT OF TEAMS USE THE NATIONALS AS A VACATION...ITS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN FOR THE KIDS DONT GET ME WRONG.....

BUT NOT A VACATION....THE GOAL FOR EVERYONE IS TO GET KIDS INTO SCHOOL....SO MIDDLE TN---LETS KEEP THIS TALENT SPREAD OUT AMONG TEAMS AROUND HERE AND BATTLE IT OUT IN THESE LITTLE TOURNEYS AROUND SO WE CAN SAY WE BEAT SUCH AND SUCH IN THE SUPER 6 TOURNEY..AND WHEN ITS TIME FOR STATE LET MEMPHIS AND THE TRAVELERS KEEP WINNING....AND THE ONES WHO MAKE IT TO THE NATIONALS GO AND HAVE A GOOD TIME..PLAY A COUPLE A GAMES, END UP IN THE CLASSIC, LOSE ONE AND COME ON BACK TO THE HOUSE...SORRY FOR BEING SO NEGATIVE...BUT I HEARD SOME WILD THINGS THIS PAST WEEK IN A HALF......PRAY FOR ME............

[AirForceOne]

WHY SEND THE PLAYERS FROM MIDDLE TN TO KNOXVILLE TO PLAY ON THE TRAVELERS......WHEN THERE SHOULD BE A TEAM OUT OF MIDDLE REPRESENTING THE TALENT FROM NASHVILLE AND SURROUNDING AREAS...NOTHING NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRAVELERS PROGRAM, THEY HAVE AN EXCELLENT ONE....BUT MIDDLE NEEDS TO STEP UP....JUST FROM STARTING THIS POST I'VE RECEIVED SO MANY CALLS FROM PLAYERS AND COACHES....PLAYERS DONT WANT TO PLAY WITH OTHER PLAYERS, DONT LIKE OTHER PLAYERS.. COACHES WHO DONT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN THINKING ITS A BAD THING....DONT LIKE OTHER COACHES....EVEN PARENTS WHO DONT WANT THEIR KIDS PLAYING WITH OTHER KIDS---ITS CRAZY....IF YOU WANT THE BEST FOR THE KIDS THIS IS ONE WAY HELPING THEM---HAY-- FROM WHAT I GET OUT OF ALL OF IT IS PLAYERS , COACHES,AND PARENTS OUT OF MIDDLE WILL NOT COME TOGETHER WHICH IS FINE..,LET BY-GONES BE BY-GONES.. THE PAST IS THE PAST ...NO NEED TO DWELL ON IT...I KNOW I COULD SAY SOMETHING THAT I HAVE HEARD ABOUT PLAYERS ABOUT COACHES EVEN PARENTS..SUCH AND SUCH DONE THIS SUCH AND SUCH DONE THAT....THIS PLAYER DONE THIS, THIS PLAYER SAID THAT ABOUT ME,,  THIS PARENT DOES THIS,  THIS PARENT TOLD ME THIS, THIS COACH SAID THIS, COACH SAID THAT....JUST LET IT GO...ALL THE PROGRAMS DOWN HERE ARE STILL GOING TO BE SPREAD OUT WITH THE TALENT----ANOTHER THING I REALIZED IS ALOT OF TEAMS USE THE NATIONALS AS A VACATION...ITS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN FOR THE KIDS DONT GET ME WRONG.....

BUT NOT A VACATION....THE GOAL  FOR EVERYONE IS TO GET KIDS INTO SCHOOL....SO MIDDLE TN---LETS KEEP THIS TALENT SPREAD OUT AMONG TEAMS AROUND HERE AND BATTLE IT OUT IN THESE LITTLE TOURNEYS AROUND SO WE CAN SAY WE BEAT SUCH AND SUCH IN THE SUPER 6 TOURNEY..AND WHEN ITS TIME FOR STATE LET MEMPHIS AND THE TRAVELERS KEEP WINNING....AND THE ONES WHO MAKE IT TO THE NATIONALS GO AND HAVE A GOOD TIME..PLAY A COUPLE A GAMES, END UP IN THE CLASSIC,  LOSE ONE AND COME ON BACK TO THE HOUSE...SORRY FOR BEING SO NEGATIVE...BUT I HEARD SOME WILD THINGS THIS PAST WEEK IN A HALF......PRAY FOR ME............

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I feel ya Mr.B, that's why I quit commenting on this topic. It doesn't appear Middle TN is interested. The Southeast Elite 17U team has 8 Division-1 signees/prospects. If you can get some top area players on one team and get deep enough into a big time tournament you might get lucky enough for some college coaching staffs to come and check out your games and gain some interest in several players. So many teams enter big time tournaments that major coaching staff can't come to every game, especially pool play, but if you get into the final 16 or so, coaches can come to one gym, see 3 or 4 games and walk away with a good number of boys to get on their radar. If you think you can enter a team into a big time tournament and play a couple of pool games and get your players some exposure, you're kidding yourself. You've got to get a lot deeper than that.

