Frequently Asked (Club) Questions
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What does the club team do on the weekends?
Depending on the time of the year, we play at various events consisting of leagues, shootouts and tournaments. Almost all are in Arizona with the bulk held in the Phoenix metro east valley area.
What does league play entail?
We play a league which takes place every Saturday and lasts for two months. Sometimes, we will play a second league on Friday nights in addition to the Saturday league. The league takes place 4 to 6 times a year. It offers a playoff bracket at the end of the season to determine a division league champion. Average cost per player is based on the number of players on the team. Average is $50 - $75 per player.
What are Shootouts?
Depending on the weekend, we will buy two games per team as additional games to supplement league games. These games do not have playoff brackets. Average cost per player is $15 but it will vary depending on number of players on the roster.
Can you explain what is a tournament?
Tournaments are full weekend competition that includes both Saturday and Sunday play and has a playoff bracket on Sundays. We play 1 to 2 of these tournaments a month. Average cost is about $30 per player depending on the number of players on the roster.
What is your school break camp about?
We participate in the quarterly "Top Gun Shooting Camp" every school break. This is where each student shoots thousands of shots in four days. It makes a huge positive difference on improving shooting skills. Throughout the past 5 years of the Camp's history, the players who have consistently participated in this quarterly camp become the best shooters. The camp accelerates development. Camp cost is usually $195 for a one week session that takes place Monday - Wednesday and sometimes Monday - Thursday from 8am - 12pm.
Do you do one-on-one training?
The new student is required to enroll in at least 4 sessions to ensure that we work on their shooting form in a more personal setting. (Once a week for four weeks). Once this is completed, we recommend one-on-one sessions every quarter to ensure that accelerated development takes place. Over the years, this process has consistently produced some of the top high school shooters in Arizona. Each session is $50 per hour.
What is your monthly training fee?
$195 per month. We offer a lot more training hours per week than any program in Arizona which makes the cost per hour very low and the value high. The key is to offer as many training hours as possible to truly impact the acceleration of skills and IQ development. If your budget is limited, let us know and we will work it out with you. However, if you can afford the very reasonable per hour cost price point, please move forward with it so that we may assist those who cant. We hope you appreciate the value of this fair approach.
Do we have to order uniforms?
If you play on the club team the answer is yes. It costs $159 for a home & away set that we order after 30 days of evaluation to ensure that the academy is a good fit. If the student plays before 30 days, we will provide a temporary uniform.
How do we pay for the monthly training fee?
For the monthly training fee, we send out the PayPal invoice by the last week of the month for the following month's fee. The fee should be paid by the end of the 1st Friday of the month. If additional time is needed, please communicate with us. You can also pay by check or cash. Checks are to be made out to Junior Hoops. Fees for the leagues, showcases, tournaments and camps are paid before the beginning of each event.
What positions do you train your players to play?
The game of basketball has pivoted to "small ball". It is fast and everyone can shoot, pass and dribble at a high level. Our approach is to teach all young students to be both point guards and shooting guards. They will also play forward positions when needed, however, a main focus for everyone will be to develop the skills of a scoring point guard. Whatever position they gravitate to in the future, they will bring to it shooting, court vision, passing, ball-handling and defense. Leading the focus of our system is decision making and defensive play. If the student is going to be an obvious center or forward due to his height, we will train that student for the center and forward position, however, he will also be trained to dribble, pass and shoot like a guard thus making him a well-rounded basketball player.
How would you describe your style of play?
We train the students to become very aggressive scorers with a teamwork mentality where passing is paramount if the shot or the drive is not available. (Avoid bad shots). The student has the green light to shoot the ball when open and to drive to the basket when the lane is also open. If the shot nor the lane is open, the ball must be passed. Quick decision making is paramount. Again, no bad shots. (Avoid low % shots). Efficient scorers is a key focus and by avoiding bad shots, passing takes place and teamwork is fostered. Most coaches only allow certain players to shoot and/or drive. That is not the case with us. We are here to develop all young players to become scorers. To be able to take advantage of this great opportunity to become a scorer, the student must learn not to take bad shots. Only consistently taking bad shots will stop a student from shooting in our program.
What is your overall player development strategy?
To teach all aspects of the game as early as possible. They will learn to play both zone and man-on-man. We will play half-court offense with plays when necessary and we will run a fast break offense when we are faster and more athletic than the opponents. It is imperative that the students learn to play in all kinds of offenses and defenses. A comprehensive approach to playing the game is the aim. We read and react to the court situation at all times and this includes what offense or defense to deploy. The development of a high basketball IQ player is our aim.
Many coaches focus on offense and not enough on defense. How do you see your program?
Having the desire and burning passion to play defense is non-negotiable. It is a BIG area of focus whether we play zone on man. Students will know how to play all defenses and how to breakdown all defenses that they will face. All students must become defensive specialists.
How important is student participation in your program?
We request that participation in as many leagues, showcases, tournaments, and shooting camps becomes the norm in order to accelerate development. This includes our school break camps where thousands of shots are taken by each camp participant in a four day period. We ask for a full commitment to attending our weekly training sessions in order for us to be able to quickly move the needle of development on skills and decision making. Obviously school projects override everything thus the multiple training days offered to ensure that no week goes by without at least one training session taking place.
Do you emphasize the importance of Academics?
Grades are non-negotiable. Students must maintain a high level of scholastic achievement to play with the All-Stars basketball program. Period.
What should be the goal of the All-Stars student-athlete?
Our aim is to ultimately create elite level high school basketball players and we must have our students in complete alignment with this goal. Utilizing the above focus as early as possible and in a consistent manner, we get the elite level results we seek. The desire to play beyond high school is highly recommended, however, if collegiate level of play is desired, we would be greatly focused on helping you to make this happen.
Some parents and players want to play for fun while others like intense competitive play. How do you see your program?
For our players, an intense focus on player development in a highly competitive environment is a fun experience. This must be what they consider to be fun. We try to build a fun environment as much as possible and it helps when the players enjoy the challenge inherent in a highly competitive club basketball environment. A highly competitive environment that requires an intense focus on development is not for everyone. We seek students who are drawn to this type of environment because it is inherently fun for them. It is in their nature to compete and achieve.
Where and when do you train?
Go to our website and click on the training calendar. We train Sundays & Wednesdays. Time, location and days are subject to change based on Academy needs and time of year.
- Sun: 6:00pm - 8:00pm @ The LAB (Arizona & Warner) | HS
- Wed: 6:00pm - 8:00pm @ TBA | HS
I have additional questions that were not answered above. How do I get them answered?
Please click on "contact us' above if you have any additional questions that were not answered by the above.