FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We have competitive teams for grades 3rd-8th. Read about the different competitive levels here: https://www.proskillshoops.com/clubteams/
We will start developing a 2nd grade travel club team team in the spring of 2023 from our clinic and competitive players.
All club players are expected to attend two practices per week.
Travel Club team participants are expected to have regular practice attendance, daily practice on their own, and full tournament participation. These players are basketball first
There will be 2 tournaments per month and 2-3 travel tournaments per year. Only by having full commitment can our teams compete at the highest levels. This is a full season commitment September-July.
While we know that occasional sport conflicts & vacations occur, we hope by providing the tournament schedule in advance, families will be able to plan their schedules.
ProSkills Travel Club teams are a high level of competition and skill. It might not be the right fit for every player. Read our skill and behavioral expectations under Our Curriculum.
Our League and Competitive Teams are perfect for players who are ready to go beyond skills and ready to be introduced to club level basketball.
We offer developmental clinics for players that are looking to improve their skill level, learn more about the game of basketball and play at a recreation level. Or for young players just starting their club basketball journey.
Basketball is a grade based sport. See grade level exemptions.
Divisions are broken down as follows:
8U 2nd grade
9U 3rd grade
10U 4th grade
11U 5th grade
12U 6th grade
13U 7th grade
14U 8th grade
The majority of our practices are held at The Bay Club El Segundo.
We also hold practices at Mira Costa High School and other local gyms.
A one day shoot out is the perfect way for players to be introduced to club basketball. They play 2 games usually on a Saturday. The records don't count and there is no overall shoot out winner.
A tournament usually has 2 pool play games on Saturday and 1 or 2 bracket games on Sunday. The goal is to make it to and win the championship game. Winners usually receive championship t-shirts.
Tournaments are $60 each, per player, no matter how many games they participate in. Shootouts are $40 per player.
Basketball is a grade based sport. However, there are still age guidelines. Youth teams (8U/2nd Grade through 14U/8th Grade) must abide by the 2020-2021 AAUage-based team guidelines. Teams will be allowed to have two (2) grade exceptions per team. For example:
9U / 3rd Grade
o An athlete can be no older than 9 on August 31, 2021
o Birthday Range: September 1, 2012 - Present
o If a player was born before 9/1/2012 BUT is in the 3rd grade, that
player is eligible for 9U as an exception.
Basketball is grade based. The season runs from September to July. We hold yearly tryouts at the end of August.
That doesn't mean it's too late to join. Contact proskillsdirector@gmail.com for more information.
Our Travel Club teams are a Sept-July contract. The cost is $3,000 per season for middle school and $2,850 for Elementary. Tournaments are an additional cost. The required uniform package is $150.
Club Level teams practice 2 times per month and are $200 per month plus practice jersey. The League and tournaments are an additional cost.
Skill sessions are $135/month plus a practice jersey.
Billing
The Club basketball season runs year round, September-July.
Travel Tournament Teams:
Only by having full commitment can our teams compete at the highest levels. This is a full season commitment September-July. Payment can be made all at once or in four installments.
Competitive Club Teams: Payment is divided into 11 installments. In order to stop payment, a written cancellation request must be sent TWO WEEKS before the BILLING DATE to proskillsdirector@gmail.com. Only emailed requests allowed. No verbal requests to director or coaches will be considered. Refunds or make ups due to vacation, schedule change, or other events will not be given. Please read the policies at registration for more details.
Skill Clinics: Can sign up anytime. Payment is divided into installments until the end of July. In order to stop payment, a written cancellation request must be sent TWO WEEKS before the BILLING DATE to proskillsdirector@gmail.com. Only emailed requests allowed. No verbal requests to director or coaches will be considered. Refunds or make ups due to vacation, schedule change, or other events will not be given. Please read the policies at registration for more details.
Team schedules, availability, and important documents are all communicated through TeamSnap. Please make sure to download the app, subscribe to the calendar, and make sure emails are not going to junk.
Due to COVID protocols, participants must bring their own basketball:
28.5" for 9U, 10U, 11U
29.5" 12U, 13U
We highly recommend the Wilson Evolution as the best indoor competitive basketball.
https://www.wilson.com/en-us/basketball/balls/evolution-game-basketball
All ages play on a 10ft hoop. We believe it is important for all our players, even the littlest one, to play on a regulation height hoop and develop their skills. You will be surprised what they can do even at the youngest ages!
Players will NOT be allowed to attend other practices due to scheduling conflicts. The only exception is a Select or Premiere player who adds on a 3rd weekly practice may attend the general skills clinic.
Trust the process. We have almost 15 years of experience coaching and developing players. Our teams become small families and our players and parents form lasting friendships beyond basketball.
I hereby pledge to provide positive support, care, and encouragement for all children participating in the ProSkills Basketball program by following this Parents’ Code of Conduct:
- I will encourage good sportsmanship by demonstrating positive support for all players, coaches, and officials at every game or practice. I will place the emotional and physical well-being of my child ahead of my personal desire to win.
