How to Choose a Club AAU Basketball Team
Basketball is a 12-month sport. Once the school season is complete, young players' attention turns to Club/AAU basketball. The number of club teams has grown exponentially over the past 10 years, so how do you decide what is the best team for your child? This article will help guide you through the maze--in the hopes of delivering the best choice for you and your child.
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Things You'll Need
- Internet
- Network of trusted basketball people
- Money
- Child with love of basketball
Instructions
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1
Determine the goal of your child's participation. Seeking college scholarship exposure? If so, what level of college is realistic? Looking to improve fundamentals? Expand his/her game by playing with and against other players than his/her school team? Play against better competition? Make new friends? The answers to these questions should drive the process.
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2
Do research to determine what Club/AAU teams best fit your profile as determined by Step 1. Primary research can be conducted by visiting the websites of each of the club teams to read up on their philosophies and stated goals and objectives. Notice the players that are listed and determine if they seem to have similar goals to your child's. Talk to the parents and players of the club team to get a firsthand account of their experience. Also, high school coaches are a great resource to provide valuable insights into the club teams.
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3
Once you have narrowed your choices down to a manageable number, see which clubs are the most effective in relation to time versus benefit. Is the club that practices 1 hour from home that much more beneficial than the club that practices 5 minutes away? Does the team that plays games 1,500 miles from home every other weekend provide much greater benefit than the team that stays closer to home?
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4
Review the total cost of participation. Don't just focus on the cost to be part of the club. Also consider travel costs for practices and games. The participation fee pales in comparison to the cost to fly to four tournaments.
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Stay focused on the journey and not just the destination. This should be an enjoyable experience that accentuates the youngster's love for the game.
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Tips & Warnings
Be clear with your goals and communicate them with prospective Club/AAU representatives to insure a good fit for everyone
Be careful not to fool yourself into thinking that drive time and time between games is equal to practice time--keep a good balance of practice time, as it is during the off-season that the most improvement occurs for a player. It is not a bad idea to take the off-season for personal development and skip the Club/AAU scene for a summer
