Yes, it’s well over a week later and I’m about to throw my friend and operator of the successful EGB Middle School All-American Games under the bus. We’re about to hit full stride in the spring and summer schedule and things are off to bad start from an operational standpoint already. Remember that cliché about acknowledging mistakes so we won’t make them again? Well, it apparently has absolutely nothing to do with basketball tournaments and showcases supposedly looking to provide athletes an opportunity to impress recruiters, scouting services or media. Some points need to be made (AGAIN!) to those involved in club basketball and the event operators of all events both certified and non-certified.

We’ll get to the EGB Games in a moment, but folks, there is a reason that the term “exposure” basketball is often used in place of club or travel. And now, with a ridiculously reduced NCAA recruiting calendar, exposure is not just critical to the college recruiters themselves. The peripheral of the game (recruiting services and various forms of media) are actually being utilized for information by coaches more than ever before. The litany of events that occur outside the limited 18 day combined NCAA window in April, May and July is extensive and, while the D-I folks may be grounded by Big Brother in Indianapolis, their efforts to get the early and up to date reviews from the previous weekend’s prospect performances are almost ritualistic.

Whether it’s the coaches themselves or those who write, evaluate, tweet, etc…, it’s imperative that those working the sidelines always have complete and accurate information on the participants of any event up front. Whether it’s certified or uncertified and regardless if there’s just a single set of eyes or an entire army viewing the action, it’s absolutely asinine for any tournament or showcase not to have complete rosters available before the first tip. It’s apathetic. It’s lazy. And, more so, it’s a piss poor way to treat hard working athletes…and more importantly…the checkbooks of their parents.

In recruiting, you never know who’s talking to who. You don’t know who subscribes to what service. You don’t know who reads what stories and surely…if Trump can figure out Twitter…you can bet plenty of much more intellectually inclined recruiters are on board with it as well. If just one athlete has a door opened for her as a result of a performance in a non-certified spring or summer event, then it’s worth the time and effort.

The cop-out we constantly hear from event operators is that “I asked them for their information, but they never sent it”. Really? So why are they playing then? Why would you ever allow them to take the floor if they haven’t taken care of business? Could it be because your concern is much more with cashing that check than it is with serving their players? Keep their deposit and make a well needed point. Look, if their coaches don’t care about their own kids, lock them out after mom and dad have already spent their time and hard earned money to get to an event. I’m willing to bet rosters might not be a problem in the future. But then again, when we have to approach a coach about “who number 12 is” and they in turn have to ask another member of the team her name, we’re not talking about someone who genuinely cares all that much in the first place. Come on people, step up and be accountable like we want the kids to be.

The entire recruiting world knows this is not a new or even recent problem. Over the years the simple act of accurately preparing and sharing rosters appears to be tantamount to climbing Mount Everest. Never mind that it might create interest and opportunities for the athletes. It’s a direct reflection on those running the club and where their priorities lie. Parents, the fact is, it’s your kids not getting their (your) money’s worth. It’s you trusting someone who, in turn, is letting you down with a critical but very simple responsibility. Lord knows what else they might not be paying attention to. No team should ever take the floor without having provided a roster for anyone in the gym wanting to know who’s who on the bench. It’s not a safety risk to put out a roster with number, graduation year, name, home town and school along with basic contact information. It’s like American Express, don’t leave home without it.

That being said, let’s move on to the next mountain to climb. It’s time to call out Elite Girls Basketball and all the other fashionistas ordering uniforms and jerseys. Don’t kid yourself, nothing is more important than the numbers. Yes, numbers plural. Front, back…and large. Recruiters, referees, photographers and writers will know who they’re watching as the play occurs in real time and not three plays later when they finally get a clean look at some of the poorly designed excuses for uniforms we’ve been seeing. The time it takes to identify a player is time that should be spent evaluating additional plays or athletes. It adds up over the course of an entire day in the gym.

