Watch out for Flexx!! They are coming strong on all levels. 2029 and 2030 teams are money and playing in EYBL. Created a very strong 2028 team that is starting this spring. I also heard they were starting 2031. Program on the rise!

DD is an AAU player on a top circuit team. Here is my advice:

Choose a coach and a team, not a program.

The top local EYBL/3SBB/GUAA programs are all (mostly) well organized. Your child plays on a team and for a coach. The best programs have great coaches and bad ones. Try and get to a game to watch the coach. Is s/he someone you want mentoring your child? Does the team play well together? Are they organized or do they play my-turn-your-turn ball?

Talk to the parents of other kids on the team.
The parents a year up or down may love it but what do the parents on your child’s prospective team think?

Be honest about your child and what s/he wants from this experience.

The top teams can be a grind - the tournaments and travel are expensive (until they’re free); all the kids have trainers; the best players play A LOT more than the other kids; as your child gets older (7th - 11th) the best players in the region will tryout for the team, if s/he isn’t committed s/he will be replaced.

Basketball really is Choose Your Own Adventure. If you want Paint By Numbers, play soccer.

Hurricanes is not a circuit team, but it’s a good fit for multi-sport athletes who want to also play basketball. College recruiting isn’t the goal of all players, including mine.

Hurricanes are not great at the ES level either. Would prefer Elevate Elite or Stars. Hurricanes, PPA, Classics and Vogues are fine for lower level players, but if you’re DD has some skill, would look to elsewhere (even second teams are better on EE or Stars).

Hurricanes at the HS level is a piss poor program which is a real shame because of how strong it is at the ES level. If you join, go in with no expectations that it compares to the level of play/coaching you get in the earlier years.