Erudite Basketball prioritizes player development over trophy hunting. We believe in teaching the fundamental skills and strategies of the game, fostering a deep understanding of basketball principles. Our coaches emphasize proper technique, basketball IQ, and a love for the game itself. This focus on skill development not only prepares players for success at the collegiate level but also equips them with a lifelong appreciation for the sport. To quote the late Bobby McGraw from Slippery Rock University, “Not only are your kids great players, they play the right way!”
Likewise, our recruiting philosophy takes a realistic approach to finding the right college fit for each player. We understand that every athlete has unique goals and aspirations. We work closely with our players and their families to identify colleges that align with their academic and career ambitions. We help our them understand that these principles are the focus to a successful collegiate career. We guide players through the recruiting process, providing personalized support and advice to navigate the complexities of college admissions.
By emphasizing skill development, fostering a love for the game, and taking a realistic approach to college placement, Erudite Basketball empowers players to reach their full potential on and off the court. We believe that true success lies in developing well-rounded individuals who are not only skilled basketball players but also confident, responsible, and successful young adults. And we accomplish this through an efficient and effective program that is more cost effective and time efficient than most of our competitors but yields similar, if not better, results.
Why We’re Efficient with Your Time
There are about 100 colleges and universities within a three-hour drive of Greensburg. 17 have NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball programs. 29 are Division 2 and 41 are Division 3. The remaining 20 schools are NAIA, junior colleges, or don’t have a women’s basketball program.
The average roster size of a women’s college basketball team is 15 players. Note that the majority do NOT have a JV team. That means that within three hours of Greensburg there are about 1,300 roster spots for girls to play in college.
By contrast there are about 1,400 high schools in that same area. To be comparable to a college, whose roster includes all classes (freshmen through seniors) JV and freshman teams must be counted. So the average high school roster is about 18 players. So to compare, there are around 25,000 girls currently playing in high school in our region.
Bottom Line: There is a potential roster spot for just 1 in 19 players currently in high school in our region.
But let’s look closer to home because not all areas of the country are as effective at developing players as others. There are currently 140 schools in the WPIAL and 12 in the Heritage Conference. So in our area there are about 2700 high school girls playing hoops. And here are the numbers of players from the WPIAL (PIAA District 7) and Heritage Conference (PIAA District 6) currently on a roster in the 200 mile radius from Greensburg.
Number of Division 1 schools – 17. Local players on rosters – 11.
Number of Division 2 schools – 29. Local players on rosters – 82.
Number of Division 3 schools – 41. Local players on rosters – 133.
Bottom line: just one in 12 players in our area will go on to play in college.
Distance from home matters! The reality is that the farther from home a college is located, the less likely it is that a player will want to attend. Further, the college coaches know that, so in most cases, they will focus their recruiting efforts locally. The numbers prove that when looking at the roster of the teams greater than 70 miles from Greensburg:
Number of Division 1 players more than 70 miles from Greensburg – 4.
Number of Division 2 schools – 29. Local players on rosters – 19.
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- Number of Division 3 schools – 41. Local players on rosters – 38.
Bottom line: only 2% of high school players will play for a college located more than an hour from home!
We know the numbers. It’s obvious to us that those who are going to continue to play in college are far more likely to do so closer to home. So unless a group of families ask us to do an “overnighter” – especially the younger players not yet in high school – we keep all of our events local. It saves both time and money. But more importantly, we are able to get our players in front of the local coaches where they’re most likely to play anyway!
Helping Families Make the Most of their Money
The average cost to attend a tournament 200-miles from home for a family of three over two nights is about $750:
Gas: $60
Food: $250
Lodging: $400
Miscellaneous: $50
Total: $750
Obviously, the farther a family travels and the longer the stay, the more expensive the trip.
How does this relate to club or “AAU” basketball?
We can’t comment on how any other club operates, what their philosophies are, or how they can help you achieve your goals. But we can say that we established Erudite Basketball because in our opinion what most of the established Clubs were doing at the time wasn’t the most logical approach. We thought we could be smarter about running our teams.
Our staff are all former collegiate athletes. We recognized that the statistics above are the reality. So we operate in such a way that our players are educated on the college recruiting process, are aware of the realities of a college basketball career, and we ensure that our families are getting the most for their hard-earned money.
We have forged relationships with all the collegiate coaches in the immediate area. We know their own philosophies, we know the academic programs available at their schools, and we’ve earned a solid reputation with them because we only recommend players that we think would be the right fit for their program.