Mini Golf Maniacs

Posted by salsabilahanun | February 8th, 2010

The landscape of high school basketball is changing. The up and coming power is AAU basketball. Why do I say this? Because it’s true. High school basketball is not the same anymore. It use to be a big deal to play on your high school team but that time is over. AAU basketball offers more to the student athlete than just being on the high school basketball team. AAU basketball programs run like small corporations. These programs have presidents, treasurers, trainers, and many coaches. They raise money for their programs and do a great job with recruiting.



All of these programs are non-profit and bring in many donations. The part of AAU basketball that I can see that’s fun for the players is the traveling. Many of the programs are going to tournaments all over the country and players are staying at hotels, eating at good restaurants all the time and are doing things kids like to do. AAU basketball is fun and there’s more parental involvement.

The AAU players have greater advantages that high school teams don’t. During your high school season you play 20 or so games with teams in your community which means you get on the school bus and travel to another school to play. There are no hotels or places to eat after the game like you would get during the AAU season and there is no travel.

During the AAU season you have a different coach and sometimes and entirely different group of coaches. Other major advantages I see are recruiting good players to the AAU program whereas in high school, you’re stuck with the players who go to that school.

Recruiting is a big deal these days. College coaches want to see as many players in one place, at one time and you can’t really do that during the high school basketball season.

At some of the AAU events there are hundreds of teams with thousands of players. It would make sense for college recruiters to attend because it’s much easier to see all of the good players in one place. College coaches can see these players play many games during the length of a tournament and it is a great advantage to the players of these AAU basketball programs.

AAU basketball players can play 40 to 50 games and there are many other perks that go along with that such as, players receiving free shoes and new uniforms. In high school, you are stuck with same old outdated jersey that’s been worn a million times by many other players.

AAU programs also have power. When it comes to recruiting they have the most talented teams and players and college recruiters want to get to know these AAU coaches. College coaches can only get to these players by going through the AAU coaches. I’ve heard that some AAU coaches will say things like, “if you make a donation of $10,000 you can have access to my players”. Now keep in mind, this is not illegal. AAU programs are non-profit and have to raise money somehow. College programs do make these types of donations and it’s all good for everyone.

Back in the day and not that long ago, some high school coaches would try to ruin a high student athlete’s chances of getting recruited for college but with the power of AAU basketball, you can’t get over on players any more. The players now have more options and there’s nothing wrong with options.

The things that I’m hearing and seeing with AAU basketball is that some major college recruits are bypassing the high school basketball season altogether. If it’s about recruiting and being seen then all you would have to do is only play AAU basketball. By only playing AAU basketball, you can still been seen by a greater number of college coaches and I think it would be a better advantage to play AAU basketball. The only downside I can really see is if you are an average basketball player and are not on a good AAU basketball program. Then, you would need the high school basketball season.

To be recruited in high school it would help if your team played in the state tournament every year. College programs would come and see the players playing–all in one place. That still goes on but the value is not so important any more. Not every team makes it to the state tournament and good players sometimes get overlooked. But if you are lucky enough to be on a good AAU team, then you will be seen by a large number of coaches.

Think about this: some smaller college programs who don’t have the big recruiting budgets have to pick which events to attend each year. These smaller college programs must spend their money wisely so, to attend a large AAU basketball tournament would be in that college’s best interest. College programs don’t need to attend the high school basketball games anymore because they’re only going to see one good player–maybe. College coaches are funny about how they recruit players and they’re not coming just to see one player anymore. AAU basketball offers more. It’s like one-stop shopping–get it all and see it all in one place.

I don’t know if the coaching is any diffident or better with AAU basketball versus high school coaching. It may be about the same because a lot of high school coaches are AAU basketball coaches. What I do see is the AAU coaches having more time to put into their own programs and players. Also, many AAU coaches don’t have to deal with the high school BS from school administrators and athletic directors. AAU coaches can bypass many restrictions that are placed on high school coaches.

Yes, being an AAU basketball coach has its many advantages. Being an AAU coach, you can build the program how you want and pick or recruit the players you want now. High school coaches are teachers and do not have the time to fully help their own players with recruiting.

There will come a time when AAU basketball is more powerful than high school basketball. In the future, you will see more AAU basketball events on T.V. Some AAU programs will even start their own television network and maybe run their own programming on the Internet.

AAU basketball is what’s happening now! I love AAU basketball!

www.woodsrecruiting.com

© 2007 Al Woods

Tags: Basketball Programs, College Recruiters, Love Basketball, School Basketball Team

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Posted by salsabilahanun | February 7th, 2010

I believe the popular saying goes something like “two things that are guaranteed in life are death and taxes”. I suppose you can’t really argue with that statement and I must admit that when I am feeling a little despondent about the world such a phrase inevitably comes to mind. Then I think to myself hang on, there are a lot of positive things happening as well so like the title of one of my favourite Elvis Costello albums we should all “Get Happy” once in a while.

Let’s face it there is nothing better than a little of bit of harmless escapism to distract us from the seemingly constant barrage of depressing news from around the world, the recent situation in Georgia for instance to name but one. It’s as if there is a happy/sad balance in operation and nowhere reinforces this more than when you switch on the TV news.

