Paul Manning advises all parents to do their due diligence before sending their kids to the USA on a basketball scholarship

Cork basketball coach Paul Manning has been living and coaching at a very high level in the USA for many years.

He has seen lots of Cork boys and girls arrive on stateside on scholarship, but a lot of them on arrival, have now idea what they are facing into. 

Here he takes us through the pros and cons of going away to play basketball in the US and what the parents and players should look for before they make that life changing decision.

“Look, there are a lot of benefits to going to play basketball in the US,” Paul said.

“The exposure to different types of coaching, the higher level of competition, the full time nature of all college and the majority of high school programs will help Irish players immediately. 

"Unlimited access to court time alone can have a very positive effect. 

"There is also a lot more opportunity to get seen by coaches at the highest levels and potentially get recruited.

“The cons are obviously you are away from family, friends, and it can be isolating at times. 

"It is important to try make connections with coaches and team mates as quickly as possible off the court as well as on it. 

"It is also important to have friends outside of basketball because some times it is so intense that having time with people who don’t care about hoops can be refreshing and allow you to relax.

“At the college level the coaches need to win to stay employed, so if you are not performing or developing at the expected rate, they will recruit “over you” and bring in another player at your position, so you must be ready for that.

“The recruiting landscape for college basketball in the US has changed dramatically in the last few years and it has never been harder for a player to go straight from high school to the Division 1 college level. 

"This is due to a number of changes in the rules, most notably the transfer portal which now allows for student athletes to transfer colleges (this was not allowed for many years) and also the change in rules allowing athletes who play two years at junior college now still have four years of NCAA eligibility. 

"So, an athlete coming out of high school at 17 could be compared to the 24 year-old who already has five year of college playing experience and is also available to be recruited.

“When looking for a scholarship it is important to understand the harsh reality that coaching college is a business in the US and most coaches will recruit over you to improve his team if he doesn’t he could be fired.

“There are very few Irish players on scholarship at Prep Schools who are paying zero dollars for their education. 

"The majority are paying something, so a scholarship might just mean a reduced rate or even an opportunity to play even though you are full pay. 

"At the college level Division 1, Division 2 and JuCo (Junior College) can offer full scholarships to athletes. 

"At Division 1 colleges, all athletes are on scholarship except maybe the last two guys on the team known as “walk ons’. 

"Division 2 and JuCo normally have a set amount of scholarships per team, so they might give some kids full scholarships and others partial ones. "There are no athletic scholarships at the Division 3 level, but some can provide financial aid to international students. 

"Make sure and ask about stuff like meal plans, text books, lodging etc, as some schools do not include these in the scholarship and it can add up fast. 

"Also make sure to ask about health insurance! 

"Just like anything else there are some bad people who are trying to take advantage of kids with dreams of playing hoops in the US. 

"So, I know of some “schools” who brought 10 kids over from overseas, put them in two apartments to live in and do online classes and are charging parents $20,000 per year. 

"So, what I am saying there is do your research on the schools you are talking to, not just online searches, but also maybe ask some Irish folks over here or even coaches of other schools whether they know anything about the school you are talking too.

“So, once you understand all of that, the next thing is finding a school, team, and coach that is a good fit for your son or daughter. 

"Making sure you understand what the coach sees in you and what what development plan they have for you on how you fit in the team is important. 

"Also understanding the ethos of the school; does it do what you want, so, it’s very important to remember at the college level you may be there for four years, so would you still want to be there if you got hurt and couldn’t play hoops for a year?” Manning added.