Playing Travel/club to make the school teams pay off?

[Anonymous]

Do all kids who play travel or club basketball end up making their middle or high school teams? I know many have been training for years to prepare, but does it ever happen that a player still doesn’t make the school team despite all the effort they’ve put in? Interested in basketball specifically. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

If you're a top 7 player in a travel/select basketball team, you'll have a high chance to play at least 1 year in HS.

[Anonymous]

No, not all students who play aau basketball make their school team.

We know a really good aau player where after games, some coaches or referees talks to their family about joining their team. But they didn't make their school team.

And we know a player who claims they don't really play basketball but does play another sport at a higher level, make every basketball team they try out for. Include their school. I say claim because sometimes I see them do something that makes me think that they really do know how to play basketball but are trying to be modest or whatever. But then they actually don't know the rules of the game and travels/double dribbles a lot.

There's a lot more to it than just joining a team and hoping that it will give the experience needed. You have to see how/if they're developing, their drive, mentality, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, not all students who play aau basketball make their school team.

We know a really good aau player where after games, some coaches or referees talks to their family about joining their team. But they didn't make their school team.

And we know a player who claims they don't really play basketball but does play another sport at a higher level, make every basketball team they try out for. Include their school. I say claim because sometimes I see them do something that makes me think that they really do know how to play basketball but are trying to be modest or whatever. But then they actually don't know the rules of the game and travels/double dribbles a lot.

There's a lot more to it than just joining a team and hoping that it will give the experience needed. You have to see how/if they're developing, their drive, mentality, etc.

Also I checked in about that player that used to get recruited by other aau teams but didn't make their school team that year.

That player did make their school team the following year and has made it every year since.

But that's just an example of how no matter how good a player may be, they may somehow get overlooked during tryouts.

And just like other sports, it's just a matter of volume. Yearround and travel/aau is a big thing now and often pushed by organizations and coaches. So you have to assume a good number of players showing up for tryouts have aau/travel experience and there won't be enough spots for all of them.

It's not necessarily a requirement to make a team. But it does make it harder if players hasn't played at the same level as other players have. And it's also not a guarantee that a player will make a team just because they've been playing aau/travel.

[Anonymous]

Making teams is extremely dependent on the school. At my son’s school, 100 kids showed up from freshman team tryouts, and dozens of kids who played travel ball got cut. If tryouts are the first the coach is seeing your kid, it will be tough if they aren’t 6’6”+ and a freak athlete. Kids need to be going to open gyms and they need to play in summer league before their freshman year.