Wednesday, February 3, 2010

AAU TO OPERATE ELITE YOUTH LEAGUE THIS FALL

You know how we do it! We are breaking this story first. Word out of Orlando is that the AAU is working with Chino Torres to start an elite league in August or early September. This is long over due as Little Lads is a great league but it is not deisgned for elite players. Players and their parents want to see the best play against the best and not just for one quarter. The more players that get a chance to play elite travel team basketball are coming back to PR and disgusted with some of the rules in the leagues. Substitution requirements, a ban on black socks, compession shirts and shorts and other rules which simply do not make sense have players and coaches upset.

On top of that, coaches want to coach in a real game situation and not be forced to have teams which are required to play kids who are not ready to compete.

The new league will allow the best players to play on a team and the clubs can still have a team in Little Lads. IPRB spoke to several of the club heads last week and they expressed excited about the new league.

Said one coach who spoke to IPRB last night, "The time has come for a new elite league in PR. One that can help us expose our kids to prep schools and colleges in the USA. A league that allows us to compete against the best teams in the USA. Players want it, coaches want it and parents want it."

We are trying to reach Chino Torres and the people from the AAU. More info to come on this soon but I can tell you that the streets are buzzing with excitment.