A parent asked me over the weekend "When does the Select Nation takes a break or when is the off season?". I replied, "There is no break, no off season, that we cannot afford to take a break in serving our children". "Yes, we are tired but we must keep keeping on".
This is the last month of the 2013-2014 AAU season and our teams are still playing in tournaments, participating in 'Life Skills" events, holding "End of Season" banquets and planning for the new season. One team has already selected and plan to order uniforms for the new season. A few teams are organizing to participate in Fall and Winter leagues. And of course, our Skills Development camp begins the first Sunday after Labor Day. Yes, there is no off-season for the Select Nation.
With that said I encourage all teams, not just a few, to keep up the pace. One coach told me that a parent from another Select team asked him "Why her Select team was not doing what his team was doing?" He told her that each Select team was mandated to do certain required actions to include the Life Skills elements of our program. That the Executive group gave the responsibility to implement to each head coach. And that each head coach is given the opportunity to plan and implement his own program. However, the problem that we are facing is that some head coaches are doing more than required, others are doing the required tasks and a few of you are not doing anything at all. It is that last group that need to pick up the pace or find another youth basketball program. That's just Select business. Nothing personal.
Overall, the Executive committee is pleased with the progress we have made and making this year. Again, we can say this his our best year ever. 118% above our "Trophy Count" goal, Numerous student athletes receiving scholarship offers and most of our older teams participated in Showcase and Exposure tournaments. That is what it is all about.
Kudos to Coach Glenn and his Mighty 10th Grade PRO team. This first year team played one of the most demanding schedule this year for a newly formed team. They were the first Select team that played in the active AAU/YBOA season and are now still playing. They earned their first trophy last weekend in the Tournament R Us "2K14Best of the South" National tournament. A long time coming but they are on the trophy list.
Kudos to Coach Gates and his Mighty 11th Grade BLACK team. Coach Gates main mission is to provide a tool for many of our student athletes from under served communities to display and exposed their basketball talents. His team keep on winning championships, three in a row with a total of seven for the season. Several of his players have received scholarship offers for the Fall. read more about Coach Gates on our web site posting from last Fall.
The "Trophy Count" is now 118. Only two short of our revised goal of 120. Think we can make it? A few team must continue to play and win during the next 4 weekends. Let's get it On!
Coach McCrae - 6th Grade Lady Select RED - 12
Coach Baskerville – 2nd Grade SILVER - 8
Coach Lawson - 5th Grade RED - 7
Coach Burks - 5th Grade PRIME - 7
Coach Hill – 9th Grade SILVER - 7
Coach Woods - 6th Grade COLLEGE Bound - 7
Coach Gates - 11th Grade BLACK - 7
Coach Ricker - 9th Grade CLASSIC - 6
Coach Johnson - 7th Grade COLLEGE Bound - 6
Coach Ferrell - 9th Grade RED - 5
Coach Frazier - 6th Grade SILVER – 5
Coach Hall -11th Grade PRIME - 5
Coach Lee - 11th Grade RED Elite - 4
Coach C. Morris - 8th Grade SILVER West – 4
Coach Shepherd -2nd Grade PUNISHERS - 4
Coach Burton 8th Grade RED - 4
Coach Venson - 11th Grade CLASSIC - 3
Coach Thompson/Stephens - 7th Grade BLACK Elite - 3
Coach Harris - 3d Grade SILVER - 3
Coach Christopher - 8th Grade Silver East - 2
Coach Gates - 11th Grade 8732 - 1
Coach K. Morris - 8th Grade BLACK - 1
Coach Carpenter - 11th Grade SILVER - 1
Coach McCrae - 6th Grade Lady Select WHITE - 1
Coach Cruz - 9th Grade BLACK - 1
Coach Spivey - 6th Grade GRAND – 1
Coach Wallace – 11th Grade VISION – 1
Coach Mays – 10th Grade BLACK – 1
Coach Glenn - 10th Grade PRO - 1
Twenty nine of our 32 two teams that have played in tournaments this season and earned trophies. That's 91% of the organization. Our first year Select teams earned 24 trophies. The Trophy Count looks goods, but the respect, exposure, skills development and life skills experiences given our student athletes are the glorifying honors. Each head coach can look back and say that his/her team is better today than they were on March 1, 2014. If you can say "yes", than you met the requirements of the Select Nation and you have been successful. If you say "No", then you have plenty of work to do for next season.
We received a shout out from the Director of Suwanee Sports Academy. He tweeted a photo with positive comments about Atlanta Select. Just EXPOSURE Baby.
I would like to thanks the coaches that came out and assisted me at the Community Youth Day "Back to School" event on Saturday. We passed out flyers promoting our organization and our up coming Skills Development camp. We talked to many parents and students. The event was a tremendous success. There were food, dancing, games and give aways. A detailed report will be posted on our web site.
There was a lot of fun for all.
Now a requirement. All Select teams are required to have a coach or a member of the cadre trained in CPR. Coach Hill has arranged for Select members to participate in the next training session as stated below. The cost is $10 or $5 for each of the first 10 coaches or team parents that provide me their names to sign them up. The organization will pay half the cost. This is a requirement for all Select teams for 2014-15. If you already have certification please provide that information to me. Coach Z.
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AuAug 9, 2014
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CPR First AID
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8am-3p
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Fire Training Center
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August 23, 2014
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CPR First AID
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8am-3p
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Fire Training Center
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Now, our "Skills Development Camp" is coming. It will begin the first Sunday next month after Labor Day. We need coaches to volunteer to assist in the training. Please contact me or Coaches Hill or Baskerville and let us know that you will be available. We do not need you every weekend but we would like for you to put some time in. It is an opportunity to meet other Select coaches, recruit new players and just be be with the Select family. It is a SYNERGY thing. Invite your players to attend. Each coach can bring one of his players for free. The cost for others is $10 per session. We have to pay rent for the facility. This is not a money making activity. We just want to give back to the community by providing an outlet for our youth. See the attached flyer.
Yes, there is no off-season for the Select Nation. We tend to do the things that least successful organizations fail to do. We are not just another youth basketball organization. We are Select!!!
SYNERGY!
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