[Mr.B.com]

I feel ya Mr.B, that's why I quit commenting on this topic.  It doesn't appear Middle TN is interested.  The Southeast Elite 17U team has 8 Division-1 signees/prospects.  If you can get some top area players on one team and get deep enough into a big time tournament you might get lucky enough for some college coaching staffs to come and check out your games and gain some interest in several players.  So many teams enter big time tournaments that major coaching staff can't come to every game, especially pool play, but if you get into the final 16 or so, coaches can come to one gym, see 3 or 4 games and walk away with a good number of boys to get on their radar.  If you think you can enter a team into a big time tournament and play a couple of pool games and get your players some exposure, you're kidding yourself.  You've got to get a lot deeper than that.

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THATS THE KEY RIGHT THERE...GETTING DEEP ENOUGH IN THE NATIONALS...ALOT OF COACHES THINK IF YOU MAKE IT THERE THE KIDS ARE GOING TO GET EXPOSURE...ONLY IF YOUR PLAYING AGAINST SOME TEAM THAT A COACH IS WATCHING ANOTHER PLAYER ON THAT TEAM YOUR PLAYING IN THE EARLY ROUNDS OF THE NATIONALS....ESPECIALLY POOL PLAY...YOUR NOT GOING TO BE SEEN.....ITS POSSIBLE, BUT NOT LIKELY....ONLY IN THE LATER ROUNDS OF THE NATIONALS WILL YOU GET NOTICED......AFO-- MAYBEE IT MIGHT CHANGE.....

[gomab2]

AFO, but SE Elite doesn't have one 17:u player from TN. In addition, the NCAA has already had it's run ins with the organization. That's where I agree with Mr. B, that Middle TN needs to step up in the right direction and build a program that competes Nationally, gets kids in school, and does things the right way. The Travelers, though out of the "East", did this for top Middle Tn kids for years. I came in attempting to keep kids in Middle Tn (thus the program name "Midstate", but ran into many of the same problems that you apparently already have. Some kids wanted to stay with the Travs, some wanted to stay with their local teams, etc...

 

So I had to go West to get players that were thankful for the opportunity to play their way into scholarships. Kids in the west don't have the same level of egos as many of the Nashville kids have. Kids in Nashville, Middle Tn, etc feel they have so many options in AAU teams that they feel 'too wanted' and too important, if that makes any sense...

 

That being said, we currently have Four Division 1 players from Middle TN on our 17:u Elite roster, and a few more D-1 prospects on our Select roster. We have a number on our 16's as well... We could have had even more on our 15's-17's, but, again, kids wanted to stay spread out...

 

Again, the talent is in Tennessee, but my main point is that the Programs are already in place as well for kids and other talented coaches to become a part of. There is not the urgent need for a "super team" when there are already Super Programs that kids can either choose to play for or not...

[GoldBolt]

AFO, but SE Elite doesn't have one 17:u player from TN. In addition, the NCAA has already had it's run ins with the organization.

 

gomab2,

 

What run ins with the SE Elite organization? Maybe I miss something, but that is the first time I have heard of this. Could you explain please?

[AirForceOne]

AFO, but SE Elite doesn't have one 17:u player from TN. In addition, the NCAA has already had it's run ins with the organization. That's where I agree with Mr. B, that Middle TN needs to step up in the right direction and build a program that competes Nationally, gets kids in school, and does things the right way. The Travelers, though out of the "East", did this for top Middle Tn kids for years. I came in attempting to keep kids in Middle Tn (thus the program name "Midstate", but ran into many of the same problems that you apparently already have. Some kids wanted to stay with the Travs, some wanted to stay with their local teams, etc...

 

So I had to go West to get players that were thankful for the opportunity to play their way into scholarships. Kids in the west don't have the same level of egos as many of the Nashville kids have. Kids in Nashville, Middle Tn, etc feel they have so many options in AAU teams that they feel 'too wanted' and too important, if that makes any sense...

 

That being said, we currently have Four Division 1 players from Middle TN on our 17:u Elite roster, and a few more D-1 prospects on our Select roster. We have a number on our 16's as well... We could have had even more on our 15's-17's, but, again, kids wanted to stay spread out...

 

Again, the talent is in Tennessee, but my main point is that the Programs are already in place as well for kids and other talented coaches to become a part of. There is not the urgent need for a "super team" when there are already Super Programs that kids can either choose to play for or not...

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You are quite right Gomab the SE Elite 17U is not built on TN players, but the 15U and the 14U certainly are. The NCAA has had their run in with maybe one individual in the SE Elite 17U program in which no sanctions or concrete infractions that I know of were brought forth. Had that been the case the 17U more than likely would not have seen the success this year in the number of players headed to D-I programs. Aside from the 17U, the 15U and 14U have certainly tried to build a program based around middle TN players and is trying to continually build from there. There have been a lot of accusations in the past around the TN Travelers program as well, yet they've has some success in getting some individuals the needed exposure and get some of those players into good colleges. I guess bottom line, just as you have tried to do in your program, the same attempt is trying to be made by other organizations in middle tn, but to little avail, because the individuals at the top of the programs are miles apart in being on the same page. I certainly respect what you and your program has done in trying to realize this vision, maybe you can help open some eyes.

[GoldBolt]

AFO, In what capacity do you serve in the SE Elite organization. Are you the head person, if not who is?

Edited June 1, 2005 by GoldBolt

[btexpress]

SE Elite 17u has two players from Tennessee Tyler Smith and Brandon Brown.

Edited June 1, 2005 by btexpress