My View/Your View: All-Star Jerseys are Earned, not Given

Some thoughts and observations:

The Indiana-Kentucky All-Star series is the final annual high school basketball event for girls and boys until the new high school season gets under way.

The games this year are June 13 at Conseco Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis and June 14 at Bellarmine College in Louisville.

That brings me to the junior girls and boys core teams that play the All-Stars in practice games prior to the two games against Kentucky (those games this year are in high school gymnasiums on June 9 at Benton Central and June 11 at New Albany).

As a mom and pop, well, certainly it’s a thrill to have your son or daughter chosen to play on one of the core teams. That’s only human nature, you know.

But I’ve talked to a person or two who thought that being named to a junior team meant it was an “automatic’’ or at least pretty much a “given’’ that those players would be Indiana All-Stars the next year.

That’s a common mistake a lot of folks and kids make. So, I guess the lesson to be learned is you really need to keep all of the so-called hype that can come with such an honor in perspective.

I can also see where that might be difficult to do.

Actually, in some ways, I think the best thing to do might be to do away with the Junior All-Stars. That would be one way to head off any possible misconceptions or unnecessary disappointments.

If nothing else, then parents and athletes need to be reminded, and possibly more than once, that being honored as one of the chosen few is only a well-deserved pat on the back.

Their senior year is where they must earn the right to earn a real Indiana All-Star jersey.

• Recently, there’s been some talk about Kentucky’s format to crowning state champions in girls and boys basketball. In Bluegrass country, there’s a midseason class tournament. At the end of the regular season, there’s an all-inclusive state tournament, much like the one we used to hold until 12 years ago. So, Kentucky crowns both class champions and an overall champion. Hmmm, that’s an interesting concept.

• Pat Aikman, who handles special projects for the Indiana Basketball Coaches’ Association and is a former game director of the Indiana All-Stars, told me he’s thought about possibly writing a book about his travels. Please do, Pat; you’ve had many highs and lows in your dealings with players, and I’m sure it would drum of a great deal of interest.

• Miss Basketball Skylar Diggins (South Bend Washington) and Heritage Christian’s Kelly Faris, also an Indiana All-Star and a Parade All-American, won’t have much time to get ready for the USA Women’s U19 training camp. It’s July 9 at Colorado Springs, Colo. They are two of 16 finalists, but only 12 players will represent the USA in the World Championships July 23-Aug. 2 at Bangkok, Thailand.

It certainly would be a great honor if both McDonald’s All-Americans – UConn-bound Faris and Notre Dame-bound Diggins – wind up representing Team USA.

Mark Morrow is an online columnist for VYPE High School Sports Magazine, Central Indiana. He can be reached at mediamarko@sbcglobal.net or by leaving a comment.