When do the basketball seasons run, where are the games & practices?

• 5^th-7^th grade boy's league runs November - December. Tryouts for these teams are held in August.
• 5^th-7^th grade girl's league runs January - February. Tryouts for these teams are held in October & November.
• 8^th-9^th grade boys and girls league runs April - May. Tryouts for these teams are held in March.
• Exact dates and times of tryouts will be posted 2 months prior to tryout dates.
• Practices take place at local schools and begin 2 weeks prior to the first game. Each team is allotted two practices per week, coaches schedule their practices through the AAU Coordinator. 
• Each team plays two games each Saturday for a total of 10 games throughout the 5 week regular season. Games are held at local Jr. High or Middle Schools between 8:30am - 7:30pm. All efforts are made for games to take place at central Treasure Valley locations.
• A Post-season single elimination tournament takes place the week following the last regular season game. Teams are scheduled through a bracket system and play according to regular season rankings.

Who can play AAU basketball?

• Leagues are organized by grade levels, not age.
• Boy's and girl's leagues are organized in the 5^th through 9^th grades.
• Players must play at grade level. Players are not allowed to play up or down a grade level.

How are teams selected?

• It is the intent of these tryouts to produce the most competitive teams possible.
• Teams are formed through a competitive tryout process which is free of charge.  All players must attend AAU authorized tryouts in order to play in the AAU program. All teams participating in the Treasure Valley AAU League may only form through an AAU authorized tryout format.
• Exact dates and times of tryouts will be posted 2 months prior to tryout dates.
• Assessments are taken on each participating youth based on a series of drills & scrimmage play. Skill levels are graded in the following areas: shooting, rebounding, passing, dribbling, offense, defense and general athletic ability. All assessments are graded by unrelated assessors and team coaches. The coaches then take all assessments into consideration and create a competitive team with the top 10 athletes. Ultimately, it is the coach and assistant coach's decision of who makes their team.
• Athletes will be divided in two league divisions.
  • Varsity Teams; consist of the top 8-10 players from each area high school.
  • Junior Varsity Teams; consist of the next best 8-10 players, depending upon the number of kids attending tryouts & their skill level.  Some schools who have a large number of attendees with the necessary skill level may form two JV teams.  Some Varsity teams from smaller area schools may also choose to compete in the JV league.
• Athletes are notified regarding team selection within 2-4 days after the make-up tryout date.
• Athletes who do not make a Varsity or Junior Varsity team are given the opportunity to increase their skill level by participating in the Jr. Stampede League (6th & 7th Grade), Y-Ball League (5th Grade), Nampa Parks & Recreational Leagues or the Vallivue Rec. League. These leagues run simultaneously during the AAU seasons and offer a great opportunity for players to develop their skills & have fun.

Which team can I tryout for (eligibility and location guidelines)?

• Teams are organized by High School feeder areas. For example, if you live in or attend a school in the Capital High School area (Riverglen or Fairmont); you must try-out for the Capital team.
• All players must tryout during their High School feeder area scheduled time. Make up tryouts are provided for those unable to attend the regular scheduled tryouts; players are not permitted to attend both.  
• Players are only allowed to tryout one time for one given team.
• If you are trying out for an OPEN ENROLLMENT school, you must abide by one of the following three guidelines:

1) Attend the proper feeder school (i.e. St. Marks if you want to tryout for BK)     
2) Have a sibling currently attending the desired high school in which you would like to tryout for.                                                                                                                                                                                      3) If you attend a private school, you may tryout for either the private feeder school or the public school in which you live.     
• Players may not be recruited from other teams/schools or switch teams after the tryouts have taken place.
• If in the case a smaller school has low numbers of skilled players, two schools may be combined by the AAU administration to create a full team.

*If you have questions or concerns regarding which school to tryout for, please contact the AAU prior to tryout dates.

Am I guaranteed playing time?

