AAU BASKETBALL TEAMS

1. How many games & practices do STACK offer per season? (Excludes Summer)STACK offers more games and practices than most, if not all other AAU programs in the area. We are able to do this because we have our own facility and are dedicated to giving our players the best basketball experience possible. That being said, we play between 13-16 games and have between 20-25 practices, skills sessions or sports performance training sessions per season. (Season about 3 months) All you have to do is check the competition and see that STACK offers much more basketball and a way better experience to our players!
2. How do the age requirements for STACK teams work?
   We have recently moved our team age requirements to be in line with the New Jersey AAU rules. Your son or daughter is now eligible to try out for the age team they are as of August 31st. If a player is in a grade but eligible to play for the younger grade I will discuss with the parents and player to make sure he/she is on the best team to develop. Basically leaving the decision up to the player or parent on whether they will play with a grade down but still their age or just play with players in their current grade.
3. How do you work the schedule because we have a lot going on?
   AT STACK we are fully conscious of the fact that most families are very busy and trying to fit a lot in for their kids. We do our best to schedule around all requests made by our parents and players. We also offer a huge benefit for our players and that is to allow them to come to other teams practices. At STACK we teach the same philosophy, structured offense and defensive strategies to all teams from 4th grade and up. This allows players to come to any practice that is on the STACK Program Schedule in case a player misses one with their own team or needs some extra work to learn. We also have developed our own scheduling and alerting platform called HoopAlert to keep all parents as organized as possible when dealing with the STACK Basketball Schedule.
4. Why have you decided to have tryouts vs. having sign-ups for STACK?
   I am trying to raise the level of seriousness in the STACK Basketball Program. I want to organize the players based on commitment level, skill level and the town they live in. This will hopefully lead to better attendance at practice and games, which will ultimately lead to STACK getting to the next level locally.
5. Will you be cutting any players?
   I have said it from when I first started coaching STACK and continue to believe that I will always find a spot on a team who wants to play for me.

6. Will there be A and B teams at each grade level?
   Not necessarily. Many players come to STACK from certain town travel teams who want to stay together. I will do my best to keep these players together to help them prepare for their travel season. I will be trying to put the most skilled and committed players on a team but if one of those players is coming with a group of travel players from a town, then he will be given the option of which team to be on and have to make a decision. I will be completely focused on putting players will they will get the most opportunity to develop and help build the STACK program.
7. Do all players have to attend tryouts and how many?
   ALL players whether you have played STACK in the past or not should attend AT LEAST ONE tryout. There are 2 dates available for players to attend and like the town travel programs expect their players to attend tryouts STACK does too. I would encourage ALL players to attend as many of the tryouts as they can. If for some extreme reason a player cannot attend any of the 3 dates for tryouts please contact me.
8. What has motivated you to have tryouts for STACK?
   The main reason is to raise the level of our practices so we can take STACK to the next level. I am also trying to avoid players missing practice for other basketball programs in the area. In my opinion (and maybe I am biased) what is being taught at STACK is one of the best ways to play basketball that I have seen for youth in the area. I am not quite sure why a player would want to skip a STACK practice or game for another basketball program (excluding their town teams) but maybe they are just misinformed to how you really get better at basketball and learning how to play is better than just playing. I am hoping tryouts will send a message that STACK is a serious basketball opportunity.
9. What is the difference between the tryout days and registration day?
   Like your town travel programs, you have tryout dates. Then when you find out your team you then register for the program by filling out paperwork and paying the fee. The registration day is a 3-hour window player can come to fill out the forms, try on a uniform and pay the fee. If you cannot make the registration day then other options will be made available via the Internet or mail.

10. Are the STACK tryouts different from the normal STACK teams?

There is only one STACK program and the tryouts are just a change to the original process of signing up for STACK.

11. Do 1st and 2nd graders have to try out?

No. 1st and 2nd graders just sign up.

12. Will any of the STACK teams get any more or less than other teams?

All STACK teams will have the same amount of practices, games, skill sessions and sports performance training. I will look to schedule games that are most competitive for our teams to play. So some teams may play against different teams and tournaments but all will get the same amount of games. Ryan Tremblay and his assistants will still coach all teams. So all players will get plenty of work with Ryan Tremblay in practices and games. All of the same philosophies, offenses and defenses will be taught to all participants of the STACK program.

13. Will there still be equal playing time on all STACK Teams?

As always getting our players court time is one of our top priorities. That being said the coach does have some discretion to playing time when the game is in the balance down the stretch. In a game where the coach uses discretion players are still playing 12-15 min of the game minimum. This may happen 1-2 per season if that.

14. Is the $20 tryout fee good for all tryout sessions?

Yes. Players are encouraged to come to all of the sessions and they can get a good workout at each one.

15. What are some important things we look for from players in Tryouts?

The most important thing STACK is looking for from players is their level of commitment, ability to listen and to work hard. The highest-level teams at STACK will demand a total commitment to attending practices and games over other sports they play. That being said STACK does have teams where practices can be missed without penalty or deduction in playing time in games.