AAU Basketball Starting Now as Teams Are Forming

From the early 70’s until the early b90’s there was very little if any post season basketball for high school, middle school or grade school players

It was back then in the  early 90’s that Tom Noelette and Carl Parker started AAU Basketball in Maine. Since that time it has really grown into a March, April, May, June and July spring/summer basketball program and a September, October and November Fall Program

There are now several groups offering much the same AAU programs. There is MBR, MB Nation, MAC and Maine Hoops all  offering basketball for grade school, middle school and high school players.

Many hold tryouts, organize teams, hold practices and have the options of playing  games on every weekend  (Saturday and Sundays) from the middle of March until the middle of July

The level of basketball in most cases is better then the local grade, middle or high school basketball because they are all-star teams made up of the better players. The coaching is done by none high school coaches (hoever they can coach the middle school and below levels as they are not MPA Connected during the regular MPA High School Season.

AAU basketball has several advantages over MPA Bsketball becauseof the following reasons:

1. There is much better discipline

2. There is little if any parent interference

3. Players are playing with better players and against better competition and that is how you really improve

4. There is good coaching, average coaching and poor coaching in AAU just like there is in High School Basketball

5. I have had high school players that I coached participate in AAU Basketball and I sw it as a positive, I always told my players when summer basketball came around and there was a conflict between AAU games or ptractices in the summer with our summer program they were to go to the AAU Event.

This way I had the best of two worlds in summer basketball. My better players were improving more by playing against better cmpetition then our summer program provided and with those better players gone it gave other players a chance to get more playing time and experience without having to rely on our better players in games.

Having reffed many AAU, MBR, MB Nation, Maine Hoops and Maine Athletric Club games and the state AAU Tournament games I can tell you that the level of play is better then the regular season high school play because of the competition of playing with and against better players.

If you are a real basketball junkie and are having basketball withdrawal between now and summer high school basketball then take in some AAU games this spring and summer on weekends and especially the state AAU Tournament in May when teams qualify for the and you will be pleasantly surprised at the level of play. 

 

 

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