• All players on a team roster are required to play in each game unless injured, ill, absent or during tournament games. However, individual play time is not equal & will vary. 
• While coaches are encouraged to have each player on their roster play at least one quarter of a game, the amount of playing time is a decision left to the team coaches.
• Coaches are not required to play everyone equally, but a good coach will strive to develop all players throughout the season practices & games.
• Factors which influence playing time are ability, game situations, sportsmanship and attitude.

How are coaches selected?

• Volunteer coaches are a key component to the success of the AAU program. All interested coaches must submit an application at least 3 weeks prior to tryouts, regardless of past season participation.
• All applicants are screened & considered prior to final coach selection each season. It is the intent of the Treasure Valley AAU to find the most qualified coaches available. Coaches are selected based on previous experience, game philosophy, Treasure Valley AAU standards & parental feedback. 
• All coaches will receive equal preparation & training; therefore teaching correct fundamentals and preparing all players for competitive high school basketball, regardless of which high school they attend.
• If an applicants child does not make a Varsity team, the applicant may have an opportunity to coach a JV or Jr. Stampede team. 

How much does it cost?

• Player Fees: League Registration is $135 and includes a full uniform & AAU Souvenir T-Shirt. 
• All players are also required to purchase an Individual AAU Athlete Membership for $12 per year.
• All coaches are required to purchase an AAU Non-Athlete Membership for $14 per year.
• AAU Memberships are easily purchased through the National AAU office either online or by mail. Please click AAU Memberships for more information.
• All coaches & players must show proof (AAU card) of AAU membership prior to the first regular season game.
• Coaches, players & families may purchase optional T-shirts, Sweatshirts & AAU Gear Bags online by visiting the 'Spirit Gear' link.

Who Officiates and Oversees Weekly AAU Games?

• The Treasure Valley AAU sub-contracts NFHS Certified Officials.  These referees are experienced professionals who are unbiased in their judgment and complete their jobs to the best of their ability. We welcome all written feedback regarding the officials through the Send Us Your Feedback link.
• The Treasure Valley AAU provides experienced YMCA Gym Monitors at all game facilities.  Their goal is to provide a safe atmosphere and encourage positive sportsmanship & YMCA standards.
• Both Referees and Gym Monitors have the authority to manage the facility and crowd.  Any spectator, parent or fan who is causing disruptions through negative behavior will be removed from the facility. Failure to do so will result in their team forfeiting the game.   

• Parents are encouraged to be active participants in the Treasure Valley AAU program. There are several opportunities to volunteer;
  • Each game requires both teams to provide a scoreboard operator or written scorekeeper. No experience is required; Gym Monitors will give you instruction.
  • All coaches appreciate 'team parents' who are willing to step up & help organize drinks, relay information to other parents or handle team photo updates.
  • All teams need fans! Cheer loud, Cheer often, Cheer positive!
  • Parents must read & sign the 'Parental Expectations' form, which explains each parents' responsibility & accountability. Click here to review the Parental Expectations form.
• If parents have questions or concerns, the YMCA & AAU recommends they be addressed directly to the coach in a respectful manner. We encourage open dialogue between coaches & parents. Usually the best time to talk to a coach is before or after a practice time, rather than on game days.
• If problems or issues persist, it's best if it's written down. Simply fill out a feedback form or send an email to the AAU Coordinator through the AAU website link, which are found on the Send Us Your Feedback link.
• All parents are encouraged to attend a Sport Parent Seminars which are held seasonally during the AAU tryouts.

What about Regional Tournaments?

There are a variety of regional and national tournaments that teams can choose to attend. These tournaments are not run by, nor affiliated with, the Treasure Valley AAU Basketball Association. Information regarding local tournaments is supplied to coaches as they're announced to the AAU office. Teams may participate in any of these events. Practice time or league support is not provided for these tournaments. More regional tournament information may be found on Links, which includes Oregon, Utah & Eastern Washington AAU websites.