Starting an AAU basketball team is as easy as going to AAU.com and registering your team. However, there are seven very important tasks and information you need to be successful. In this article I am going to walk you through the steps and teach you exactly how to start an AAU basketball team.
If you are on this page you probably have a child basketball player and heard about AAU basketball. Maybe you are not impressed with some of the local basketball leagues and considering starting your own AAU basketball team. Well, that’s a great idea!
I have years of experience coaching AAU basketball and have learned so much and want to share this knowledge with my readers. I put together this comprehensive article to give you information that will make starting an AAU basketball team easier for you.
Before I begin I want to be up front with you. AAU basketball can be extremely beneficial for our youth in both developing their basketball skills and providing them with a safe place to grow and mature.
However, AAU basketball can be time consuming because it requires careful planning and organization. It can also be expensive.
But if this is something you want to do please stick with me as I guide you through the process you need to start your very own AAU basketball team and setting it on the path to success.
Starting an AAU Basketball Team:
Starting an AAU basketball team does not have to be a complicated process but there are some essential requirements that I am going to discuss in this section. These are MUST haves to effectively start your AAU basketball team.
1. AAU Basketball Coach (required to start an AAU basketball team!)-
You need an AAU basketball coach. Your coach must be registered with AAU and pass a background check.
Maybe you (my reader!) want to start and coach your own AAU basketball team? Are you asking yourself if it’s possible? Of course you can do it! If you are a new coach or you have never coached at this level there are a bunch of resources online, YouTube, etc.
If basketball season is here and you just don’t have the time to do extensive research online to buildout your team strategy and practice plans you should check out the basketball section of CoachTube. They have over 1000 videos to choose from and cover everything from basic fundamentals by age to advanced basketball strategy. And the best thing is they have reasonable prices!
Click here for a link that takes you directly to their website. They have a bunch of resources that can get you on the right track quick.
2. Team Manager-
Every AAU team needs a team manager/team mom or team parent. Don’t do this alone! The team parent can facilitate all of the administrative functions that are necessary for an AAU basketball team.
3. Players-
I am not sure if AAU basketball has a minimum player requirement but the max you can have on the roster is 15 players. I highly suggest at least eight players on your roster. There are strict age and grade requirements. AAU does check player eligibility before most tournaments and if you fail to comply your team could forfeit all games.
4. Uniforms-
You need uniforms. AAU basketball tournaments require teams to have uniforms that comply with their rules. They have a specific standard that is normal across the board. Some of these requirements include shorts with no pockets and uniforms with numbers on the front and back.
Check out prices on uniforms here. They also carry reversible uniforms to ease the financial burden on your team’s budget.
5. Team Book-
AAU requires teams to check in for each tournament. Teams need to be organized, which is why I highly suggest a team parent manage this process.
Team books will have everything required for checking in to tournaments. Typically this includes the team roster, player birth certificates, pictures and report cards.
6. Team Budget-
AAU basketball in most cases will require your team to travel. At the minimum there will be costs associated with tournaments, team registration, insurance, food, practice facility rentals, equipment and even personal training. Establishing a solid budget early on will help make the coach and team manager’s job much easier.
7. Team Schedule-
Your team will need a schedule once you establish how much your team can afford to travel and compete in various tournaments. This is an important tool to communicate to parents and players. It can also keep you on track to prepare.
8. Register your AAU Basketball Team-
AAU basketball requires each player, coach and team volunteer to be registered. AAU is different from other organizations. They actually require each individual register in their system as a member. This means each person will pay a small fee. Other services charge per team.
This can be done at https://aauboysbasketball.org/. This can be a little bit of a task but don’t worry, I wrote an article complete with screen shots on how to register your AAU basketball team. Check it out here!
Conclusion:
Starting an AAU basketball team is actually a simple process. The list above is just a guide on what steps you can take so please don’t feel overwhelmed with information. To start the team, you basically need a coach, players, practice location, balls, uniforms, and a couple of tournaments.