Does Ranking Players Hurt or Help Florida Kids

May 28, 2008 | Talking Sports with Robert

I was speaking to an AAU basketball coach who was upset with me when the rankings came out and noticed that a player who plays for his/her particular team held fell in the rankings.  Their argument was if the person was ranked at a certain number before, they should not fall from the rankings.  They then went on to say that rankings kids hurt the kids themselves, especially in the mind of college coaches.

After thinking long and hard about that, I have come to the conclusion that ranking kids does not hurt players but it helps players.

Think about it.  Kids who get on the radar as a freshman or sophomore are on the radar because someone or some publication ranked them as a top player. 

Now ranking the player only gets them in the door.  Once a player is ranked they have two choices. 

1. Be excited about their ranking no matter how high or low and just stay at an even keel knowing that they have been ranked.
2. Take the ranking and improve on it.  Even if you are ranked number one, go out and prove to everyone that you are deserving of the ranking.  If you are not ranked in the top echelon of players, work harder to get there.

The idea that once a player is ranked at a certain spot they should stay there is just not fair to other players who have worked harder to improve their game and their spots.

Do college coaches look at rankings to help with their recruitment?  Yes and No.  I believe they look at rankings to help them know who are some of the top players in the state.  This is the main reason why I believe ranking kids are essential.  By us ranking kids, they get there name out to many different colleges throughout the nation and give them a leg up on other players who are not ranked.

Rankings may not be perfect but they work.  More importantly, they help kids get noticed when no one knows about them and that is what rankings are is all about.