How much to start an aau basketball team

USA Basketball - 6 Answers on Starting a Summer Basketball Team

If anyone is an expert on starting a successful summer basketball team, it's Jim Hart.

Hart has been a coach and president of the City Rocks summer basketball program, based in Albany, N.Y. What was once a small club team with five boys teams has grown into one of the elite summer programs in the United States. City Rocks is now sponsored by Nike and consists of 14 boys teams between the ages of 10-18 as well as two girls teams.

How did City Rocks get to this level? Hart moved to Albany from New York City and was looking to get involved in coaching back in 1993. After his first year coaching a 15-U club team, he assumed leadership of the club and slowly built it as the demand and talent level increased. City Rocks started seeing moderate success, then a little more, then even more before Nike signed them to a sponsorship contract around 2000. It's been one of the premier summer basketball teams in the country ever since.

"The program has continued to grow," Hart said. "Ours was an area that prior to us doing this, there would be one Division-I player in upstate New York every 3-4 years. Now we're getting five every year."

Hart is married with three children, and has a day job as a senior vice president at Morgan Stanley Financial. But he has seen City Rocks grow into one of the top clubs in the United States over the last 17 years. He offered some advice to those who might see a market to start a summer basketball team in their hometown, as well as some insight as to how he runs his club.

What advice would you give to those who might be interested in starting a summer team in their area?
The AAU club registrations are $25. That's all it costs to register your club with AAU. Insurance is cheap, it's $12 per player, $18 a coach through AAU. It's very easy to start your own team. There's websites where you can look up your state and look up your age group and find tournaments. There are a few other websites that you can find tournaments to go to.

It's easier than ever with catalogs where you can buy some reversible mesh uniforms for cheap, get every player insured and register a club name. You can just start your own season. It's so much easier than people think. Even if you're a dad out there and your kid doesn't have a team to be on, you can start your own team. You can play with your high school guys.

What should coaches keep in mind when looking to start a team?
Some coaches just want to see their kids get better. I didn't start this with the intention to make it some national program. I started it because I like coaching and I like coaching local kids. Then we started going around and I started seeing these kids getting Division I scholarships, and our kids thought they were as good as or better than them. Upon further look, they were just getting more exposure.

Our program grew on the fact that we were getting kids a little more exposure. But now with websites and things, people are going to find you. You've got to be about teaching kids and giving them a safe environment and getting them better.

How does City Rocks treat younger players as opposed to the older, high school-aged players?
We usually encourage our younger guys who are 12 and under not to play just basketball. I told our 10-12 year old kids, if you have a little league baseball game to go to, go to that.

But once you hit 13, it's a year-round sport, just like if it's hockey or soccer. If you want to be good, you've got to play year-round.

How often are your 10-year-old teams around your 17-year-old teams, trying to learn from your older players?
We've got an interesting night that we do. Our first game is the Boo Williams Tournament. Our three oldest teams get on a charter bus and we leave at midnight and drive through the night. Before we leave on the bus we have a night where our 10-year-old teams all the way up to the 17s show up. All the teams are there, we take team pictures, have a 3-point shooting contest, things like that.

During the year, we'll do clinics where the older kids will mentor the younger kids. I think the little kids love looking up to the older kids. It gives them something to be a part of.

What do you feel your responsibility is to the players in your program?
We try and teach our kids individual responsibility. Be responsible for your actions. We talk to them about NCAA Clearinghouse, what they're going to need to move on. We have former players coming back to speak to them.

Our responsibility to the younger kids is to help them develop and get better. To let them have a fun experience at the sport and to enjoy the game. If at the end of the season, they haven't enjoyed it, you've already failed the kids. We really do try and make it fun.

At the older levels, it's giving them as much structure as you possibly can. We practice 2-3 times a week, a little more than most. Give them enough structure and get them out there where they have a chance to showcase their skills against the best. My motto in life is that all you can really ask for in life is an opportunity that's equal to your ability. We think we can provide kids with opportunities equal to their abilities.

On a personal level, how do you find time for running a summer basketball club between your career and your family?
They always say if you want to get something done, give it to a busy man. I perform my best when I'm busy.

