I took a road trip up I-40 to Murfreesboro, TN to see what it was like to experience a Play Day at the back-to-back Tennessee State Champions, Riverdale High School. It was not a disappointment. The atmosphere was almost March Madness like. It was the most intense, highly competitive and extremely physical play day I have every attended.
High School regular basketball season is right around the corner in Memphis which means it is Play Day and Jamboree season. Arlington High School Play Day has been on my must-attend list for several years now and this year was no different. However, this one felt slightly different to me with the amount of players that was not participating or arrived late. But, they had good excuses: It was the first day of Peer Power’s ACT Prep series. A player was on a visit at a university. Then you had some out due to injuries which is not good. My favorite quote is “be prepared for an opportunity, than have an opportunity and not be prepared”. So with players missing- it gave others the opportunity to see some action, gave coaches an opportunity to evaluate different lineups and gave me an opportunity to see players I may not have seen otherwise..
The Inaugural Preview Camp was established to provide an opportunity for players to grow and add to their individual game before the start of a new season. Through fundamental drills, position-based stations, game situations and heavy competition, players are stretched to grow their skill set and build on their basketball IQ. But not only that, players also learn about success philosophies and championship principals from high-level instructors.