Fielding 24 teams for each of the last 3 years, In the Zone is one of the largest AAU programs on the East Coast. In 2011, we had 16 boys teams from 4th grade through 11th grade and 8 girls teams also from 4th through 11th grades.
Teams are formed after the tryouts in February and practices start the beginning of March. The first tournament is usually later in March with the season running through the first week in August. During the spring, there are 2 practices each week, one during the week and one on the weekend (unless of course there is a tournament that weekend). During the summer, there is only one practice each week.
AAU Basketball without the travel:
Besides having our own facility, one of the biggest advantages of the In the Zone AAU program is that we don’t travel. We play in our tournaments and the competition comes to us. No-Travel AAU saves families lots of money on gas, food, hotels, etc. not to mention saving time: time spent traveling to distant gyms, time spent waiting between games, time spent in boring hotel rooms. Additionally, it is possible for our athletes to play other sports during AAU season—your whole weekend isn’t taken up by the tournament. A lot of our kids play basketball in the morning and can make their baseball game in the afternoon. No-Travel AAU is also great for families with more than one child involved in weekend activities or even those whose children don’t want to spend their weekends being carted around to different gyms all spring.
Over the past few years, In The Zone has hosted tournaments that attracted teams from Toronto, Washington DC, Baltimore, NYC, Dover, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Camden, Trenton, Newark, Rochester, Norwalk CT, Rhode Island, Fairfax VA, Harrisburg, and Scranton as well as many local teams. We attracted several nationally ranked teams and organizations including the NY Gauchos, South Jersey Blitz, Team Philly and the Capital Athletics (Harrisburg).
In the Zone Basketball Club
Is a fundamentals driven program. We believe that you never outgrow the fundamentals of a sport.
Our goal is to provide players with the opportunity to gain experience in competitive game situations, improve their fundamentals and help them take their game to the next level. Our focus will be:
- Individual player development
- Improving fundamentals
- Teamwork and court smarts
Within this framework we will also:
Insure about 8 minutes of playing time each game for every player in good standing.*
Dedicate 20-30 minutes each practice to individual skills (i.e. ball handling, form shooting, footwork).
Conduct skill workshops that will focus specifically on individual skills (shooting, perimeter play, big man moves, moving without the ball, etc)
- *good standing means that a player attends practice, knows the offense and defense, maintains a good attitude, plays team ball and displays good sportsmanship. If a player is not in good standing, he might not get any playing time.
Additional benefits of playing AAU Basketball at In the Zone include:
- FREE Open Gym every weekday Mon-Fri, 3:00-5:30 Mar-Aug (hours subject to minor changes).
- FREE Use of “The Gun” during open gym (if court space available).
- FREE Skill Workshops throughout the season (i.e Shooting, Perimeter Player, Big Man, etc).
- FREE Skills and Drills program.
- 50% Discount on 3-on-3 tournament fees (AAU member player only)
- 50% Discount on basketball-related summer camps, (discounts good through end of year).
Registration fees:
The Registration fee includes at least 21 games which is usually achieved through participation in 7 tournaments, court time for practices March 1-Aug 6, open gyms, skill workshops, skills and drills program and other discounts.
Coaches:
Coaches will most likely be qualified parents. We believe that there is a wealth of knowledge residing in the experiences of parents and that no one cares more about the development of the kids than a parent. If you are interested in coaching, talk with Steve.
Playing Levels:
ITZ BC, tries to have A and B level teams for most grades. Players will be placed on a team based not only on ability but also on commitment. “A” level players will be expected to make every practice and tournament and most skill workshops. Kids that play other sports or who have other commitments precluding them from making practices would most likely (but not always) be on a B team. Players may get bumped up or down during the course of a season for competitive reasons. When playing other In the Zone teams, A level teams generally play up one grade against B level teams.
Teams may also have Alternates on their roster. Alternates are typically players whose skill level is not quite high enough to be a full player on a team. Alternates have all the benefits of a full AAU player but they do not participate in tournaments. Ideally an Alternate is a player that loves the game, really wants to get better but just needs more training and experience. Coaches might use Alternates to fill their game roster if they are short players for a particular game.
AAU Age Bracket Determination:
For 2012, AAU has adopted a grade based eligibility standard. The GRADE determining date is October 1, 2011. There is also an age requirement that essentially allows kids who have been held back one year or started late by one year to play at their GRADE level.
AAU Frequently Asked Questions:
What is AAU?
AAU stands for Amateur Athletic Union and is one of the oldest and largest non-profit, volunteer sports organizations in the United States. It is a multi-sport program dedicated to the promotion and development of amateur athletes.
What is AAU Basketball?
It generally refers to tournament basketball. Instead of competing in a league and playing one or two games a week for 2-3 months, AAU teams play in weekend tournaments and typically play 3-5 games in one weekend. It is very common to play several games in one day. Each tournament is a stand alone event and teams compete to become tournament champions. Teams from all over the region compete in these tournaments.
AAU sanctions regional tournaments where teams complete to earn invitations to national tournaments.
There are several organizations that conduct tournaments and national level events. In the Zone runs “open” tournaments which means that any team can enter: school teams, recreation, AAU, travel, YBOA, etc.
Although not completely correct, recently the phrase “AAU basketball” has been used to refer to the general practice of competing in weekend tournaments.
What is In the Zone Basketball Club (ITZ BC)?
ITZ BC is an organization created to form and train basketball teams and players for participation in tournaments and leagues from March through August.
In the Zone has been fielding AAU teams for 6 years. We have grown from 3 teams the first year, to 24 teams the past few years which makes ITZ BC one of the largest AAU programs on the east coast. The In the Zone Basketball Club is a Level 2 AAU member club and is part of the Mid-Atlantic District.
Is there a lot of travel involved?
Generally with AAU programs there is a lot of travel, but with ITZ BC there is NO TRAVEL involved. Most families say this is the best part of our program. We stay home and the competition comes to us. This approach is especially appealing for families who have children participating in other activities and don’t want to devote an entire weekend traveling back and forth for games or spending extra money on hotel rooms.
My son/daughter plays another sport during the spring, can he/she still play AAU?
Yes, they can still play, but we do expect a certain level of commitment from players to attend practices and games. We realize there will be conflicts here and there, but players should be at almost all practices. It is assumed that players participate in AAU ball to get better so they can excel during the regular basketball season; it would be unrealistic to think a player is going to improve without attending practices. Additionally, it is not fair to the other kids on the team for a player to routinely miss practices or games. Not attending practices may impact playing time; although there is a fee for this program, that fee does not guarantee playing time. Players need to be in “good standing” to play.
Can my son/daughter play on more than one AAU team at the same time?
Technically, yes but we discourage it. It’s probably better to make a firm commitment to one team.
How competitive is AAU Basketball?
AAU Basketball is very competitive and is generally considered a higher level than school or travel ball. Kids that play AAU ball usually have committed to basketball as their main sport.
For information on our 2012 AAU Basketball Program Click here.
For AAU registration form Click here.