How to Start an AAU Basketball Team

AAU basketball has long been a lynchpin of American amateur basketball. The majority of NBA players and the biggest names in professional basketball have played for AAU teams. This included Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant, and many others. So if you’re wondering how you can be in the thick of things, perhaps as a team sponsor or a coach, this article will guide you on how to start an AAU basketball team.

Before we go into all the details, let’s know a little history about AAU. AAU stands for Amateur Athletic Union, and it was founded by James E. Sullivan and William Buckingham Curtis back in 1888. AAU oversees amateur sports, but it’s more famously known and equated as a weekend basketball tournament, even though basketball is just one of the events that the Union supervises.

AAU basketball is an organization where independent groups of amateur basketball players form teams and compete against each other in tournaments sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union.

The history of AAU basketball began not long after basketball was invented by Dr James Naismith. Basketball was created in 1891, and in the same year, AAU took over YMCA basketball. The first Men’s National Basketball Championship sanctioned by the AAU was in 1897, and it was won by New York City’s 23rd Street YMCA.

Women’s AAU basketball was organized first in 1926, which was won by Pasadena Athletic and Country Club Flying Rings. A strange moniker for a basketball team, but they made history by becoming the very first women’s AAU basketball champions. 

Currently, AAU basketball tournaments allow kids as young as 7 and as old as 19. Some tournaments are played the whole year, but most of them go from February to July. Participants are often divided by age (7-under, 8-under, and so forth), grade (2nd grade, 3rd grade, and so on), or by high school level. High school level competitions in AAU basketball are from ages 15 and under up to 19 and under.

Tournaments are played in every age group and level. Teams can also qualify in a tournament for the national championship.

According to AAUboysbasketball.org, there are already around 700,000 members affiliated with AAU basketball. That includes non-athlete members, though, so it’s difficult to tell how many players are there as well as the number of AAU basketball teams. Memberships increase by the day, making it complicated to track.  

However, one source indicates that in the Southern California area alone, there are already 922 AAU teams. Southern California is only a part of one district, and there are 56 districts in AAU basketball. A district can be one whole state (such as Georgia, Colorado, Iowa, and Arizona) although more populated states can be divided into two or more districts. An example of this is Texas, which is divided into five districts, one of which includes the whole state of New Mexico.

It’s actually pretty easy to start an AAU team, much easier than you would think. (Maintaining a team or building a youth basketball program is a whole different ballgame, though, but that’s a story for another day.) You just need to have a coach, enough players, some cheap uniforms and have the money to register the team and pay for tournament registrations.

As soon as you have players and a coach, they have to buy an AAU membership card. This membership card costs $14 for the athlete or the players and $16 for the coach (as a non-athlete member) for one year of membership although you can opt for a two or three-year membership.

Other costs included team registration ($25) and insurance. A generic insurance certificate costs $30, but if the church or school district your team is practicing in requires their name on the certificate, you will need to purchase what is called Third Party Insurance Certificate for an extra $35.

When your team is now registered, you can now enter any AAU-sanctioned basketball tournament. Just look for your age group and find tournaments on websites that allow you to do so. If you’re a dad that has a son who doesn’t have a team, following these steps is easy enough to follow. You may recruit his buddies and have fun competing AAU basketball.

If your roster has eight players plus a coach, membership fees will cost you $128. Team registration is $25, and a generic insurance certificate is at $30, raking the total to $183.

Keep in mind that this does not include tournament fees and travel expenses, which you have to shoulder if you want to start an AAU basketball team. Typically, with every expense included for the whole season, an amateur basketball player could pay up to $500 individually just to be a part of an AAU team. Some even have to shed $5,100 to $5,800, including out-of-town trips on tournaments that are held in a farther place.

While we are talking about starting your own AAU basketball team here, these real-life experiences of the individual cost of AAU players will give you an idea of how much it would cost if you really are serious about it. If you are going to go about this with less than a hundred per cent dedication, it’s all just a waste of time and money.

