Recruiting Elementary School Kids

[tornado]

We've seen it many times already with top college coaches offering scholarships to kids as young as 8th grade.
http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8359
http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4452

but just how prevalent is it??

Here is an article suggesting it is way more prevalent than most think.....
this article also mentions message boards,
suggesting certain message boards are pretty tough on young kids.
"Players are dissected on message boards."
Thankfully, BradleyFans is recruit-friendly!!
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/SPT01/806120403/1062/SPT



Lastly.............Bruce Weber spoke at a meeting in Bloomington Tuesday night, and also spoke to this phenomenon of going after grade school kids.
He didn't give any names, but he said he had just scouted and watched a 7th grader the day before!
However, even though he didn't give names, it was extremely easy to figure out who he was talking about.
He said he had been to Chicago to "scout" and 7th grader who was 6' - 8" tall!

See if you can figure out who he is referring to, then click the link below.....
http://yourseason.suntimes.com/boys_basketball/942937,051008hamilton.article
http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?p=81734#post81734

 

[wizard1]

Recruiting Elementary School Kids

I've said it before, and I'll say it again----Recruiting kids before they enter high school is terrible! Bruce Weber and other coaches who do this ought to be soundly condemmed and ashamed of themselves. I don't care how talented the kid is, if he isn't in high school, he should not be recruited for a variety of reasons. The NCAA should immediately put a stop to this by banning recruiting, hopefully prior to the Junior year so these players can develop, gain maturity, focus on academics, and enjoy their high school career unhindered by coaching vultures whose only interest is wins & loses and their personal job security.

 

[tornado]

now the interim DePaul coach Tracy Webster is getting in on this, and offering middle schoolers...
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/ncf/news/story?id=4907140

 

[Beninator]

Absolutely sick and disgusting!!!!

 

[SFP]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again----Recruiting kids before they enter high school is terrible! Bruce Weber and other coaches who do this ought to be soundly condemmed and ashamed of themselves. I don't care how talented the kid is, if he isn't in high school, he should not be recruited for a variety of reasons. The NCAA should immediately put a stop to this by banning recruiting, hopefully prior to the Junior year so these players can develop, gain maturity, focus on academics, and enjoy their high school career unhindered by coaching vultures whose only interest is wins & loses and their personal job security.

I agree but the problem also is with those sick AAU vultures which can be worse then those college recruiters. AAU guys care nothing about grades but if they can help their careers at least colleges still have to make sure the kid can qualify. I'm not sure how you can fix the system.