- I will support all program coaches and officials working with my child, in order to encourage a positive and enjoyable experience for all.
- I will ask my child to treat other players, coaches, fans, and officials with respect regardless of race, sex, or ability.
- I will remember that the game is for the players – not the adults.
24 Hours Rule: If a parent is dissatisfied with a situation that occurs during practice or a game, it will not be discussed until 24 hours afterwards. This allows for a “cooling off” period as well as the discussion to be moved away from the players.
Off Limit Topics: playing time or skills of other players will not be up for discussion.
Coaching Time: Please be respectful of the coach’s time with the players before, during halftime, timeouts and after practices or games. Coaches are always available via email, call or text
Parent coaching during practice and games: Parents are not allowed to coach their child during practice or games. Please respect all coaches and let them do their job.
Finally… Thank you Alan Stein, Jr., for his 16 Rules for Basketball Parents To Help Their Youth Sports Athlete. These 16 rules are so relevant across all sports and life. We love sharing Alan’s wisdom with our parents. Alan is a successful business owner and veteran basketball performance coach, he spent 15 years working with the highest-performing athletes on the planet (including NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Kobe Bryant).
16 Rules for Basketball Parents To Help Their Youth Sports Athlete
- Parents… you must embrace the fact that this is your child’s journey – not yours. Do not live vicariously through them. Put your focus on being a supportive and encouraging
- Parents… it’s true. Coaches do play favorites. They favor players who give the team the best chance to win, who have great attitudes, who work hard every day, who embrace their role (regardless of what that role is) and who support the program’s culture. If you think a coach doesn’t ‘like’ your child; your child is more than likely deficient in one (or more) of these areas.
- Parents… as far as playing time goes, coaches want to win. They want to win badly. If your child will help them win… they will play. If not… they won’t. Period.
- Parents… more often than not, your child’s coach is in a better position to evaluate and determine appropriate playing time because they see workouts, practices, meetings, film breakdown and games (whereas most parents get an incomplete picture because they only see games and some practices).
- Parents… more often than not, through both experience and professional development, coaches usually have a better basketball IQ and general understanding of the game then parents do (so questioning a coach’s X’s & O’s or their ability to judge talent is inappropriate).
- Parents… stop coaching your child from the sideline. The only ‘voice’ a player should receive instructions from is the ‘voice’ of their coaching staff. Cheer for them all you want, but do not coach That isn’t your job.
- Parents… you love your child more than anything in the world. You always want what is best for them (which is understandable and respectable). However, a coach’s obligation is to do what is best for the team. In many instances, what you want for your child and what is best for the team is not congruent.
- Parents… you should never push to discuss playing time, strategy or another player with your child’s coach. Ever. Those 3 domains are sacred ground.
- Parents… politicking will never get your child more playing time. I promise you, this statement has never been said by a coach in the history of high school basketball, “I really need to start playing Jeffrey more because his mom thinks he isn’t playing enough.”
- Parents… you should encourage your child to communicate any issues, questions or concerns they have (or you have) directly with their coach by having them schedule a meeting. It is my belief, as a parent, you have the right to attend that meeting, simply as an observant, but the discussion should be between your child and the coach.
- Parents… do not undermine your child’s coach in the car ride home or at the dinner table. Subtle, passive aggressive comments like ‘Your coach doesn’t know what he’s doing’ or ‘I can’t believe you don’t play more’ do not comfort your child (although I am sure that is your intention) – it enables them to have a bad attitude and to make excuses… both of which are unacceptable.
- Parents… if your child isn’t getting the playing time they feel they deserve or if they lose a tough game… use that experience as a powerful teaching tool. Teach them how to own it. Teach them what they can do in the future to possibly get a different outcome.
- Parents… stop berating the referees. It sets a bad example and it makes you look foolish. The referees are doing the best they can. More often than not, a referee has a better position and a much better understanding of the rules to make the correct call then a parent does. And I promise you this statement has never been said either, “Can we stop the game? I’m sorry everyone. The loud-mouth mom in the stands is right, her son did get fouled on that last play.” We not only want respectable kids in our program, we want parents to be respectable as well. Because if we are holding your kids to a certain standard parents must follow suit.
- Parents… it is highly unlikely that your child will play professionally. In fact, statistically, only a very small percentage of you will have children that play in college. So let them enjoy the journey. Their playing days will be over before you know it. Use basketball as a vehicle to teach the life lessons they will need when they grow up.
- Parents… don’t push your child too hard. It’s OK to encourage. It’s OK to suggest. It’s OK to hold your child to a very high standard of excellence… but don’t force them to ‘get up extra shots’ or get in extra workouts. That has to come from them, not you. If they choose to do those things on their own, be supportive. If they choose not to, if they choose to only do the bare minimum, they will eventually learn a important life lesson (not make the team, not get much playing time, etc.).
- Parents… one of the best things you can do is develop a quality relationship with your child’s coach.
We usually hold multiple camps during the summer as well as camps during school breaks ie Thanksgiving, Winter Break, etc. Keep checking our website to learn about upcoming camp dates.