Yes, AAU basketball may be all worth it at the end because of the lifetime friendships that it forges, the experience, and fun of playing competitive basketball. Still, it will ultimately be up to the parents if they want to invest their hard-earned money on something else.

Starting an AAU basketball team is a straightforward process, but building a team from scratch is much more challenging. It also depends on your goals: Do you want to be known as a winning coach as far as win-loss records are concerned? Or do you want a reputation as a character-builder? In any case, here are some things to look for in building your AAU basketball team:

• Set goals. Before assembling who’s going to be on your team, be philosophical about the whole thing first. Sit down and contemplate on what type of group you’d like to build and what tournaments are you trying to enter. As soon as you figure that out, you can now start building the team.
• Start with a small core group of players. It’s always best to start with a group of players that you already know. That way, you are already familiar with their skills and how to use them in a game setting. If you already have a small core group, then attracting other players will be much easier. Typically, a reliable basketball team allows you to go up to 10-man deep, so if possible, see if you can get that many players that you can trust. This will protect you from unforeseen circumstances such as players missing events, injuries, or foul trouble.
• Hold AAU basketball tryouts. style=”font-weight: 400;”> Try this if you don’t have a set roster. By holding a tryout, you may discover some diamonds on the rough, which could take your campaign to another level. Run drill in your tryouts as you do in real practice and conclude with a scrimmage. If possible, put the guys on your tryouts against your core group and see how they will do.

• Set practice time and rest days. After selecting your players, you can move on to bigger things, which is choosing a practice schedule that works best for everyone. Also set rest days, and if possible, the younger the kids are, the more rest you should give them. According to the NBA and USA Basketball’s Youth Basketball Guidelines, kids 7-8 years old are recommended to have only one day of practice no more than an hour in length. Also, kids 11 years old under are recommended to have two days of rest.
• Be flexible on your schedule. It would be best if you leave some flexibility in your team’s schedule depending on how well you do on your team’s first season. You can seek out easier tournaments or more challenging ones. This process is not too easy, but it shouldn’t be disheartening, either.

AAU basketball is more than just team building, holding practices, and other basketball stuff. The majority of the skirmish happens outside the arena and way before the opening whistle blows. Here are some things to consider when starting an AAU basketball team:

1. Count the cost

Practices and games cost a lot of money, as well as tournament fees and travel expenses. You cannot possibly pin the cost down to the last dollar, but you should have an idea of what the ballpark of the price falls. Are you only able to play in one league or can you join in two? Of course, joining more leagues expose your team to better competition and more scouting eyes, but can you cover the expenses?

2. Ask yourself “Why am I starting an AAU basketball team?”

If you’re just trying to make a quick buck off the team or the kids in the long run, then you’re going to get unmasked sooner or later. But if your answer to the question is about developing and helping the kids get an education or you just have a passion for coaching basketball and making an impact on a young player’s life, then the door is open.

3. Check out the competitive landscape

Chances are, you are probably not building the best AAU basketball team ever, so it’s probably not a good idea to subject your rookie team to the proverbial baptism of fire. That will mess up their confidence for the whole season, and possibly, for life. Examine which competitions or tournaments are best suited for newer teams and go from there. If you can, sit out one season so you can watch the playing field, so to speak. From there, you may be able to ascertain what type of preparation your team needs.

4. Be ready about the Ls

Unless you have the next LeBron or Kobe on your team, do not put primary emphasis on winning especially if you are just starting out. At this stage, you need to put the process over the results. There are no shortcuts to everything, and that includes basketball. There are going to be nights where the other team is just better, bigger, and more athletic. Be ready to absorb the losses in the record and prioritize the kids’ development over winning.

5. Quantity does not always equate to quality

If you have held tryouts or implored the community for support and help just isn’t there, do not be discouraged. See this as an opportunity to be more up close and personal to the two or three kids interested in joining the team. If you happen to inspire improvement from these kids, support will eventually trickle in.

6. The ultimate goal is to make the game fun and enjoyable.

Again, it’s not about the wins or individual improvements. The most effective barometer to the team is, at the end of the season, did they enjoy the experience? If you mostly get NOs, then consider it a failure. Try to make basketball competitive, but more importantly, make it fun!