Sorry, but your team logo is not remotely important next to the number. Design something smaller or dress up the shorts but don’t sacrifice the number because someone at home learned Photoshop and designed some artwork. At this level, it’s a uniform, not a billboard. Forget the ridiculous camo (Sort of defeats the purpose, don’t you think?) or same “color on color” print schemes. All those fonts you can chose from to print with that look great on a computer screen…well…they don’t look so good on a uniform and become challenging to read from a distance. It’s a basketball court not a fashion runway.

With no numbers on the back, the Star Trek logo sized number on the left chest in Tampa or the number buried in the middle of the EGB logo tremendously limited the efficiency of those courtside to do their job to the best of their ability. It wasn’t all of the jerseys, mind you, but a large number of them were not up to their intended task. Stand-alone big, block numbers on both front and back with a highly contrasting color…nothing more, nothing less. And if it’s a reversible, make sure you’ve got numbers front and back on BOTH sides. Showcase operators, spend some of that money you’re collecting and buy a set numbered through your highest attendance. Let’s dispense with the 36 red, 36 blue and 36 orange effort to avoid paying for printing three digits. How about just one 36 in the gym that day? Really not that complicated and already done by many quality individual events. There’s nothing wrong with having number 272 line up next to number 57. It all works the same.

Folks, make no mistake, the EGB Middle School All American Game draws the best of them. The depth of the event and the normal commitment of the staff to the players kept us courtside. However, recently one of the games top evaluators got up and left the gym of another event after spending the money to fly in because of the utter and complete failure of the operators to do their job to provide him information on the players he was there to watch. And they knew he was coming. That’s sheer incompetence…and somewhat classless. It’s going to happen more and more often. We’ve got plenty of choices…and so do parents and clubs. It’s time to stop tolerating ignorance, apathy and simple irresponsibility for things that aren’t really that complicated.

If you’re offended by that or you find things like jerseys and rosters much more complicated, you’re in way over your head and shouldn’t be working in a position impacting kids. There are way too many doing it right rather than making excuses. Let’s set the bar higher with information and uniforms and leave the rest to the kids.

And since I’m on a roll, I’m not going to let the players off easy either. Ladies, those important numbers spoken about above need to be seen. As a balding, late middle aged man, I’m lucky to have any hair. Yours, however, shouldn’t cover the number on your back. When you take the floor, you’re being evaluated for a multitude of physical, basketball and intangible skills…not your hair. Wear it up, wear it on the side or come up with a new look, but don’t cover up your number. Another habit that’s become a problem is rolling the shoulder straps of your jersey into your sports bra strap. It often bunches up the back of your jersey making the number unreadable and looking like Grandma’s living room drapes. Make sure your number is lying flat or find a different way to get comfortable. Don’t allow one coach, recruiter, evaluator, writer or photographer to not know who you are the very moment they see what you can do. It only takes a second to look to the player making the next play and forget about the last one.

And yes, I know the WNBA is doing away with numbers on the front of their jerseys this season, but then again players of that caliber actually are billboards. Even a few of the top kids at our level don’t “need” it. We know who they are and they’re not hurting for recruiting interest or scholarship offers. But at the age we’re talking about players are maturing and growing while their games are constantly changing. Never assume anyone “knows” your players or your daughter by just a glance. Nobody on either end of the bench can afford one missed opportunity to catch someone’s eye and make an impression. Hell, have a player do the roster. They prepare well thought music playlists to warm up to, they can certainly put together a simple roster for their teammates if their coach is challenged in the literacy department.

When it comes to rosters or jersey design, if a coach says it isn’t that important, you’re playing for the wrong coach. If a non-certified event doesn’t ask for a roster, you’re paying in the wrong tournament. Don’t accept any excuses from anybody. A failure with rosters or jerseys is wasting the efforts of players, the money of parents and the time of those who are trying to evaluate the athletes. While it isn’t church, it is a sin…and more people will be walking out the door telling those sinners to go to hell. Maybe the players should join the walk out. There’s a bunch the last two weeks who didn’t get their due from the hard effort they put in simply because the adults they trusted let them down. That’s a shame no matter how you look at it.