Questions about AAU basketball in NOVA

[Anonymous]

VA Elite? Fairfax Stars?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VA Elite? Fairfax Stars?

Virginia Elite wanted $200 a month per child last year and that didn’t include uniforms etc.

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that VA Elite usually has teams for a full year, so that cost must add up. It's similar to travel soccer costs. I guess basketball is heading that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that VA Elite usually has teams for a full year, so that cost must add up. It's similar to travel soccer costs. I guess basketball is heading that way.

They have a strong program though and your kids will improve there. I like VA Elite better than slam city.

[Anonymous]

Is there AAU in DC (not NoVA)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there AAU in DC (not NoVA)?

DC Evolution
District Basketball Club
DC Blue Devils
DC Premiere
New World

Note that these clubs are pretty good (DC premiere and Blue Devils have grassroots circuit teams, the others may also). There is not lower level AAU like you find a ton of in MD or VA. I know a kid who is not super elite, and he plays for DC Evolution. The team is very good and has one of the best coaches in the area (Wilson head coach).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nova 94 Feet is mentioned here, and it has a strong reputation overall, but parents should go into it with their eyes open. Many of the coaches and teams are top notch and the best you will find anywhere. But a few could completely destroy your kid's connection with basketball, and do so very quickly. That's because Nova 94 has expanded so much in the past couple of years, rebranding rec teams as Nova 94 teams sometimes, that no one can realistically be expected to keep track of what is going on across the organization, which is now very, very large. For example, some excellent teams will probably be Girls Grade 8 National, Boys 13U National, and Boys Grade 10 Nmah. These are outstanding coaches - great character, ability to teach, and winning culture. The problem with those teams is that there may be no spots open at all. That's also true of the U14 Boys teams except for White. This age group should be avoided altogether anyway because of the serious issues, from costs to non existent discipline to losing, that are always coming up with the 2023 year Nova 94 boys program. If your son is a D1 prospect, he might fit in with the U14 Orange team. Just be ready to spend $$$ for travel and prepare yourself to deal with the politics that come up when there are five parent volunteer coaches! If he doesn't make Orange, run as fast as you can from Blue. Also, I have heard that Corras is a very legit coach on the girls side. Things to watch out for generally with Nova 94 Feet:
Teams lying to parents that they are age based when they are actually grade based and will play in weird tournaments that have no affiliation with the AAU
The idea that tryouts are open when they are not (there is a $20 fee to tryout, and this is considered high)
Parents being pressured to buy new, expensive Adidas shoes
Hidden fees for extra gym time

Having said all of that, you may find that Nova 94 Feet is the best organization you have ever dealt with in basketball. There are amazing coaches and teams here, but I do think there are some pitfalls as well. Good luck.

My son did tryouts last year when there was no fee, they wanted him to play but he decided to play a different sport.

I just saw the $20 fee and decided not to try out with them this year, but he’s being recruited by a a couple of other organizations. If I wasn’t already leaning toward another organization, I would probably pay the $20 and try out with nova94.

These AAU teams are starting to get ridiculous with these fees

[Anonymous]

Your son is obviously a very talented player, and he is on their radar, so in that case it might be worth it to pay and try out. He's on a path to receive playing time if the other options don't pan out for some reason. Just my two cents.

But ninety nine percent of the kids who come to Nova 94 tryouts without some hook with the coach are simply making a donation to a brilliant businessman. Spots aren't actually available, despite the open tryouts message on the web site.

[Anonymous]

Teams hold tryouts and charge people to go when they know the teams are completely full?

[Anonymous]

Yes, because AAU teams tend to initially form in third grade, or even earlier, and the rosters become set in stone for years afterward as the parent volunteers exert influence and the head coach hands out favors. "Outsiders" are excluded. Suburban AAU organizations with parent volunteer coaches, like Nova 94, are usually like this. It's a great system if you can get your kid in the door early on. Higher-level organizations like Team Takeover also have few or no open spots, but for a different reason, which is that they have already made offers to players they've recruited specifically for the team.

[Anonymous]

How does Nova94 compare to teams like Takeover and Team KD?

[Anonymous]

Nova 94 feet is basically a Division 2 organization at best, despite a couple of exceptions, and Takeover and Durant are Division 1. You don't really see the difference until about U13, but after that Nova 94 isn't remotely able to compete with those EYBL teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nova 94 feet is basically a Division 2 organization at best, despite a couple of exceptions, and Takeover and Durant are Division 1. You don't really see the difference until about U13, but after that Nova 94 isn't remotely able to compete with those EYBL teams.

A couple of years ago I watched a team called NoVA something (not sure if it was 94 feet) play a TTO 16U team at a local tournament hosted by TTO. It seems the TTO kids knew ahead of time it would be a blowout and they decided that they would only score on dunks (i.e. passing up easy layups and open perimeter shots). I watched until they were up 16-0 on 8 dunks (2 alley oops) before I couldn't watch any more. I felt really bad for the NoVa kids.

[Anonymous]

So I imagine Private school’s In this are aren’t recruiting kids from nova94 feet?

[Anonymous]

This is true about Nova 94. Last year there U11 teams were already formed before the tryouts. Maybe 50+ kids came out to tryout. They only added 1 kid to the tops team and 2 to the second team. So it was a phony tryout. A money maker I guess. Same teams are togetHEr this year so why bother. They’ve played together all fall and winter already.