Starting an AAU basketball team is an easy process. All that is needed is a coach, players, uniforms, money for registration, money for insurance, and tournament fees. However, the biggest thing for everybody involved is the level of commitment they will put to the team.

Of course, if you are thinking of starting an AAU basketball team, there are more things other than the cost that you need to consider. Why are you starting a team? How am I going to build the team? Is my team going to be ready for the competition? Are they going to be OK psychologically if we happen to bump into a better, stronger team? Those are some of the things that you need to ask yourself and contemplate on.

Speaking of building a team, it is always best to figure out your coaching philosophy and the style of basketball you want your team to play. From there, you can round out your roster to at least 10 players. It’s always good to start with a core group and perhaps, hold tryouts to complete the team. And as recommended by USA Basketball and the NBA, do not overwork the kids and just let them have fun. 

Yes, there are hundreds of wannabe coaches and team owners out there who are asking how to start an AAU basketball team. It’s easy to register and create one, but it takes another level of commitment to make everything work. If this is your passion, we encourage you to go ahead and do it. Who knows, you may be on to something more significant soon, perhaps building a youth basketball program and things of that nature.

If you found this post helpful, take a look at some of the other basketball FAQ articles here.

> How to Coach Basketball

 > How Many Players are on a Basketball Team?

Rules of Basketball

How the rules have changed in your favorite game

How the rules have changed in your favorite game

WE ALL LOVE TO PLAY BASKETBALL, BUT DO YOU KNOW THE RULES EXACTLY?

Basketball was invented by James Naismith in 1891. Then everything was different: playgrounds, baskets, balls…

!!! Read about the evolution of balls in the article:

Basketball was invented by James Naismith in 1891. Then everything was different: playgrounds, baskets, balls…

!!! Read about the evolution of balls in the article:

The history of basketballs

The history of basketballs

What balls are played now and how it happened

The beginning

The rules have also changed a lot during this time. Initially, there were only 13 of them in basketball:

1. The ball can be thrown in any direction with one or two hands.
2. The ball may be hit with one or both hands in any direction, but never with the fist.
   
3. The player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw the ball from the point at which he caught it, except for a player running at high speed.
   
4. The ball must be held with the hands. You can not use the forearms and body to hold the ball.
   
5. In any case, hitting, grabbing, holding and pushing the opponent is not allowed. The first violation of this rule by any player shall be called a foul; the second foul disqualifies him until the next ball is scored, and if there was an obvious intention to injure the player, then a disqualification for the entire game. It is not allowed to replace a disqualified player.
   
6. Punching the ball is a violation of points 2 and 4, the penalty is described in point 5.
   
7. commit no foul).
   
8. A point is scored if a ball thrown or bouncing off the floor hits the basket and stays there. Defending players are not allowed to touch the ball or basket while shooting. If the ball touches the edge and the opponents move the basket, then a point is scored.
   
9. If the ball goes out of bounds, it must be dropped into the field by the first player to touch it. In the event of a dispute, the referee must throw the ball into the field. The thrower is allowed to hold the ball for five seconds. If he holds it longer, then the ball is given to the opponent. If either side tries to play for time, the referee must give them a foul.
   
10. The referee must monitor the actions of the players and fouls, and notify the referee of three consecutive fouls. He shall have the power to disqualify players under rule 5.
    
11. The referee must watch the ball and determine when the ball is in play (inbounds) and when it goes out of bounds (out of bounds), which side should be in possession of the ball, and any other action that the referee would normally take .
    
12. The game consists of two halves of 15 minutes each with a break of 5 minutes between them.
13. The side with the most goals during this time period is the winner.

The most important rule change in the history of basketball is the introduction of dribbling. In the original version of the game, this was prohibited by paragraph 3 of the rules.

One of the first changes in the game and the rules was the replacement of the basket with a ring with a net. It seemed to be very inconvenient to climb after the ball every time after a hit. Around the same time, free throws, dribbling appeared, and the composition of the teams was fixed for 5 players on the court at the same time. Before that, in some matches, up to 50 people could be on the court at the same time. All this happened back in 1896-1897.

