fair point and good observation

but sasi was not about improving the sturt team - so it is probably no a good measuring stick on sasi

Having beem through SASI I have formed the opionion that a "proper" Individual will improve you much more. SASI is just being noted as an elite - but as far as improving your skills etc go else where. But pick wisely who will take you for your individual, it is money worth spent. Some of the SASI coaches are only there for their own benefits so that time for you could be put to better use.

sasi is good you got good coachs all in one area when training

But are they really helping you or just standing around while the head guy just screams

No need to swear 107266 but I am tending to agree. Am I correct in saying that a select few control junior bball in SA - and if so who are they ?

SASI  waste of time, done it. You are expected to put 100% - be there, at State trainings, club commitments and when you get injured no one even calls you to help you out in the recovery or even to see how you going. Selfish bunch of bastards that just milk you dry, burn you out and discard you when you reach used by date (injury). Have no time for that useless bunch. SASI was the biggest mistake I have ever made. The only reason I am still playing is due to my parents support and tons of money they have spend on phisio's and doctors to get me going again. Thanks for nothing.

I have been lucky enough to spend some time with Neil and understand his expectations of work ethic. Simple instructions get discarded by players who are not attentive and the coach will get frustrated.

You are lucky to have a very good coach in Neil who really lives and breathes SA Basketball, players and coaches development.

Wish he was a Vic !!!!

SASI  what is behind the name - SA Sports Institute. As the name suggests it is supposed to be a comprehensive educational journey that involves physical, mental and other necessary development and support to make you a complete athlete. It should cater for everything that the players (the 'elite') need to reach the pinnacle of their chosen sport.
And what you get in the bball dept. of this so called "Institute" is the physical part plus a couple of seminars, just to make it look like they have something else on offer. And the weights training is a complete joke with total lack of proper supervision - it is bordering dangerous. Yes, there are coaches there that have the player's best interest at heart, it is not all that bad, unfortunately they are in minority and for the rest of them is just an ego trip. How many good players this sport has lost due to burn out  overtraining with no time to recover from injuries, being pressured to play/train with injuries and lack of support when things go wrong. I can name quite a few. If they like to call themselves the "Sports Institute" it is just about time they act like one and then I can possibly change my opinion.

If you read me right you might have noticed that I did not refer to naming coaches but players that have been lost to this sport. However if you think that players are not pressured directly or indirectly to play and "manage" you are in lala land.

107322

Better players do pass up the opportunity from what I gather and it is not from not wanting to better themselves. They have other commitments and something called school work.

The program obviously has merit but from previous posts is obviously not perfect.

You do not hear the same negatives with other parts of the institute - in fact they encourage participation in other sports as it benefits the individual. I just sense something is amiss or a closed shop is run.

I am a teacher and hear things around the traps.

Why is it anon 107377 that posts end up with comments like yours - not constructive. I could be like you and say you obviously are involved in running the place - a dictator and hence don't like hearing constructive feedback as your little world is challenged - but I won't. Good Teachers and mentors do not dictate

I have little regard for either SASI or the S G Academy, having observed players before and after both events.

As an aside, does anyone know what percentage of current ABL players have had SASI training?

Yeah Hillbilly; people having already commited to other stuff that cant make it to the extra sasi trainings; that I can understand.

Kids (especially the current group of 13-14 year olds doing the trainings on Saturday arvos) turning it down because they dont rate it?

That is drawing a very long bow. Can I suggest the people that may not rate it, perhaps did not get picked, might be closer to the truth.

Oh sorry, I didnt end on a positive.

All kids are winners!

107322

Think you are being a bit harsh on hillbilly. He mentions nothing of not rating it. He mentions other commitment. I know 3 sturt lads in this current 13-14 age group that were asked but had other sporting commitments. There is no doubt that they will be victimised along the way for their multi skills. There are no doubt other kids at other clubs in the same boat.

As Hillbilly said let the ones that want to or can go, attend SASI. Do not attack the ones that for what ever reason don't. Once again a post gets negative.

SASI includes too many kids in their "program". It should cater only for the absolute elite, providing better ratio of coaches to players to refine players every aspect of the game. With fewer players maybe they could have a little more interest in individuals when out of the gym catering for all the needs that players have including psychological and medical support. It can not be only one way street. Kids are being pushed to the maximum (nothing wrong with that and Neil screaming is quite beneficial to some) but when they reach the breaking point (injury or mental "fatigue") no one seams to care. It seams kids are expandable. Friendly warning to parents: be firm, don't bend over and take it, monitor your kids and remember when it is all over (for what ever reason) you will have to pick up the pieces, because no one else gives a sh..t.

For the record, I say again; I understand that kids may have already committed to other things,(we dont want to teach them to put their hands up for something and then pull out because it dosnt suit them), but as I said earlier, I dont beleive that in 13-14 year olds there would be many, if any, who passed up on the chance of SASI because they simly "dont rate it".

If you have a 13-14 year old who says they dont rate it I am suggesting from past experiance that they simply did not get picked in the first place. At this young age it is the 1st opportunity they have to attend SASI. It would be a brave 13-14 y.o. that would pass up this chance without trying it 1st.

I have no doubt that this does happen in older age groups.

107437

Hillbilly was being sarcastic I think you will find.

107322 - This is an interesting post. Hillbilly has not said kids choose not to - he/she says they do not because of other commitments.

I detect 107322 that you are a parent of one of the lucky ones to be at SASI because others can't attend.

107434 is spot on when he says that it should be for the elite kids. The sport in this state has a record and culture of rewarding mediocricy.

Out of interest how many are in the program from each age group at SASI ? How many of these kids ACTUALY go onto Canberra and how many play NBL - 1% ? Is the program all about justifying someones existence ?

With saturday night games lately has anyone else heard the excuse that the kids are tired because of sat arvo SASI commitments and that is why little or big Johnny has not played very well ? Heard that one from a couple of sturt parents who's kids played terrible in a div 2 game against norwood.

I think we forget these are only 13-14 year olds and they are not as good as perhaps there parents think they are.

little men achieving little

107460 -

SASI is meating alot of players heads and if i had the chance again i would run for the hills and teach kids that there are life experiences more important than busting your balls for a bunch of narrow minded egotists .

I say this as a parent who stopped his kid from going out to SASI because he had committed to other activities prior to the time when asked. He wanted to go but I had to make him understand that if you cannot go week in week out then you are not doing yourself or the program justice.

I think questionable (above) was meaning 16 div 2 kids just gone up a grade from 14 1's last season.

Why don't we all just move on from this and let who ever wantz to go to SASI go and who doesn't for whatever reason get on with their lives.

SASI serves a purpose and each and every family has different circumstances.

As somebody said above, kids know where they stand in pecking orders and how much of this written above in this post is parent ego being deflated.


Isn't the most important thing that our kids are involved in a really good sport with good coaches that is played in a safe environment where they make really good friends and importantly enjoy themselves.