"America's National Team"?

[Tyler Durden]

Just ran across this 'tryout' post.


viewtopic.php?f=617&t=53759

Legitimate claim that this will be "America's National Team"? Shameless Money Grab for a player-funded vacation for the coaches? Good way to get players to your tryouts so you can roster a Gold Team? Insanity or Genius?

Discuss.

[Kool-Aid]

Ripon Rampage is a small town B-Ball program. Hats off to them for trying but, if they pull this off with anything other than a rec-ball team headed to Italy with parents with deep pockets, I will be shocked!

"America's National Team", ok

[FullCount]

^^agreed

Quick review of the current roster reveals nothing more than local NSA experience of primarily 2016's. They've got some pretty lofty goals having the 18 PGF National Championship on their schedule with the only qualifier being the NorCal one in Salinas... Gonna have to entice some pretty big dogs away from the NorCal's "finest" over to their team in order to accomplish that mission. Sure, they're coaching staff has some great credentials, but (to use a football phrase), its not about the X's and O's, it's about the Tom's and Joe's...

[Pale Rider]

Not to long ago somebody was trying get kids to go on a team Future Team USA thing to Italy...with an $8K check attached just for your kid (only) and she can play ball in Italy...I passed

[jonriv]

DD did this a few years ago to Italy:

Pros and Cons

Pro:

1) represented USA playing in a foreign country
2) travelled in a foreign country
3) played a semi-pro team that had a few former Olympians
4) Relatives got to see her play outside of Milan

Con:

1) Cost
2) two few games

My wife and I still discuss if it was "worth it"

I would get over the fact if it is or is not an "all-star" team-really does not matter

The cost can be viewed this way as a base:

Roundtrip airfare to Italy from JFK (I am sure more from LAX) is around $1500(or more) Hotel is at least $100 per night(probably more) tims 5 = $500- Throw in meals, bus etc and it adds up. For recruiting- the only benefit was that a few of teh coaches my daughter had met with had either played semi-pro ball in Italy and/or new some of the Olympic players that she faced. It is certainly a money maker, but not the total rip-off it has sometimes been portrayed