Starting an AAU team

[Anonymous]

Curious if anyone has done this? We have one local AAU team, and several great players didn't make it, and there is a lot of interest in starting another team. I'm guessing the hardest part would be finding a coach and gym space.

[Anonymous]

I've seen it happen. It's easier if you start it within an established organization but I've also seen it happen outside of any Org. The key is to be organized, communicative, have gym space and be 100% transparent with the cost. Too many coaches think they can start their own team but they don't know how to communicate or stay organized and parents get frustrated and feel like they're being taken advantage of.

[Anonymous]

I will say our county has been a little irritated by new organizations spinning up, because in some sports it is causing so much competition for permits that it's becoming really difficult to provide space for everyone. They'd rather people form new teams in existing organizations.

[Anonymous]

In Fairfax, its really hard to get permits for school gym space. Renting gym space is cost prohibitive. Sometimes spring teams will practice at outdoor courts.

[Anonymous]

It really only works if you have a parent willing to coach for free (and it is a lot of work) and some in for gym space: thats why you see so many aau teams with assistant coaches who also happen to be a high school coach. They block their gym from community use and let their aau teams sneak in and practice for feee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It really only works if you have a parent willing to coach for free (and it is a lot of work) and some in for gym space: thats why you see so many aau teams with assistant coaches who also happen to be a high school coach. They block their gym from community use and let their aau teams sneak in and practice for feee.

That is so wrong when rec leagues might need that space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It really only works if you have a parent willing to coach for free (and it is a lot of work) and some in for gym space: thats why you see so many aau teams with assistant coaches who also happen to be a high school coach. They block their gym from community use and let their aau teams sneak in and practice for feee.

That is so wrong when rec leagues might need that space.

Yep. They block it on the calendar online as if the school team was using the space.

[Anonymous]

I know an FCBYL coach who did it for a couple of years. He created a non-profit for the team and had the same gym space that he got during county

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know an FCBYL coach who did it for a couple of years. He created a non-profit for the team and had the same gym space that he got during county

His county team org probably got the permit for him.

[Anonymous]

My 2 cents…

1. You don’t have to register as an “AAU” team unless you plan to play in AAU sanctioned or sponsored tournaments. Just call yourselves a travel team. But better to follow AAU age (or grade) “rules” if you plan to play in the larger tournaments.

2. Find a dedicated parent coach and hire a trainer to help out if needed.

3. Your team can join a local league or play bump games to start out. My son’s friends have joined travel teams that participated in Little Legends. I think LL includes weekly gym practice space in its team fee.

https://www.playlegends.com/youth-basketball/seasons/next-season

4. There are several grassroots leagues in Maryland and DC (but I can’t recall the details).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 2 cents…

1. You don’t have to register as an “AAU” team unless you plan to play in AAU sanctioned or sponsored tournaments. Just call yourselves a travel team. But better to follow AAU age (or grade) “rules” if you plan to play in the larger tournaments.

2. Find a dedicated parent coach and hire a trainer to help out if needed.

3. Your team can join a local league or play bump games to start out. My son’s friends have joined travel teams that participated in Little Legends. I think LL includes weekly gym practice space in its team fee.

https://www.playlegends.com/youth-basketball/seasons/next-season

4. There are several grassroots leagues in Maryland and DC (but I can’t recall the details).

you call yourself an AAU team and make kids register with AAU for the insurance. It's not expensive to register with AAU and it would be reckless for someone, especially someone with assets, to form a team without that kind of insurance

[Anonymous]

Just need the insurance, and find private schools or churches that will rent to you--they need the revenue. It's easier than you might guess!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just need the insurance, and find private schools or churches that will rent to you--they need the revenue. It's easier than you might guess!

gym rental can be $100/hour. That's a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just need the insurance, and find private schools or churches that will rent to you--they need the revenue. It's easier than you might guess!

gym rental can be $100/hour. That's a lot.

Not divided by 10 kids. That’s partly what the fee should pay for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2 cents…

1. You don’t have to register as an “AAU” team unless you plan to play in AAU sanctioned or sponsored tournaments. Just call yourselves a travel team. But better to follow AAU age (or grade) “rules” if you plan to play in the larger tournaments.

2. Find a dedicated parent coach and hire a trainer to help out if needed.

3. Your team can join a local league or play bump games to start out. My son’s friends have joined travel teams that participated in Little Legends. I think LL includes weekly gym practice space in its team fee.

https://www.playlegends.com/youth-basketball/seasons/next-season

4. There are several grassroots leagues in Maryland and DC (but I can’t recall the details).

you call yourself an AAU team and make kids register with AAU for the insurance. It's not expensive to register with AAU and it would be reckless for someone, especially someone with assets, to form a team without that kind of insurance

My kid played AAU ball for 5 years on several teams, including on an EYBL team during high school, and never registered with AAU.