Viewing period weekend

Beginning tomorrow, NCAA coaches can view potential recruits first-hand - and they can talk to them, too (more on that shortly). It's the first viewing period of the year for coaches and the first major tournament for club ball teams, so everyone is rarin' to go.

The Boo Williams Invitational in Hampton, VA has an incredible list of participant teams, including these big guns:

Boo Williams Summer League, Virginia Beach, VA.
Cal Storm, Orange County, CA.
Cy-Fair Shock, Houston, TX.
Tennessee Flight, Murfreesboro, TN.
DFW T-Jack Elite, Dallas, TX.
Philly Belles, Philadelphia, PA.

The Deep South Classic, in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., is loaded:

Cal Sparks, Los Angeles, CA.
Memphis Elite, Memphis, TN.
Charlotte 76ers, Charlotte, N.C.
Illinois X-Citement, Chicago, IL.
Lady Jaguars, Jacksonville, FL.
Team Unique, Washington, D.C.

The Adidas Hardwood Championships will be in Bloomington, IN, and features these name teams:

East Bay Xplosion, Orinda, CA.
Chicago Hoops Express, Chicago, IL.
Full Package, Chicago, ILL.
Indiana Elite-Central, Indianapolis, IN.
S.C. Lady 76ers, Columbia, S.C.

The US Junior Nationals Windy City Classic is in Chicago. Top teams are:

All Iowa Attack, Ames, IA
Cincinnati's Finest, Cincinnati, OH.
Missouri Valley Eclipse, Kansas City, MO.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Shooting Stars, Lincoln, NB.
Oklahoma Select, Oklahoma City, OK.
Sports City U, Hurricane, W.V.

These are the major tournaments, but there will be hundreds of smaller tournaments that coaches at smaller colleges will attend. It's all about scouting right now.

NCAA coaches are bound by a complex set of rules that delegate how and when they talk to recruits. Before the Final Four coaches couldn't call junior prospects, but the kids could call them. Now coaches can call. But after this weekend, the number of calls and playing views will be specified.

If I were an NCAA coach I would have to check every move I made with an interpreter every day. But tomorrow, it's "game on" for the class of 2011.