The emergence of FIBA ​​(International Basketball Federation)

Basketball in the early 20th century became more popular and the rules in each country could be different. This was one of the reasons why FIBA ​​appeared in 1932 year. At the first FIBA ​​Congress, the teams were approved (5 people and 2 substitutes), and it was decided that after each goal there would be a throw-in in the center. This rule was removed after 4 years to reduce the advantage of tall players.

Over the next few years, the main changes were related to the number of personal fouls, the number of players on the bench and the introduction of a time limit for getting the ball into the opponent's half of the court.

More changes came in 1952 after the Olympic Games. The game became very boring, because the teams held the ball, having received a minimal lead in the score. Everyone understood this and searched for solutions for several years in order to save the life of basketball. At 1954 Danny Biason proposed to the NBA to limit the time for the shot to 24 seconds. At the 1956 Olympics, there was a similar rule: it was necessary to make a throw in 30 seconds. At the same time, to add equality between defense and attack, another rule familiar to us appeared: you need to start dribbling the ball before the supporting leg comes off.

Then the game became similar to the modern one from a technical point of view: dribbling, shots, a three-second zone appeared. In 1979, the NBA added a three-point line, and in 19In 1984, FIBA ​​also added an arc.

!!! An article about the evolution of the three-point shot and interesting facts:

10 interesting facts about the three-point shot.

10 interesting facts about the three-point shot.

Three-pointer evolution and insane records.

Changes in the rules and basketball since 1956 have included the number of free kicks, the situations in which these free kicks are given, and individual and team penalties. Some rules were introduced, and a few years later they were canceled. For example, the "3 for 2" rule: if a player was fouled in the shooting phase, then if one of the first two shots was missed, he could make another free throw. This rule was later removed.

Since the 1990s there have been constant changes: the emergence of alley-oops, changes in the timing and rewriting of the rules of running, which continue to this day.

From the most interesting: if the team has 0.3 seconds or less to throw the ball from behind, then it must be a one-touch throw. It takes at least 0.4 seconds to perform a full throw.

Derrick Fisher made similar throws:

And here is a small selection of videos of how they throw in 0.2 seconds:

Do you want to take your first steps in basketball or improve your basic skills? We have a Basic Basketball Skills workout for you. See the schedule and sign up:

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Coach: Yuriy Bespalov

- Professional player of the INANOMO 3x3 team;
- Champion of Russia 3x3 2019, 2021;
- Winner and medalist of the MOFB championship;
- MLBL Summer League MVP 2017;
- Multiple participant of Moscow Open;
- Champion of Moscow 3x3 2017;
- MVP GrunisCup 2017.

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9 definitions every basketball player should know

Basketball (from English basket - basket, ball - ball) is an Olympic sport, a sports team game with a ball, the goal of which is to throw the ball into the opponent's basket more times than the opposing team does at the set time. Each team consists of 5 field players.

Contents

• The history of the emergence and development of basketball
• Basketball rules (briefly)
• Basketball field
• Basketball
• Basketball hoop and backboard dimensions
• Refereeing in basketball
• Basketball Federation

The history of the emergence and development of basketball

In 1891, in the United States of America, a young teacher, a native of Canada, Dr. James Naismith, trying to "revive" gymnastics lessons, attached two fruit baskets to the railing of the balcony and suggested throwing soccer balls into it. The resulting game only remotely resembled modern basketball. There was no question of any management, the players threw the ball to each other and then tried to throw it into the basket. The team that scored the most goals won.

A year later, Naismith developed the first rules of basketball. The very first matches under these rules caused their first changes.

Gradually, basketball from the United States penetrated first to the East - Japan, China, the Philippines, and then to Europe and South America. After 10 years at the Olympic Games in St. Louis, the Americans organized a demonstration tour between the teams of several cities. The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed in 1946. The first match under her auspices took place on November 1 of the same year in Toronto between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers. At 19In 1949, the association merged with the US National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). In 1967, the American Basketball Association was created, which for a long time tried to compete with the NBA, but merged with it 9 years later. Today, the NBA is one of the most influential and well-known professional basketball leagues in the world.

