Thanks to everybody who inquired over the past few months about participating in AAU Basketball. I hope this will help you find a team. Below there is some information and background about the program.  Then follow the directions at the end of this message to locate a team in your area. Good luck, please review the following:

  1. Helpful websites include www.ncaauboysbasketball.com, www.ncaau.org, www.aausports.org  (national website) and ww.aauboysbasketball.org

  2. The AAU does not organize teams, or place its members on teams. Clubs who are members of the AAU recruit, try-out and organize the teams. It’s kind of like a college conference (like the ACC) which provides services, events, and regulations to the schools in the conference. But of course the schools are responsible for putting their own teams together, select coaches, arrange for a schedule, etc.
     
  3. Most clubs do not have teams in all age divisions. You may need to shop around, or ask the contacts to refer you to other clubs which have teams in the age you wish to play in.
     
  4. Except in rare cases, the clubs charge a fee to participate. The amount varies a good deal depending on the schedule the team expects to pursue.
     
  5. Teams age 8 – 12 can begin any time. Age 13 and 14 are prohibited from any activity before February 6, 2010. Teams age 15, 16, 17 and 19, must wait until March 6th for any try-out, practice, game or other activity.
     
  6. An athlete membership costs $14 (with the added insurance benefits). You can register online now at www.aauboysbasketball.org and the membership is good until August 31, 2010. You must have a membership to participate.
     
  7. Many new clubs and teams are formed each year. We will not know about those teams until they register with the AAU, and begin to enter teams into the district events. Talk to friends and coaches, and read the newspaper to find out about new teams being put together.
     
  8. Anybody who wants to start a team can call or email me, or Stan Quash at our national office (407) 367-8304. 

DIRECTIONS FOR LOCATING CLUBS
  1. Acquire an individual AAU membership. Go to www.aauboysbasketball.org and on the right side of the page click Join AAU. I highly recommend the AB membership ($14).
     
  2. Go back to the home page of www.aauboysbasketball.org on the bar above the picture, click “Find a local AAU Club”.
     
  3. A U.S. map will appear. Click onto the red area about where you think NC is located. Then click on the zoom in space below the map and the map will zoom in.
     
  4. When you get the map enlarged to show your area, you can point to the names of the clubs. That will bring up the club and the sport that the club conducts, and you can then contact the club by email.
     
  5. Clubs are not placed on the map until thy get their current AAU membership. So new clubs will be coming up all the time. Keep checking the site for updates.