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Mass Premier Courts AAU Program: Last Updated December 13th, 2009 Frequently asked questions Try Outs Q: Which team should my son try out for? A: The age cut off date for boys is September 1st. You can go to this link to get a specific calculation on the division. Always refer to the grade first and then
see if your son need to apply for a grade exception form. Q: Which team should my daughter try out for? A: The age cut off date for girls is different than
the boys although they are both grade based, example, if a boy is in the 8th grade
he would be u14 and if a 8th grade girl was trying out she would be
a U13. You can go to this link to get a specific calculation on the division. Q: Can I try out for a specific coach’s team or
a specific level (Gold, Blue, White)? A: Yes, players can try out for a specific
coach’s team. When you register please
note which coach you are planning on trying out for. If you are hoping to tryout for the
highest qualified team please select Gold Team tryout and do not anticipate
that a certain coach will be the coach of the highest qualified team. Coaches frequently move from one team to
another (or from one level to another).
This does not guarantee your going to make the team, but does set
guidelines for the Gold coach not to select a player that has listed the blue
coaches name. Q: What if my child can not make all of the try outs? A: Players
should try to attend all try-outs.
If a player is only able to make 1 of the try-out dates they should
notify the coach prior to so he/she can notify the evaluators. It is recommended that players make as
many try-outs as possible to give them the best opportunity to be evaluated. Check the 2009 try out schedule for
Mass Premier. If a player is going
to miss a try-out please notify coachv@mpcourts.com. Coaches and evaluators will not be aware
of why players are not at a tryout without advanced notification. This does not help potential
players’ chances of making a team. Q: How are coaches selected? A:
Coaching is a volunteer position at Mass Premier Courts. If we have
multiple candidates for a certain age group interviews will be held. Background
checks are done on all coaches including CORI and SORI checks. Gold Team coaches are experienced
coaches with a background in coaching and some will receive a stipend. For the youngest age groups we our main
goal is positive role models with basketball knowledge, as players get older we
look for positive role models that are more intense and will motivate and push
the players to be the best they can be. Q: How do you evaluate players to ensure each player
gets a fair try out? A: Players
are put through basic basketball drills to evaluate the skills of shooting,
passing, dribbling, rebounding, and defense. All players are put through the
same drills to ensure that the try-out process is fair. Each coach will speak with their
evaluators to let them know what kind of players they are looking for on their
team (i.e. a shooter, a big man, a great defender). Q: What type of experience should a player have before
trying out for a Mass Premier Team? A: Players
can have wide variety of basketball experience. It is important to remember
because we are drawing from multiple communities AAU is more competitive than
most town travel teams. To learn
about some of the anticipated travel plans for each team check the appropriate coach’s bio or look at our About Us page to get a rough
idea. Q: My child plays another sport (Baseball, Softball,
Lacrosse etc) – would they be able to play AAU Basketball also? A: Yes
they can still play AAU basketball. Practices are held in the evenings between
6-9pm and games are on weekends. Each
coach has a different policy on practice and game attendance. Please read each coach’s bio to learn
more about a specific coach’s policy on missing practices and games. It
is important to let the coach know beforehand if you are unable to attend a
practice or game. It is also
important to keep in mind that players who are unable to attend practice will
also miss out on understanding what was covered in practice (ex: a particular
play). This is important to
understand because it could effect playing time. Q: What is the difference between the Team leagues you
run and the AAU Program? A: The AAU
program is much more competitive than the Team League because it involves kids
from different communities playing on the same team resulting in a better
talent pool. The Team League will consist of teams from one town that register
together playing teams from other towns.
AAU is also a bigger time commitment with practices during the week and
tournaments on the weekends. Q: How does tryout registration work? A: We prefer that people register for tryouts online
in advance. The fee for registering
online at least a day in advance is $35. You may also mail in a registration or
register on site for $35 dollars if you register at least a day in
advance. Walk in registration is
$60.00 All registrations must be
completed at least 1 hour before the start of the tryout. Team Selection Q: How will the players be selected? A: Through the try-out process players will be
evaluated on their basketball skills, knowledge, athleticism, and attitude.