The International Amateur Basketball Federation was founded in 1932. The federation includes 8 countries: Argentina, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania. Sweden, Czechoslovakia. Based on the name, it was assumed that the organization would only lead amateur basketball, however, at 19In 1989, professional basketball players received admission to international competitions, and the word "amateur" was removed from the name.

The very first international match took place in 1904, and in 1936 basketball was included in the program of the Summer Olympic Games.

Basketball rules (briefly)

The rules of the game of basketball changed several times until 2004, when the final version of the rules took shape, which is considered relevant to this day.

1. Basketball is played by two teams. Usually a team consists of 12 people, 5 of which are field players, and the rest are considered substitutes.
2. Basketball dribbling . Athletes in possession of the ball must move around the field, hitting the floor with it. Otherwise, "carrying the ball" will be counted, and this is a violation of the rules in basketball. Accidentally touching the ball with a body part other than the hand is not considered a foul, unlike purposeful play with the foot or fist.
3. A basketball game consists of 4 periods or halves, but the time of each half (play time) varies depending on the basketball association. So, for example, in NBA a match consists of 4 halves of 12 minutes each, and in FIBA ​​each such half lasts 10 minutes.
4. Short breaks are provided between periods, and between the second and third periods, the break time is increased.
5. The ball thrown into the basket can bring a different number of points to its team. If the ball is scored during the free throw, the team earns 1 point. If the ball is thrown from an average or close distance (closer than the 3-point line), then the team is given 2 points. A team earns three points if the ball is scored from behind the three-point line.
6. If in regular time both teams scored the same number of points, then a 5-minute overtime is assigned, if it ended in a draw, then the next one is assigned and so on until the winner is determined.
7. The 3 Second Rule is a rule that prohibits any player on the attacking team from being in the free throw area for more than three seconds.
8. Basketball Two Step Rule . The player is only allowed to take two steps with the ball, after which he must either shoot or pass.

Basketball field

The playing field for basketball has a rectangular shape and a hard surface. The surface of the site must not have any bends, cracks or any other deformations. The size of the basketball court must be 28 meters long and 15 meters wide (standard). The height of the ceiling must be at least 7 meters, and on professional sites, ceilings are raised to a height of 12 meters and above. The lighting on the field must be designed so as not to interfere with the movement of the players and must evenly cover the entire court.

Until the end of the 60s, tournaments could be organized outdoors. However, now basketball games are played only in closed areas.

Site marking

1. limit lines. Pass along the entire perimeter of the site (2 short front lines and 2 long side lines).
2. Central line. It is drawn from one side line to another and at the same time it is parallel to the front lines.
3. The central zone is a circle (radius 1.80 m) and is located exactly in the center of the basketball field.
4. Three-point lines are semi-circles with a radius of 6.75 m, drawn to the intersection with parallel (front) lines.
5. Free throw lines. The free-throw line is drawn 3.60 m long parallel to each end line so that its far edge is located at a distance of 5.80 meters from the inside edge of the end line, and its middle is on an imaginary line connecting the midpoints of both end lines.

Basketball

The basketball is spherical, painted an approved shade of orange, and has a pattern of eight inlays and black stitching.

Basketball hoop and backboard dimensions

The height of the basketball hoop from the floor level is 3. 05 meters (standard). The diameter of the basketball hoop ranges from 45 cm to 45.7 cm. The ring itself must be painted bright orange. A special net with a length of 40-45 cm is attached to the ring. The basketball hoop is located at a distance of 15 cm from the backboard.

The shield to which the ring is attached also has a number of important parameters. Basketball backboard size: width - 1.8 m, height - 1.05 m. Modern basketball backboards are made of tempered glass.

Refereeing in basketball

At the basketball game there are:

• senior judge and judge;
• timekeeper;
• secretary;
• assistant secretary;
• operator 30 seconds.

Judge uniform:

• gray shirt;
• long black trousers;
• black basketball shoes.

Basketball Federation

• International Basketball Federation (FR. Fédération Internationale de Basketball, FIBA).

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