Raoul Korner- European vs Canadian basketball development
Having been around professional and youth basketball for over 30 years in Europe, I can tell that there are some significant differences to the Canadian (North American) system of youth development. This makes it difficult and interesting at the same time to compare these two systems.
The biggest differences from my observations are two things: the dual system (high-school and club basketball) and the late specialization in North American basketball.
In Europe, club basketball is a 12-month thing. School basketball is considered only for recreational players and irrelevant when trying to develop top athletes.
Clubs work with their players all year long and have a long term strategy with them. The average amount of players who play basketball in Europe is significantly smaller than in North America, therefore clubs need to cherish their talents and cannot afford to lose any on the way.
Kids usually start playing organized basketball when they are around 10 years old (some much earlier, some a little later) and (with very few exceptions) specialize on one sport latest when they turn 14….and probably rather earlier than later. At that age they will practice 3 to 4 times plus play one or two games per week.
Raoul Korner and Jacob Poetl met recently in Vancouver when the Toronto Raptors came for a preseason training camp.
Jacob Poetl started working with coach Korner in his early teens and is a great example of what can happen when talent, attitude, hard work and great quality training come together.
Once they reach the age of 14 or 15, the more ambitious players try to get into a club, which has a cooperation with a school. That way they can have two practices a day: one before school, which is usually used for skill work and athletic training, and one in the evening, where the kids have team practice. Kids who don’t have a chance for that will try to squeeze extra sessions in right after school and before the evening session to get their extra workouts in.
On top of that, they will have one or two games per week and usually one day off. This means that ambitious youth players will practice around ten times per week plus play two games from age 14/15 on.
On top of that, the better players at the age of 16/17/18 will practice/play also with a men’s/women’s team, so they learn how to compete with adults and professional athletes from an early age on.
A season usually lasts from August (pre-season camp) to June (playoff games). The two summer months are reserved for recovery/vacation and selection teams (regional teams, national team, etc.). The ambitious young players who are not involved in any selection teams, will use those weeks in the summer to work individually on their skills and body with their club coaches or attend basketball camps.
There is not only one way to success - there are many ways. But all have one thing in common: the necessary time and work needs to be put in. The higher the goal, the bigger the investment needs to be.