Coaches and evaluators will weigh all these factors in selecting team members. Q: If my child did not play for a Mass Premier Team
last year would they still be able to make a team this year? A: Yes, they will be given a fair opportunity to make
the team. Most players that made a
team last year will likely make a team again, however it is important to
remember that each year new players and potentially new talent will be trying
out. Every player trying out will
be given a fair chance. Q: If I don't make a team do I get my tryout fee back? A: Refunds will not be given to players who do not
make the team. The fee is for the opportunity to try out for the team. Q: Who selects which players make a team? A: Multiple evaluators are assigned to each court to
evaluate all players trying out for the team. Q: My child was cut and I believe my son or daughter
was a better player than players who did make the team. A: Deciding who makes each team is not an exact
science. Each evaluator/coach will do their best to identify the top players.
It is important to remember that all teams need different kinds of players to
be successful. Also remember that
if a player is cut from the Gold Team they are able to tryout for our Blue or
White Teams Q: My son or daughter is very upset over not making a
team; what should I say to him or her? A: We understand that getting cut from a team is a
heartbreaking experience for any child. It is important that you explain to
your child that if they gave their best effort that is what is important. Many
good players have been cut at one time or another, Michael Jordan was once cut
from his high school team. Players
should evaluate the areas that they need improvement in and work at them. Q: How many teams per age bracket will there be? A: Most age brackets will have one to three teams
depending on the number of coaches and players at each level. The number of teams at each age level
will vary depending on the number of potential players and coaches prior to
tryouts. When you have been
selected for a Team Q: How many times a week do teams practice? A: Teams will practice one or two times per week
depending on the coach and
level of the team. Q: Are players required to attend all practices? A: Each coach will determine this for their team. Some
coaches will say that practice is mandatory for all players while others may
not. The coach will make that decision for their team. Please read each coaches bio to learn
about a particular coach’s policies. Q: How much travel is required to play AAU? A: Most tournaments will be within one hour of driving
distance from Mass Premier Courts. The
list of Mass Premier Courts 2010 tournaments is posted online. Not every team will play in every
tournament but most teams play in many of our own tournaments. The number of tournaments each team
plays in and the location of the tournaments really depends on the coach. If a team qualifies for the State
Tournament or National Championship then travel may become much more extensive. Q: How does AAU basketball compare to travel team
basketball? A: Participation
in the Mass Premier AAU basketball program is an elevated level of competition
from travel basketball. Teams are comprised of the best players from a variety
of towns making competition much tougher. Q: If I am selected to a team do I have to
participate? A: If selected to a team it is an option to decline
your spot on the team. AAU is a
commitment so please be sure that you are going to be able to make a commitment
when you are trying out. Q: Do I have to play in all the games? A: No you are not required to play in all games although
your team fee will remain the same. Q: Do Mass Premier AAU team parents have to pay the
gate fee at Mass Premier Courts AAU Tournaments? A: Yes, the gate fees at our tournaments help fund the
events. Mass Premier AAU team
parents will be given the option to purchase a season pass which will get them
into every tournament event held at Mass Premier Courts at a lower price. We do offer a discount for
families with multiple children participating in our AAU program. Q: How long is the AAU season? A: The AAU runs from March until July 1st.
If your team qualifies for the National or plays in additional tournaments then
the season may be extended. Q: When do I have to make payment for playing on the
AAU Team? A: All payment arrangements are made after the team
selection and prior to the first practice. Q: Can we wear last year’s uniform? A: If you participated in our 2009 AAU program you may
use the same uniform (we will use the same uniforms for the 2010 season). For
those who want or need to order new uniforms the cost of the uniform is
included in the cost of Mass Premier Courts AAU Program. Teams are required to have matching
uniforms. We are not able to order
½ uniforms for players. Q: Will any extra clothing, or team paraphernalia be
given to our team? A: The option is available for all teams to pay for
additional team paraphernalia (i.e. warm-ups, gym bags, sweatshirts, etc.) This option is available for all teams,
and is decided case by case with each team. Any extra team paraphernalia is not
included in the AAU price.
Q: What is the cost to play AAU at Mass Premier Courts
in the spring? A: The cost varies depending on the number of
tournaments and the team you’re on.
To see how much our AAU program costs please check the coaches’ bio. Mass Premier AAU Spring Pricing
Variables and Inclusions: The price can be anywhere from $500 - $900 and will
vary depending on:
The Sring price will also include:
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