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Research Findings Show Importance of Strong AAU & HS Coach Relationship
By Coach Randy Brown

Over the past 15 years there has been an influx of AAU programs in our country. Some believe that AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) basketball has hurt the game while others believe it has a needed place in youth basketball. Another important piece of the puzzle is the high school coach and his role in player development. Recently this relationship has not been a positive one.

Due to my years of college recruiting I have seen first hand how this relationship can help and hurt a young man. Without question, a healthy AAU/high school coach relationship is advantageous to the high school player. There is a transition from the high school season into spring AAU ball that many people question. First, the player enters a different style of play that lends toward less teaching and more playing. Is this good or bad? There are excellent AAU programs and coaches around our country that do a tremendous job of coaching young men. Unfortunately, there are exponentially more that do the opposite. In the end, the player suffers because he is not made accountable to playing the game properly.

The relationship can and should be a healthy one. It is up to both coaches to meet and agree on the ground rules for the benefit of the player. Parents are well advised to be involved with this process as much as is needed. Improper motives cause problems which usually affect the young man being coached. I would like to see a mandatory program put in place to see that this meeting takes place and an agenda is followed. As in many instances, not all AAU coaches are in coaching for the right reasons. These unqualified coaches spoil the joy of coaching AAU basketball for hundreds of others and are at the pinnacle of this nationwide problem.

Working together as coaches needs to be a priority and will only serve to benefit the high school player. Putting egos aside is difficult, but should be a requirement for coaching basketball at any level.