Despite talks of a recession in the UK which now seems inevitable and the strong likelihood of a change in government at the next election for better or worse, there is a tangible wave of euphoria sweeping the nation in response to team GB’s incredible success in the Beijing Olympic Games. This seems to have temporarily distracted us all in the UK from yet another dismal summer and the fact that we didn’t make it into the European Football Championships. I doubt this ‘feel good’ factor will last very long as everyone is worried about the cost of living and falling house prices but we can all enjoy the moment while it lasts.

I am always amazed at my young daughter’s ability to change her moods in an instant. One minute she will be screaming her head off over a seemingly minor problem mainly not being able to open the food cupboard and grab a handful of rice cakes. When she occasionally manages to do this she triumphantly waves them like a trophy and shares her spoils with Ozzy our nutty sheepdog. If she doesn’t manage it she likes to throw herself on the floor dramatically but then a few minutes later all is forgotten and she is off to pursue some other activity which usually involves hiding my car keys.

I wish I was as easy to please as her. I’ve just successfully managed to book my car into the garage after several attempts so it can have its annual MOT test which was a weight off my mind but then I thought that’s going to cost me £50 and the car won’t be any different when I collect it.

I enjoy having some kind of project to work at and my latest one has been to research buying a new car. It’s amazing how your priorities change as you get older. There was a time when all I was interested in was how fast it would go and how big are the alloy wheels and most importantly did it have a stereo capable of making your ears bleed.

When you pass your driving test there is the inevitable question of affordability with your first car and to that end my first car was a VW Polo 1.0. I remember every detail about that car and especially the fact that it was red and due to the previous owner’s laziness they had never polished it so every panel was a different shade of red and the roof was practically pink.

Then when I reached the insurance milestone of 25 I was able to afford a very nice Golf GTi. I would spend every waking hour polishing it and would park in the remotest part of a car park to avoid parking dents only to return to find someone trying to steal parts of it (you can’t win).

Now look at me in my later years researching a VW Touran and trying to work out if we can fit numerous pushchairs and baby seats and god knows what into it. Maybe if we get one I’ll attempt to recreate my youth and put 18″ wheels on it as a final gesture of defiance! Perhaps when I retire VW will have created something to spend my final years zooming around the supermarket car park in.

Tags: Elvis Costello, Euphoria, Food Cupboard, Olympic Games

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Posted by salsabilahanun | January 30th, 2010

BREAKING THE TRANCE ON GOLF:

Have you ever choked on a short putt that meant so much to you? You wonder how that can happen. So many long putts roll right into the cup when you’ve been playing so badly that you no longer care about the score. And then when you’re having a really good game, in the lead perhaps, you miss the shortest easiest ones. The reason is quite simple. You knew the important putt wouldn’t go in before you even took the putter out of your bag. This is where using hypnosis to improve your golf comes in. Hypnosis will not help you learn the proper mechanics of the swing. What it will do is help you to transfer that knowledge from your head into your body. Hypnosis will help improve your golf game in the area most golfers struggle with, the mind. Using hypnosis to improve your game can turn out to be the most crucial way to lower your score. Your customized hypnotherapy treatment plan can deal with your individual struggles and limitations.

I went through a period where I just couldn’t pitch near the green if my life depended on it. I would try to hit down on the ball, accelerating through the swing visualizing the ball making a beautiful arch and landing right near the pin the way I had been taught. Yet I would decelerate with fear instead of accelerating with confidence and then I’d watch my ball soar way past the green. At the end of one such frustrating game, while walking back to the clubhouse, I came across stray balls from the driving range. I casually hit one back to the range using my wedge. I was probably thinking to myself, “This one will be perfect now because it doesn’t count.” Sure enough I hit a beautiful pitch. It made a perfect arch and landed right where I aimed. I walked from stray ball to stray ball placing them all perfectly back onto the driving range making beautiful shots. And all with my pitching wedge of all clubs!” My hypnotist would be the first to tell you that my body clearly heard the part of my thought that said, “…this one will be perfect now because…” Yes, I was so certain I even had a reason.

I remember once reading that Marlene Floyd said that one of the differences with an average player and an excellent player was that the average player looks at the green and thinks “I’ll be happy to see this one land anywhere on that green.” And then it does…. land anywhere on that green. The excellent player thinks “This one is going to land right next to the pin.” And it also does, land right next to the pin. Most great players are aware of how important thought processes are when playing such a psychological game as golf. But people are only just now becoming aware of the extent to which they can learn to manipulate their own thoughts using hypnosis thereby lowering their golf score.

The reason that hypnosis actually works to improve your golf game is because it deals with the psychological aspects of the game. A qualified hypnotist can teach you how to control your thoughts, stay focused and not sabotage your own game. A regular golf teacher can only teach your mind what your body must do. But it is the hypnotist who works with you to improve your game who can teach you how to transfer that knowledge right into your body. Your mind needs to be in tune with what you are trying to do. While some people will blame the clubs and invest in new expensive clubs, it is those investing in hypnosis to improve their game that are finding the key, that vital and fundamental way to lowering their score.

Tags: Clubhouse, Golf Game, Proper Mechanics, Swing

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